Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-06-30
MINING IN 1862.
Buffalo Hump Known In Early
Days.

Days.
correspondence oregonisn.
The recent discoveries of COL,
mines in the near vicinity of tn
Buffalo Hump, in Idaho, recall t,
nv mind the great rush to the ricl
placer mines at Florence City il
1862. These mines were discov
cred, almost by accident late in tn
fall of 1861, so late that but few
were able to reach them that sea
son on account Of the great dept
of snow in the surrounding noun
tains. The news of this discover,
soon spread over the country, an;
from the first of February unit
the last Of May, every STEAMSHIP
from San Francisco to Portland
was crowded to its utmost capacit,
with gold seekers. Early in tn,
spring of 1862, people in grea
numbers from all parts of Oregon
Washington, Idaho, and even from
British Columbia began to roll on,
for the mines. Farms, shops, Of
fees and stores were deserted, ani
thousands left their homes in grea,
haste to reap the golden harvest.
Portland was the grand starting
point, and though only a town Of
about 2, 800, soon put on metropol.
itan airs and was the busiest place
OH the coast. Hotels were crowded
to overlooking, the stores were
chock full of customers, and the
storekeepers were 80 busy and in.
dependent that they hardly had
time to see or wait upon purchas.
ers. These were Portland's palm
lest days, and when she first began
to realize that she was a city. On
April Is, 1862, with Is others,
started from Astoria and Joined
the great throng. Each one took
a horse, knowing that we would
have much land travel to perform,
and probably have our food to carry
also. The Oregon Steam Naviga-
ton Company owned and managed
all of the steamboats, running up
the Columbia river, and conse-
quently made prices of freight and
passengers to suit themselves.
Passage from Portland to The
Dalles, less than 100 miles, was So,
and IS cents extra for meals.
From Portland to Lewiston, 345
miles, passage was $50, meals ex-
ira, and freight by ton, by measure.
ment, was $12O. The boat that
carried me to The Dalles was so
full of people that it took all day to
serve two meals. We left Portland
at 8 a. m. At 6 o'clock the first
table was seated; as soon as it was
empty another was made ready,
and 80 on as rapidly as possible,
until about IL o'clock, when we
reached the lower cascade landing,
all had been served. Then it took
until 6 p. m. on the upper boat to
serve the next meal. This rush
was not just for day or a week,
but it continued for several months.
The Dalles, though but a village,
was busy place-a regular toll
gate where all who passed through
had to pay toll in some shape. The
town and suburbs was dotted with
tents and wagons, and thronged
with busy men, packing horses,
loading wagons and getting ready
to start. We left The Dalles with
our horses packed with $50 to 200
pounds of provisions, camp equip
ments, etc.
All roads leading up the Column
bia were full of people, horses,
teams and vehicles of every des-
cription, while the steamboats, were
more than full. 1t was great
flood tide of emigration of COM
merce, rolling up the Columbia val
ley like an irresistible torrent.
The Powder river mines were also
newly discovered, and many were
headed in that direction.
/ must not omit the mention Of
a very curious and interesting sight
/ witnessed as we passed along the
narrow trail, just beyond the mouth
of Des Chutes river. The ground
at, and near the foot of the high
basaltic cliff, was covered with in
Vulnerable rocks and boulders that
time had thrown down from the
bluff. All around us, and as far
as we could see, were hundreds Of
rattlesnakes, lazily summing them
selves on those rocks. Their dark,
sleek bodies could be seen glisten-
ing in the sunlight hundreds of
feet away. They were Of all sizes,
from medium to very large. Our
presence did not disturb them, as
they allowed us to pass within two
or three feet of them without
changing their positions. They
were 80 numerous that / did not
attempt to count them, but there
were many hundreds of them in
sight. There must have been a
great den of them in the rocky
cliff.