Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-07-14
Eur city District.

nal.
Elk City mining district is sit
n ted on the South Fork of the
Clearwater River, and embraces
an area of about 140 square miles.
1t is situated about 100 miles from
Lewiston, the Union Pacific ter
minus, and 1875 miles from Gene
see, the terminus of the Palouse
branch of the Northern Pacific
Railroad. The watershed of the
South Fork of Clearwater is made
mp of Crooked River, Red River
and American River. Placer
diggings were discovered in this
region in 1860, by prospectors from
the ORC Elmo Country, on the
north side of the main Clearwater
The camp has produced many
millions of dollars Of gold dust, and
is still an important producer.
Very large bodies of auriferous
gravel exist in the district which
undoubtedly owe their origin to
the deposits of ancient river chan
nels and subsequent distribution
through the agency of glacial
erosion; but the area of these de-
posits is so extensive and the dis
trict itselfis so large that the laws
governing their distribution are
not yet understood. The gold
production of the district heretofore
is exclusively the result of in
dividual energy. In the last few
months representatives of many
wealthy companies have located
large tracts of virgin ground with
the avOwed intention of exploiting
the same on an extensive scale.
The ground thus located usually
consists of large fiat meadows, of
which there are many in the dis
trict. In one instance n Chicago
company has established a dredge
which started up satisfactorily this
spring and from the latest reports
is doing admirable work on the
lower Red River meadows. Iflater
results demonstrated the work of
the machine to be profitable,
large field of gold production will
be made available through the APP
plieation of the dredge system to
the large meadows which have lain
idle for lack of dump. At "A later
date 1 will describe the workings
of the machine. Outside of this
company none of the other pro-
jected enterprises have material
lied, but are probably held in abey-
ance ON account of the existing
financial stringency. There are
many placer propositions of un-
doubted value awaiting investiga-
ton and investment in the district.
Until within the last two years
quartz mining has been side issue
in Elk City, but the number and
extent of recent discoveries have
sufficiently demonstrated to prac-
teal observers the fact that it is
destined to become, not only the
leading industry of the camp, but
that the camp itself will, with de-
velopment, and in time, prove it
self the banner gold producer of
the State. The business of quartz
in the camp is too young to
permit of much development, but
the few claims on which depth has
been attained shows that the lodges
60 down and that the ore retains
it's value. The Buster, the Cleve-
land and the California are the
three best developed mines in the
camp at present, although the win
ter's work has improved the value
Of good many others.
The veins vary in size from | fit.
to 80 #. in width. The ore will
average in value from SO to $40
gold per ton. Internationally, the
ores of the camp consist of a quartz
sangue, carrying free gold and iron
pyrites. Quartz is the Characters
tic matrix, though other matrices
occur. They are universally con-
ores.
In the case of large mill using
several concentrators, the conccn-
rates may be still further refined
It the mill by roasting the sulphur
ITS and treating them by the chlor-
nation process.
The altitude of Elk City is 1000
lbove sea level. 1t is now 1920
niles from railroad, but the open
ng of the Ncz Perez Indian reser-
'ation lands to white settlement
nsures railroad extensions in
ew months to Grangevillc. Liv-
ng is cheap, timber, water and
,ame are plentiful and the climate
.annot be exceiled for salubrity.
The old-timers of 33 years ago are
still robust and hearty.