Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1886-02-18
MINES, EAST AND SOUTHEAST
OF LEWISTON

Ger and quartz mines east and southeas
Of Lewiston. In fact, these mines wer,
= strong incentive which fist brought
population to this country and held thai
population here and gave to them thei
wealth and means of opening up the agri
cultural wealth of the country. At frs
the miues drew nearly all their grain
beef, pork and vegetables from Greg l
and that part of Washington in the re
gion OF Walla Walla where the settlcmen
was very sparse and in turn the gold r IN
these mines furnished nearly all the circu
lating medium for Portland, the Wallam
cite and Walla Walla valleys, and all be
came exceedingly enriched by the ex
change. This gradually forced men tt
open up to agriculture, other lands il
nearly proximity to the mines, till all tn;
country between this place and the noun
tains, just east of Camas Prairie, becam,
dotted with ranches for grain and vegeta
bic raising, and cattle aud hogs, and al
most their entire market was 10 the
mines, and at high prices. Till within
about one year ago the entire eastern lin
II Of these mines was about one hundred
and sixty miles east Of Lewiston, embrac
Ing Warrens, 0he most eastern,) Miller's
Camp, Florence, Salmon river bars, Elk
City, Newsomc Creek, Clearwater, Orc
Elmo, Moose Greek and Palouse. Dur
ing the latter part IF 81 and till
about February '63 with the few men
who had come to work in these mines,
over $3,OO0,00O 10 gold dust as the pro-
duct Of their labor, Portland alone re-
ceived by actual computation, besides the
amount that had s one in other directions.
Nearly all these camps have continued
from year to year ever since that time
T. the present to supply, more or less
gold to the country and mostly down the
Columbia river, and thence 90 to Port
land and San Francisco, for which goods
have been taken in exchange at high
prices and at cxhorbitant freight rates,
and yet not $4,000 has ever been fur
nished in capital from the lower country,
70 any one or all Of these mining camps
put together, for further developement
The best Of quartz has been discovered
IN Warrcns, Elk City and Orc Elmo. and
great efforts have been made to induce
Portland capital to lend aid in developing
; It; but the monied men have shrugged
their shoulders to the appeals made and
turned deaf car to all entreaties, with
tho answer that the quartz was too far in
the mountains and out of the state of
Oregon, and other like excuses. But we
have never known one to refuse an ounce
Of gold dust or bullion when offered to
them, because It came from out of the
state Of Oregon, or from the mountains
Of Idaho, They have been often asked
% take their own experts in ores, and
come and examine the lodges discovered,
the assays from whose ores were way up
in the hundreds, and in some instances,
thousands Of dollars. But no, they
could not make this personal examination
nor could they be at the expense Of send,
ing Others in whom they had confidence.
A few men of small means have come
from the east and made cursory exami
nation under adverse circumstances, and
Ill have been satisfied with their wealth
when developed, but their capital was
TOO small to undertake the work several
thousand miles from home in new and
rough country which could only be
reached BY mountain trail, and thus not.
outstanding the millions Of dollars which
have been taken from the placers to en-
rich the commerce Of Portland aud San
Francisco, the quartz and deep mining
which requires an advance outlay Of cap
ital TO put it on paying basis with all
the inducements which honest and indus
trious human ingenuity could devise, has
% far been unable to make any Roadway
in development. Siuce tire construction |
Of the North Pa, iic railroad the Ceur d |
Alene camp, with not near the rich sur.
face prospects, that have some Of the
mines Of these other camps, have been
able TO induce some capital for develope.
ment, and the results are proving highly
Had the Northern Pacific
survey down Salmon river proved prac.
ticable route, and they constructed along
that route il would have furnished con.
venisnt outlet to several Of these mines,
md should there be road constructed
pver the pass OF the Bitter Root and
1own the Clearwater, it also would be in
comparatively near proximity to several
f these mines. and others would doubt
= Be- discovered equally rich, for the
ich minersl belt lies from south of War