Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1886-06-17

QUARTZ MINE.
A Very Rich Quarts Mine in the Bite,
Root Mountains, north and east oi
lewiston.

Lewiston.
In the Spring Of 1861, as all early
corners to this country well remember,
the rush of adverturers to the Gro Fino
district was very large, commencing as
early as possible in the Spring, and even
before the Columbia river was clear of
ice, so that the steamboats, could navigate
between Cello and Wallula. The Dalles
was crowded with prospective miners
waiting for the steamboats, to make
start up the river. All were anxious to
get to the new discoveries in the Orc
Fino district, which had been made the
Fall and Winter previous. Men went
in hundreds by land others awaited the
starting Of the steamboats,; some sue
ceeded in reaching the Orc Fino camp
before the steamer ventured on account
of the ice in the Columbia, which was
piled in walls On both sides of the river
channel from fifteen to twenty-five feet
high, leaving the steamer to stem the
swift current Of the river between these
walls of ice, rendering it somewhat haz-
ardous to navigate. Before the middle
Of June ever 5000 persons had arrived
in this camp; some on horseback, come
on foot, and some came by steamer to
Wallula, aud others even as far as Lew
iston, thence on horseback and IN foot.
Hundreds were there without having
claims and without work for wages, and
their supply Of grub which they had
managed to pack for the temporary sup
ply was getting short, and but few trains
had arrived with supplies for sale in
camp. A few who had supplies or could
get them, struck out from the camp on a
prospect in the mountains, north, east
aud south, in the hopes Of finding anoth.
er field for placer mining. Among these
latter, were three men-strangers in
camp-who had been attracted by the &C.
counts Of the discoveries from q distance,
as was supposed from California, or some
point south. They kept by themselves,
made no special acquaintance, and in
the rush no one enquired who they were
or what they were after, only they were
seeking good place to open placers.
They called at a tent owned by man
named Col Crockett, who had few sup
plies, and made some purchases from him
and fitted themselves out with grub for
a three weeks supply in the mountains,
and left camp with their tools, blankets
and grub packed upon two animals and
went into the mountains east of camp,
and nothing more was heard Of them un-
til the month Of August, when they re.
turned without making any discoveries
of placers that induced them to make a
location. Just as they came into camp
they stopped at cabin short distance
from where Leland, Starr Il Co. were
putting up saw mill, aud there met the
compauy's mill wright lit was on Sunday ]
and exhibited to him -four sack con-
tanning some dark brittle rock which they
had found in small ledge during their
explorations in the mountains, and asked
him if he knew anything about quartz,
and what he thought Of it, saying at the
same time that they themselves had no
knowledge of quartz rock, but they came
across small ledge Of this rock, and its
peculiar quality and brittleness..induced
them to bring small quantity along
with them, and perhaps some one they
might would know something
about quartz Singer, the wheel-wright,
plead ignorance of quartz, but told them
that he, with their permission, would
take two or three small pieces and per-
haps that some of his acquaintance
might be able to afford some informa.
ton upon the subject. Singer had never
seen the men before, ana did not learn
their names nor where they were from.
He came home to the camp of Leland,
Starr & Co. and showed the samples, but
no one then knew any more than Singer
did These men had described mlnutely
in what position they had found the rock
in the ledge, and the position the ledge
held with the surrounding hills and rock,
and that a small stream ran across the
ledge, and that pieces of the brittle ore
were broken off and lay in pool of the
stream below Singer retained this de.
scription in his memory, but failed to ask
them where the ledge was situated, or
how far, or in what direction from the
Orc Fino camp. Singer retained these
specimens until his contract with the mill
company was ended, and then he went
below to his home short distance from
Oregon City. While there he took
specimen to Richard Hurley, an assayer,
and asked if he would test the ore some