The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-08-19

UG OulJ dFdllhDAC pl0OC AOi
town is at Thunder Mountain
City, which is seven miles from
the mountain proper.
1.-The trails are simply awful.
They look to me like they had
been made by man who was
| lost and was trying to find a high
place to see out. They meander
along on level ground for while
and then run straight up to some
summit and down again on the
other summit and down again on
the other side, instead of going
around. They are in terrible
condition. The day before we
went in there were 13 horses
killed by falling off the trail into
the creek. We lost two of our
five horses in the same manner.
Slide rock is one of the worst
features of the trail. Fallen tim
Der also makes travelling slow
and tedious. We struck snow
in some places, and if ever go
in again I will go in over the
snow and so avoid the down
timber and the rocks.
THE hardships of the trail
might be put up with, however,
were there anything there. But
there is not an unstaked piece of
ground in the whole district.
Everything is taken and some OF
the claims have had three loca-
tions filed. But little assessment
work has been done, as it does
not have TO be done until next
, year. Claims can be had for a
song. | could have had seven
claims on Mule creek for $50 had
5 | wanted them. Mr.. Seelye and
2 myself were we'll equipped for
J prospecting, but we could get
nothing. Not a painful of dir
2 showed the least semblance o.
colors. and l did not see a mar
! who had any showing on his
claims. ("
: How do you account for thu
n piece of Thunder Mountain ORE
S for which Ed. Dewey, son o
Colonel Dewey. paid $500 p Mr.
!. Selfridge was asked.
S Il do not believe that the Fecl
a came from Thunder Mountain
S There is little or no work bein;
a done on the Dewey. Seven me
: are watching it, and they keel
S any one from examining it.
e Il did not see a man but wha
t was completely disgusted witt
it the whole thing. One man ha
IS his group of claims sold fo
$1,000, but when an examinatio
was made no values were founC
and now the owner will TAX
what he can get for them. Th
whole country is lava form;
ton with no gold bearing roc
g in it. Everything is being owe
ID done. We met one outfit whic
id was taking in 200 gallons {
Ie whiskey and | heard that anotl
E. er equal quantity was on tt
is way.
Re Il do not believe that when v
P were in there were over 80 me
in the four towns. AS to worl
OF man could not get work for b
e, grub even. There are lots {
o, people going in, bat dispite tn
to the stage between Sites al
OF Dixie has stopped runnin
to Most of those who are takin
In the trip use pack horses.
n Altogether it is the bigge
Us fake that was ever sprung.
N will be impossible to get resul
n from the ore, as it is not go
is bearing, and even if it were, t
an cost of getting stamp mill
'e- would be more than the who
IN country is worth. The excit
at ment was started by the bu
op ness men of the towns throus
re which the trade would come, a
n they are the only ones who W
er- reap any benefit from it. A m
W. going in can get no unstak
1O ground, he can get no work a
no if he has no money will starve
Ik- death. l did not find a bona f
les prospector in the district W
on was not disgusted with the
DIX suits gained"