Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-04-01
some idaho sTAMPEDEs.
K. W. Jones, In Yves, Shore.

EW. Jones. In West Shore.
From 1861 to 1870 Idaho was the
theatre Of many placer mining STAN
pedes, and later (lS79) occurred the
Yankee Fork quartz rush, which was
IN extraordinary one. Only those
who have been on such excursions
can realize tho extent of excitement
that enters into every one, and how
oil are buoyant with hope. While in
this condition, often caused by wild
and most unreasonable stories, men
will endure extraordinary hardships,
and put forward every exert,on to be
the first to reach some gold field of
great visionary richness. Whether
the reports that sent them forward
have any foundotion, or are even
within bounds OF reason, they hesi-
tate not one moment to enquire. The
great characteristic OF the pioneer is
to hunt after adventure, and those OF
Idaho in the sixties were ever ready
to abandon = paying business, or va
cate good placer ground, to go in
search Of new diggings which existed
only in the imagination Of excited
men.
The greatest chase OF this kind ev-
or known in Idaho was from Flor
ence, North Idaho, in 1862, and is
called the "Buffalo Hump" excite
ment. Buffalo Hump is the name Of
mountain thirty miles east OF Flor
encc, somewhere in the vicinity of
which it was reported, in July, that
there were placer mines OF fabulous
richness. Within few hours every
body in the thriving mining camp
was in hot fever OF excitement
Men could be seen hastening in ev-
cry direction. Some were procuring
outfits and pack animals, while many
more were rolling in their blankets a
side Of bacon and sufficient -four tc
last few days, which they strapped
on their backs and fastened off. Ev
erybody was inquring about the new
diggings, yet none knew anything
more than that wild rumors were
a1oat of rich gold fields towards the
east. Whether they were at Buffalo
Hump or beyond no one was in
formed. In few hours the noun
tain passes were alive with masses o
moving men, some with pack animals
but the majority fatigued and per
s,iring under the rolls OF blanket
and provisions they were carrying OF
their backs, Each was sxerting a
his energies to be frs, in the new h
Dlrado, SO that he could secure
choice Of ground. The mines wer
reported to be in BASIN similar I
that in which Florence is situated
and as each "divide," or mountai
pass, was reached, all strained thei
eyes in vain endeavors to discove
tho basin. For three or four day
tbs excitement kept up, and the 40
or 500 gold seekers pressed forward
After this, however, they began t
cool down under the hardships of til
journey and mediate over the re
ports that had urged them forward
They were not long in becoming ser
sible of the absurdity of the rumor
and many returned, while hundred
scattered in every direction TO pros
pect. One of those prospecting pa
ties, headed by James Warren, di
covered rich mines fifty miles sou,
OF Florence, and Warren's digging
soon became famous for their richnei
in placers, and from them many
poor prospector obtained great rich,
IN . very short time. This famo,
stampede was supposed to have bee
started by merchants OF Floreno
who sold Immense quantities Of SUI
plies to tho stampeders at extravl
giant prices. When the l.advise
men returned the excitement die
away as quickly as it had sprung u
II may seem strange to those wi
have not witnessed such a miRiu
stampede, that men will leave the
business or work and go through Il
hardships tina. thousands have
search Of mines on such wild rumor
yet, those who have witnessed Il
scenes readily understand that the Q
gernsss for mines takes complete pc
session of the pioneers and prospe
tors, who, in their haste, hardly ha'
time to stop or think; and IL they d
believe there is some foundation I
big stories.
The Stanley Basin stampede, ,
though lasting but few days, W
an exciting one. Gold was first d
covered there late in the fall of 1se
in Kellys gulch, by Frank r. Cotf
at present a hardware merchant
Boise City, Richard Douglass, Robi
son, Matthew Zapp and Challis. T
present seat of Custer county "
l. 81 - 81 FL!