Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-10-30

of the Red Mountains.
Spokane Review
The term "Unexplored Idaho" may
seem strange to many, yet nevertheless
there is large area of country sur
rounding the old gold basin that to-day
has scarcely been trod by the foot of
white man.
In the days of 1923 Florence. Warren
and other camps we're famed for the
richness of their gold production, and
it must be remembered that at that
time placer mines had to yield not less
than IS per day to the man In order to
be proftably worked. The discovery
of far away placers, with exaggerated
stories, would draw from any camp. no
matter how rich, hundreds who would
brave every peril and hardship.to reach
another Eldorajo. not to better their
condition, but for the excitement.
Therefore it was not strange when these
placers began to fail and the rich mines
Of Montana were discovered, that these
camps were nearly depopulated and
turned over to Cinnamon, who could
work less than SIS diggings at profit.
Neither was it surprising that in this
far away region gold quartz or silver ore
was not sought for, as means Of trans
porta,ion to import machinery or export
ores was out of the question, and while
there may have been isolated cases of
quartz being located and machinery
packed in to work it. we have at hand
no data wherefrom to speak.
To enter that country to-day one has
to depend on the same primitive means
of transportation that he did thirty
years ago that is. the saddle and pack
pony. The eyes of hundreds of pros.
pectors are now fixed upon the northern
portion of Idaho and the southern part
of Shoshone county as affording prob
ably the best field known to the pros
pector for careful exploration for the
fine metals, it having been long es-
tabiished fact that the feeders to great
gold basin have never been discovered
or located, mainly for the reason before
stated, that in the early days men were
seeking not quartz but rich placers
In connection with this subject it was
Revieso reporters good fortune to meet
Mr.. A. r. Thomson, of this city, who
has just returned from tour of inspec-
of the country referred to. MIR. Thorn
con gave the following account of his
explorations, which will be of especial
interest to mining men, and not without
interest to the general reader:
From this city proceeded by rail to
Uniontown, where took the stage. for
Lewiston. Then had to change stages
ever another line to reach Grangevlle.
There I may say that in the way of
transportation left the last evidences
of. civilization behind, and procuring
horses started on ride of 200 miles to
my objective point. The first days
ride brought me 10 the once famous
but now deserted camp of Florence.
inhabited by only one white man, Mr..
John Clark, who is at once both hotel
and storekeeper, keeping occasional
travellers and selling goods to the few
remaining Cinnamon In the vicinity
Could the Inen of go and '63 see it TO
day, they would hardly believe this
once busy section could be SO given
over to desolation. This is the fate of
placer camps that fail to develop quartz
to perpetuate them. From Florence
across the bridge over the Salmon river.
a thirty-mile ride brought me to the
Warm Springs hotel kept by Mr.. Fred
Burgdorf. The popularity of these
springs are their beneficial effects upon
persons suffering from rheumatism.
and are visited by the afflicted from
long distances.
"A twenty-mile ride brought me to
the town of Warren. of some 200 popu-
lation. Near this place are three gold
quartz mills, one being owned and
operated by Governor Wiley and his
bIother. In my opinion they have one
OF The finest properties in this neighbor-
hood, their vein running from 2 to 5
feet in width, and yielding regularly
by mill results from S25 to $50 per ton.
Their mill, five-stamp one, and mine
are equipped with the best modern
appliances for working their plant. Mr..
Wiley very courteously showed me
over the property. and after examine
ton am convinced that the wolf will
not come near their door, l brought
some fine samples of their quartz with
Inc. Idaho is fortunate in having such
a representative. progressive man for
its governor. and the mining interests
of the state will not suffer while he is
its chief magistrate. Adjoining their
property Is fiue gold lode owned by
MIR. Day. Not far away is the mill
owned by Mr.. Riebold, now working On
gold-silver ore for Mesers. Wiley, aud
The other mill. called the Mayfower,
Was idle at the time was there.
From Warren l saw the last of
settlements and civilization until my
return, with the bare exception of
Three Fingered Smiths ranch and
placer claims, fifteen miles distant. /
found Smith a whole-soaled, typical
old-iime miner, who divides his time
between mining and raising water
melons, and here l saw sunfowers
seventeen and one-half inches in
Il 4. Il