Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-08-27
ALTON MINING DISTRICT.
From HALEY News-Miner. I

Messrs. John A. Cowan and. Dave
Sterrit returned to Sawtooth from a trip
down the Salmon, some 160 miles below
Sawsooth, last Saturday afternoon. The
boys had been gone between three and
four weeks and looked q trifle dilapi-
GATED, which Dave explained as follows:
I'VE had started from home and on
the 9TH camped on the waters of the
middle fork, and on the Sth started out
early on foot to look up the trail for
Loon creek. We did not pitch our tent
the night before, but spread it under
some trees. When We left the camp
we turned up the canvas over our grub.
blankets, etc, and set our guns up
against a tree, and were, as we supposed.
extremely careful to put out the fire, as
everything was very dry, leaving our
t"o saddle horses and two pack animals
near the camp. We made good time.
l can assure you. Gowan knew inst
where he laid his coat and rushed into
the fire and pulled what there was left
OF 1t out, and a little of the canvas: and
tins was all we sayed from the whole
outfit except what we had on our backs
blankets, tent, grub, saddles, brides,
guns and ammunition all were des-
troyed. We knew the general direction
we ought to take was only conjecture;
but we knew that there was no time to
be lost. Tearing up strips of canvas.
and tying them together for bride reins.
we dug the bits out of the ashes and
started for our horses. They were SO
badly scared that it took us some time
to catch them. We started up the
mountain and soon found that we could
not make any time on account of the
pack animals. and abandoned them.
We rode horseback as long as we could
see to follow the trail and camped on
the side of steep mountain heavily
tlmbered and obtained little rest by
getting on the upper side of
some large trees. Starting in
The morning as soon as we could see, We
rode TIL .. NJ, when we struck a
stream and found a board on the oppo-
site bank with the legend. rs miles to
fellow Jacket; take right hand trail;
cave Loon creek here, and knew that
we had by good luck struck the right
rall. We made the l5 miles over a
'ough trail as fast as our tired animals
could get over it, and just at dark sight
ed Chinaman, whom we came upon
very unexpectedly. He yelled: 'Gelee
elise, wasser matter now,' and bolted.
We soon overlook him and explained as
possible, our situation, and that we had
lot eaten anything for two days, except
| few berries. He was not long in get
up good square meal, but we put it out
)f sight quicker. When we had finished
he Monaghan resented an offer to pay
llm, saying: Mclean man come hun
Try, alice samee Chinaman' We spent
he night with Captain Varney, and
'ext day made Bonanza, where we OBJ
aimed boots, saddles. etc. and we are
lone the worse for our hard trip.
What about the country down
here" we asked.
Dave replied: "The claim that John
ION, Slatterly and Reardon are working.
las the best showing | ever saw for the
amount of work done, and we have
made some locations equally as good
They made their locations last summer.
they Will stay with them as long as
possible and get out this fall. We had
ome ore sacked to bring home that
would have surprised you, but the sacks
we're burned with the rest, and we had
10 way of packing it. We left Charley
Wright, Jim Quinn, Billy Wilson, Pete
'le-on and Ole Opeland near the head
- LIB SiNCh, JntV nave mdQ0
everal good locations. Supplies are
packed in from Lewiston to. Warrens.
md thence 25 miles to the head of Big
reek. AT the mouth of Elk creek there
re several ranches, where plenty of
of all kinds can be purchased
nd game of all kinds, elk, deer, noun
ain sheep and bear plenty, grouse
more than abundant, and the finest
rout fishing in the territory.
Their route from Sawtooth was down
he Salmon to Cape Horn house, fol-
owing the Banner trail to the mouth of
)eadman's gulch, turning to the right
own Bear valley, over a low divide to
ulphur creek, up Sulphur, over low
ivide to the right into Pin Basin, fol-
owing it down and over low divide
0 Lost Mile camp, following down
reek to the forks of the south fork of
he Salmon to Yellow Pine Basin
hence up tributary of the south fork
0 its head and across the divide into
Zig Creek Basin, 10 miles from Yellow
line.