Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-10-20
AFTER The FLOUR GOLD.


aren Kings TEFnfng Thefr Atteusnes
- Snake Blvef Dsrs.
Boise Statesman.
J. D. Thayer, the representative
Of the Merritt-Rowe corporation Of
Minnesota, who has been here for
several days, expects 70 lesvs to-day
for Spokane, the headquarters in the
Northwest for bis company. He will,
however, return to Boise in . short
time.
The capitalists who are represent
ed by Mr.. Thayer are Of the compa-
ny that recently secured control of
extensive iron interests in Wiscon-
sin, Minnesota, Michigan and other
States. They are now turning their
attention to -four gold, and Mr.. Tbay-
er's mission here is to make an exam
ination of the bars Of Snake river. If
the result of the inspection is salts
factory the company will take steps
to secure large tracts of placer
ground along that turbulent stream.
Mr.. Thayer said yesterday the COM
pany had been attracted to this Sec
ton largely by tho newspaper re-
ports of the number of men who, with
the crudest methods, were working
the bars pro6tably. 1t was reasoned
if these parties could secure any per-
centage Of the -four gold with their
poor, slow working processes the
company could, with improved ma
chinery, handling tons of sand and
gravel day, reap an enormous profit.
The resclts of Mr.. Thayer's inves-
LEGATIONS SO far have been highly sat-
isfactory to him, and there IS every
reason to suppose the outcome of his
report will be ths introduction OF
several machines along the Snake in
the southern portion of the State.
The Merritt-Rowe company has al
ready acquired immense tracts of
-four gold bearing bars in Arizona,
Washington, Oregon and Northern
Idaho. A machine is now being put
in at Pasco, Washington, and the ex-
pert who is looking over the ground
there may visit this section shortly.
The machine is the same that it is
contemplated operating on the re-
Gently dumped bedrock Aume
ground, and it is claimed for it, az a
result of practical tests, that it will
save the great bulk, if not all, of the
gold. Mr.. Thayer said he recently
examined some of the Snake river
-four gold. A portion of the foury
"stuff " was poured from a vial onto
a sheet Of white paper. All of the
fine particles that could be removed
from the paper were then returned
to the vial and the paper was shaken
to dislodge any in6nitesimal speck
that might cling to it. To the naked
eye there was not particle of gold
discernible on the paper but knife
blade rubbed over the sheet was soon
beautifully gilded. "That's what l
call the fouriest kind of -four gold" !"
added Mr.. Thayer.
Mr.. Thayer says he is in no man
ner connected with the relocation of
the bedrock fume placers in Boise
county. An erroneous report was
circulated identifying him with that
move, due, no doubt, to the fact of
his being a relative of two of the
leading spirits in that enterprise, to-
gether with his presence here at this
time, representing the company that
is using machines on its placers man
ufactured by the same company with
which the relocators of the Boise
county property are negotiating.
The report of the jumping" of a
large portion of the Phyllis bar was
yesterday confirmed by E. R. Leon
ard. He says, however, the compa-
ny that relocated the bedrock fume
property had nothing to do with TAX
ing possession of the bar, excepting
that some of the members of the com.
pany have individually taken up
claims on the bar. About 1000
acres has been relocated so far.