Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1904-09-01
A GREAT COUNTY.

se'a SOON lvs
DR.. Woodruff Tells Of His I'M
pressions Of Idaho County.
DR.. w. H. Woodruff, of West
Virginia, returned home last week
after spending nearly a month in
looking over the mineral resources
OF this county. In speaking OF the
impression he had received he said: :
| came from Moundsville, w.
Va, which place il my home, to
Grangeville, Idaho, for the sole
purpose of making an investigation
Of the mines in the Buffalo Hump
mining section. have visited
this section on horseback, travelling
two hundred and fifty miles over
the toughest country it has been
my lot to see, the sorest and most
trying ordeal in the way of physi-
cal exercise l ever passed through,
but it is over and l leave for home
today. richer in experience if in no
other way.
l was accompanied on this trip
on horseback and trial of endur-
ance by Mr.. Matt Gilbert of Grange
vile, and must say that Mr.. Gilbert
is q trusty travelling companion,
and a genial good natured gentle
man. l first became acquainted
with him in Mar, 1904 at Mounds
vile. w. Va, at which place l
frequently met him for period of
of two months or more. In the
way OF general conversation, we
frequently talked of the mines in
Idaho, and more particularly of
those situated in the Hump dis
trict. My interest was aroused by
the talks, and I became very an
xious to see and investigate for
myself. Candor compells me to
say that l found all the representa-
tions made by Mr.. Gilbert to be
true, not only true but the actual
facts exceed in many instances
what he had led me to believe.
The Jumbo is q much greater
mine than 1 conceived it to be.
They are employing sixty men,
and the ore will average about SIS
to $40 per ton; free milling, besides
the concentrates on hand at pre-
sent, which are worth from $500
to $4OO per ton, of the concentrates
now on the dump, a low estimate
in value would be say fifty thou
sand dollars, this is a twenty-fo
stamp mill. In passing 1 must
not forget to mention The Buffalo
Central Mining Co., on which a
shaft and tunnel are fn process Of
construction; on one of its claims
called the Coarse Gold, which shaft
and tunnel is from one-fourth to
0ne-half mile from the Jumbo, and
have found the ledge in both shaft
and tunnel, being a quartz rock
with fine showing Of gold. The
Buffalo Hump Mining Co. have
three tunnels on as many different
levels, all in the pay or ledge. An
average sample of 500 pounds Of
ore taken from the middle tunnel
and smelted at Tacoma, Washing
ton, yielded $22. 10 per ton.
There great many other good
mines in the section that are worthy
of mention, I may safely say doz-
ems of them, as witness:
The Big Buffalo, Cracker Jack
Mother Lode, Lucky lad, etc., all
OF which are iirst.class and rich in
in the yellow metal.
The greatest and most expensive
drawback, the most serious handi.
cap this section has to confront il
lack Of transportation to and from
the mines. They have the gold
bearing quartz in superabundanct
the purest of water, splendid tim.
Der and plenty Of it, dry bracine
atmosphere, abundance of free
range for stock, in a word q coun.
ty or section rich in natural re-
sources, with q fine climate. A
great opening here awaits energetic
young men, no matter whether
they engage in stock raising Of
mining.
But the strong indications are
now that roailroads will soon be
built for the convenience of thit
district, from the very force oi
circumstances they are bound te
come, and then this out of the way
place will come to the front with {
bound that will be a surprise te
the people that have heard of it
and even to some of those that are
acquainted with it, or imagined a,
at least that they were.