The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-12-31
A Big Placer Scheme.


which cannot fail to be grand sue
success. It is nothing short Of
turning the waters of the South
Fork Of Payette, in order to work
the bed of the river. Some will say
this is impossible, but such is not
the case, which you will readily see
with the topography of that section
presented to view. A short dis
lance below Deadwood Fork South
Payette swings off from its regular
course around the point of Dead
wood mountain and comes back to
within 800 feet of the point where
it begins to bend, this being the
distance through Deadwood noun
tain, 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, perpendicular walls on each
side. 1t is impossible to wing-dam
or otherwise turn the river. During
very low water q 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 day have
been secured by the Bunch boys by
wading out into the river and gath
ering in the golden sands. Lee
took a birdseye view of the horse
shoe mentioned, and feeling sure
that the river could be turned by
tunnel, began to prospect. He pros
pected in novel way, and the
method would surely have damp
ened his ardor but for the big pros
poets obtained. During the very
low water he observed yellow
streak in 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 continued as far
out as he could reach, and succeed
ed in securing SO, and could still
see the yellow streak extending out
into deep water. He secured one
piece weighing SIP and another
30 cents. All the gold is coarser
there than it is at aud near Garden
Valley. Lee prospected at other
points of the horseshoe in the same
way as described, and his reward
amounted to just 500. He was
satisfied with the prospects, and
there was no doubt in his 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 list
of last July and the company is
represented by both capital and en-
terprise. A survey was made
short time ago, and the grade OF
the tunnel will be 80 feet in 800
It is proposed to make the dimen-
sions 10 feet wide by 7 feet high.
Estimated cost $4,000. These d.
mansions will not be sufficient to
carry all the waters of the Payette
but it is expected to wear down
with the force of the water and
boulders that will wash through
until sufficiently largo to convey
all the waters Of the river.
Arrangements have been made to
commence work next spring. IT We
have no more than an average fall
of snow this winter, work can be
started about April LIST. No matter
how late the spring, work will begin
about the first of May. Machine
drills will be put in, and the com.
pany expects to finish the tunnel
in three months. One important
advantage in working the bed OF
the river is the large number Of
warm springs emptying their waters
into it at different points along the
horseshoe. With this hot water
work can be carried on during the
winter months. Lee says the bed Of
the river in that one mile and three
quarters will turn out no less than
81 GOO, 1000. Judging by the i'm
mense amount Of gold known tc
exist near the shores, we think his
estimate is altogether too low. The
center of the river bed will be fal
the richest, and it is safe to predict
that many big nuggets will be found
The bed Of the South Fork of Pay
cite has long been known to be
fabulously rich. In one place many
years ago, uncovered by the river
slightly changing its channel, III
D I pan was obtained. This was neal
Garden valley. which is twenty
miles below Deadwood Fork. But
along near the shores, underneath
the water. up near the Deadwood
Fork, there is more gold than along
near the waters edge further below
ri - 10 rnrnh nnaraar Nnwharf