Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1907-08-23
REVIEWS The PAST.
This Week Joe Lewis Tells of His
Mining Experience In the Sal
mon Country.


TO cross the divide on foot, each one
TO carry blanket and one 10 carry
what little provisions we would need
until We reached the diggings. 1t
fell TO my lot TO carry the gold pan.
my companions bringing mp the
rear with pick, shovel and pro-
visions. In many places the trail
had been shoveled through great
drifts OF snow in order that the
pack animals could get through, as
that was the only way TO get any
thing into the Basin. We were
pretty well worn out when We
reached the halfway house on the
summit. There we had to pay the
toll keeper so cents each f"r the lis.
comfort we experienced In travel
ing over such q trail, but We con
soled ourselves with the thought
that the way of the transgressor Is
hard and IL we must dance we should
be willlneto pay the fiddler. Hav
ing rested too long At the half way
house we did net reach Leesburg
that night, but camped IN an old
pine wickiup and slept on top of
about four feet and a half Of snow
We arrived in the town the next
day. There were two rival towns
being started, one named Grants
vile, after Gen. Grant, and the
other Leesburg, after Gen. Lee. a
number of the soldiers who had
served under both commanders had
already found their way here aud
were engaged in mining in the hope
of betterlng their conditions, work
ing side by slde for the upbnllding
of the west. While IN Leesburg
two Of our party obtained work,
tunning bedrock drain on Nnpias
4reek.
| My other companion and myself
conceived the idea Of going out &c
the Salmon river and putting in q
fkh trap, and if successful in max.
ing catch, to pack the fish back to
mining camps and selling them. for
they were bringing good prices.
Well, we went out and worked sis
weeks putting traps in a channeI
that was separated from the man
stream by an island. Our traps
completed, we anticipated soon
making q stake. The next morning
visited the trap bright and early
but all we had was one good-sized
sueker. Billy, my partner, saidl
"Jbe wait until the freshet come,
and I'll bet that well catch them by
the Ibushel." Well the freshet cam.
thai night and the next morning
when / went TO the river got ther.
jnstli in time TO see our trap go float
ing down the stream, and our si,
weeks work was lost. W hat to do
we did not know, but finally con
cluddd to give the scheme up as vi
were nearly out Of grub and boil
were dead broke. The next day
took ny old shot gun and went al
into the mountains. In cluster o
pine Fees | sighted about dozel
grouse. | blazed away and brough
down two. The others did not fl
away hud ] kept shooting until
got. al of them. kept on hunting
, until hearty evening and succeede,
IN baEging IL grouse. / lit ont 70
, camp with all could carry. havinI
hung the balance mp In tree. Wbe
. | alrIve1 in camp and told '.Mutto
Billy" what luck | had. be Was abon
the happiest fellow ] had ever seen
!, for the birds were worth 81 ; piee
Al the boarding house in saImo
City. | wanted 10 cook one bnt
was no 60. by God, Joe." h
said, I'VE can't afford ii, foar Is 20
high" Flour y that time sas sci
{ ing for 80 hundred. The ne,
day We dressed the birds as best y
D could, put them IN sacks and starte
E for Salmon CitY. We sold the bird
there all right and pad tl2 tor 6
y pounds Of AOar and spent the 9th.