The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-10-30
On the Snake River.

At the request Of the Western
Mining World, ! Butte gentleman
Who has recently visited the Snake
river country in Idaho writes of his
observations in that section. He
traversed the Snake river valley for
forty miles and after referring to the
growth and prosperity of American
Falls, . thriving hamlet Of two hum
dred souls, he says:
A mile below the Falls il found the flrst
ground sluicing, being done by Messrs.
Oliver q Aiken. Two men were en-
ployed, cleaning up 80 to the man. the
buriap system being used. Sig miles
further down Mr.. franklin and Mr.. Rich
ardson, who own adjoining claims, were
ground sluicing with good results. they,
too, using the burlap system. They claim
to be making from 4l8 to 425 per day.
For the next ten miles about sixty miners
were found using the old hand rocker,
and said they were making from ~ to
$3.50 per day, - the case might be. Many
Of the number were carrying water in
buckets 500 feet from the river for wash
ing purposes. The next sluiclng plant
10 on the Philbrick property, operated
under . lease by Mr.. E,zenberger. 1t
is paying $50 per day with about $50
inches Of water. An improved concentra.
tor, the invention Of l.. G. Trent, of Salt
Lake, 10 being set up ON the grounds.
Trent has an option on the grounds.
Next to this property IS the Irving
property, where extensive preparations
are being made for . winters run. The
water used ON the Philbrick, Irving and
Spanish mines is warm and prints min
ing the year round. On the north side
of the river, opposite the Philbrick and
Irving mines, 10 located the Bonanza bar,
conceded to be the richest bar on the
river. This property has been worked
by rocker process for many years with
hattering results. A large plant is in
place pumping water from the river to
an elevation OF As feet and for ground
sluicing. The Thompson Cusick gold
amaIgamator is in use by this company
with complete success. J. F. COwen and
other Butte men are in control Of this
property. The next plant IN operation is
in charge or Dan McLaren. who is cou-
ceded by all to be the best miner on the
river, and who Is single-handed. with 300
inches OF water. washing out 600 yards
per day of low grade DIRT aud cleaning
up an average of $58 per day. Mr.. Nc
Laren uses the burisp but cleans his bur-
lap every day, which should be done by
all who would save their values close.
For the next ten miles scores of rocker
men are working GU both sides of the
river and have put in their winter stocks
of food. intending to work all winter.
At Diamond Bar, Il. S. Abbot has jus,
finished large pumping plant with q
capacity of $50 miners Inches per minute
The ground runs thirty cents per yard
and 1t is estimated that 1t can be worked
for two and q half cents per yard. Al
the mouth of Raft river George Hall and
Charles Martin have acquired wealth
sluicing Snake river sand with the waters
Of Raft river. 1t is said they take oul
$1,000 year single handed.
The next property Is entirely "afloat,
and is owned by Switzer s. Burroughs
being in charge of the latter, who is !
graduate of Yale college and mechsni
cal engineer. He is but "a years Of age
and three years ago saw his first mining
Being we'll to do he proceeded to expert
ment, although jeered by the newspapers
of the state and the 0ld-time miners
To. day be has boat on the river 30l
feet long and 80 feet wide, with two
engines to propel and pump. The rics
sands are pumped from the river bottom
and sIuiced within the boat by crew o
IL men, who raise 200 yards Of sand NJ
hour, day and night. His profits arr
placed at $500 per day. HIS critics arr
excluded from the boat and no informa
ton ~ to methods is given out.