The Owyhee nugget. ([Silver City], Idaho) 1905-1984, 1910-12-15


After being discharged at Boise City
late that fall, he returned TO Silver City,
and soon afterward went to work on the
Tidal Wave, newspaper then being pub
lished by the Butler brothers. He quit
the office in July of the next year (1S69)
and went on prospecting tour into the
Salmon river country, in company with
III. G. Knapp, printer and assayer.
That fall the famous Loon creek placer
camp was discovered, and Mr.. Adams
and his partner were the first men on the
ground besides the discoverers, and, as a
town was soon started, they took in NJ
A. Wentworth as a partner, built some
houses, brought in a stock of general
merchandise on pack animals from Boise
Basin and started store, and soon af-
terward started an express line between
Loon creek and Idaho City-a distance Of
about l40 miles; carrying mail and ex-
press matter on horseback during the
summer months, and on snowshoes in
winter time, the charges being for letters
fifty cents each; newspapers and maga-
zines, fifty cents to one dollar; and small
packages in proportion.
No work could be done that first winter,
and, supposing that everybody in camp
had a bonanza, Dave Gas he was always
familiarly called) and his partners sold
out their goods to the miners on credit.
The next spring when mining operations
commenced, it soon became apparent that
the rich ground was not extensive; the
miners could not make their claims pay
expenses and, consequently they could
not pay their bills contracted the winter
before, and the firm was 'broke"
That fall (1s7O) Mr.. Adams went to
Boise City and resumed the role of typo,
returning to Silver City in 1871 and en-
gaging in mining on War Eagle noun
tain for few months, when he got a
situation on the Avalanche, then pub
lished by W. ]. Hill In July 1874, be-
ing in poor health, he went to San Fran
cisco and other California coast towns,
where he speculated unsucessfully in
mining stocks, returning to Silver City
in July, 1876. He then went to Boise
City, where he secured a situation on the
as foreman. The next year
he returned to Silver City, and worked
one year on the Avalanche for Major
Hay. The winter of 1889 was spent in
and Improbable mining venture on
War Eagle mountain, but in the spring
and summer of 1879 engaged in successful
speculations in and about Silver City, and
in October of 1880, in partnership with
Guy Newcomb, he purchased the Ava
lanche plant from Major Hay, in 1882
disposing Of his interest to G. M. Hays.
From the editorial tripod he entered
other lines of trade, purchasing the Silver
City iron foundry, speculating in real es-
tate and engaging in the wood business,
which he followed for several years. The
foundry was operated up to 1886. In the
winter of 1S84-5, Mr.. Adams represented
Owyhee county in the territorial legisia-
ture. In 1899, in partnership with Ira
S. Allen, he opened furniture store on
Washington street, but 1892 full line of
general merchandise was put in and the
furniture closed out. The same year his
partner, Mr.. Allen, absconded, Mr..
Adams running the business alone. He
conducted general banking business, to-
gether with his mercantile establishment.
He was also superintendent of the Morn
ing Star Gold Mining & Milling Company.
In 1896 he sold his store to, Shea, Nc
Lain & Crete. He remained here, specu-
lating in mines and real estate. He took
several pleasure trips during the next few
years, one being to Hawaii, another to
the Klondike. About six years ago he
went to San Diego, which was his home