The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1891-05-12
A GREAT MINING CAMP,
As Seen by a Tenderfoot.

EDIToHs NUGGET The old adage
Familiarity breeds contempt" is not
always true, but it is true that familiar
| ity often blinds persons to the wonders
and splendor of great things. The wri-
ter, being a new arrival, and not yet
grown familiar with great mining camp,
is therefore, perhaps, better qualified to
give those who have never seen one some
conception of the enterprise and labor
required to make it great, than those
who have grown up with it. For this
reason have presumed to write this.
am now west of the Alleghenies for
the first time. had considered myself
well informed concerning the great West
and it's industries, and left home not ex-
pecting to be surprised at anything 1
might see, but ready and expecting to
admire many things. This week has seen
me for the first time in great mining
camp. Many things have seen since
leaving home have been surprise to me,
in fact / may call everything surprise,
because everything has exceeded my
conceptions. The vastness of the coun-
try, the magnitude of its leading indus
tries, the productiveness of its soils in
some places and the sterility and desola-
ton of vast tracts, have all been wonders
to contemplate.
have for few days been tramping
over the mountain and around the town
of DeLamar. and can truly say, the mines
town and camp have been revelation to
me. have been told that less than four
years ago three or four miners cabins,
few location stakes and notices and
half score of miners prospecting, was
all that was to be seen here, other than
the magnificent mountain scenery. The
discovery of one great mine has trans
formed this former desolation into a
thriving business camp, whose fame is
now worldwide, and whose chiefest in
terest is centered in the financial me-
tropolis Of the world. How proud the
man must feel whose enterprise, fore
sight and good luck have wrought such
a great change in this one little spot on
the globe, and dug the dollars out of the
strongholds. l have not been
in the great mines and can now only
write about what see upon the surface.
l still have in anticipation my chiefest
pleasure.
have found, lying along the narrow
gorge of turbulent little creek, town
strung along tortuous street, with nice
cottages perched on the hillside, big
mill, long tramway, big shops and fur
ther improvements going on in all direc-
tions, with hundreds of men employed |
both in and out of the mines, and much
more than enough to pay the big current
expenses being daily taken out of the
mines, to add to the wealth of the world |
But this is not all. Vast as the property
Of this great company is, l can forsee that
it is only the nucleus of great mining
center which has given an impetus to
mining and prospecting on a mineral
zone which is believed to be several
miles in length and almost fabulous in
wealth. Should fortune again permit me
to visit the camp, expect to see many
other great and productive properties,
Sturdy miners and prospectors, not en-
oloyed by the great company, are doing
work now which promises to tell in the
uture and make the Owyhee mountains
amous the world over.
Respectfully,
CONNECTICUT.