Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-05-12
OUR RICH GOLD CAMPS.
]. M. Letter Tells Of Strikes In
Central idaho.

!, j. NJ. Letter, one of the pioneer
, Of central Idaho, is in the city
says the Review. He has been i
the Buffalo Hump camp almos
from the date of the first discover
les there, having been one of tn
earliest to depart from Florenc
after Rigley and Robbins arrive,
there with news of the discover,
which has since set all the north
west wondering.
~ left the Buffalo Hump 10 day
ago." he said. sit is tough tril
into the camp at this time Of year
1T SHOWS necessarily on the Hump
sometimes we have laH of two OF
three feet of snow there in a night
That stops travel even ON snow
shoes, and we have to wait until i,
settles. There is IA feet on a level
and it will not be off until the fore
part Of July.
THE HIYU STRIKE
81 came out through Grangeville
and went over to Florence. In
both places, and particularly in
Florence, l found much excitement
on account of the strike in the west
drift of the Hiyu mine at Florence.
That famous old mine is the oldest
in the camp, and has had a history
OF ups and downs. 1t is in strong
hands now, and a thing has been
done which has been long needed
in Florence. They have gone
down on the vein, and the result
has.been most gratifying. My in
formation is that the vein shows
three and half to four feet wide
in the 3O0-foot level, and that it's
average value is $50 per ton. The
ore is absolutely free milling. This
development will go far to refute
the claim often made that the ores
in Florence camp do not go down
and maintain their free milling
character. The superintendent
was about to start the mill on the
claim when 1 was there. 1t should
be good for a fine, long run now.
The Hiyu is probably destined to
become the first dividend payer in
Florence. That camp has been
neglected in the rush to the Hump,
but this strike is likely to attract
attention again to some of the
claims there"
Mr.. LETTER was the locator of the
San Francisco, Baby Louise and
Monte Carlo claims, which he lately
sold to an English company. He
also located the Bachelor claim,
which was bonded recently to D.
Stussi. He still owns many inter
ests in the Hump camp, and is
thoroughly familiar with the veins.
and knew them before the snow
covered them.
THEY DO NOT BELIEVE.
"No one in the Buffalo Hump
camp takes any stock in the story |
that the Big Buffalo ores have lost
their Values" said Mr.. LETTER. 81
DO not believe it. have not test
ed the ores myself, but have seen
what they are taking from the
shaft, and l know that it is better
ore than that which assay
ID so richly near the surface.
There is no zinc in it, and I have
never seen any zinc in any ores in
5he camp, and I think 1 have ex-
smined ore from every claim that
las been opened.
"There is considerable work 60
ng on in the camp, but it is pro-
crossing under difficulties. 1t con-
'ists largely of the work necessary
20 complete locations, and it
requires first the sinking of hole
n the snow to find the vein. Then
after the vein is located 1O-foot
shaft is sunk.
"On the Concord and Mother
Lode, recently taken over by Bos-
lon capitalists, Jim Turner has
started a force at work on shaft.
am interested in the Big Hump,
which adjoins the Buffalo Bull. one
of Charley Sweeney's properties.
We have it under development and
nave opened five-foot vein which
pans well. The Big Buffalo is
working large crew, and develop
nent is being pushed with all pos
'ible dispatch. There has never
oeen any indication of stopping
work or of lessening the working
orce on the Big Buffalo"
When the county salary bill was
lnder consideration by the legisla-
'ure the maximum pay proposed by
he original bill for county COM
was raised to 81 900 he