The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1897-09-23

.aa y. '''s' n'a,.s s''s' ,s Ts'asa Ssss, s5 s'
the crude methods then available
Just one half million in three
weeks.
When the 'tsixteen" pulled up
stakes from the creek and located
Summit (Osgood's) Flat Immediately
ahead of the 600, Jim Warren, as
discoverer, was by unanimous con-
sent allowed to take his pick of the
claims. He selected the claim at the
lower edge of the fiat, where it breaks
over and falls into Warren Gulch.
1t never yielded color and was the
only claim in the locality that did moi
pay big.
After three weeks of exciting
scrambling after the yellow metal,
the 600 miners saw signs of winter
coming on, and not knowing how
severe the winter might be in those
strange mountains, and fearful o
being cut off from supplies; nearly
all pulled back to Florence to winter
A few put up cabins and remained
all winter.
Among the crowd of 600 who fol
lowed the eight men sent to Florence
after provisions, was a fellow callet
"Boston" who had cast his fortune
and pinned his hopes to two barrel
of whiskey, which he was moving il
by mule transportation. One Van
derventer struck a bargain wit
"Boston" and purchased the tw
barrels of whiskey, which he sa
under tree, took out the heads
hung tin dipper on the side of eac
barrel, fixed contribution DO
handy and went off mining, leavin
the whiskey to take care of itselt
This unique and economical style {
keeping saloon was more successfl
than it would probably be at the pre-
sent day. The miners passing
and fro would grab the tin cup, di
into the barrel after his swig of whit
key, fire his contribution into the bo
and pass on. Strange as it was, L
one camped by the barrels for spre,
but patronized it as they might
, popular spring of drinking waite
Some drinks might be taken at inte
walls and no resort made to the pock,
book, but as q rule the contribute
box was literally cared for and
quarter, half, or even a dollar, al
q small nuggets were chucked in, a
r cording to the point of liberallty
, which the swig from the barrel war;
. ed the heart of the drinker. Nor d
2 any prying fingers ever attempt
J, open the sacred contribution bo
= Its contents were as safe as the whi
d key and as honorably treated. VIII,
a some began to pull back to Floren
|. and others to prepare for winte
!, Vanderventer made q handsor
cleanup from his contribution bo
# suspended mining for the season, al
as his barrels were not yet empty
built cabin and by the time snC
liz flew, moved what was left under 70
and opened saloon.
=. That fall. 1862, they established
!. mining district. At first they VIC
going to put town at the mouth
Warren and Webfoot gulches to
r near new rich diggins, these gulcf
then being staked off and recorde
but as there turned out to he nothi
ed rich in these two gulches, they ma
figs tent town on Summit Flat.
~ Though most of the miners b
Of gone back to Florence to wint
e there were still three stores open
Il by men who had followed the rush
igd the 500, bringing a limited stock
Of supplies on mules. The name of {
of these storekeepers was Pete Rig
On one was named Seamen and the otl
b, was jew.
@ @,se The new discovery was the {
D." matter Which kept the miners