Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-07-05
DISCOVERY OF FLORENCE.
Narrative of Nathan Smith, the
Leader of the Party aChich
Discovered Gold in TIE
Florence Basin.

DurlnS our recent VlSlt to
Elk citywe became acquainted
with Mr.. Nathan Smith, the
discoverer Of Florence. Sub
sequently, in his company and
that Of j. j. Gaunt, of Relief
creek, and S. W. Smith, of the
Buster mine, we took a pros
pecting trip over the newly
discovered quartz belt in the
Deadwood mountain range,
and one day when we were en-
joylng a midday siesta and
lunch in the cool shade of a
densely timbered ravine put
ting into Crooked river, we
asked Mr.. Smith to tell us the
circumstances attending the
discovery of gold in the Flor
ence basin. His account is
substantially as follows:
Mr.. Smith and a partner
named Jack Reynolds left Orc
Fino on q prospecting trip to-
wards the Little north fork of
Clearwater and found pros
poets, but as the water was too
high for them to continue fur
ther they returned to Pierce
city for supplies, intending to
return to their prospects later,
Arriving at Pierce city they
found a company organising
for an extended exploring and
prospecting trip towards the
Salmon river country, and as
they were afraid Of the Indians,
who had driven back several
small parties, they were wait
ing for reinforcements, and
Mr.. Smith Was considered such
an admirable recruit that he
was elected to command the
expedition. They pulled out
of Pierce city twenty-three in
number, ,and crossed the Clear
water at the mouth of the Lolo
where Greer's ferry now is.
and crossed Camas prairie to
Salmon river. They continued
up the Salmon to the mouth
of Slate creek where Mr.. Smith
found a good prospect of shot
gold, and as it was intolerably
hot in the canyon he decided
on taking the party into the
mountains and prospecting fer
gold on the headwaters of Slate
creek. Here dissensions arose,
as the majority Of the company
wanted to keep to the river
and prospect for bar claims.
The outfit hung together, how
ever, and continued up the Sal
mon to the mouth of Meadow
creek, where the Wire bridge
now stands, and there they
climbed the ridge to the sum-
mit,pretty much as the Melnor
trail runs to-day, and made
their first camp on Sand creek,
which then was a marsh. The
next morning the majority of
the party under the lead of a
Frenchman had decided to re-
turn to the river, declaring
there was no gold in the basin.
This was August 20, and they
were going to break camp and
take the back track at noon.
Smith and a few others decided
to remain and prospect further.
That same morning Joe Rich
ardson got four bit prospect
on Pioneer gulch and Smith
also panned out six bits on
another gulch. Upon return
iEg to camp at noon the other
party were speedily convinced
that there was gold in the ba-
sin, and that same afternoon
George Grigsby, the biggest
kicker in the outfit, saw some
fine looking gravel on the roots
ofa fallen tree in Bashaw gulch
from which he washed four
bits to the pan, and on the
strength thereof he has claim
ed for himself the title of the
discoverer of Florence, which
rightly belongs to Mr.. Smith
Enough was now known that
they had struck it big, and af-
ter stalking claims enough to
go around they started for Elk
city for supplies. The news Of
4 fha 1,caauor,, 49,