Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-03-24
ELK CITY NOTES.
Spring Opens AnspiciOusly in
idaho COmnty's Great Gold
fNnD

Camp.
The past winter has been the
mildest in the memory of any Of
the old-timers. The snow never
got over 81 feet deep, and only got
to that point once all winter, and
remained that way five or six days,
when the chinook wind cut it down
to Is inches,and old Sol keeps whit
Ting at it every day, so it can't
last much longer.
Everybody is up and rustling;
some locating and some doing as
sessment work. The passage of
the Wagon road appropriation bill
has infused new life into the camp,
and everybody is smiling. Even
the one or two pessimistic old
crOakers who never saw the sunny
side of anything are showing signs
of improvement, and admit that the
prospect Of having lively camp
this year is better than ever before.
T. S, Rackliff is working a force
of men on American Hill, driving
D tunnel to tap the deep ground.
The tunnel Is about 200 feet long
and is run through the rimrock
with just enough grade to give good
drainage. The intention is to raise
out to the surface in a few days,
and then drift the rich gravel and
pile 1t up to be washed when the
water comes through the bitches.
The gravel on the bedrock is very
rich, running from 10 cents to S1.00
to the pan, and the quantity is I'M
limited. Mr.. Rackliif is a hard
worker and slayer, and deserves
every dollar he makes.
Thomas O'Donohue, Ca descend
ant of Roderick O'Donohue, king
of Munster from A. d. 1913 to A.
ID. 1O55,) with his partner, G. V.
Harrington, have moved from the
city to their placer claim ON Don
phue gulch. They are shoveling
snow out of the ditch and doing
other preliminary work before the
water comes. They have a good
claim, and if they get two or three
months water they will spend the
4th of July in Chicago.
William Sheehan is preparing
to work his placer ground on Little
Elk creek as soon as the ground
comes to the surface. Mr.. Sheehan
owns so acres of good ground here.
Judge L. " Grey is prospecting
some ground on Red river with the
intention of ground sluicing off the
top dirt in the spring. The judge
Is getting very good prospects and
can see o Worlds Fair stake right
now.
Tom Dempster has been stopping
at Moose creek all winter taking
care of the Heppner-Adams prop
erty, which he has done most faith
fully. He has not even visited Elk
City all winter.
Chris. Nicholson is digging a
ditch on Deadwood gulch for Witt
& Mann.
Sam Irwin and Fred Shissler are
doing development work on the '92
lode and are digging out some very
fine looking rock. The boys seem
to be happy, for they are all the
time singing; When the spring
time comes, Gentle Annie, And the
Camas flower is scattered DER the
plain, I'll jump onto my broncho
some fine morning, And visit dear
old Grangeville once again. Tara
ra-boom-de-a."
Mitchell, Lauer & Duffield are
working away ON the Greenhorn.
They are running through ledge
matter but have not yet reached
the pay chute, although they are
taking out some fine looking ore.
The Buster crowd are hard at
work driving the tunnel on the
lower level.
George Blaine is working on the
Laurel Hill and taking out some
good rock.
Sam Bressler is working on the
TOly lode, which is looking fine.
Assays from the face of the tunnel
run $99.4O silver, and $14.OO gold.
VIM. Ryan is driving a cross-cut
tunnel on the Swan, but has not
struck the ledge yet at this point.
II he strikes as good ore at this
end of the claim as he found on the
other he will have one of the best
lodges in the whole northwest.
Edward Matthews and A. Enc
Kenna have located some very good
properties this year. among which
is the Chicago. Undoubtedly this
is a splendid showing, and with a
little work would rank well up
with the big claims in the camp.
VERA PRO GRATUs.
Elk City, March 16, 1898.
Fine sunshiny days and cold nights and the
ground.
The sound OF the hammer on the old sluice
Nh AIalt -