Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-02-24
ELK CITY MINES.
The Greatest Cold Quarts Camp
IN the United States.
By NJ. l.. Murray.
TOPOGRAPHY.


TOPOGRAPHY.
Elk City mining district en-
braces an area of about 140 square
miles and covers nearly all the wa
ter-shcd of the upper South fork of
the Clearwater river. The main
streams are American river, Red
river and Elk creek. The South
fork of Clearwater heads at the
confluence Of American and Red
rivers. short distance below where
Elk creek flows into American riv
er. A few miles below the head of
Clearwater Crooked river comes in
from the south. and is about thirty
miles long from source to mouth.
Red river is about forty-live miles
long and drains the country south
east of the head of Clearwater
American river is about thirty
miles long and flows into Clearwa-
ter from an easterly direction. Elk
creek is about twenty miles long
and puts into Clearwater from the
north. These streams, with their
many branches and small feeders,
constitute the extreme head or wa
ter-shed of the South fork of Clear
water river. These waters are
fairly alive with trout, and in sea-
son salmon come up to the head OF
every one of them. The woods are
full Of bear, deer. elk, blue grouse
and pheasants.
ELK CITY IN EARLY DAYS.
In 1860 gold was first discovered
on the South fork of the Clearwa.
ter, at or near Kamiah, by party
of prospectors who followed this
branch up to the head, and estab
lished the town of Elk City on Elk
creek, about one mile from it,
mouth.
The news spread like "wild-fre'
of the discovery of rich diggings OF
the South fork, and miners came il
from every direction in search o
the golden treasure, and lined eve
ry gulch and stream for mile
around. 1t has been estimated
that in 1862 there were fully 10, 00'
men working within ten miles O
Elk City.
In those days Elk City was
typical mining town and had it
full share of saloons, gambling
houses, dance halls and hard cases
and the miner who came to tow
in the evening was tempted to IT,
his luck by the seductive click of tn
faro chips, or the whiz of the rou
lette wheel. Or if his weak poin
was the "fair SEX the discor,lan
strains of the violin, and the mel
ry voice of the prompter, caugh
his ear with; Take your partner
for the next quadrille.' Such wa
ELK City in 90.
After six or seven years of SUI
face mining this army of miner
commenced to dwindle down to
few hundred; some going to hun
richer fields, but the greater nun
Der to settle down and live in cas-
and comfort the rest of their live,
Those that remained formed con
binations to work the deep groun
or hill diggings. These companie
dug bitches. built reservoirs, ru
tunnels and laid bedrock fumes
in fact commenced to work sciei
titically with hydraulic pipes an
by these means extract the gold 6
about one-tenth the expense of til
old "rocker process" These con
panies worked in this manner ft
several years, until most of I'll
smaller deposits were nearly c,
hausted, when they were eitht
abandoned or sold to Cinnamon ft
very small amount. Thus IL
country became overrun with Oh
namen. and all the ground w;
worked over that the white me
had taken the cream off and left
worthless. And Elk City, aft,
increasing the worlds wealth
several millions of dollars, W;
looked upon with contempt al
avoided by mining men as a "Ch
ma camp"
PLACER MINING TODAY.
Immediately south of the tow
of Elk City, Is. b. Stuart and Gle
+. Parker own the American III
placer mines. These claims are
an old river channel, about six
feet above the water level of Anne
lean river and ON the divide b
tween Elk creek and American ri
er. A six mile ditch from the la
ter creek and an eight mile dito
from the former, supplies water
work this immense bed of gray,
This claim has been workeduninte
terrupted for over thirty years al
yet there is enough pay dirt
sight to keep the present owne
busy for thirty years more. A tn
mel has been run as low as possit
and flume laid to carry the TIA
ings into American river, yet ii
did not catch the bed rock, so a
other tunnel will be driven, wi
barely fall enough for drainage "a
the rich gravel ON the bedrock W
be shoveled into sluice boxes. T
last tunnel, though starting on t