The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-05-25
ALTURAs COUNTY
A List of Her Big Mines-Her Politics
Haileys Freight Importance.

A List of Her Big Mines-Her Politics
Hailey's Freight Importance.
The name Alturas is derived from the
Spanish lofty, altitudinous, introduced
into Idaho by Californians, who were
familiar with such a country in the
mountainous region of that state 1t was
organized in 1854 out of old Boise county,
the mother county of all southern Idaho.
Ii was immense in size until divided into
three sections four years ago-lRrger than
several states combined. The county fell
into Inslgnificsnce with the decay of river
and placer mining near Rocky Bar, reviv-
ing with the development of silver-lead ore
mining on Wood river in 1s79-about the
close of the Indian war A great floating
population then sailed up Wood river and
to the head of Salmon river, most of them
soon drifting out again, but sufficient re-
NAMED to establish the three principal
towns on the river-Bellevue, Ketchum and
Halley-snd number of smaller mining
camps from Bullion to Vienna. Eastern
capital gave backbone to development and
anticipatious much in excess of actualities.
Modesty was never a noted attri-
butte of the Wood river popula-
counties and domestic folly the county was
divided, Gripping all three, but still Al
turas is respectable for dimensions and
distinguished for the energy and enter
prise of its citizens-none more so in the
state.
In natural resources Alturas is rich. It
is classed as mining county, but is much
more. The great forests that cover all the
great mountains about the headwaters OF
Wood and Salmon rivers are q treasure in
themselves. When the Butte & Boise rail
road shall be completed through them,
which is likely to soon occur, their value
will be appreciated. The agricultural lands
are mostly along Lost river, but thrifty
farms and hay ranches are found all along
Wood and Little Wood rivers and numer-
GUS tributary streams. These little valleys
will all fill up in time by the pressure of
eastern immigration and will always have
home market. This is also q magnificent
grazing county In the summer, grass,
water and timber everywhere through and
over the hills. The climate is healthful-
in summer unsurpassed in any country
Game of all kinds is plentiful, from the
grizzly and mountain goat of the Saw
of the plains. Some of these ole
hunters might possibly make some
thing by adding to the Idaho exhibit at the
Worlds fair by trapping some of these
| goats and bears, as did the old man Swartz
with his sawteoth grizzly at the New Or
leans exhibition. A menagerie of the wild
animals Of Idaho would be curiosity a.
| Chicago.
HALEY, the county seat, is near the
south boundary on the banks of WOOD
river, situated, in round numbers, in lati-
tude 431&. longitude 1l415, and at an elevs-
ton of about 6, 100 feet Ketchum bein.
300 feet higher; population about LOO
Ketchum 500 The other towns are al
small, collections near paying mines.
The railroad freight delivered at HALEY il
large-much greater than one would
imagine. 1t gees by teams IN every direc
ton. This is true also at the Ketchun
depot. Challis, Clayton and Custer count.
travel and freight pass from Ketchum owe
Lewis stage and freight line, and this
with the trade up to Wood river camp
and Sswtooth keep the roads hot.
Accessible property of Alturas last year
total S5S1,000 after settlement by tn
board. The county income is now apou
one-ha derived from licenses. The deb
of the county is yet unsettled, the thrs
counties of old Alturas having failed {
: agree upon an epportionment and the mat
ter Is now in the United States circui
court for determination.
Population Of the county, 5000; vote 6
last election, ], $50; length Of railroad. fl
) teen miles
County officers-Sherih, James McPhel
son; clerk and recorder, ]. w. Garrett
!, probate Judge, S. G. John; assessor, Fran
l Peed; treasurer. w. H. Watt; coroner, D.
: n. j. Brown surveyor, f. @. Mandel
e The county commissioners are G. B. Flor
= ence Charles AIKEN and p. Weber.
Mines are not taxable. The followin
a are some of the principal producing mine
= now:
= q Red Cloud, L. Price, superintendent; Re
q Elephant, @. V. Bryan, superintendent
. War Dance, Triumph, Nettie; at Eas
Fork, the North Star; at Somokey, CARR
q Leonard, f. Oliver, superintendent; Kin
. of the West, Stormy Galore group, Say
: tooth, the Silver King, Major William Hyl
y man, superintendent; at Vienna, the V
: emma and Solace, G. j. Johnston, superir
!. tendent; near bailey, the Democrat, w. s
!, | Van Dusen, superintendent, is shipping
= me lot of ore The Star, Idahoan. Bullion
= Mayf1ower and Jay Gould are mostly undo
. leases waiting for an advance in silver. A
Ezra the Hub litigation has been settle
. and Greenhow & Winters will soon begi
= operations. Camas No. has also been
- litigation, yet unsettled. Many good mine
up the river are now worked by leaser
6 When silver goes to LII again this countr
y will boom.
3 The Red Fish lakes attract big crow
n every August for their red trout, game ar
" scenery. The Deer Greek Hot sprinI
" near HALEY. and Haley Hot Springs hot
II attract eastern tourists. Guyer II
"a springs, near Ketchum, are crowded eat
~ summer with Oregon boarders.
: Alturas was Republican at the last ele
= ton by something over one hundred N
# iority. This year politics is an uncerta
v subject Everything depends on the nj
= tional conventions. If not satisfacto
= there is probability of a new independe
~ party here There is much dissatis faction
"a around with the present political condi tic
"A Nearly everyone signed the silver eli
= resolutions, regardless of party. VIII
"A they will do when nominations are ma
10 we shall see hereafter.
- The Democratic County convent
~ elected to the PocateAo convention the
nc lowing: George J. Lewis, G. V. Brys
y W. H. WATT E. b. True, John CoudrC
~ T. j. Sutton.
- Colonel Bryan Of HALEY and James
= Hawley OF Boise are both strongly c
h dorsed by the Alturas Democracy for de
il gates to the Chicago convention. S
lis