davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-07-28

for developing their differen
claims in the Loon creek distric
} this year.
Since this time last year about
400 claim locations haye beer
placed on record in the county
records of Custer county from
the new Loon creek section
About 200 of these were filed il
the Yankee Fork district 70.
which your correspondent is dep
uty), being nearest the discover
les, the remainder going direct
to the county seat or through the
Stanley deputy's Office, and
about 100 claims are under stake
and will go to the records when
the location work is completed.
With the prospectors now in the
field, others coming in almost
daily, and with an immense min
eral field to work in, the number
of locations will be increased by
several hundred before snow flies
again. Recently a district was
organized and a deputy recorder
elected, and one or more town
sites have been incorporated.
Several assay offices have recent
ly gone in, postoffice has been
applied for. The new P. o. will
probably be Loon"
Mr.. Click, Lost Packer man
ager, recently purchased a train
of pack animals, and ore is be-
ing brought into Custer from the
mine for shipment to Salt Lake.
A mill, made in sections, has
been purchased for the Lost
Packer, and will be taken in by
Chicks train.
AS near as can be ascertained.
upwards of 100 claims show ore in
them that goes all the way from
fair milling propositions to high
grade. Many of the claims have
but little work done on them as
yet, and many ''pan" gold that
have not been assayed. Many
samples of ore were shipped to
interested parties on the outside
for assay last season. A great
many were made at the Lucky
Boy Cos. assay Office, and good
many of the veins have assayed
samples from.
There are locations that have
ore fully as good, or better, than
the Packer at and near the sur
face, and miles away from that
mine. Recently I made some
assays from a group outside of
the Packer field that gave as low
as SD in gold and high as Al ozs.
gold, and very little silver, and
some copper; about same char
acter of ore as that in the Packer.
A few days ago 1 made some
assays for E. H. Lang and
JAS. H. Tappan from the Empire
group, in new field 5 or more
miles in a northwest course from
the Packer, that gave results
from l to q ozs. gold and 10 to
rs ozs. silver, with some copper;
very like Packer in appearance.
This latter find is on ore near
Little Loon waters.
One strong point I can see in
favor of the Loon creek ore veins
going to depth, and holding their
values, is that the same charac-
'er of rock as that in the veins
IN the high hills on both sides of
Loon creek is found in the water
where the veins cross
hem. Last fall l assayed ore
similar in appearance to the
oacker) taken from vein found
n the bed of Loon creek in work
ng the placers, that gave results
If S448 gold, and I have heard
# a higher grade than that com
ng out of veins in the creeks.
Years ago | made assays of ore
ound by Capt. D. B. Varney, one
# the original Loon creek placer
in the banks of Loon
'reek that assayed from 10 to SO
US. gold. Further, l believe
hat the silver in the GOLD. vainc
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-07-28
What OF Loon +?
(cal clawson in Idaho world.l


| will reply briefly as possible
considering, of course, the mag
nitude of the region now known
as the Loon creek country"
History, you no doubt hav,
read, repeats-sometimes sooner
sometimes later; but the repeat
gets around on time, this time in
the case Of the Loon creek coun
try, it is about 335 years. Wher
you were little boy in Idaho
City land no doubt was fired out
of the print shop" often for be-
ing in the way and "monkeying'
with the types even then Loon
creek was a "hummer," so to
speak, and Idaho City was the
point from which the mail, ex-
press, ETC., ETC., was conveyed to
the busy camp. 1t was the prin-
cipal point, also, where the gold
dust was melted, sold or ex-
changed for miners supplies.
The Crafts store at Idaho City
had a branch at Orogrande, and
the World had big list of sub
scribers. There was a good trail
from your place to the mines, and
jack trains did lively freighting
business.
The machinery for 10 Boggs'
sawmill on Canyon creek, about
four miles from the town of Orc
grande, was packed in from Ida
no City at cost of $500. The
man was here recently who had
the contract to pack it in. Strange
to say, many of the claims on
Canyon creek, and in and adjoin-
ing the Lost Packer belt, are
Tied" to the old sawmill site land
where men cut and hauled logs
to the mill, rich gold quartz
lmuch of it showing free gold is
to be found scattered around over
the hills and in the gulches. A
number of veins have been dis
covered and worked to some ex-
tent, off and on, in the vicinity
of the old placer mines, for years
past, and some ore worked in an
arastra, and several lots were
milled in the Custer mill fifteen
or more years ago that netted
about $3.50 per ton.
A year ago the past spring
several parties from here and
from Thunder mountain found
some quartz mines on Grouse and
Canyon creeks that promised
well, but it was not until the
Lost Packer was struck by G. E.
Eddy, last July, that the country
attracted any more than ordinary
attention. Although the Packer
ore, four to six feet wide, aver
aged but about $40 ton in gold
and six or seven ounces silver
were discovered Il made the first
assays for Mr.. Eddy it improved
wonderfully under development
and soon had the appearance of
being a veritable treasure vault.
A Custer and Salt Lake com
pany took it in hand and capital
lied it at 100000 shares at par
value of 81 per share. And, a !
most unusual thing. the stock,
almost from the first, rated at
about par, making a mere pros
pect, as you might say, worth
50,000, and | understand from
parties familiar with the mine
that S150,000 could be taken out
Of it ia very sh ort time if
there were even meagre milling
facilities at hand.
To continue the story of the
Lost Packer mine 1t is a fact
hat when Mr.. Eddy went over
here with view to prospect he
happened around where two men
lad located some ground and
were searching for a vein. and to
encourage him one of them re-
marked to him that the hills on
he opposite side of the creek
we're as favorable for quartz
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-07-28


found in the main Loon coulC
not be opened by those wht
knew of their existence.
A number of prominent min
ing men from the outside visited
the Loon creek mines last sum
mer and this spring, and all, sc
far as know have had very
favorable impression of the coun
try, and have become interested
in it by securing ground, either
by direct purchase or by taking
options for purpose of develop
ing.
State Mine Inspector Bell has
been in there and reported fav.
orably on the mineral belts gen
orally and the future outlook OF
the country. Mr.. 0. A Tibbetts,
of Montana, general manager OF
the famous Granite mountain
at Phillipsburg. in its days of
great prosperity; also Mr. @. P.
Chrisholm, another noted Mon
tana mine reporter and operator
in mines, have been at Loon creek
recently, and both speak we'll of
that entire region, and while
there secured properties that
they examined. Mr.. Chisholm
was already interested, having
been in on some of the early loca-
tons last season.
The Custer business men have
nearly all been over there since
the new discoveries, and 1 be-
lieve all of them are interested in
ground there. By either pur-
chase or by outftting prospec-
tors, they have interests in over
100 claims. They are putting
their money freely into the new
camp. 1t is expected that they
will either build, or aid material
ly in building, wagon road over
to Loon from the end of the Jor-
dan creek road; distance about Is
with scarcely any grading
outside of a couple of miles on
the Jordan divide. They will
also have branch business hous
es there.
There are all kinds of names
for mines and mining compan-
les. The most high-sounding is
the "Braying jack" Last fall a
prospector struck good show
ing of quartz in the Packer
neighborhood. He was at a loss
for a suitable name, but just at
that time his little faithful jack,
tied to a tree close by, suggested
that they go 10 camp by raising
up his voice in the wilderness
and gave a long blast that secur-
ed a name for the claim. don't
know how it will take on the
stock boards, but that company
will be able to do its own shout
ing, anyway.
The last company Incorporate
ed is one at Blackfoot, the Lost
Wood Hauler.' A group ofloca-
lions of that name was discover
ed last fall. The parties went
1ut Blackfoot to winter and took
samples of the ore with them. 1t
sssayed very high, and the con-
sequence was that company
vas organized and money raised |
or development, and men are at
work on the mines. There is
in the name of a mine,
Tor in anything else, in fact, but
t must have the "stuff" in it,
which is name sufficient.
The results of the new discov-
'ries will be great in many ways.
t is vast mineral field extend
ng from this section of the Sal
non river country clean through
o Boise Basin, and as it is now
becoming accessible by roads and
rood trails, development will
more rapidly.
They are finding good veins
Iere and there down to Middle
salmon and over to the Thunder
egion, and from Loon on through
Sear valley to Deadwood, and in
act to the Basin and aS far north
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-07-28

Il -
noticed yellow dirt and fragment
of quartz on the surface. H
gathered up some of it, took
to camp and PANIED it, and ais
pounded up some of the quartz
The showing of gold was a yer,
pleasant surprise to all in camp
This was the beginning of Ed
dy's streak of good luck, ant
was also the direct cause of tn
immediate fame of the Lool
creek country as a possessor O
good gold quartz veins, for it es
tablished confidence at once anC
set prospectors to developing
their finds and to search for NOR,
Lost Packers.
But fortune favored the. camp
all the way through. The ore
that the packer found over thirty
years ago, while bringing in his
horses from the hills, that show.
ed free gold plentifully, was not
a myth after all. We had all
heard of it long, long ago, and
nearly every prospector in the
country had made short or long
search for it. 1t was not the lost
packers mine, for the packer
who found the rich float was not
lost, but the mine from whence
the float came was lost to the
packer and everybody else until
Eddy brought it to light.
We are ali making history, as
we go along, and some day when
we old timers have all laid aside
our pick, pan and shovel forever,
and secured a perpetual lease on
a front pew in the great Midway
Plaisance lover there" other
generations may be interested to
know how discoveries of mines
were made and who made them.
So, to continue on the line of
the Lost Packer. soon as it was
known that Mr.. Eddy had struck
a really promising prospect, and
needed help to develop it, three
of our prominent townsmen here
volunteered to take an option on
the ground and do some work on
it. The Hon. Ravenel Macbeth
PRESIDENT manager of the Lucky
Boy Mining Co.. Hon. George
Coryell (Supt. of the L. B. Co.'S.
and VIM. T. Oster, (Supt.
of the l.. b. Co.'S. mill at that
time), took 30 day option for
81, 900 and good price for the
mine months later if it proved
They at once en-
listed the services of J.A. Click
10 the promotion of the enter
prise, they to retain one-fourth
interest in the incorporation.
Mr. Chicks report of the prop
arty was favorable, was accept
ed, and w. S. Mccormick and
others of Salt Lake took hold.
The Packer bore up well under
development, and continues to
Dear up, with stock at par, and
lhe company having secured
lost Of locations on the Packer
oelt, the success of the Loon
,reek mineral field is pretty well
assured, if development goes
ahead as planned. There is moth
ng like a good start in any en-
erprise, but it is quite necessary
n the mining business.
So, with only the tribulations
Incident to birth, the Lost Pack
II baby was born with silver
'poon in its mouth, and like
Ionah's gourd vine, sprung up
o maturity between sun and sun,
% to speak.
The Salt Lakers are good judg-
IS OF prospects and thorough de-
clippers. That city is the center
# a vast dividend-paying area,
md many of the residents have
arge incomes from the velvet"
+ Utah S great mineral produc-
RS, and they are ever ready to
'ut a portion of their earnings
nto the ground again where the
how to make a mine out of a
is at all favorable, and
L oxr o,.o 80
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-07-28

Concluded on list Page.
The Somerset reporter., 1903-02-12
Fairfield Center.

MIR. Story OF Washburn. Me, is visit
ing his daughter, Mrs. Sprague Taylor, at
Ohio Hill farm.
Chas. Taylor and wife were the guests
OF his parents. Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Tay-
lor, few days last week.
The Nouidgewock and Fairfield Tele'
phone Co., have extended their line to
Charles Tobey's where it will connect
with the Pishon's Ferry aud Canaan line.
Appleton Webb. who has been quite i'll
recently is so far recovered as to be able
to ride out.
J. H. Holt is getting nicely settled in
his new house.
The attendance at Victor Grange was
very large. Saturday evening. The fourth
degree was conferred upon four candidates
and refreshments of sandwiches, cake.
coffee and fruit were served. State Mas
ter Gardner was present but was obliged
to leave 10 the early part of the evening.
Visitors were present from several oranges.
A very pleasant evening was the verdict
OF all
The Ladies Aid are arranging for a sale
on Wednesday evening. Feb. IS.
The Somerset reporter., 1903-02-12
bingham.

Mrs. Mary Colby is visiting friends in
Portland.
District Deputy Weeks of Fairfield
visited Masonic Lodge on Saturday even
ing. An oyster supper was served after
the meeting.
Arlie Dnsmore returned to OronO on
Tuesday noon having recovered from
his recent illness
Horses broke through the ice on The
river near here, the first of the week.
Miss Smith resumed her duties as
teacher of the Grammar school, this
week.
Mrs. Ernest Andrews has fine baby
girl, born Feb. 9th. Mr.. Andrews is at
home from the woods
a F. Donigsn has returned from New
York where he has been buying goods
for his spring and summer trade.
Roy Savage was able to be out on
Tuesday.
The selectmen are settling up town
affairs, this week.
Candlemas day was all that could be
desired but it has been pretty rough
ever since. The worst snow and blow
of the season has just passed and an
other is evidently brewing
Anon Baker attended Pomona Grange
at Madison. Tuesday. G
The Somerset reporter., 1903-02-12
JacknaIl.

Thursday girl baby was born TO Mrs.
Richard Wilson.
Sunday evening the services in the
Congregational church were postponed on
account oil the storm. Monday noon II
inches OF snow had fallen and the wind
piled it up in places.
The Monday morning express on the
c. P. r. K. met with an accident about
one mile above Greenvile Junction
station. The engineer and fremen were
badly hurt, the engineer, Robert Beaton.
dying before noon Monday. None OF
the passengers were hurt.
Monday morning the people OF Jack
man were shocked at The news OF the
death of Mrs. Joe Paradis of Long Pond
which occurred. Sunday. the 8th instant,
She was daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Mike Redman OF Long Pond and has
always lived there. She had been in
failing health for few months but only
confined to her bed one day DR. Mallory
was called but too late for medical aid to
be of use. Coos summons had come.
She leaves an aged father and mother
beside brothers and sisters. husband
and four small children. Funeral services
were held from the Catholic church,
Wednesday morning. Interment was in
the Catholic cemetery at Jackman.
On account of the storm and wreck
ON the c. p. r. r.. no mail reached here
Monday until 9 p m.
Fred Henderson has returned home
from business trip 10 Boston, Mass.
The Somerset reporter., 1903-02-12
North COrnville.

Frank Paine got struck on the chin by
a slab, viii e working at Steward Bros
saw mill. las, Friday, and the wound
required several stitches to close it, He
returned, Monday TO work.
Daniel Collins returned rom the woods
last week. He is working for Steward
Bros at their mill.
Arthur Spear, fireman at Steward Bros
mill. has returned home. Geo. Johnson
takes his place.
G. w. Bates has a case Of patches,
which has just arrived. Just the thing
for making comforters and patchwork.
DR.. J. B Lnendoll made flying trip
to town. Sunday leaving Monday Mrs.
Linendoll is boarding at Isaac Freeman's.
The little girl of Mr.. and Mrs. Frank
Davis, died last Thursday after long
sickness\and much suffering.
Chas. Moody commenced pressing hay,
Wednesday, at the Hiram French place.
The Somerset reporter., 1903-02-12
Athens.

With the closing of the union work at
the time of the church fair here the late
Aid Society thought it better to disband
as Union Society and the Methodist
people organized a NJ. E. Benevolent
Society having for it's object, aiding
those in need and also raising money for
church purposes.
Last Thursday a Womans Free Bap-
fist Auxiliary was organized at the
home of Mrs. l.. N. ElIingwood The
off ,ers are: Pres, Mrs. Ellingwood;
v. p, Mrs. A. NJ. Thompson; Sec, Mrs
Eta Cooley; Treas Mrs Ellen Emery.
The object of this society is to aid in
supplying the F. B. pulpit one half or
one fourth of the time. We trust that
these organizations will be more effect
i've than the old, although much has
been done in the old with true christian
spirit we trust, in support of the gospel
in our village for several years past.
Wallace Marble of Harmony was in
town Sunday.
The Somerset reporter., 1903-02-12
Scion.

The dro wning of William A. Brofee,
an account of which appears elsewhere,
was an exceedingly sad event for the
people of this town. The body of Mr.
Brofee was recovered late Saturday
afternoon. The body was not car
ried under the ice, as was at first sup
posed. At the foot of the falls is an
eddy, and when the body reached this
the current carried it back to the base
of the falls, instead of allowing it to
float down the river. At the risk of his
life an employe of the paper mill where
Brofee worked walked out on the treach-
erous ice floats and succeeded in getting
the body out of the water. Funeral
services were held in he NJ. Z church,
Monday afternoon. The burial services
of the order of Odd Fellows vas con
Quoted by Scion Lodge. The Modern
Noodmen attended in a body. The
attendance was large
News has been received here of the
death of ODER S. Wilson of Chicago,
son of Daniel Wilson of this town. He
has been out of health many years.
Miss Elva Whipple is home from
Boston.
The Somerset reporter., 1903-02-12
Madison.

Revival services will be held at the Ma.
pie street Free Baptist church for the
next two weeks under the leadership OF
Rev. Arthur H. Black OF Bangor.
Rev. WILDER Berry of Kents Hill
will occupy the pulpit of the M. ( church
Sunday morning and evening.
Mrs. L. H. Page, wao has been in
Waterville for the past few weeks. return
ed home, Friday, accompanied by her
son. Elmer Page, who has been i'll with
typhoid fever.
The regular meeting OF the w. c. T. u.
will be held at the home of Mrs. Ouin
Dyer on Maine street, Friday afternoon.
Mr.. aud Mrs. c. F. Dunbar spent Sat
urday and Sunday with relatives in Emb-
den.
Indian Spring Lodge l. o o. F.,
worked the second degree on two candi-
dates, Friday evening.
The monthly business meeting and
social of the Epworth League of the M.
Z. church will be held at the home of Miss
Kate Cameron, Wednesday evening.
Mrs. L. c. Roadway and family, who
moved to Portland a few months ago,
have returned to this place. Mr.. Boad-
way has gone to Colorado for his health.
There will be religious worship in
Union hall next Sunday afternoon, at
2 80. Rev, Frank Rhoades, minister for
the Universallst parish. The subject
for the sermon will be; The Divine
and the Human in thes earthly lives. y
The Somerset reporter., 1903-02-12
Mr.. and Mrs. D.F. Judkins of skow

Mr.. and Mrs. D. F. Judkins of Skow-
hogan passed last week among friends
here.
l.. G. Williams passed last week in
Boston.
c. F. Emery is in Livermore on bust
ness for few weeks.
Miss Ina Emery is in Harmony visiting
her cousin, q. F. Spaulding, and family
for few days
Athens Academy closed last Friday
for vacation of one week.
Ansel Corson, who has been crippled
all winter by an accident in the woods,
has gone to Dexter to work in mill.
The past week has been one of society
meetings and organizations in Athens.
On Saturday the roads were bad and
the wind cold, but these things did not
prevent a full attendance of the Grange.
The following committees we're appoint
ed: Finance committee, r. w. Page,
Almon Locke and Frank Fox; care of
sick, Frank Fox and wife, Almon Locke
and wife and Almon Whittier and wife.
Sisters Holman and Flanders read inter
esting and suggestive papers on Our
>chools " Notice was received of the
death of National Secretary, John Trim.
BILE, and it was voted 10 drape the char
ter in his memory. Also voted a dona
ton of ten dollars to Rev. j. ". Hinck-
ley, who has been an invalid for long
time, also to have bee to cut his wood.
Some of our farmers, who sold and
delivered apples in cold weather, have
suffered great loss from having them
frozen which ia hard lines indeed.
On February @, there was instituted
here the civilian Morgan Homan's
Relief Corps of ten bers by Alice
Gilman and Abbie Libby of Oakland,
with the following officers: Pres. Minnie
{. Hight; ). v, Mrs. Jane Parsons; j.
Y. Mrs Ella p. Ellingwood; Treas. Mrs.
Martha Judkins; Sec, Mrs. Eleanor
Holman; hap Mrs Martha Longfellow ;
Con Mrs. Ella Buchanan; Asst =, Mrs.
Helen Chapman; Guard, Mrs. Lucy Foss
Asst. 6, Mrs. Susan Sterling.
Rev. Mr.. Lombard, who is principal
of the academy here hopes to pass a
short time with his parents in Bruins
wick during vacation week.
Mrs. Leslie Hoyt returned last week
from a stay of several weeks with friends
in New York.
The winter term of Somerset Academy
closed last Friday. There was an in
crease in the number of pupils and a
good attendance throughout the entire
term. The interest taken by the scholars
was especially encouraging to the teach
ers and the trustees of the institution.
The academy course of study has been
graded according to the requirements of
the State law, giving the pupils of the
school equal opportunities with the
pupils of the other academies of like
grade in the State. The School Society
has prospered during the term, a num-
Der of new members have joined; the
society has added quite number of new
volumes to the library of the academy,
which has also been generously supple
mented by gift of $40 from the truste S.
There are quite number OF new
sch GLARS from the surrounding towns
who are planning to attend the school
this next term which commences Mon
day. Feb. 10. Pupils and parents are
beginning to understand the advantage
of good school near home which has
equal privileges with those farther away.
The Somerset reporter., 1903-02-12
Brighton.

John Mason, who has been on the sick
list for some time is gaining. His grand
daughter, Gertrude Griffin, has returned
to her home in Richmond,
Mrs. Lucinda Griffin of Skowhegan is
visiting at her parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
David Foss.
Oscar Bigelow. who is teaching the
high school in Wellington, comes to town.
Saturdays, to attend 10 his class in music.
Mrs. Addie Black and Mrs. Grace
Clark have been visiting Ia Skowhegan
the past week.
Saturday evening was observed as Hus-
bandsmen's night in Brighton grange
This evening has been looked forward to
as one of the most interesting meetings
of the winter. The Brothers filled the
chairs with great honors and conferred
the first degree upon five candidates