Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1883-10-19
IDAHO.
THE GROWTH OF HER MINING
INTERESTS.
Her Yield Of Precious Metals In 1882
Placed at 81, 500, OOO-Au Under. Esti.

Her Yield Of Precious Metals in 1882
Placed at 50, 800, OOO-Au Under. Esti.
mate.
Director of the Mint Burchard's re.
port on the production of gold aud
silver in the United States in 1882
has just been received. From it we
learn that in 1882 the entire produc.
ton of Idaho was $3,5OO,oOo, and
that Of Alturas County only $945,OOO
This does Wood River great injustice,
as we feel quite sure that the Weld of
this region in 1882 exceeded $4,000.
600. But most was in ore which was
shipped in bulk to Melrose and San
Francisco, Cal, Salt Lake, Utah, Dem
yer, COL, Omaha, Neb., and Kansas
City, For the precious metals con-
tanned in these ores the States and Ter
ritories named doubtless get credit,
instead of Alturas county. Follow
ing is DR.. Burcharl's report on
Idaho:
The growth of the mining interests
in Idaho Territory has been slow COM
pared with that of surrounding States
and Territories, and yet it has not
been that the mineral wealth is less
or that her people have lacked enter
prise and perseverance. y variety of
circumstances have combined to re-
tard proper development and pre-
vent the Territory assuming fitting
place in the rank of gold and silver
producing States and Territories.
As in the case of mining countries
generally, the first mines discovered
were placers, and the extraordinary
richness Of the surface deposits in
Northern Idaho and Florence and
Warrens, of Boise Basin in Boise
county, and on the upper reaches of
the Salmon River, brought numbers
OF miners and adventures to the coul.-
try. The rich placers were soon en-
hausted and attention was given to
prospecting for quartz lodges, and Il
number of valuable mines were OPEN
ed in Owyhee and Boise counties.
Their prosperity did not long con-
tlnue; from over. capitalization, mis-
management, unsuitable machinery
for the reduction of rebelliors ores,
and the expense Of procuring supplies,
the greater number of mining ventures
ended in disaster, and the mines were
abandoned or tied up in litigation.
In Central and Northeastern Idaho
but few discoveries Of quartz mines
had been made prior to 1877. Stu
ated far from the ordinary lines of
travel, only the most daring and hardy
Adventures sought its mountain SOL
tudes. The means of communication
at best were by tedious journeys by
stage or wagon routes, and the greater
part of the country was accessible
only for horses or pack animals over
rough mountain trails, where natural
obstacles to travel were enhanced by
the recurring presence of prowling
Indians, who long resented the in
truson of the whites on their hunting
grounds.
1t was only after the Bannack war
that the prospector could pursue his
vocation without fear of molestat:Ln,
and the stories Of the few adventures
who had visited this region, which was
represented on most maps of that day
as "unexplored country" and the ex-
hibition of SPECIMENS of ore SO rich as
to appear almost fabulous, stimulated
the exploration of the country and the
search of mineral lodges carrying
the precious metals.
The result has been that during the
last three years Eastern Idaho, from
the Salmon River in the north to the
lava beds on the south, has been tenn
ing with prospectors and miners;
thousands Of locations have been made
on the Salmon River, Yankee Fork,
Sawtooth Range, and the Lower
Wood River.
Little Wood River and Little Lost
River mines have opened and worked,
mills and smelling furnaces erected,
and stream of bullion has commence
ed to flow which is certain to increase
as the resources of the country be-