Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-08-21
MINES OF Elk CITY
District Comprises an Area q About
100 Square Miles.
125 MILES FROM LEWISTON

AvV O4WuiV mLuut
125 MILES FROM LEWISTON
Advice to PrOspectors and Capt.
talists Who Contemplate a
Trip to the Camp.
From the Spokane Review, Aug. 2.
The Elk City mining district is
destined to become one of the great
est camps in Idaho, as all the re-
gion from the Clearwater bridge,
where the Elk City and Grange
vile road crosses the Clearwater
river, to Dixie and the adjacent
country generally, is literally
burned up" so to speak, with
mineral. 1t is AS miles from the
Clearwater bridge to Elk City, over
a mountainous but well kept wagon
road, which would be good indeed
if attended to and kept in repair,
and this should by all means be
done, as it will encourage travel to
that district.
The Elk City mining district
comprises an area of about 100
square miles, and is situated about
1875 miles from Lewiston. 1t has
the largest bodies of auriferous
gravel, the largest lodges of aurif-
erous pyrite ore, mixed with iron,
and is great game and mountain
trout country. The trip from
Lewiston to Elk City can be made
in three days with two horses and
a hack or light rig. Feed can be
obtained at regular stations on the
road, at Fountains, at the foot of
Craig's mountain; Willow creek,
on the mountains; Cottonwood and
Denver, on Camas prairie; Clear
water bridge, Mountain house, on
top of Old Badly, Newsome creek
and Elk City. There are good
places to camp and good water all
along the road and houses at the
various places named to stop at if
you do no wish to camp. Horses
should be well shod to make the
trip easily and safely, and great
care should be exercised in travel
ing along the mountain grades so
as to pass advancing teams at the
regular passing places, thus avoid
ing danger and annoyance. 1t is
the custom to carry loud shrill
whistle, to blow at regular inter-
walls while on the grade, to warn
travellers. 1t is about 80 miles
from Elk City to Dixie, and this
can be easily travelled over the
trail on horseback. There is a
station and post Office at Raymond,
on Red river, about 10 or II miles
southeast of Elk City, at or near
W. at is called the dredge, large
b, at that was used for placer min
ing on Red river.
QUARTZ At ELK CITY.
There have been located in and
about Elk City a large number O.
quartz mining claims which are
really very rich in ore, bearing
mostly gold, and the veins are
strong and wide and would be
very profitable to WORK. This
district offers great chance to the
enterpris.ng investor and specula
tor, as all it needs is enterprise anf
capital, as an entcrprising wedge
to make it one of the greatest min
ing camps in the United States
The gold bearing quartz is of al
iron color and the gold appears tt
be held in place by the iron in tn,
rock, and if the rock is burned ant
pounded fine in a mortar the golt
can be washed out similar to place.
washings, making it, really, fire,
milling ore. There is an abun
dance of water in the district fol
all purposes, giving great motive
power and race-washing. Ell
creek, American river, Red rive
and South fork of the Clearwate
river are the streams that flow
through this district.
''BUsTER" SMITHS CLAIM.
S. w. Smith, Esq, called .Bus
ter" Smith ON account of a quart
claim located by him bearing tina
name, is about to place a 10-stam
quartz mill on the Cleveland mine
three and one-half miles south {
the crossing of Red river, and the
have the mill house already CON
pleted awaiting the machinery
This enterprise will undoubtedl
give the camp great impetus an
encourage others to do likewise
There is talk also of another larg
plant coming into the district an
going to work on some lodges bt
tween the American and Red ri,
Crs. This will, if consumatet
create a great stir and cause cor
siderable of a boom in that CAM
The placer mining in this di
trict is being greatly revived an
companies are placing improve