American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-11-23
PIONEER DAYS N
SOUTHERN A,y1HO
"A Story Of the Old Days In
Aturas County
When Gold Seekers Held Sway and
All Was Hurry and Push for the
Eldorado Of the Snake River
Valley

Some where in or about the year
1903 or 4, the Lewis and Clark
branches of what is now the mighty
Columbia were definiily located by
the United States. AS to just what
was report, at that time, to the gov
eminent no one has heard, yet il
would be only fair to surmise that
the gentlemen who were at the head
of the expedition were also
enough to take note of any oppor-
tunitfes that might be offered for
gain. That the trappers, those
half civilized Canucks, who were
the outposts of the great Hudson
Bay Trading Company. knew some
thing about the possibilities of the
great Snake river valley can not be
doubted as the great Frenchman,
Bonneville, was a rival to the inter-
ests of the Hudson Bay Company
1t was only after the news reached
Saint Louis, Mo-, along about 1885,
coming through the old Spanish mis-
sions, over the bloody Santa Fe trail
that the Missouri and Red river trap
pers took it into their minds to
traverse the country, to cross the
continental divide and to learn what
was good between the Rockies and
Cascades. The outcome resulted in
the Bogler mill for free gold. in AS,
then rapidly followed many other
gold camps until along about 1855
and up to the year 1872, when the
placer work of the upper Snake
commenced. The great Boise basin
was opened sometime in 1868, but
q n tod IT,
a few years before that time, for
and pan, were doin the work of
an army. AS the tread of the pros
pector varied and that the Civil war
was over many new men from Tex
as, Arkansas, Tennessee and other
southern states flocked inte a~this.
country all of whom were seeking
new homes. anxious to foroet the
past, but still willing to defend the
old flag against the Hudson Bay Co
or anything else. The first gold
washing, it appears, was done some
where about where Glenn's Ferry is
now located, as to Just what year
Is doubtful. but this is annarently
certain, that the California and Ne
vada prospectors done the early
work Along the section of the Snake
reaching from Mountain Home to
the American Falls district, with a
struggling bunch still on aboye the
latter place. From James Clifford
who was attracted to the golden
west through the very kind offices
of Charlie Lane, he was induced to
enter this territory, and on the 20
day of July 1881 he was made a
deputy mining recorder for the In
depence Mining district, situated in
Alturas county. Territory of Idaho,
Rocky Bar, county seat and Warren
P. Callahan, county recorder. 1T
seems that the first re, ord made by
deputy ]. w. Clifford was the one in
which one William Love- and enc
Js.nes F. Sanders. both uf Ogden,
r, Ii'sr in full, uun1 the payment Of
on, dollar, a certlil described I.iece
OF territory that took in all of
Lincoln and Cassia counties, to one
J. Frank Campbell, of Detroit, Mich.
and the said property is to be know
as the Ophir Mining claims. Now
this, and all kinds of other claims
were in what was known as the
Independence Mining district. The
district itsf sSas about as large as
the states nsylvania and Mary
land combil and was known as tn
Alturas county. Albion at that
time was the nearest trading center
and it seems that BascOm and Rob-
inson were the leading merchants,
with Jim Snodgrass as blacksmith
and an all around good fellow. Dur
ing this period, one S. p Weather
man was the recorder of Cassia
county on the south side of the
Snake river and one Brown, or as
familiarity called Gum Shoe"
was his deputy. Another character
during that period was one w. p.
Wheeler, notary public, who was
a sort of boomer, but famous
fellow just the same. Eimore coun-
ty. at this time. began away to the
west and followed the Snake river
on the north up to- near where the
old Ferry hollow ford crossed and
then north to Montana. Cassia
county began at the range of mount
ains known as the Albion range and
in q straight line to the south reach
ed Utah. Oneida county embraced
the territory from the Utah line
embraced as much territory as to
make a state nearly as large as the
state of New Jersey.
To begin again. In 1880 the |
Boston Mining Company put in the |
first concentrating table for, as the |
gold was of the float or flower ord
er, it was very hard to save. This |
compny did only firly well in their |
endeavor and on account of the |
lack of immediate capital they were |
forced to give way to the famous |
Midas Company, of Salt Lake City.
who took charge In 1883. Fred
Davis was the promoter, and that
he proved himself q good one. may |
be seen from the fact that from one