Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-11-05
Portland, oREeoNIAN Oct. 70, 1885,

Portland, oREeoNIAN Oct, u, 1861
Hon. A. T. Parker, the well-known
Idaho journalist, is in the city, and gave
an Oregoniaa reporter much interesting
information concerning the resources
of the Clearwater and Salmon river
country in northern Idaho. According
to Mr.. Parker's statements the Clear
water valley is veritable paradise of
new country, or, as he quantity puts
it, "a modern Canaan, stopping over
with the milk and honey of its cereal
and vegetable productions. The trans
portation facilities Of that country are
of the most primitive description, its
sole outlet to the world being through
the Snake river steamers whichsvisit
Lewiston semi weekly, The country in
the vicinage of Lewiston is too-well
known to need description but lying sixty
miles to the southeastward is the great
Camas prairie in Idaho county, which
CouP Iloco tuo pcSt poitiou VI NcutIdi
Idaho. The western base of Idaho
county is washed by the waters of
Snake river, and it is bounded on the
east by the Bitter Root mountains-a
distance of nearly 200 miles. From
north to south it covers nearly equal
distance, making it the largest county
in Idaho territory in point of geo.
graphical area.
Through the center of this vast area
courses the Salmon river, draining with
its multitudinous tributaries the largest
and least known scope of mineral coun-
ty on the Pacific slope. Through its
northern limits flows the beautiful
Clearwater-the largest tributary of the
great Snake river-draining on the
western slope of the Bitter Roots the
finest forests oftmber on the continent.
The Camas prairie is an elevated plateau
forming a low divide between the Sal
mon and the Clearwater, which at one
point, are only thirtyk miles apart.
Throughout the region drained by these
rivers are vast areas of unexplored
country whose surrounding Characters
tics indicate an extensive zone contain
ing large deposits of the royal metals.
Scattered around in the heart of the
surrounding mountains are the old
time, werld-famous placer mines of Gro
Elmo, Florence, Warrens and Elk City
names which in the early COS electri-
fed the mining world with their
marvellous production of royal metal
and made of that region a rendezvous
for enterprising fortune-hunters from
all parts of the world, and paved the
way for the establishment Of the more
enduring industries of raising
and agriculture, which now constitute
the bulk of its wealth.
The mining industry, although in it's
decline, still employs a large popula-
ton, as may be gathered from the fact
that Idaho county leads the list OF
bullion producers in Idaho territory.
Placer mining has hitherto exclusively
engaged the attention of the mining
population, but within the last few
months important quartz discoveries
have been made mt several points with
in the area of its unprospected noun
tam ranges, and the foundations Of
several promising quartz camps have
been laid. The Bitter Root range,
forming the eastern boundary of the
county and territory, is, in reality, the
true backbone of the continent, and it
has been less prospected than any other
range, although enough is known of its
character and formation to justify the
belief that it is scanned with ribs of gold
and silver-bearing quartz. The Salmon
river mountains also afford an inviting
field for exploration, for the range has
scarcely been touched by the pick OF
the prospector for quartz, and placer
mining has been confined to the bars
and the small basins tributary to the
main river. The large forks OF Salmon
river are all an unknown country, that
cannot but be rich in mineral wealth
from the fact that it is the source from
whence the placer gold was derived. In
Wanen's diggings the quartz interests
are already assuming large proportions,
ten-stamp batteries and several arastras
being kept steadily running on high
grade ore from various mines.
In Florence, also, the richest gold
bearing quartz ever struck III Idaho is
being worked, much of it realizing %
cents per pound.
The most important discoveries are
in n new district recently discovered in
the Sheepeater mountains, at the head
of Big creek, on the middle fork of Sal
mon river. The hedges there are veiit-
able hopanzas rivalino apytLinO in