The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1896-05-15
A MINING HISTORY.
Operations on Midas Bar on
Snake River.
THE SQUIRRELS DYING
From Contagious Disease in
Whitman County.

In early mining days in Idaho
and Eastern Oregon, when the gold
yield of Bannock Bar made South
ern Idaho famous, the foundation
was laid for many wild and reck
less investments in mining enter
prises, with the hope of finding a
deposit equal to the celebrated bar
on Moores creek, that produced
such a fabulous amount in such a
short time.
The fine gold along the bar Of
the Snake river has attracted some
attention, but generally the old
time miners has nothing but con-
tempt for fine gold, and it was not
until 1876, that two miners located
at Midas Bar and attracted the at
tention of some one who had pull
on English and New York capital,
and the result was that company
was organized in New York with
ample capital for the purpose of
building a ditch, purchasing the
bar and fitting it with mining ap.
aratus to save the fine gold.
Twenty thousand dollars was
paid for the bar, and a ditch seven
ty miles in length, capable Of carry
ing five thousand inches of water
from Boise river, was construct
ed.
At one time it is said that 20l
men were employed, the company's
agents paying good wages, and the
bottles and fruit cans that strew
the ground around the site OF the
old headquarters at the bar AMI
along the line of the ditch, readily
accounts for what was done with
some Of the company's money.
The ditch is said to have cost
not less than $250,000, and 1,0OO,-
600 feet Of lumber was used in
flooming, but the straightest part
of this story, although strictly true,
is that when the ditch was COM
pleted and ready to carry water to
Midas, then called New York bar,
not one inch of water could be had;
it was all needed to irrigate the
suffering crops in Boise valley, and
every inch of water was claimed
and recorded.
1t takes large amount of water
to puddle" new ditch through
such loose soil as that in which
this ditch was constructed, but
Notwithstanding all these obstacles
the comrany's money in New York
still held out and the superintend-
ent in charge was not disposed to
be discouraged SO long as he could |
draw his salary. A small head Of |
water was got to the bar finally, |
but the constant breaking of the
ditch required the employment Of |
a standing army day and night,
and in those days the service of
amalgumated plates, grizzlies, un-
der currents and burlaped sluices
was not known, and while a gentle
man who worked there says they
saved what was estimated to be Is |
cents per cubic yard. that would
not pay and SO the whole thing
was abandoned and the bar was
deserted until last spring. This
bar is located about seven miles
above the mouth Of Boise river on
the north or Idaho side Of Snake
river, but ii SO happened that the
Oregon state line crosses Snake
river near old Fort Boise and runs
up the north side of the river some
twelve miles, taking in strip of
land from one half mile to one
mile wide, and on this is located
Midas Bar.
1t was generally supposed that
the New York company had patent
ed this ground, but as it was IN
Oregon and it was a long distance
to the county seat, nobody inves-
tigated the matter until last spring
when Mr.. John B. Irwin, one Of
the oldest and best informed Snake
river miners, made investigations
and found that the entire bar was
unclaimed. He at once secured
the aid Of Messrs. Morton and
Emison and staked and recorded
thirteen claims in strict conform
ity with the mining laws and
sale is being negotiated Of the en-
tire property in the east and q
pumping plant will be gut in
motion at the earliest possible
moment.
The bar lays about thirty feet
above low water and about ten
feet Of gravel can be washed into
the channel by ground sluicing
and the gravel prospects are re-
markably rich.
It is our opinion that Midas Bar,
when equipped with a 5O0-incb
centrifugal pumpland a goldsfaving
machine Of sufficient capacity, will |