The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-01-06
IDAHO.
The Fortunes and Recources of
the Salmon River Country.
The Boom in the Yankee Fork
Rapidly Increasing.
A Splendid Showing From the Bonanza and Custer
Mines-The Norton Hill and Mount Estes Lodes
Developing Finely Big Horse, East Fork
and Wind River Mines-Reports
From Other Mines, ETC.. Etc.
IRY Don COXote.l

Perhaps u snort eplStie IRON tnlS part W your
sister Territory may not be entirely void of In
terest to your readers. Many of them, nodoubt,
have seen with their own eyes, during the past
season, much of the country of which i shall
write; and many more have heard. And while
we do not claim to have a mining camp equal
to Butte, and may never have, for Butte is, be-
yond a shadow of doubt, the most prosperous of
the mining camps on the Coast to-day. with Il
prospect of becoming still greater; yet we. of
the Salmon River country, have faith that, in
a year or so, when we have mills and smelters,
ours will bear a conspicuous part as a producer
of the precious metals.
GOOD SQUARE LOOK.
Seven months ago l came into this new field
to take q good square look at it, and to stay, if
it should bear promise. in my eyes. of develop
ing into a country worth tying to; il not, 1 had
intended to fall back on Montana and fight it
out on that belt. Although 1 found no mills
here. no smelter, nor any machinery at work
outside of two or three a%rastras, yet. after max
ing a careful examination of the quartz in sight,
l came to the conclusion that this portion OF lda-
no. like certain portions of Montana, only needs
machinery and capital to bring IL into promi-
nence. The ore is here in almost endless guam
titles. and of that quality designated as first
class. Timber is also abundant, and water
without stint.
A AND CUSTER.
The first named of these towns is situated
about nine miles up the Yankee Fork from its
confluence with the Salmon, and Custer is two
miles further up the stream, and at the base of
the celebrated Custer mountain, or Mount. Gus
ter. as it is better known here. Custer was
built this season. and for a new town, with the
usual drawbacks incident to a new quartz
camp, makes quite a showing, and will be a
brisk place as soon as the mines on Mount
Custer begin to send their quartz to the mills
that will sooner or later be erected on the river
adjacent to the town. Bonanza is much larger
being on older Mace. and having the ADVANTAGE
in buildings. stores, etc, is the central point of
the Yankee Fork district. 1t has also been the
principal Quitting point for the miners and
and prospectorS operating south and west OF here
so that its trade and traffic this season have been
stores, and although they have been receiving
immense quantities of goods all through the
hummer and fall, they haye been unable %
this time the merchants are worrying about
their goods yet on the way, and are making
every effort to get them in before the four feet
of snow comes that the old settlers say never
fails to put IL its appearance about the middle
Of winter. We:lave also three large hotels, and
also a newspaper. We have no hurdy-gurdy
house as yet; thank God. and | think the miners
ment. Custer has its stores and different branch
cs of business; and although the business of the
two towns is not overdOne, at the same time
there is enough for the present.
THE MINES IN THIS VICINITY.
There are mines enough opened, showing
plcntilully of good ores, to make this a roaring
camp If the veins hold good with depth. SO
far as developed, none have shown any signs
of p~inching GU t that 1 know of. They all run in
porphery belts, which is IL good indication for
both width and depth. On he east side of the
river and adjacent to Mount Custer, we have.
among the most prominent locations, the cele-
brated Custer and Unknown mines: mites now
being developed by tnnnels. cuts, etc, and
owned by CalifOrnians principally; the Sum
nit. Hope. Continental, Blue Wing, Badger,
General Miles, Silver Bell, Lucky Boy. Anna,
Grey G;: Eagle InoW ,a belongs yEs to PC Custer us Co.! Grand ran
fornla, and probably Il dozen Others not devel-
0ped to tliateXtent that some of those mentioned
are. In most of these a great deal of good ore is
in sight, through tunnels, cuts, shafts. etc. On
the Custer and Unknown are many improve
ments besides the mine workings, such as board
ing houses, ore houses, etc. On the fiat near the
summit of Mount Custer is a town of recent
growth, known as Hyde Park. A good wagon
Fork to the Custer and Unknown mines. Sew
erai hundred men have been employed on the
mountain this fall and winter, principally on
there has been II vast amount of work done up
there of late, which has been a great help to
this section, as during the summer season there
was not much development going on. Great
preparations are being made for the machinery
that is said to be coming next spring.
The ores of Mount Custer are botn abundant
and high grade and carry from thirty to iorty
dollars in gold. The ~arastras save about so per
cent. of the assays. and with proper machinery
for saving the silver, the yield Of bullion from
the ores on Mount Custer, will certainly be enOr-
nous Wlen once the mills are In operation.
There has been but little, if any ore shipped
from the Inires in that locality This season,
owing to the fact lat the mines have been
changing hands, and the new owners prefer to
hold the ores where they are until they can re-
duce them with their own machinery.
NORTON HILL MINES.
This group of mines is on the west side of
Yankee Fork, and distant a little over one mile
from the Custer mines, and is doubtless on the
same belt on its westward trend across Indian
.,-.I. -l-, - =. xt AL
entity lost. On Norton Hill Is the Charles Dick
ems mine, discovered by Will Norton. erst of
Montana. 1t is owned by Norton, ROher 4
Phillips. There are also. adjacent, the Daniel
err and several Others. The Dickens has the
most extensive underground developments OF
any mine in this section. 1t is worked day and
night, summer and winter. The arastra belong
ing to the Dickens Co. is shut down for this sea
son. The yield of bullion is about $1,000 per
month this summer the arastra yielded S4O,, zoo
worth of bullion. The mine has given up, since
its discovery three years ago, in The vicinity OF
S125, 900. The old tunnel is IN on the vein only
400 feet, good ore all the way. A new tunnel
was started this season on the vein about $50 feet
below the old one, which is being connected by
a Wine from the upper tunnel. The lower lun-
mel is in over POO feet. and is now heading in a
vein four feet in width, of richer ore than any
thing yet found in the mine, which puts at least
$500. 900 in sight, with a prospect of One-half as
much more before spring.
On the opposite side of Indian Creek, and on q
line with Norton Hill, are a number of mines
that are developing well, some of them contain.
ing much high grade ore, and OF the same quail.
ity us that found on Norton Hill. Those that
have visited In that locality are the Paradise
Passover, STANDARD, MeichOir, Washington, etc
Some of these mines. principally the Paradise
are being worked this winter. Take it altOgeth.
er, there is a vast amount of developing goine
on In the mines of this locality. and SO far as
can learn. the prospects are satisfactory to thu
owners, consequently the balance of us have nc
cause to complain.
MINES ON MOUNT ESTES.
Mount Estes contains a group of wonderfully
rich mines, situated six miles up Indian Creel
from Bonanza, and directly North. The Mon
tana mine, Of which you no doubt have heard
great deal is owned in part by Montanians, ant
hence its name. The proprietors are Jamei
Hooker, Jro. Falkucr. Duncan Cameron. AmO
Franklin and y. b. NarnPy. They have shippe-