Evening journal., 1898-01-12
ROMANCE oFGoLD DTGGINGs.
Rich Idaho Placers Stumbled On
by Accident.
James Warren's Great Find--It Opened
Up Mines of Immense vaiuc-stories
About Prospecting In the Days
Long since Gone.

An old prOspectOr tells story OF the
first days of mining in Idaho which
sounds like a romance, but which he
vouches for as being strictly true, and
which agrees with the story frequently
told by the late Judge Craig, of Doug
las county, who was one of the panty
that staked off the first claims in Idaho.
The first find Of placer gold in ldaho,"
said the old pioneer, 'was made early in
1862 by Jim Warren, a prospector who
put in the time when not engaged in
the field in patronizing the gaming
table. A little camp had been estab-
lished at Florence, but the diggings
were poor and there was so little TO be
made that the men drifted away in lit
tie squads TO find better pay. Warren
and four others started out together,
but soon afterward q disagreement
arose and Warren left the party to go
It alone. After two or three days he
camped one evening on the stream now
known as Warren creek, and there be-
ing fair indications, the next day was
spent in prospecting
Planning seven pans of dirt he saved
the proceeds, and taking samples of the
quartz went back TO Florence, where the
gold was weighed and found to be worth
20 cents or ten cents to the pan. This
was not big thing for those days, but
led to the expectation of better strikes
and an expedition OF 16 men was or
ganized to investigate the new find.
"On their way 20 Warren creek they
came across Warren's four companions
from whom he had parted several days
previously. They were 'tin-horns' and
poor prospectors and had been unsuc-
cessful. Seeing Warren with the crowd
they concluded that he had made q
strike and followed him. Warren and
his friends, not caring to share the dis
covery with the four men, resorted to n
ruse to throw them of the scent, and
spent several days on Secesh creek, so
called from the war OF secession which
had then been recently heard of. The
four gamblers, being nearly out OF pro-
visions, were frozen out and compelled
TO return to Florence. The expedition
staked out the Warren Meadows for
themselves and their friends. Eight
men were sent back TO Florence for pro-
visions, the rest remaining to work the
claims. While the eight men were gone
some of these who remained discovered
better digging at Summit Flat, obtain
ing from two to four dollars TO the pan.
"The claims Of Warren Meadows were
abandoned, and new claims staloed out
on the new field When the men re-
turned from Florence with the pro-
visions they were followed by about
GOO miners, who suspected that rich
dirt had been found, and swarmed along
Warren creek and its tributaries, maxi
ing rich finds everywhere. The original
locators were extremely fortunate in
the Summit Flat dggings. Two men
named Besse and Osgood worked to-
gether and docled out 100 ounces the
first day and 40 ounces during the next
forenoon. The assay Office had just been
established at Boise and these 14O
ounces OF dust were the first receipts at
the Office.
The gold was found to be worth S14
an ounce, the net returns of the two
men for day and q half being 81, ,06O
In three .weekSthat party of 16 men had
taken out from their claims on Summit
Flat 10000 ounces Of gold. Before the
close Of the season 100000 ounces were
taken out, and the original members oil
the expedition had enough money tc
keep them comfortably for life. About
as much more was taken out during the
next season before the bar was ex
hausted.
"The honesty of the miners in thos,
pioneer days was illustrated by an in
cident which occurred during tn,
stampede from Florence. In the crowC
of eco that followed the eight men sen
10 Florence after provisions was MAJ
nicknamed Boston, of thrifty turn
who brought two barrels OF whisky an,
wagon hauled by pair of mules, hi
knowledge Of the average prospecto
leading him to the conclusion that tn
crowd limited to water as beyerag
would soon begin to suffer from tn
pangs Of thirst. On the way to the dig
gings one Vandeventer offered him
handsome advance on the first cost O
the whisky, and the offer being ac
cepted the whisky was turned over I
Handkerchief, who sat the barrels on en-
under o tree, took out the heads, hun
a tin dipper on the side Of each barre
fixed a contribution box up against
tree, with a slot in the closed lid, an
went on with the crowd, leaving tn
improvised saloon to take care of itsel
The miners passing to and fro woul
take drink, drop a contribution int
the box and passon. Sometimes sewers
drinks would be taken without a resoi
TO the buckslNin, but in the end tn
drinks were well paid for, nugget
worth dollar or more being frequen
ly dropped in for single drinl
Strange as it may seem, there was L
excessive indulgence at the barrels, an
no one meddled with the contribute
box, and before the close of the seaso
Vans barrels formed one of the Ian,
marks Of the country. Vandevent,
pulled out handsome sum from h
mining claim, and when cold wealth,
set in returned to his barrels built
cabin and opened saloon in forI
making a good cleanup from his co
tribution box. As long as the diggin;