Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1903-10-29

broad, worn ridges and slopes are SIM
ply bare grey granite, benched or dot
ted with rounded, polished and groov-
ed knobs and low, dome-shaped knots
of rock, the equivalent Of the "mutton
backs" or Roches Montanes Of the
Alps, whose scratches plainly show the
direction OF The icy flow.
The grant approaching the Hump
shows an excessive development OF
pegmatite veins in criss cross lines,
that cut the main matrix and its schisty
inclusions alike. l did not observe a
single eviden Ice of intrusive or flowing
igneous rock, that might be called por-
phyry, in the whole length or breadth
Of the district north of the Jumbo.
Some brown schisty inclusions near
some of the veins are locally called
porphyry by the miners, but they bear
no relation to dyke rock. l heard Of
some big true dykes OF birdseye por-
phyry S miles south Of the Jumbo, but
did not see them.
The Hum p is sharp, hogback ele-
walton Of bat Re granite, which, viewed
from the east, forms the outline of a
bufalo's bac k. The eliminating point,
or hump, has an elevation of $500
feet. 1t is the highest elevation in a
region Of mountain and canyon over
country 50 miles square. 1t makes
the divide b tween the Clearwater and
Salmon rive RS, and from it, extending
south for 20 miles, there is a similar
line of rugged uplifts that forms the
axis through which the great fssure
system of the Hump strikes.
Hump to wn is small hamlet of a
dozen buildings, near the Big Buffalo
mine, on the west side Of Sheep Creek,
built among the granite boulders and
in the edge Of swampy flat. Two
miles distan t, near the opposite side Of
the basin, Concord has apostofice and
half doze houses. 1t affords a
most charming site for little town.
1t is situated in the bed of an Ole gla
cial lake Of about 20 acres in extent
surrounded by easy slopes and benches
and shaded by park-like groups Of tall
spruce trees, whose rich green foliage
should be religiously preserved from
the ruthless axe of necessity. Thi:
pretty spot readily recalls the elm.clac
environments of old Concord, Mass.
and in few years is likely to be &
busy scene of human activity, as it lie.
very near the exact center Of the min
eral distribution of the Hump belt.
Half mile east of Concord, the to
biography undergoes an abrupt change
There you can stand on narrow ridge
on the Mother Lode claim, and if 20,
had a good enough base ball arm t
throw ste ne on horizontal line ooe
feet north, and another one south 1000
feet, each stone would drop through :
vertical fall of 1000 feet, and splash
into a craft r-like lake of 90 to 30 acre
in extent. These abrupt pot hole
form the head Of rugged v-shapec
canyons and large creeks. Thei
talus-covere ed slopes and bluffs o
coarse gran mite, show no evidence o
ice action below the lake levels. Ant
the shape Of the basins suggests
blowout, Or some geographic noun
tain-making movement. The evi
dence of | &c action rapidly fades a
about 500 feet below the general leve
OF the Sheep creek, and while exten
sively ma Infested around the HUMP
| doubt if it has denuded the origina
surface to any extent, and that the prim
airy apex Of the veins have been yer,
little scored, as there are no placer
OF lmporta nee in the tributary streams
Sheep Greek basin is a circular are
OF Ice worn granite benches, swamp,
flats and bog holes, about 3 miles il
diameter, the most unpromisinp
unlnvlting, and unlikely looking piec
OF country you would ever expect t,
find a gold mine in. Its vertica
assure outcrops, eroded fiat and eyel
with the surface. The oxidized cavi
ties Of the richer quartz, soon accumu
lated soil and vegetation, while tn