The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-06
Castle Creek. Idaho, Jan. 20.

Dear Sir-In reply to your favor a
hand, will say that the first mining OF
Snake river was done in 1869, at anC
around Shoshone Falls, in the canyon
and paid big with rockers and copper
plates. In SO and 10 there were six
towns in full blast, with stores, saloons
and dance halls and all the excitement
incident to a rich mining camp. The
gold secured was in the form of rich
| concentrates.
At one time there was a population
OF 5000 in a radius of 20 miles up and
down the canyon, but it was aban-
! doned by the white miners as the dig
gings grew deeper and then the China
men took possession and they have
taken out millions. I know of plenty
| of white men who took out all the way
from $50 to $3.50 per day, and they
didn't save over half the gold.
There are millions in the canyon yet,
but it is covered too deep with slide
rock from the lava bluffs to be worked
unless it could be tunneled.
Next came the high gravel deposits,
which were too lowgrade to work with
| the slow methods of rocking. In 1878
! conceived the idea that these high bars
could be made to pay by working on a
large scale, provided the fine gold
could be saved. l commenced the first
high bar mining 10 miles below Amer
Jean Falls on what l named Bonanza
Bar. At the start l made a failure
but was not discouraged. G. D. Lane
came to look at the prospect and said
he was satisfied that electro-silver
plates properly fixed would work. He
| located and bought all the ground he
could get hold of. He then went to
San Francisco and purchased the
necessary plates and started silver
plate machine. After the first ten
hour run he cleared up SIS. More ma
chimes were then built, and we finally
got so we could save a good percent
age. Lane took out about 5000, 600 dur
ing the two years he worked and then
sold out to an eastern company for
$780, OOO
The next place of note was Salmon
Falls. where Hunt & Co. took out big
money. BY this time miners discov-
cred the plate process and used Burlap
machines which are now almost uni
versally used in the Salmon Falls
country. 1 do not know of a single
failure anywhere on the river where
experienced miners were worked and
machinery used.
The next point of Importance was
Glenn's Ferry, where Charley Corker
took out $4,000 and then sold to east
ern parties, who are making big in
terest on their investment. All these
properties I have mentioned are still
hundreds of just as good opportunities
lying Idle today.
Coming on down the river, the next
high bar proposition is Grand View
country, covered by the Buneau canal.
just completed, owned by Providence,
R. l., capitalists and under the man
agement of A. ]. Wiley, NJ. E, who is
working the mines successfully with
Burlap machines.
Then we come to Castle Creek and
Big Foot bars, owned by Captain Lam
bert, John B. Irwin and Wells Bros. /
The Lambert bar has a good water
right and ditch and has already pro-
acres. The bar contains 600 acres, all 7
first-clasS ground. The Big Foot !
property is Identical with the Lambert |
claim, and is all new ground, from the /
fact that at present there is no water /
on the ground. The next is the Weese !
property, joining the Lambert claim. !
Last summer Mr.. Weese took out $4,000 |
with a rocker. He is now putting in
a patent water-wheel. which the in
ventor guarantees 10 hoist all the water
required for speedy working. This
ground will pay fabulously with plenty
Of water. If this wheel is a success,
the problem of raising water on Snake
river is solved. and that means that
Snake River valley is the richest and
most extensive placer mining country
On the Pacific coast.
There are hundreds of rich bars ly-
ng idle on the river for want of water,
and the water flowing past temptingly
INVITING capital to put it in a position
o give the unemployed profitable
abor.
Among the many rich bars which 1
lave personally examined your Midas
)ar is among the best, and all you re-
luire here is water and good manage
nent to develop a neat paying prop
rty. No failures ever occur where ex-
'erienced miners and proper machinery
AVE been employed under proper man
cement. Snake river mining can be
worked with less risk and at better
,rofit than any class of placer mining
ever saw.
1 have just completed new fine gold
Machine which lays all of the old
Methods in the shade. 1 made a test
un of ten tons on Lambert bar and
aved IS per cent, and it can be worked :
0 any capacity. A machine that will I
1ork 1,20O tons every "a hours can be /
urnished for 5000. 1t is altogether diff
erent from anything ever gotten up !
efore and requires very little fall, just /
hat you want on Midas bar. AS soon I
S l can get around to it l will come !
own and put one in for your COM :
any. =