The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-08-08


fall OF this great placer minins
in. To ascertain the history O.
camp Is a very easy matter a,
re are several living In the count,
, were residents of the place in 1t.
N days. but one OF the five are now
ng who made the first discoveries
|old. In comparison to the forma
OF these gold deposits in tie
sels the periods since its iirst dis.
ery does not embrace the sixtietl
OF second In comparison.
be gold lodges surrounding Lees.
were formed when the earth
in its infancv-in the tertiary
ph, countless ages ago. The gold
>sits In the sands OF the creeks
Egulches have been caused by the
ion OF the water upon the quartz
IS, more rapid during and follow
the tertiary period than in re-
epochs. These deposits have
going on for ages, so vast that
nind can not compute them.
that we know is, that the depos-
ERE there, but as to length OF
since the first deposits were
are only conjecture.
pre- is quite romance connect
th the discovery of the Lees
diggings. The original discov-
were five men Of which there is
put one living. One of the Or
discoverers was accidentally
and three died of old age. The
ben who made this discovery
Joseph Rapp, Elijah Mulkey,
of the present sheriff, VIM.
Thomas Gerton ana B. r.
ey, the latter now resident
field, occupying the ranch first
by the Mormon colony in 1857.
time Of the discovery of the
Pg placer mines, however, the
pn settlement had been broken
the Indians and the settlers
ou: of the country.
party OF five men left Bear
Montana, in June 1866, pass.
fough Cottonwood, nov known
Lodge, and purchased their
s for their trip from a firm
place by the name of Bence &
.. From Cottonw wood they
over into French Gulch, in
dole. In French Gulch the
I'D some prospecting, but not
satisfactory returns for their
ney left this place, and started
b the unknown, and unex-
The first place in Idaho
ruck was the North Fork OF
lmon River, where Dahlonega
located.
prospected along the Salmon
b to the mouth of the Lemhi,
Dt up to what is now called
5 Lake, some thirteen or
miles from the present city
BON. From Williams Lake
ssed over into Prairie Basin,
le down Big Creek, prospect
the entire route, and finally
here Leesbulg is now locat-
In July. In the Leesburg
ley formed a camp on what
been known as Camp Greek
Ospected i'm the different
Ind creeks in that locality.
6rst struck gold on Napias
Above Wards Gulch. The
nning convinced them that
nd would pay, and at once
led development work in the
tematic manner then known,
ing their conveniences Att
on Napias Creek they got as
4. 90 and $500 per pan. The
ee where they prospected was
bar, above the creek, where
the first hole, called Dis
bar. The most gold taken |
point in Leesburg was out
Discovery. above the falls,
Discovery Bar and Wards |
We men worked taking out |
y they began TO run short OF |
when William Smith and !
6eiton started for the out
soon as the report of the |
reached the Montana placer /
the partial worked out plac-
abandoned. aud in less than /
ter the Leesburg discovery
Bersatively estimated that |
e not far from lo,o00 inhab-
the Leesburg basin. This /
Innate placed by Mr.. Shar-
, said, however. that wbat |
considered the actual in.
of Leesb1rg in its most |
b was not far from 5,1oo.
rkey states, that so fsr as 1
there were no white set
emhi county at the time he |
arty passed through, bat /
pr he saw three men, a
q two children ishing for
9 the mouth OF the Lemhi. |
bey is an interesting talker. /
reteutive memory, and TO