The daily miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1879-1885, 1882-01-01
TIE WOOD RIVER MINES AND
THEIR EARLY HISTORY.
The Building Of Towns and the
Erection Of amelters,

The Building OF Towns and the
Erection Of Shelters,
BY HON. I. 1. LEWIS, OF KErcHuM,
IDAHO.
About eighteen years ago pioneer nain-
ers entered this region prospecting for
gold. Mr.. Dowd, man known in
Butte City, was one of those hardy, ven-
turesome prospectOrs who ut that time
explored up the east fork Of Wood Riv-
er and up Trail Creek for placer dig
gings. They dug many pits, finding
colors, but not In paying quantities.
season, they finally cached their tools in
pits on the bench lands, below the pres
ent site of Ketchum and went out Of the
country, thinking they might some day
return and resume their search for the
precious metal. Little did they dream
of the hidden treasures of silver and
lead lying buried in the lofty mountains
and hill sides they travelled over, stored
up in natures mint, waiting for the ies-
tined day in which the indolnitable will
and energy of man should bring them
to light.
In the fall of 1879 parties again visit
led Wood River and its tributaries, but
this time prospecting more particularly
or silver and lead ores. Their labors
we're crowned with success. Quite
lumber of rich silver bearing galena
mines were discovered. Also a number
pdes of free milling silver were located.
he mineral discoveries of that season
we're in small groups at several points
extending from the present site of
Bellevue up Wood River and tr.buta-
les, over the Saw Tooth Range, on to
he headwaters of Salmon River, chiefly
ills opposite Bellevue, in Deer Creek
Iulch, In Warm Spring Creek gulch,
IA the vicinity Of Galena City, Saw
Tooth and Smiley Basin. The locations
we're made SO late in the season that
bnly very few Of the miners had time
10 prepare and provide for spending the
winter in the mountains. Consequent
" most of them went out to Salt Lake
knd other places where the necessaries
IF life could be obtained. In the spring
bf 1880, before the snow was off, many
|eturned with an influx of new adven-
urers, among them the writer, arriving
IN Wood River about the first of May.
9nOw was then too deep in the mount
inns to admit of immediate work upon
he claims. Camps were made near ia
bob City, and ut the confluence of Trail
Creek and Wood River, and the towns
4 Bellevue and Ketchum We're laid out
nd settled. Prospecting soon became
vely, people came in from every direc-
ION, merchants brought in stocks of
pods and business became brisk. Up
the 3Oth Of December of that wear
l37 mineral lodes had been discovered
nd located. A few of the claims were
lOrked to some extent, resulting in the
bipment to Salt Lake City and Omaha
from six to seven hundred tons OF
Re, averaging in value about $50 ounces
silver per ton, and 60 and 10 per cent.
lead. The season closed, large por-
on of the miners going south
hst or west to spend the winter.
reduction works were started
go, hence Salt Lake City was the
incipal market for the ores of that
JASON. Shipments were made az late AZ
Ovember 25th and reached Kelton
ithout delay. Winter set in in good
lrnest on the first day of December
18th fallOf two feet of snow, and snow
bntinued to fall until all travel ant
Communication with the outside wOrlG
ere shut off except such as could bt
btained through snow shoe mail
t times snow was four feet deep ON til,
eneral level. The average depth from
fiddle of January to middle of March
Om below Bellevue up to Boulder
bOve Ketchum, was three feet. IL
pril of this year prospectors began Il
$ pme in again and BY the middle Of MAJ
hey numbered thousands. All classes
hme, the towns filled up rapidly AMI
nch 210n nj &nn~