Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1888-06-14
Mines In Idaho County.

10 1862 the placer mines Of Idaho
county became famous for their richness
But the quartz Of that county attracted
but little attention. Every person who
came to the county for mining was for
getting rich out Of the placers, and many
did become suddenly rich. Men who
had hardly grub stake when they ar
rived 10 Florence, in less than four
months after their arrival had taken
from the bowels Of the earth, by their
personal labor, with pick. shovel and
gold pan, all the way from $500 to
$4,000, in gold dust, each, and the
excitement was such that in July 1862,
upwards Of 10000 men were assembled
in Florence and vicinity, al! intent upon
hunting for placer gold. That same
season the placcrs Of Warrens attracted
thousand, who were successful in open
ing some Of the richest placcrs ever dis
covered in the northwest. But no at
tention was given to quartz, till lato in
1864, save the prospecting few small
vein in Florence in 1862, which were
found while stripping the ground and
washing for placer gold. In matter Of
quartz up to Dec 1878, nearly thirteen
years ago, what had been done in quartz
iu the camp is truthfully set forth in an
account given in a pamphlet in 1875.
We republish:
The existance Of quartz lodges, bear.
ing gold, has been known to some placer
miners from the earliest period Of placer
mining 10 the district, but by men who
placed but little value upon quartz in any
country. In tho fall of 1865 silver
vein was discovered few miles froui
Florence, and its discovery awakened
some little attention, which afterwards
induced some prospecting for quartz in
the summer Of 1866, and first led to the
discovery Of the Washington gold and
silver vein 10 this district, and soon after
the Western and few other veins. In
July Of that year the few who had made
discoveries and locations in this district,
convened and established the boundaries
If the washington gold aud silver
mining district" and framed their laws
relative to the discovery, location and
representation Of quartz claims in the
district. This action gave an impetus
to quartz prospecting, and, before tue
frst Of December Of that year, upwards
Of one hundred distinct veins had been
discovered and partially uncovered, and
locations recorded upon them all.
Late in August Of that year, George
Hearst Esq, the quartz expert OF San
Francisco, CAL, IN company with one
Williamson, paid this camp visit,
having previously followed tho noted
Robcson into the mountains Of the
northern part of the territory, till they
became satisfied that he was, and had
been, deceiving them about the location
Of his rich lodges. These men spen,
some twenty days in examining the
lodges, then partly uncovered 10 this
camp; and Mr.. Hearst caused to be
Published letter over his own signature.
in which he pronounced the surface pros.
poets Of the lodges Of this camp, equal
If not superior to those Of other campo
he had ever visited upon this coast, and
urged the miners to sink down upon
their veins and dovelope them, and, if
they proved as good below as upon the
surface, they might be assured that
capital could readily be had to place
them in working condition, aud bring
reduction works into the camp. He
lamented the absence Of good wagon
roads over which proper reduction works
could readily be transported, ard the
remote distance Of tho district from San
Francisco, the seat Of the quartz mining
capital Of this coast, and the length Of
the winters here.
His opinions, however, as then given.
inspired much confidence in some miners
Who had before become interested in
quarts, and they commenced with re.
newed vigor to sink upon their claina
But BY far tho greater majority of the
miners Of the district could not be
induced to cooperate in the develop.
nent Of the ledges, and traders and
supply mon, if at all, gave a very
reluctant countenance to any and ali
quarts men.
As . result Of this disposition on the
part Of traders, except in a few isolated
instances, prospecting for new lodges, as
well as sinking upon those found, for
the most part, ceased in the fall Of 1866,
and tho great mass Of the claims then
located, recorded and represented under
the district laws, has been left entirely |
untouched from that day to the present. !
But few men Of more faith and
energy than others, without means. save
their own labor, have persevercd in
defiance Of the obstacles which beset
them on every hand, and have done
towards the development of
few lodges. Shafts have been sunk on
Iomo Of them, varying in depth from
dfty to two hundred aud Fifty feet, and
10 no one thus opened has the vein dis
appeared or lessened in size, but with
great uniformity they have gradually
increased in size Of crevicc between walls,
Nd thus demonstrated the fact that