Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-10-20

at present is worth SIG an ounce.
Thousands of tons of auriferous
gravel were cast aside every sea-
son as worthless because it would
not show daily yield of So. Only
crude methods were employed in
placer mining, for supplies of all
kinds were high. A bill Of goods
bought in the SOS would test the
credulity Of persons who have had
no experience in the country
where everything had to be
brought in on pack animals for a
distance Of 800 miles. A barrow
cost S24, shovels So apiece and
rubber boots, known as gums"
S25 a pair. Supplies of all kinds
were in proportion, such as pota
toes at 30 cents a pound.
Machinery was out Of the ques
ton with many of the miners, as
they were acquainted with only
the most primitive methods Of
placer mining. A pick, AK, shovel,
gold pan and barrow comprised
most of the tools in use, for they
hired men at exorbitant wages to
supply poles and logs for cribbing
and bought sluicc boxes at fabul-
Gus prices. Only the richest dirt
would pay to work under such
circumstances, even when the own
ers of claims were not obliged to
employ miners. Throughout the
season operations were continuous
and the night shifts ordinarily
made up of men who worked for
wages. They were not so careful
as their employers and paid less
heed to cleaning up the dirt. Many
a pot hole was undoubtedly missed
and powders wheeled out that had
more or less of a golden coating.
Another source of revenue to be
anticipated in again working over
these old fields would be that from
the vast quantity of quicksilver to
be recovered. A lengthy procession
would be that which would be
formed could a representation be
made to illustrate the loads of
quick that were brought in on the
backs of mules and other pack ami
mails. Train loads of it arrived
every season and tons were mixed
with the gravel. since it is indis-
pensable to placer operations and
| IN,
it. That the Importance of this
phase Of the subject has not been
unduly magnified Il parallel case
may be cited. Albert Grothe, an
eminent mining and civil engineer
who was manager of the greatest
copper mine in the world, tho
Tharsis of Spain, and constructing
engineer of the famous Tay Bridge
in Scotland, examined for his owl
satisfaction a year ago Il projec
for bedrock flume in Boise Bash
in Central Idaho. Placer operat
ions had been carried on there ex
tensively, the gold discovery being
z made shortly after Warrens wa
: struck. In discussing the proiec
} Mr.. Grothe told me that if Gale,
: upon to report on it's feasibility h
: would reckon the value of tn
quicksilver that could be recovere
as fully equal to that of the preo
: ious yellow metal, even if it di
not surpass it. At Warrens
j. would be an important item.
l Two different projects are undo
| serious consideration by which it
: hoped to enlist capital, so tina
. most of these old gold fields will /
made to yield the treasure that
t known to remain mixed with tn
r sand and gravel. In point of acr,
5 age, as well as value of the prol
t able cleanup that could be mad
on it, the plans for bed-roc
: flumc are of paramount interest
: anything relating to the cam
4 The proposition entcrtains Il sy
d TEN for handling the gold-bearin
t gravel that covers an extensi,
# basin known as The Meadow
e The larger portion of this tract hs
: never been worked because thel
II was no place to dump the was
: stuff. The only feasible methC
e that could be adopted would be
It construct AN immense flume wit
g a good fall and divert the waite
d of Warrens Creek through
$ carrying off the dirt and depositir
= it down a canyon through whit
o the creek dashes with torrents
G force on its way to a junction wit
e the Main Salmon river. The pr
$ .ject is not a new one, but unit
: now it has never been possible
+ formulate plans for carrying it on
Il The chief bar to success was Il
9 inability to control the enti
r basin, without which operation
d could not be carried on. Consol
t, dation has now been effected. III
IS ground will be exported and engi
II GERS retained 10 prepare estimate
rs For better understanding of Il
IS plans "A description of the groui
lie will be given in my next letter
|. indicate the Importance attach,
h to this enterprise.
l. ----------------
/, SIoo Reward Sroo.