The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1899-04-29
BUFFALO HUMP
Wonders Of the New Field Of
North Central Idaho.
ABOUT THE FIRST DISCOVERY
Rushing, ROwIiag. Wide Open Csmp-Deals In
the hundreds Of Thousaads Stalking Claims
Which lie Under ls feet Of SuOw.


The following is from a Salt Lake
Herald article on the Buffalo Hump:
The rush to Buffalo Hump is a re-
minder of the gold discoveries of early
days. The camp is in the Bitter Root
region in the Idaho panhandle. Grange
vile, near Mount Idaho, is the near
est point of any consequence. It is
necessary TO stage it from Lewiston
to Grangeville and thence into the new
camp.
The first gold discovery was made by
E. r. Rigley and Sam Robins. The
latter died just two weeks ago They
sunk hole down only twenty-five feet
on their claim and Immediately it was
bonded for $4,000. they receiving
S25,oO0 in hard cash with the under
standing that the balance was to be
paid monthly within year.
A most wonderful surface showing is
made. From Assayer Stahl, the own
ers of the Cracker Jack claim, Hawley
& Flint were given certificate show
ing value of $3.50 81 in gold and 500 "a
in silver. The Cracker Jack is a fine
ten inch vein. Rufus Hawley had
another assay on free milling quartz
amounting to $2,4566l per ton. Haw-
ley 81 Flint subsequently sold the
Cracker Jack TO Sam /. Silvern an of
Spokane for 100000 spot cash.
Buffalo Hump is camp where prop
ositions running away up into the hun
dreds of thousands of dollars are COM
mon occurrences.
Another big mine bought by Mr.. Sill
verman was the Merrimac. In cross
cutting on this ledge Charles Schmit
found ore running $4,000 ton. Mr..
SiIverman bonded the claim for 1915,
600.
SiiVerman is one OF three men who
own the Big Buffalo, the principal
claim. E. r. Rigley the original dis
coverer, and A. P. Mckenna were the
first owners. Mr.. Silverman, with
Messrs Collender and Sweeney. form
ed syndicate and the mine was bond
ed for 100000.
The Morning Star group of claims
was secured by r. M. Sherman fol
Campbell & Frank of Spokane fol-
100000,
Still another big deal is that in which
the DeLamar Mining company was an
important factor. A group of mines
in what is known as the Mallick dis
trict has just been bonded for $4O000(
to the DeLamar Gold & Silver Mining
company, limited. Captain DeLamar
was originally the promoter of this
company, but his interests were trans
ferred to Idaho parties, among then
j. j. Bennett, a mining engineer O.
GrangeviIle.
Not far away is the old Florencr
camp. In 1865 gold was taken out o
there by the millions. 1t has beel
roughly stated that $6O,OOO,OOO WORT
was produced. This figure may be al
over-estimate; however, the camp wa
a famous one in its day.
The old-time mining spirit perVade
Buffalo Hump. It's very name suggest
the wild and woody. The camp is "wid
open"-ths gambling den, the hurdy
gurdy, the dance hall and other char
acteristics of rough-and-ready mimi
town, all being among Buffalo Hump
most striking features.
Two stage coaches are running da
, ". AS there is not room enough in
side, the top of the stage is cOnverte
into a hurricane deck, and as man
miners as can pile on do so and han
, on to each other. In this way the tri
is being made through the snow.
Mr.. Travis reports depth of 16 feC
of snow in some places at the CAM
, The locators are not deferred by tt
! snow in the least, though. They star
out on snow shoes and locate claim
hit or miss, on the top of it. On OF
claim there were no less than four j
cations posted or tree. The topmO
was appropriately called "The Pirate
. At present about 5000 men are eth
in Grangeville or at the camp, or G
the way. Two thousand have bee
waiting in Grangeville for spring
open up little, and according to M
Travis figures, between 800 and 10
: locators are at the camp.