The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-12-23
FORK COLORS

The Yankee Fork country, like
the river of its name, moves slow
ly and majestically on, with scar
cely ripple to break the mon
otony.
The rumble of the stamps of
the faithful old Lucky Boy Co.'S.
mill at Custer, can still be heard
throughout the hills and the val
leys hereabouts, and the mill
and mine whistles tell us of the
hours as they fit swiftly by. By
good management at the mine
the ore bodies are kept well in
sight, and by equally good man
agement at the mill the values of
the mine are gathered together
as the farmer gathers the golden
products of his fields.
The Hartford Co. on the North
side of Mt. Estes, have closed the
mill for the winter, (which is
several miles from the minel and
work is going ahead on the mine
(old Yankee Fork, under charge
of Amos Franklin, while MacKen-
nedy will repair and have the
mill in order for operations in
the Spring.
Fred Kanenbley, who is agent
and interested with the parties
who have a lease and bond on
the Bismark group on Jordan
creek, is attending to the deyel-
opment of the properties, and re-
port has it that there is plenty of
Igood milling gold ore in sight,
with a fair prospect of a mill up
there one of these days not far
away.
In different parts of the district
owners of claims are working TO
develop their properties into pay
ing propositions. Hope is eter
nal in the heart and muscle of
the prospector in these parts,
and ere long he will see his re-
ward, if not in this world he may
in the next, where he will have
more time.
OF course, there is not much
hope to be had in silver any
more; but by the intervention of
a kind providence, or a gold
standard administration, or some
other kind agent, our silver
mines around here are all turn
ing into gold mines. So we are
not losing any sleep over the fall
down of the white metal. The
manipulators and spectators can
run it down to the zero hole, or
on down to where it melts, if
they choose; it cuts no tigure-at
least but really small one
here anymore.
The population Of Custer has
been on the increase the past
season, and houses are houses
there, and lucky is he who owns
one. Quite q number of people
from outside camps have come
} there to winter. The Obstetrics
always have a good time in the
winter. Parties and gatherings
of different kinds are not uncom-
mon. They also have a very
good school house and a good
school teacher and a large at
} tendance of good, intelligent
| scholars, and are as far advanced
in their studies for their age as
b can be found anywhere. Custer
is also favored with a very com
5 modious Miners Union hall,
} which is always open to public
gatherings.
Very recently Custer has add
} ed a new and attractive feature
to its social and intellectual pro
, gress. They have organized a
, literary and home theatrical as
t sociation. An entertainment by
: the new combination was given a
few evenings ago-everybody
} was there, and everybody enjoy.
: ed it. The acting was pronounc-
r ed far superior to that of'any OF
the road troupes that have visit.
1 ed this section of the mountains.
: A number of Loon Creekers, own
: ers of rich claims in the new gold
/ country, and some of whom have
l been before the foot-lights before
1 professionals in disguise, as il
t were). are among the leaders Of
} the new organization. They are
= expected to give another enter
D tainment some time during the
a Holidays. This is much better
t than throwing your money away
+ on the jack O. o'-lantern-jim crow
h determination n-nigger show graf
e ter combination floating around
: over the country.
n Our side of the mountains has
:. taken on quite a boom in busi
a ness, travel, etc., since the re
Il cent gold quartz discoveries IL
q the old T ,OOn creek country 1s