Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1902-04-10
HISTORIC ELK CRY.
Center Of a Big Mining Dis
triCt With Rich Claims.

"sSs WIFI ntCn NsdituS.
Elk Cry, Id.l.o, March 81
This little camp is located on Elk
creek between two divides of the
mountains which break the top
ography Of central Idaho into a
thousand shapes. The basin thus
formed is q beautiful spot. The
camp is built upon a sloping hill,
from which an extensive view is
had to the mountain ranges in
every direction.
A row Of buildings on each side
OF the street, extending from the
creek bottom to the top of the hill,
and a few scattered cabins in the
rear, compose the settlement.
There are about 80 buildings in all,
including dwelling houses and
stores. With the exception Of
three or four small frame struct-
ures, built recently, the camp looks
as it has for 40 years. Substantial
log houses aud store buildings,
one-story in height and devoid OF
paint, have been exposed to the
weather for SO long that they seem
a natural bit Of the picture, while
the few small frame houses appear
out of place.
The camp has two general mcr-
chandise stores drug store, meat
market, hotel, lodging house,
Chinese laundry, barber shop,
school house and three saloons.
The hotel is the only two-story
structure. The population is
about 100.
The mining district Of Elk City
embraces an area of about lac
square miles, taking in nearly all
the watershed of the South Fork
of the Clearwater river. The
camp is gateway to the Hump,
Big creek, Crooked river, Red
river. American river, Seigle creek
Little Elk creek. Deadwood noun.
tain and Relief creek. All these
sections are rich in auriferous
deposits.
Wagon roads branch from here
to the Hump, Seigle creek, Crooked
river and Big creek, with trails
leading to the other sections, and
the state road is continued tt
Dixie, 26 miles southeast.
The nearest mine to the town il
the property of the Alamanct
Mining and Milling company or
American river, two miles south
east. A three-stamp mill has
been installed. The company il
composed of California men
Superintendent Coleman said the
mill was capable of crushing 3(
tons of ore per day, though it never
had been keyed up to full capacity
the ore is said to average from $40
to $50 per ton.
At Gro Grande, 10 miles to tn,
southeast of Elk City, on Crooked
river, 10-stamp mill is being in
stalled by the Crooked Rive
Mining & Milling company, which
owns nearly 80 claims, both lod,
and placers. The claims lie in
dyke which is said u carry averag
values Of So 10 per IL and is from
200 to 600 feet IN width. Super
intendent William logan has beef
developing the property for tn
past three years with tunnels
shafts and crosscuts. He Gays tn
company will put in 100 stamp
and has enough ore to run bi
plant several years. He is con
fident this section will prove on
of the richest low grade camps @
Idaho.
Southeast Of Elk City, ON Galen
creek, eight miles distant, fore
Of men is developing some claim
owned principally by Portland mer
j. D. Boyer lis in charge of til
work, which consists principal
Of tunnels. He says values ar
high and keep up well with depth
On Seigle creek, six miles to th
east Of Elk City, work is progress
ing on a number of claims whic
give promise of becoming ric
mines. The work on the America
Eagle group is attracting the mos
attention at present. This grou
consists of four claims, bonded b
DR.. G. X. Merriam, James Mona
CHAN and K. NJ. Sherman, all I
Spokane. No company has bee
formed and the holders expect t
develope the claims with their ow
capital. Mr.. Sherman is in chare
of the work, which consists of &C
feet of tunnel in the No. clail
and shorter tunnels in No. 3 an
No. 8.
The upper tunnel on No. l C,
the ledge at 175 feet depth, whel
the richest ore was found. A low,
tunnel has just reached the leds
at $50 feet depth, and Mr.. She
man says assays show almost ;
good ore in the lower level /,
above. He said average assays
both tunnels show values OF 500
$50 in ledge 10 to 20 feet feet
width, with a four-foot pay stres
running into the hundreds. NJ
Sherman said:
1--WE have 16 men at work tu