Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-12-23
Big PLACER SCHEME.
A Plan to Turn the waters u eeutl,
Payette by Tunnei.

1AAM 70 Eurn tm0 waters u 90ufl
Psyette BY Tunnei.
Lee Bunch, Of Garden valley, ha,
the past few months been working qui.
etly on big placer scheme which can.
not fail to be grand success. Ii il
nothing short Of turning the waters
Of the South Fork Of Payette, in Or.
der to work the bed Of the river
Some will say this is impossible, bu,
such is not the case, as you will read
ny see with the topography of that sec
ton presented to view. A short
distance below Deadwood Fork
South Payette swings off from its
regular course around the point of
Deadwood mountain and comes back
to within 300 feet Of the point where
It begins to bend, this being the dis
tance through Deadwood mountain.
but the distance, in following the
bend Of the river, is mile and three
quarters. Lee prospected the river
at different points. The river bed
carries an immense amount of gold
all the way from Garden valley to
Deadwood Fork, but outside Of the
place mentioned there are no means
OF getting at the ground. The river
runs in deep gorge with high, per-
pendicalar walls on each side. 1t is
impossible to wing dam or otherwise
turn the river. During very low wa
ter great deal Of money has been
taken out along the waters edge,
and although the ground is rich, work
IS too slow to be grand success.
Still, in some instances three dollars
per pan have been secured by the
Bunch boys by wading out into the
river and gathering in the golden
sands. Lee took birdseye view of
the horseshoe mentioned, and feeling
sure that the river could be turned by
tunnel, began to prospect. He pros
pected in novel way, and the meth
cd would surely have dampened his
ardor but for the big prospects OBJ
tanned. During very low water he
observed yellow streak in a crevice,
which he knew was gold, and he
waded in. He could not reach it
without bringing his head under the
ice cold water. At each dip down
he would secure some of the yellow
metal in his fingers. This he con-
tlnued as far out as he could reach,
and succeeded in securing $40, and
could still see the yellow streak ex-
tending out into deep water. He Sc
cured one piece weighing SLIP and
another 80 cents. All the gold is
coarser there than it is at and near
Garden valley. Lee prospected at
other points of the horseshoe in the
same way as described, and his re-
ward amounted to just 500. He
was satisfied with the prospects, and
there was no doubt in bis mind that
if the river could be turned immense
fortunes could be made in that bend.
The tunnel scheme looked feasible;
the next thing was to interest men
of money. This was done; six claims
of twenty acres each were located on
the 1st of last July. The members
of the company are J. J. Blow and
VIM. Adams, both men with consid-
erahle means, and residents of Pay
cite City; Frank Bracht, who owns a
big music store in Spokane. He was
formerly noted musician of New
York City, and visited this county
several years ago on a hunting and
general pleasure expedition, stopping
for sometime at Bunch's place. He
is wealthy and is rustler. Another
member Of the company is j. P. M.
Richards, President of the Spokane
and Eastern Trust Co., man not on
ly of means, but of Unlimited enter
prise. The others of the company
are Lee Bunch, Peter Neeb and VIM.
Youren, of Garden valley. A survey
was made short time ago by Mr..
Hessler, who surveyed the big canal,
completed this fall, extending from
Emmett to Snake river. The grade
of the tunnel will be SO feet in 800.
II is proposed to make the dimensions
ten feet wide by seven feet high.
Estimated cost, $4,000. These d.
mensions will not be sufficient to car
ry all the waters of Payette, but it is
expected to wear down with the force
of the water and boulders that will
wash through until sufficiently large
to convey all the waters of the river.
The tunnel will tap the river about
half mile below the Deadwood Fork.
Lee returned last Wednesday from
Spokane. Arrangements have all
been made to begin work next spring.
If we have no more than an average
fall of snow this winter, work can be
started about April 1st. No matter
how late the spring, work will begin
by the first of May. Machine drills
will be put in, and the company ex-
poets to finish the tunnel in three
months. One important advantage
in working the bed of the river is the
large number of warm springs empty
ing their waters into 1t at diff
ferent points along the horseshoe.
With this hot water work can be car
uad IN duripr the winter months