Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1884-05-19
THE EDITOR.
WOOD RIVER MINES AND ORES


so much can be said about the
Wood River mines without over
rating them, or the country, that it is
difficult to know where to begin, AMI
more so, to know when to stop. Or !
dinarily mining districts--at least the
productive sections Of thcm--are of
limited extent and easily described.
The paying properties are situated
but a short distance from 9 ven
center; they can be enumerated on
the fingers Of one hand and may be
all visited in one day. Until the dis
covery of the great mineral belts of
the Wood River country, Leadyille
was the only exception to thi. rule.
In that famous region the mines were
within radius of few miles, all
located on the same body of mineral,
or on spurs or shoots from it, and a
desert ptlon of one, except as to cx-
tent, would answer for the others
Here. however, is an extent Of min
cralized country which, as far as at
present explored, is shown to be not
less than 20 miles long by nearly 20 in
width, abounIing in lead and silver
throughout its whole extent. Besides
this mineral zone, which stretches from
Bellevue TO the Smoky, is another belt
OF similar if not identical character,
reaching from a point on Little Wood
River, in the vcinit of Muldoon, to
point some miles northwesterly from
ketchum, u distance Of perhaps fifty
miles, where it unites with the first
mentioned belt, forming an immense
triangle. This second belt is OF varying
width from three to ten miles, and, in
the opnion of competent judges, is in
no degree inferior to the other This
is the grandest eypanse Of continuous
mineral-bearing country which has
ever been discovered on tho American
continent.
In the early history Of mining in
Idaho, the prospecting was oXclusi>ely
for gold; and later, when the silver
deposits in Ov. hec county ana some
few other pl ccs were attracting atten-
ton, the hostility Of the Indians who
were roaming through the country
etfectually prevented its examination.
1t. great we ,lth, therefore, lay con-
cealed from the wo.ld until he sum
mcr OF 1880, since which time the
prospector and miner have been al
most daily bringing, in proc Of its
wonderful richness and unprecedented
compass. lnfortunatclv, it is not an
easy country to prospect. Everywhere
it is covered with deep soil and detri-
tus, and in many places with heavy
growth Of pine, which interposc the
most discoura9ing obstacles to the
search for veins. The labor Of pros
pert'n% has been so great, coupled
with the shortncss of The seasons, tina,
II has nowhere, except in the immcli-
ate neighborhood of the best mines
received hat careful study and scru-
tiny which has been devoted to other
and poorer sections. Since the frs,
year-when most of the discoveries
were made by meu on horseback
there have been comparatively few
prospcctors here. While the hard,
class Of mon who fad our mines are
Injured to toll, and are accustomed tc
all manner OF privations incident tc
life III u wilderness. they shriul, from
use Of the pix and shovel wher
there is nothing but an indica
ton in sight. Ia no other way vii
the wealth OF these mountains be un
covered, An occasional acciden
brings the coveted ore 10 the light, hu,
the couniv wants and watts iutelli
gent and diiigcnt prospecting, anc
when it receives it, it will astonish tn,
most san1u,ne.
Ia no other country in the world are
the ores 81 rich 4, here. There are a
few isolated instances Of mines Yield.