Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1906-10-04
STORY OF C0EUR DALEhES
READS LIKE A FAIRY TALE

The history of the original dis
covery of the Occur d'A1eries, if
given in full, would read almost
like a fairy tale. Nearly every
important find in that section was
more the result of accident than the
elimination of systematic prospect
ing, or of conclusions arrived at
after careful study and investiga-
ton, and the moral is that the race
is not always to the swift, and that
to the unlearned prospector credit
of the greatest number of bonanza
mines.
The first lead ore in Occur d
Alenes was found III Canyon Creek,
just below the present site of Burke,
in 1888, by party OF prospectors
coming over from the goid camp of
Murray. This party was LOOKING
for gold, and placed no Importance
on the boulders of galena ore 50
plentifully scattered through the
creek channel and in its sand and
gravel bars. One man, however,
more intelligent, or more inquis-
tive than the rest, began the invcs-
tigation of the source of these pieces
of float and, on the mountain side,
discovered he ledge, thus laying the
foundation for the wonderful lead
prodr ction that has since character
lied this region.
The Bunker Hill & Sullivan, also
owes its discovery to an humble
source, and but for the vagaries of
burro, might have remand I'M
known and unsung for many years.
From Wallace, in 1895, prospect
or named Kellogg, grubstaked by
Wallace business men, started out
on a prospecting trip, taking in the
country west of Wallace. For two
months or more he searched, and
found nothing to speak of. On his
way home he camped one night
near the spot where Kellogg now
stands, and in the morning he
started out to find his burro.
High up on the mountain he
found his 1ong-eared friend, and at
the feet of the lack there was an
immense ledge of galena ore. In
fact, the ledge was of such magni-
tude and the groupings SO immense,
that it is stated by reputable men
who first visited the scene of the
new find that ''there were millions
in sight on the surface. - The sub
sequent history of the Bunker Hill
and Sullivan was one of wonderful
activity, the acquisition of immense
bonanzas, and the building up of
the mining camps of Wardner and
kellogg. The search for lead pro-
ducers extended as far east as Null
Ian, and now the whole district is
one maze of mines, hoisting works,
mills and reduction plants; and the
daily output represents thousands
of tons of crude ore and conccn-
trates; the Occur d Alenes, alone,
at the present time producing at
least twenty-five per cent of the
lead output of the United States.
And yet, the Occur d'Alenes are
but still in their infancy. Being
Du- snort distance from spokane,
: every facility exists for profitable
and successful mining. Water and
timber exist in abundance, and
most of the mines are located with
in easy distance for railroad facili-
ties. The towns in the different
sections of -~the district are typical
{ camps, and yet they are above the
average. In most of them the
comforts and conveniences of {
metropolis can be found, and the
people in them represent the pes
in brain, Drawn, education and in
teIligence to be found in the
: United States or any other coun
try; and now that the demand foi
silver and lead has materially adj
vanced, with the supply not equal
ing the demand, there is every
reason to believe that the Coeui
!, d. Alenes will soon take rank as on,
of the most popular and one of the
greatest wealth producing sections
: of this western country. LAX,
I Mining Review.