Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-02-07
OUR FLORENCE QUARTZ.
Ne,v Mines IN an Old Camp
Idaho COMntU's Latest
EL Dorado.

the F. P. to reply to many in
quiries regarding the present pros
poets and future outlook of the
gold quartz lodges of New Flor
ence. In 1892 II. w. Cone To-
Gated the first quartz claim, on
Black Sand creek. The ore is rose
colored quartz and yields one dol
lar per pound. In the early days
the Cinnamon rocked $1,000 in ten
days from this lode of decomposed
quartz. The inflow of water be-
came so great that the work was
abandoned; an attempt was made
the past season by the owners to
reopen the claim but were again
compelled to suspend developing
by water. In 1898 G. P. Cone and
John Wells, the latter a practical
prospector from Butte, Montana,
made a pilgrimage to the head of
Black Sand creek, where very rich
float was found. They at once
commenced to run open cuts and
sink shafts; after six weeks of dill
gent toll they discovered and To-
Gated the now famous Gold Bug.
Therefore, to the above named
gentlemen belongs the honor and
credit of being the fathers of New
Florence, who by their energy and
perseverance, formed a newclus
upon which the present activity is
based. In 1894 G. b. Wood and 9TH
ers located the Poorman, one of our
great high grade ore producers.
The immense size of the ledge gives
the property great value. Also
in 1894 Robt, j. Mclean discover
ed and located the Banner, about
one-half mile north of the Gold
Bug. Mr.. Mclean gave ID. p.
Dwight a one-half interest in the
above claim, which the owners
now ask $4,000 for; upon this
property a shaft has been sunk 20
feet; at the bottom of the shaft is
shown a well defined ledge 3 feet
wide carrying much gold plainly
visible to the naked eve. 1t is d
true fissure vein in a lime-granite
formation and every foot of de,
scent shows a stronger lead, anC
greater amount Of gold. No indi
cation that our lodes are liable Il
lessen in width, or decrease il
richness. A double shift is now a
work on this fine property anC
have tons of ore on the dump. Ii
early spring of 1895 the miners ant
prospectors who had heard of tn,
fabulous richness of the golt
quartz at Florence, came from
} every point of the compass to Sc
the new mines in an old camp
their keen perception soon tOlt
them of the hidden treasure in tn
adjacent hills. They came from
Trail Creek, b. c., and Crippl
Creek, Col, and without hesitanc
exclaimed: "Neither of thos
camps can show such a surfac
showing and if one-third of thes
claims descend in Florence it vii
!, undoubtedly stand far ahead {
any other quartz mining camp O
the Pacific coast" Why this vas
field of mineral has lain dorman
these long years when it can b
reached so readily by a goo
wagon road, is one of the mystel
les. The reader can see the rapid
ty with which we are advancin,
One claim located in 1892, and q
the close of 1895 300 are on RECORD
and to my knowledge there is nc
one that does not show up a fin
prospect in the pan. The CHEAP
ness with which our claims can /
worked is nominal; all one is r.
quired to possess is the will to d.
and pick, shovel, pand an rookie
little or TO powder is necessary
sink a shaft or drive drift. III
quartz is all decomposed-crushe
by the laws of nature-and any
our claims will give from So to s.
per day by the rocker process, an
the debris sacked and given mi
process, will yield from $50 to 81
per ton. Thus it is the poor maj
camp. For instance, l call yo,