Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-07-10
DEADwoOD.
A Graphic DESCRIPTION OF that Prom
Using Mining District

Using Mining District
OF the mining camps in Boise
county that are now commanding the
attention of men interested in mining
enterprises, Deadwood is one of the
foremost. As the press has not given
much attention to this camp of late,
the writer will try and give q few
points of general interest concerning
the camp.
As most of the readers of the
WORLD know, Deadwood mining dis
trict is located in the north part of
Boise county, drained by the Dead
wood Fork of the South Payette river,
and is about sixty or seventy miles
almost due north of Idaho City.
In travelling through the country
one cannot help but respect the
judgment of the man who named the
camp, as in many places the fallen
timber is 50 thick that it would puzzle
the wits of a coyote to find his way
through it.
In going to Deadwood the traveller
has a choice of two routes after reach
ing Garden valley, Carpenters trail,
or Lightning Ridge trail. On taking
the Carpenter trail you go up the
South Payette to Carpenters place
and then strike north to the camp.
For various reasons this trail is not
much used. Almost all the travel is
over the Lightning Ridge trail. Not
wishing to be at all sentimental, but
this trail is lightning. Taking this
route the traveller goes to the north
end of Garden valley and fords the
river at Servers place. After you
leave the ford about mile you come
to the famous Lightning ridge. And
surely no man ever travelled the whole
length of this trail over Lightning
ridge without saying, "These are the
times that try mems souls" Pros
pectors who have travelled over the
Rocky mountain system for twenty
five years say for its length they have
never seen rougher one. The fea-
ture that you notice most about this
trail is that every high butte you see
before you, you must climb clear to
the very top, though the top be only
large enough for man to stand on.
On reaching the main summit be-
tween Garden valley and Deadwood
you see to the east basin twenty to
thirty miles across in different direc-
tions, covered with low rolling foot
hills and in the center a pretty little
valley five or six miles long and from
half to mile wide. These are the
basin and valley of Deadwood, in
which Deadwood mining district is
located. The country is drained by
Deadwood river, which flows in 9
southerly direction, putting into
South Payette river about twenty
FIVE miles above the union of the
Middle and South Payettes.
Since the discovery of gold in thi.
Basin, 1868, the mining has been
comparatively speaking, all placer
until of late. At present there are
only two or three placer claims doing
anything In the Basin, some China
men working on Wilson creek ant
the Hall company, on Bummer creek
The company did not pipe any this
spring, for want of water.
At present the company is finish
ing their ditch commenced last fall
They have at present half or three
quarters of mile yet to dig, OF
rather blast out Of almost sole
granite at the head of the ditch t.
complete it. When completed i
will be about seven miles long, will
a capacity of carrying thousand o
twelve hundred inches of water. Th,
ditch taps Deer creek, which put
into Deadwood river from the eas
about twenty miles from its source
and will give them one thousant
inches during the dryest season o
the year, which gives them an oppor
tunity to work their mine the who'll
year round, except as prevented b,
cold weather. They have at presen
about a dozen men working on tn
ditch, and will, or intend, to have tn
ditch ready for use yet this season
The water conveyed by this ditc
will be used in hummer gulch, whic
is on the east side of the north end Q
the valley. With this volume c
water and upwards of one hundre