Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-04-06

as Ded rock, varying greatly in
area. Heretofore these deposits
have not been worked except in a
small way, where such rich pockets
were found, resulting sometimes
from re-concentrationof the Snake
River gold, or occurring as bars at
the junction with richer stream.
This spring there is unusual inter
est along the whole length of the
river, and nearly 100000 acres of
land have been located as placer
claims along its banks, the owners
hoping to work them by several
gold-saving machines, the Bucyrus
dredge and amalgamator attract
ing most attention. So far these
appliances are practically untried
in Idaho. Small tests have been
made but none representing re-
suits of seasons work from large
amount of gravel treated. The
average value of this land is a mat
ter of surmise, favorite claim be-
ing 20 cents or over per yard as
the gravel is estimated at Is feet
in thickness, this valuation places
the gold contained in the claims at
S6OO,0OO,0O0. Engineers, however,
are aware of the prospecting neces-
sary to determine the value of
mining ground; in this case almost
none has been done. If the vari-
Gus projects now being formulated
take definite shape, Snake River
will present busy scene this sum-
mer, and make wiser 1--WE hope
richer) men, by the end of the
season.
The old and rich placer basins
and gulches at the heads of the
mountain streams, which made
Idaho famous in the sixties, and
which have been worked by the
fading remnant of pioneers, will be
rejuvenated. Two new companies
have been formed to work the
Boise Basin tailings, which are
supposed to contain a large amount
of gold; and another company to
work a large area of virgin ground
at the lower end of Warren creek
Various other companies at Lees
burg, Salmon City and Pritchard
Creek, with large and lately finish
ed plants, will operate vigorously
this summer. All this in connect
ion with a generous snowfall to
furnish plenty of water, will, we
hope, inaugurate q new era for
placer mining. Gold quartz has
been almost ignored in the past, as
the high grade lead and dry silver
ores, atfording the prospector
opportunity to extract and turn
their product Immediately into
money, have diverted him from
the task of developing gold pro-
perty. The great demand for gold
mines by investors this spring and
distaste for silver give an impetus
to quartz mining, so that hundreds
of gold claims are now being devel-
opcd. The quartz veins at the
head of the Pierce City, Elk City
and Florence placers, and the
veins feeding Boise Basin are being
opened; the Neal district, near
Boise City, has attracted capitals;
the granite area skirting the Wood
River lead mines contains low
grade ores; the Salmon River coun-
try contains veins from 10 to 30 #.
wide, of low-grade ore, and Color
ado men have made number of
investments. The older quartz
camsp of Gibbonsville, Warrens,
Silver City and Murray are looking
well, and the De Lamar mine is
steadily at work.
The silver mines are quiet. The
C@ur d'Alene and a few in the
Wood River district, and the Clay
ton Smelter property, favored by
local conditions, maintain a steady
output, but the yield from others
will be light and little prospecting
is being done. The copper mines
are entirely silent and the lodes of
the Seven Devils district still
await development and transport
tation facilities. Idaho seems
changing from a silver to gold
State.