The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1894-08-07
HIDDEN TREASURE
"MosGbaeI<' Gives the Boise Mail
Some Early Mining Data.
ON every height there lies repose.
In every valley charmed surprise;
Above us CLEAN eternal SHOWS,
Around US wealth untainted les

Around US wealth untainted les
Seeing that you take an inter
est in local matters I offer a
brief article relative to our min
ing, which I regard as second in
Importance of our many great
industries, agriculture being first.
Like our agricultural, our met
aliferous grounds are co-exten-
sive with the State. Mines that
will pay a profit to the miners
are found in every county, I
think in the State; at least I
know of no county in which pay
ing prospects in gold or silver
have not been obtained, and in
many instances both. This fact
should demonstrate the absurd
ity-almost criminality-of ex-
aggerating either the extent Of
our richness of our mines in at
tempting to attract attention to
their worth. The simple truth,
if it were told would be received
with misgiving and incredulity.
So I shall, in this and subsequent
articles avoid all attempts at es-
adjustment, satisfied that fact
will prove more effective than
fiction, no matter how artistical-
ly presented, in bringing Ida
hos great mineral wealth more
into public notice.
The first mining ventures in
the territory now comprising
the State of Idaho were prospect
ed on the bars of the Columbia
river, l think as early as 1858.
These were conducted with rock
ers and pans, and were attended
with Indifferent success. They
attracted no attention for the
reason that very few at that
time were willing or could afford
to work for less than so day
In 1859, Orc Elmo was discov-
cred. In 1850 considerable i'm
migration from the Pacific coast
was witnessed. Elk and Pierce
Cities were located. and the
hopes kindled by the discoveries
Of the previous year were form
ed into an excitement. Florence
was added to the list ofnew min
ing camps in 1861 and the sur
prise caused by it's unprecedent
richness followed as it was by
the discovery of Warmers dig,
gings in the early part of 1862
and of Boise Basin month o.
two later produced a genuine
stampede from California anC
Oregon, to the new gold fields
Yreka, California and Jackson
vile, Oregon, were practically
depopulated. Business men wh'
had before known nothing bu
property found themselves with
out customers. Some of then
disposed of their goods as bes
they could and plunged headlon:
into the stream of fortune hunt
ers that poured northward; 9th
ers packed up their little stores
still others went into bankruptc
and followed the mad torrent.
In the spring Of 1868, regula
mining began in Boise Basin
Men, women. pack trains an
herds of cattle came in by hun
dreds, and even thousands, TIL
Indians were driven back. Ey
cry place was swarming wit
prospectors; Owyhee, Rocky Ba
and Salmon City we're forme
and the developments made b
the work of that and the succeed
ing year probably exceed any
thing in the history of mining i
any other country. Florenc
and Warrens had been incredibl
rich. One man on Baboon gulc
at Florence took out as high q
800 ounces in a single day wit
a rocker; but even that wa
eclipsed by Bannock Bar and II
nois gulch in Boise Basin, an
cities sprung up there almos