Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-10-20
ENDORSED BY AN EXPERT
One Of the Best Authorities In the U. 5.
Says That the Hump Veins Are
Wonderful and 30 to Depth.

Wonderful and. 90 to Depth.
w. Lindgren, NJ. E., Geologist
of the United States Geological
survey and formerly professor Of
mining and metallurgy at Stan
ford University, is in the city hav-
ing made a thorough and exhaust.
i've examination of the entire sec
ton. To PRESS reporter Mr..
Lindgren said: 1.-The object of my
work this season is to make re.
connasiance of northern Idaho. or
that work only part is completed
by this seasons work, bad wealth
er having set in and stopped all
further proceedings for this season.
With my party / have examined
considerable part of the Bitter
Root mountains, between Lolo
pass and Salmon river and con-
nected that work with the region
surrounding Lewiston.
"The Bitter Root mountains
form very interesting range, the
geological structure Of which is
different from that of most mount
ain ranges known. The rocks Of
which the range is built up con-
sist mainly Of granite, which con-
tains but very few known mineral
deposits and practically no placer
deposits. From the Bi.te- Root
valley our party crossed to Ell;
City, following the so-callcd Shoup
trail, running to the south Of the
Nez Perce pass. Along this trai
also, the rocks arc chiefly granite,
but near Elk City where the min.
ing district begins, large areas oI
schist begin, which are probably o.
archean age, the first known occur
renee Of this formation in Idaho
CATER examining the mining
districts at Elk City, Newsome ant
Buffalo Hump our principal wOrt
has been to outline the vast Law;
flows which cover tho Camas Prair
lie and tho Nez Perce country
from the old mountain ranges BY
which their flow was arrested
The placer deposits at Elk City ar
very extensive and l cannot rec. ]
having seen such masses of quart
gravel since leaving the gold re
gion of the Sierra Nevada, Califor
MIA. l think that the mining @
these old gravels could probabl
be carried on more extensively
than is being done now. The re
gion certainly appears to presen
great possibilities. The gravel
were deposited by the prcsen
Clearwater river, when standin
at a level about 500 feet highe
than it's present bed. Gravels Q
similar character and age wer
found on Newsome creek and ais
at Pierce City, showing that tn
conditions mentioned were genera
and affected the whole of the Clear
water drainage. We also examin
ed with the greatest interest tn
wonderfully large lodges of Buffal
Hump, remarkable among othe
things for their north and sout
course, direction unusual in tn
central part of Idaho, the veins c
which nearly always trend east an
west. In my opinion, what tn
district needs more than anythin
else is cheap transportation, fo
, mining at this elevation and unde
these conditions is necessarily 9,
pensive. I hope to continue tn
work next year, extending the n
J connoisance up to the C9ur
Alene country and expect to d.
!, vote considerable time to the g,
animation Of these important lea
deposits.
FINALLY I would mention tn,
+ the general formation of the Buff
/, 10 Hump country is, technically,
: granite, forming q part Of Il
4 same great area which occupies {
. much space in southern Idah
4 This granite is probably Of relativ
: ly young age, and at Buffalo Hum
a contains irregular fragments of
: still younger formation, consistil
Of highly metamorphosed schists
il sedimentary origin. These schist
Y however, seem to have no inf
0 ence on the pay chutes of &
Is veins. The veins of Buffalo Hun
Q are exceedingly strong and W,
J, defined, and unquestionably CO
It tinue in depth.