Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-11-14
MINE HISTORY
IN Gem STATE
DATES BACK TO DISCOVERY OF
GOLD ON OROFINO CREEK IN
1S6O-GROWTH OF INDUSTRY
SINCE THAT TIME.

1AANSA< AAAXAA / xMAG.
The history of Idaho proper be-
gins with the discovery of gold on
erotino creek in 1860. In that year
Capt Pierce led company of 40
men from Walla Walla directly to
the Nez Perez country. Pierce City
was founded on Orofino creek, and
tefore spring there We're 800 men in
he dis 4rict, and a month later more
than 1000, says an exchange The
rush of goldseekers soon scattered
pospectors in every direction. New
discoveries We're made and towns
sprung up as If by magic. Flour
sold for SIG to $40 hundred
pounds, and carpenters wages were
from 50 to $40 day.
In September, on Summit fats.
was made the discovery chat led to
the founding of Millersburg and
Florence. 1t was an accident, for
after nine days struggle through
dense underground, band OF pros
pectors camred on the little 'airie
and turned their horses oua to
craze. Peter Bablaine. nicknamed
Raboon, was left to guard the camp.
The prairie lay near the center of
an immense snoW-cres.ed horseshoe
orening to the south, about 80
miles in diameter. NJ Indica ions of
gold were there whatever, but Ba-
boon, for lack of other employment,
went to fallen tamarack and filled
the tree Marshall, in the millrace
in California could not have been
more astounded than Baboon, when
he washed that pan of earth and
found handful of gold; rough mug
gets little specimens about the size
of wheat grains, and SO the great
gold belt which embraces Salmon
Warrens and Owyhee was found.
The mines exceeded in richness
the richest districts of California in
their palmies, days. Many pans o.
dirt yielded from $50 to $50. A
painful of dirt from Baboon :suleh
yielded $3.50. The same claim
yielded $500 in three hours. two
| men working with a rocker. Just
before winter came on the town OF
Florence was founded. 80 miles
north, and many "wintered" there,
though the supply of food was ex-
tremely low. Before the winter was
over -four sold for 81 pound, and
many lived for weeks on a few
pounds of -four and the inner bark
OF the pine tree, with only snow wa
ter and tea made FROM the leaves OF
! he fir to drink. But in the spring
gold dust was weighed by the pound
and over 1000 miners averaged
$1,000 for the seasons product. Hy-
draulic mining on a large scale If
| practiced now.
There was wild rush for this
/ country and its easily-grained
wealth. Easy come. easy go and
amid scenes Of widest debauchery
gold and life We're freely spent. II
| is told that at one Of the gambling
houses of Florence man was KILLED
leisure to remove the body, and 1t
was hastily propped up in a corner
where all night and part of the next
day II remained. seemingly still in
lent on the game.
On all sides new discoveries wee
made and new camps started. The
placers of Boise basin induced over
$4,000 to settle there, and all prices
went up until they became almost
ridiculous in their exorbitance. 4
wagon load of chickens sold at 81
for each chicken.
| In OWyhee was found gold and sill
yer; ano.h rush followed, and
through all the country excitement
held sway, law was dead and anar-
chy reigned. The principal other
mining excitements Of the state
were those of Wood river in 1879
when many new towns were found
ed and in the Couer d'Alenes, in
1894 This was one OF the most re-
markable mining stampedes in tht
history of mining. Into country
without trails or roads save the ole
Mullan military road, covered with
a dense growth of pine, cedar and fir
in the dead of winter. over OF
through snow 90 feet deep, wen
/ 5000 men during the month" OF
January. February and March, 1884
With them scores of women OF a GER
tain class. dressed in mems clothinf
end hauling their feminine ward
! robes and sleighs.
The Mullan military road WIS tn
| first wagon road built in the STATE
! If Idaho 1t extended from Fo"
| WalIa Walla in Washington. through
that STATE and entirely across tfahs
| to Fort Benton in Montana. 1. wa
surveyed, located and built betwet i.
1853 and 1863 by a military expe
d;tion commanded by Cept. Johr
/ Mullan. its construction being thu
on'prowth of the exploration Of thu
mountains of Idaho for the purps'
Of determining the best location
| arroAa the Rocky mountains for thu