The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1899-05-05
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
FRIDAY, MAY 5, 1899.
Exploring Expedition.


Montana, and reaching northward to
include nearly all the territory drained
nv the Clearwater 5000 to 10000 miles
is practically an uneXplored country.
Prosecutors and hunters have been
through it sufficiently to inform US OF
its general characteristics, and we know
it as a rugged and mountainous region,
with many deep canyons and noun
tains whose elevation is not very great
and whose slopes are covered in most
places with dense forests OF timber. In
some places placer gold has been found,
and at Warren, Florence, Pierce City,
Loon Creek and at other points large
quantities Of the yellow metal have
been saved by the early prospectors,and
a few permanent settlements have been
made. But that such discoveries as
have been made at the, Buffalo Hump
and other places in Idaho county with
in less than a year past, proves, as we
said at first, that it is all practically an
UNEMPLOYED territory. We're this all a
barren and desolate region, destitute of
water, timber, feed and game, it would
not seem strange that so little should
be known of its characteristics. But it
is not wanting in any feature to make
it most inviting to the explorer, be he
either scientist, sportsman, prospector
or seeker after practical information of
any character, or only pleasure seeker
in search of natures vagaries, or the
grand and picturesque.
We are happy to learn that'one party
of Eastern men has been organized to
spend the summer seeking out the least
known portions of this territory during
the coming summer. The Spokane
Spokesman Review gives an account of
the undertaking, as follows:
Colonel William S. Bracket, of
Peoria, ILL.,, and of Brackets ranch,
Park county, Mont, is in the city. 81
am on my way to Grangeville, Idaho"
he said yesterday, "to start small
private exploration expedition eastward
into portion Of the state hitherto I'M
explored, and lying east of the Buffalo
Hump country. The objects of the ex-
petition are geographical exploration
and to make known to the press the
characteristics of region that is without
maps and unknown.
81 expect to start the expedition by
May l, and after brief trip east shall
rejoin it and remain in the field the
entire season. There will be six men
in the expedition. They will travel by
pack train and will be we'll equipped.
The unusually heavy snowfall makes it
difficult to get into that country, but
we shall press forward as rapidly as
possible. 1 shall partially outfit at
Grangeville.
"You may expect large westward
movement of population, such as we
had about ten years ago. Eastern CAPT
tai, and particularly Boston capitalists
who have been successful in copper
mines in Montana, are directing their
attention to the gold mining regions of
Idaho. 1 personally know that Boston
capitalists are intensely interested in
the remarkable prospects of the Buffalo
Hump camp, and are waiting further
developments there"
The Peoria Journal gives the follow
ing details of Colonel Brackets expe-
dition:
"An expedition of exploration and
geographic discovery is now fitting out
at little village on the western slopes
of the Rocky Mountains, which is about
to enter hitherto unknown range of
mountains on the headwaters Of Salmon
river in northern Idaho, where the
most extraordinary and extensive dis
coveries of gold bearing quartz were
made by few wandering prospectors
late last fall.
"Among the strange phenomena ap |
pearing in this range were volcanic
eruptions of molten lava and smoke |
seen from afar as lately as 1881.
SIN 1862 over 100000 in gold was
taken from the placers Of Salmon river,
Idaho. In this unknown range of
which is now to be explored
dy company of experienced noun
and hunters under the COM
mand of Calonel Bracket, of this city,
it is believed will be discovered the
mother lodes or deposits of gold from
which the marvellous placers on Salmon
river were ages ago deposited as a
partial down-wash."
Nature and its erratic ,convulsions