Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1902-06-05
OUR NEXT MINING BOOM
Marshall Lake District Rapidly Coming
to the Front.
Two-Foot Lodges of Wonder
fully Rich Freehold.
Bearing Quartz.

l
Bearing Quartz.
+. Day, proprietor of the Ray
mOnd hotel at Florence, was Wis
itor to town this week and reports
Florence nearly depopulated at this
time consequent upon the recent
discoveries Of very rich lodges Of
free-gold-bearing quartz in the
Marshall lake country south of
Salmon river. The existence of
these ledges has been known since
1899, when the first discoveries
were made by Ike Maxwell during
the Buffalo Hump boom. In fact,
Wright Il Connors have had a
small quartz mill at work for the
past year and have realized hand
somely from their enterprise, as
the ore is very largely free milling
and cheaply worked, and is SO rich
in native gold that a small quantity
goes a long way in piling up a
| fortune.
The latest discoveries made a
few weeks ago show the ore belt
to be much more extensive than
was at first supposed, and conse-
qnently there has been an exodus
OF miners and prospectors to that
side Of the river for some weeks
past. The present excitement is
confined to Bear creek, where Wal
ter Bennett, Billy Turnbull and
Ed Hanger have made locations
that are as good as the best ever
found in this county. The ledges
are a full two feet in width add the
ore is wonderfully rich in gold.
We published paragraph last
week that Callahan had pounded
out $3.50 worth of gold from %
pounds of this quartz, and from
the specimens shown us by Mr..
Hanger and Mr.. Day we can read
lily believe that it is frozen fact.
The Marshall lake country is a
part of Florence mining district.
1t is situated almost directly south
of the old wire bridge and is on a
direct ronte to- Warren, but the
difficulties of the country are SO
great that it WAS never found prac-
ticable to build trail to Warren,
although much money aud time
were spent in the early days in the
endeavor to find a practicable cut
oil. The lake itself is a small body
of water in the heart Of dense
forest. Lake creek flows from it,
which in turn puts into Secesh
creek, the second largest tributary
Of the South Fork of Salmon river.
The fact that good placer diggings
have been found all along the
length Of Lake creek and Secesh
meadows has always satisfied us
that the origin of the gold would
be found in the vicinity of Mar
shall lake, and the discovery OF
these lodges come as no surprise to
those of us who are familiar with
the geology and geography Of that
country. The district is one well
worthy Of the attention of prospect
ors, as the character OF the ledges
make it an ideal camp for poor
man because of the wonderful
value of it's. ore. The quartz is
largely oxidized, and therein it
differs from that of Warren, which,
while equally rich, carries high
silver values and 10 more or les:
refractory, SO that it is difficult
matter to save the entire values o
the precious mineral contents. In
Marshall lake the ore is strictly
| ee-milling, and in our judgmen1
the next mining boom in this sec.
ton will Be in the Marshall lake
country.
In Florence Mr.. Day says thai
the placer miners are running day
and night. taking advantage OF thu
present abundant water supply
| and the output Of dust will exceed
that for many years past. Their
is talk of the dredge being starte'
up this summer. On the Banne
properties a small crew is now a
work, which will be increased q
soon as arrangements now pend
ing for taking over the Gold Bul
| group adjoining are completed.
There are seven families now il
Florence, and a iour-months' tern
| OF school started up last week il
charge of Prof. E. 0. Eteininger
Mr.. Day also says. the Reynold
ferry across Salmon river is now i
successful, operation and from 2
to 80 people are crossing it dali
en- route to Marshall lake, Warre
and Thunder Mountain.
In company with VIM. Finle,
of the Miners hotel, Mr.. Day le
Monday with two four-horse load
OF freight for their respective ht
tells. The road is now wide ope
! and free from snow, and the sun
J mer travel over the state WACO
! road has set in in good earnest.
jonas Lawrence and his partne
Jonas Fuller, started another pa,
|. train 0f sunnliea from, here la