American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-11-30
PIONEER DAYS IN
SOUTHERN IDAHO
"reminiscences Of Gold Ex-
element Of Early Days
Dr.. Sullivan Continues His Recollec-
tons Of Bonanza Bar Sid Oliver
the First Baby Beginning Of
American Falls.

In 1888 or '84 James w. Clifford
was succeeded by one l.. X. Adams
as recorder, which was just after
the boom, and twas then that the
actual cleaning up occurred. Many
dollars of the yellow stuff had al
ready been taken out by pans, rock
ers and concentrating tables and
since then many rich buttons have
been sent away by both regular and
itinerant washers 1t is but a few
years ago that some very rich col
ors were gathered at the foot of the
falls at American Falls. Horse
Island, even today, turns in very
fair prospect, which has been
sluced for over forty years. Hannibal
Roe, one of the oldest prospectors
along the snake river, is still hold
ing his ten ounce claim on the
island. And there are many others
of the old timers, who even to this
day of undermining the primitive
are still looking for the fleeting and
glimering color.
When w. E. Argyle came into
this country he brought along one
10 Maughn. 10 is still here and is
a resident of Oneida county. 10
uOu0 d great ucdl Ol survey Ing anu
is still, we understand, very active
member of his profession. Cyrus A.
Warner, of this valley at one time,
tried his hand in the Warm springs
district, which was located in Altur-
as county about three and half
miles above the mouth of Raft river
to the northwest. and produced a
Qauntity of placer gold.
Ed Whittle, while one of the late
comers into the mining fields of the
upper Independence, Red Oak and
other districts, took out sum of
gold that would be surprise to
the many who are today laboring
for a loaf of bread. George Mower
one time had a claim on the north
side of the river, but as to what
he accomplished is not known, al
though it is fair to suppose he did
fairly well. James Hanson, also,
held a claim and one by the name
OF Peterson occupied the old log
cabin of one of the early diggers.
A vast territory was gone over by
these men, and in many instances
the excavations went to a depth of
fifteen or twenty feet before reach
ing pay dirt. Much of this ground,
however, had been worked over and
during the excitement had been Sc
verely worked or scratched over.
In those days men were men, and
none but man had a chance to
play, as the saying went At the
outbreak of the Civil war, when the
news of the big strike in the Boise
basin was on, many left the S1eck-
ton and Mercer diggings. situated
in California. and started over land
and mountains for the richest find
on record. 1t vas abuu: then hat
John Calder landed in the Boise dis
trict, say about 1868, where he re-
maihed for year or so when he
began to track along the Snake
river flats for the tickle elf. Mr..
Calder struck the first color at
Salmon Falls along in 1872, which
ST; rted a rush for that section. AS
he found the crowd becoming to
dense he moved along. and in 1876
he passed along up the river and
met Judge Oliver in 1T on what wa
called 1.-The bottoms" to the north
of this place, about this time, how
ever, great scare came upon the
camps on the north side of the river
and Charles Lane. who came into
the country broke, concluded that he
could make strike, boosted up to
Judge Oliver and remarked that he
was going to California, and with
to reach the station of Kelton, Utah,
the Central Pacific railroad. From
then on little was heard of Lane
until he reappeared in 1879, with |
all kinds of good things to eat,
such as preserved lemons and candy |
to feed the only kid then on, earth, !
which was the present Sid Oliver of |
this place. Now you must know a |
baby, new baby, was looked upon |
by those sturdy men as nugget of /
the purest and that man who did I
not see the baby was so badly out |
of luck. we'll, he was told to hike.
The organized Bonanza bar was
not what is now known as the
Bonanza bar ranch, for the rancl
assumed the title without anyright
whatever, for the claims lay a mile
or more down the river, and what
is today known as the Bonanza bar
was mining claim taken out by a
man whose name was Sparks. John
however, was probably the
first one to find color on the bar,
and Charlie Lane proved to be the
genius who SO profitably brought the
matter to focus. This all hap
pened about 1879. when the earth
was new. 10 Lane brought back,
from California. with him j. F.
who afterwards became
the head of the store Of Campbell
and Stebbins, who were the pre-
decessors Of the present Evans
Company. At just what
period W. H. Philbrick. of this place
became interested in mining Is quite
but it must have been
sometime in the late sos or early