Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1886-06-24

some ways up from its mouth no bed rock
has yet been struck near the town not
far from the mouth of the creek bed rock
Is found IN from six to ten feet for dis
} lance of about three miles or to where the
North fork einpties, "A shaft sunk thirty
ieet on this fork short distance from
where IT empties struck rim rock and no
pay, no bed rock has been found above on
Granite creek. Some eight miles above
the town our party sunk well timbered
shalt thirty-eieht feet after ditchinc and
turning the stream with strong dam we
had four or five feet Of top gravel sinking
through clay ten or twelve feet into slide
which we followed to the depth men
toned, not even striking gravel. We con-
| cluded the depth would be too great to pay
and quit work, as we were under many
difficulties having all We used and ca;
to pack on our backs from the town eight
miles below, crossing dangerous streams
over treacherous foot-logs, steep noun
tain trails that our own feet made, as the
government would not build any. al,
though over forty thousand dollars had
been paid in by the miners for license at
80 each, besides the recording fees of
81 90 per claim. The b. &. mining
laws are not encouraging to prospect deep
digging as they only give one hundred
feet square for a claim. Ours was the
deepest shaft on Granite creek when we
left, and if pay is not struck above the
north fork the town chance of prosperity
is slim. Shafts on Slate creek were sunk
to the depth of sixty-tive feet through
slide and the parties driven out by water
and SUM. We started for homo on the
18th arriving home on the 10th we took
the cutoff by the O'Mac lake striking
the Columbia above Conrad, or as is bet
ter known as wild goose Bills" ferry
he has sinai! boat eight and che half by |
thirty feet that is easily handled with oars
IN low water. This ferry is situated |
eighteen miles below the mouth of the
Grand Coulee. We lost two days getting
on the wrong trails iu reaching this ferry. |
We learned just after crossing the Col |
umbia that the Indians had raded the
White Ranch and burned the houses.
They were hunting for White who
watched them with glass and it is not
known what his fate would have been
had they caught him. The reservation
being thrown open right on the hels OF
the killing Of the Indians, may yet cause
trouble. am satisfied jealous y exists
between the Okinakauc and Moses In.
dams from remarks made by the former
think the latter is stronger in number
and power, and will hold the other in
check. Granite creek can only lay claim
TO about three miles SO far that will pay
It being expensive to work the water
forcing its way through deep canyon,
the water spreading from rim rock to
rim rock, it can only be worked by wing |
dam, or by fuming requiring ten foot
hume to carry the water. The South
FORK OF the Samilkamene or Tulamene
has been worked by Cinnamon for years,
who have worked the cream off of it,
taking out considerable gold the stream
can only be worked to advantage in low
water by wing dams | did not see any
good quartz in b. G. This side of the
line there is some very fac silver bearing
rock was shown to me newly struck on a
stream called Salmon, between Okinakane,
Met How L. Sanilkamene, showing
much galena. giving big assay. l have
good reason to know that some good pay
ing placer and quartz will be found in
the section mentioned above. Portland
parties are now developing abondcd ledge
near the mouth of Samilkamene belong.
ing to Okinakane Smith. We met mum
bers Of land hunters for the Okinakane
country on our way home.
f. M d