The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-12-26

i 80 9OesD.oAS3 S0~S 4 &NNe - - 80 -
lead mining region, and has beer
given over mainly TO the silver AMI
lead industry, at the same time Their
10 abundant evidence to show tina
We are also in the midst Of vas
gold.bearing zones and belts.
Much Of the silver ore produced
| il this 90 we'll % ia the adjacent
counties contains. more or less gole
which can be accepted a. proof tina
there are gold-bearing belts and
auriferous reefs in the same vicinity
# miners and prospsctors have moi
observed that where the base orr
veins carry gold to the amount o.
three to ten dollars and upwards te
the ton there is always to be found
in the same neighborbood porphyry
and granite reefs andzdikes contain.
ing gold quartz, they should at once
begin to wake up to the fact and
govern themselves accordingly.
While silver and lead mining was
profitable in this country, the pros.
pector paid little attention to min
oral veins that did not show galena
or other bases in the groupings, fol
the reason that it was 4 pretty gen.
dial belief that-there we're NO values
in rock that showed no bases. In
other words, it was not expected that
gold could Do found around among
the silver, lead. antimony and cop
per veinr, and lodges not carrying
any of these minerals we're simply
passed by as barren-''he quart"
and "bull quartz" in prospectors'
parlance.
But by looking over the different
mineral fields of the West, it will be
noticed that wherever there is base
mineral belt there is also some
where in the same neighborhood q
gold quartz belt or district. Some.
times these occur ON the line Of the
base belts, where the formation
changes from silver-lead bearing
rocks of lime. slate, ETC., to gold
bearing porphyry, granite, ETC.; but
more generally in parallel dikes and
in wider and more extensive ranges
Of an entirely different formation.
That there is in this section Of
Idaho more gold bearing than silver
bearing formations; that we have
various and extensive "gold belts
all around US and in our very midst
there can be no doubt, for there is
abundant evidence TO prove it.
Mr.. Cal C. Clawson, assayer and
mine reporter, of Ketchum, has re-
Gently favored the KEYsToNE with
results of assays of gold rock in
different localities within this coun-
~ and across the line in Custer
county, made during the pact sum.
,ner and fall. He has also taken
the pains to examine much Of the
country referred to in order to sat
isfy himself that this is a gold as
we'll as silver bearing region, and
he predicts that the day is not dis.
tant when We will begin to realize
that our gold-bearing reefs and belts
are among the richest and most
extensive in the state.
Beginning on the north and west,
there is the Fisher Basin common
ly known as Pigtaii district), lying
between the Salmon river and Ger
mania Basin, where there is quite
an extensive belt Of gold quartz, in
ono instances carrying copper.
Not being "free. milling" in the
common acceptation of the term,
there is little being done in that
section, although the field j. large,
extending, mainly in granite and
porphyry, to tho bend Of the Sal
mon below Stanley Basin. and in
which are gulches that produce
-four gold.
On tributary Of Kast Fork OF
Salmon, in Washington Basin. =
few miles south of Pigtail, and near
the end of the Ketchum and Germa-
mia wagon road, are several groups
of gold mines, the principal ones
and best developed being those OF
David Fayls and Geo. q. Blackm
These parties own several claims
each. and for several years past
have been developing them with al
the energy their means would allow.
The veins, of which there are
about twelve, 90 far as discovered,
are formed in porphyry reefs lying
in the vicinity Of. and sometimes
Joining, the silver and lead ore belts.
'rhe veins are in the main OF great
width, often ten to thirty feet be.
tween walls, with usually several
fee.of ore that assays from $l0 to
$50 and upwards n gold, WITH
scarcely trace efsilver. Assays OF
Fayis's veins made during the past
season give as high as three ounces
gold per ton down to one-hal'
ounce. One lot Of ore in quantity
give 1874 in gold; mixture OF the
average milling samples from what thai,
10 considered free milling went $50