The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-01
UFFAL0 HUMP AND KOOSKOOsKIE.
10 Districts Attracting Much Attention Or
gained to Investigate Far-Famed Placen.

AASk Ut transportation f&cik11tS4s ana yG6
a: least Soe.sa6ofe is known 10 have been
produced. and still there is left q vast
field for the venturesoms prospector. who
VIII. ere many years have passed, have
secured many more millions from that
virgin field which cannot today recognize
the Footsteps Of the prospeetor.
When one compares the great values
which can be secured from the ouscrep
Of the big leads In the Buffalo Hump
district with the comparatively low aver
age 10 be met with In other very highly
regarded districts OF the Pacific West. IL
" not sufprtSlng that conservative mining
men look upon this district as the coming
mining region of the cantinent.
Not only ID this particular section OF
Idaho county rich in quartz leads, but for
number Of years real good prospects
have been secured from placer deposits.
schene fes . Great Tannei.
The biggest scheme now contemplated I'm
the Buffalo Hump district is a tunnel
proposition. which will crosscnt all OF
the best ieads in the camp. This tunnel
viii eat the belt about 16G feet yellow
the apex of the lode and viii be 3,0sl feet
long, The company has already secured
q number OF valuable interests along its
line. and IL h the Intention OF the pro-
jectors TO secure many other interests. SO
that the company viii have suffscien; in
terests at the outset To warrant the ex-
penditure Of sufficient money TO complete
the project. The mouth OF the tunnel will
be just east OF and below the Cliff mine
and among other leads will cut the Monte
Cristo. which is one OF the largest bodies
OF ore and the highest grades In the
camp. II viii also run through the Gold
Bug. Daisy Columbia and into the Port
land, the latter being the next claim to
the Big Buffalo group. Probably no
scheme In the district viii 20 fully develop
at great depth the immense surface show
ing The proposition has the entire conn
dence Of the district. and mining opera
tors are anxiousIy awaiting the inaugura-
ton OF the work on this great enterprise.
searching fer Placers.
About forty miles north OF the Buffalo
Hump country, and In the northeastern
part OF Idaho county. and on the head
waters of the Koos1kooski, being the main
fork OF the middle fork Of the Clearwater.
and on the headwaters of Colt creek. north
fork of Moose creek east OF Grove Peak
and north OF Itaoio Peak Is an immense
cedar swamp or glade, which for num-
Der of years has been conceded TO be a
great field for the placer miner. Prospec-
tors from time 10 time have brought In so
much placer gold from this section that
IL could not help attracting attention. and
~
to penetrate this vast unknown gold field.
Among those who have made an effort To
deive In these unknown wiids was Peter
Reddy. a weii-knowu capitalist OF Idaho
county; DIR. s. T.. Bi5by. who was former
ly surgeon in the United States army.
but for many years a leading physician
In Grangeyiile, Charles s. Gregory. ex-
sheriff of Idaho county. and many others.
whose names l cannot remember. These
gentlemen only went into the outskirts OF
the gold fields. and could 60 no further
because OF the immense amount of fallen
timber, and hence were compelled TO re-
turn, after securing good prospects lower
down on these streams However. the
present season a big outfit viii endeavor
10 reach the large placer deposits believed
10 be higher up. and with that end In view
they viii take along sufficient supplies to
las, several months. and IL is proposed TO
cut a trail directly into the heart of what
Is believed TO be a great placer field, Prob
ably no part Of the United States offers
a more extensive or richer field for the
prospector. This new placer field has been
viewed n a distance with powerful glass
es from The nd facent peaks. and II much
resembles the cedar swamps in the Occur
d'Aienes, from which so much placer gold
Was taken i'm 1884 and isSS from the ceie-
brated widow's claim. Buckskin and Mis-
seurf guiches. Another reason for the be-
lief that gold exists In wonderful guam
titles on the headwaters OF these streams
IL because II has been found In any num-
Der of places lower down on all these
streams. and all trsppers who have been
into that section report the finding OF
gold In every stream and brook which
heads in the Bitter Root mountains. The
Indians az kanisah and all up and down
the middle fork ~ the Clearwater have
for many years every season brought gold
to tbs merchants at 0rangevilie. which
they traded for supplies. and although
they have appeared 70 make every effort
TO hide their source OF supply, Il seems TO
be- generally conceded that the immense
amount OF gold that they had il secured
IN the region named. The fire wash gravel
20 he seen I'm all these streams would de-
light the eye az tho placer miner, and It
~ bat reasonable 90 conclude that where
such big prospects are met with jasf be-
low these gold fields wheu they are
fully opened ZIP II Is exceedingly hard 10
imagine what amount az gold might be
secured In a remarkably short time.