Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-01-17

texture and close grain OF the
matrix makes it about the right
weight to carry gold; and better
still, it has a rich yellow chloride of
silver cast, identically the same as
the highest grade of ore from the
"Blue Belle" mine of Tucson,
Arizona. / consider this the most
promising piece Of float | have
seen in the camp, etc, etc"
Now all this is mere theory
which l will denounce and ex-
plodc. This high grade ore of
the self-styled expert was neither
more nor less than the contents of
a Florence prospector's sour dough
pot. The bread met with mis-
hap in infancy-"died a bornin' "
as it were. l carefully kneaded
the dough and, as usual, placed it
in the frying-pan before the camp
fire. While the mixture was
cooking, boulder-not the one
that old man Noah threw over
board from the Ark, nor the one
that the glacier had brought from
the north pole-but just a plain,
'ornery,' every day boulder rolled
from the hillside into the frying
pan, dough underneath-which
accounts for the close grain and
fine texture. The green cast of
copper" was simply mildew from
age and exposure to the night
dews. The iron oxides were
caused by salt in the dough COM
ing in contact with the iron cap
rock of the ground, thus creating
specks of iron rust. The weight,
as to this, kind reader, it could
not be discounted. The erich yell
low chloride of silver cast was
simply an overdose of saleratus
soda-we free-hearted prcspectors
do sometimes make mistake in
that line. And so it comes about
that we poor, humble prospectors,
who do not lay claim to any more
knowledge than the law allows an
average man to have, could in
stantly analyze the fine specimen
which the so-called expert extolled
to the highest pinnacle as the out
groupings of bonanza. ] would
give trifle to see that experts
face when he gets the returns OF
his assay certificate and reads;
gold 0, silver 0, soda 45 per cent;
proof conclusive that one needs
practical knowledge before one at
tempts to pose as an expert ex-
aminer of the great gold lodges OF
this camp.
l CLEAN from outside papers that
our promising gold camp has at
length attained the position to
which she is entitled, and there
will be an exodus to this aerial
field of many to seek for natures
wealth. Truly, l can say that
nature has been very lavish tc
this section in her distribution Of
mineral wealth. The field for the
practical prOspector is very large
and inviting. The chances fol
men of means to invest are superb
The chances for the delusionary
theorist are poor; as the camp is
determined that its good name
must and shall be preserved
against croakers and skeptics, NJ
matter whether they are fresh
college graduates or men of 6t
days experience. 1t is well to re
member that our altitude is 6,25i
feet, which gives us a cold climat,
with much snow; this knowledg,
should retard any one from com
ing until May l, when you can ge
into the hills and strike a bonanz;
equally as good as the 200 or 30,
now on record. Those who hav,
expectations of finding the ledge
cropping out of the hillsides will
find such not to be the case. Al
our lodes are covered with from
three to ~ feet of top dirt. Whel
float is found divest yourself Q
coat and vest and with a goo'
pick and strong-handled shove
you will soon own claim that i
a fortune. Do not bring a divin
ing rod, like one last season, 70
failure surely awaits you, as in hi
case. Said he: 1.-The d-n no,
won't work, the soil is too deep.
At later time l will give you
readers a birdseye view of Ne,
Florence, past, present and future
and give reasons why our ledge
should descend 5000 feet or NOR
into the bowels of the earth
However rich my 20 years of prac
teal experience as a prospecto
and miner may have made me
do not claim to be an expert, bu
do claim to know a good cam
for a poor man when l see it, an
: consequently invite you to on
New Florence, the coming Eide
RADIO of the Northwest.
PROSpFcTOR