The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-01-01

Nineteen thirteen has drifted into
the past and may be revived and sum-
med UP for the good and the evil it
has done. The year was in the main
very kind to the Coeur d'Alenes. To
the North Side, however. it was sort
of breathing spell from the intense ac-
tivities that prevailed elsewhere. The
year opened favorably from busi-
ness standpoint, only two of the en-
ploying and producing mining COM
panies having closed down, but the
elements butted in, enforced a snow
blockade of long duration, and before
the season had far advanced all the
mines, except one, making tonnage,
had ceased operations. With warmer
weather came snowslides, one of which
crushed the Beartop mill, and then
followed high water from the melting
SHOWS, disabling the only railroad to
the district. This disrupted commun-
ication with the outside world for a
long period, and left the North Side
at the mercy of practical isolation.
The Faith That Moves Mountains.
A less substantial camp would have
become discouraged entirely with such
a repetition of unlucky circumstances,
In the wake of some serious manager
ial mining troubles, but no man made
or elemental disturbances can sweep
away the faith Of community in the
natural resources, wealth and richness
of its surroundings. All was not lost
in the temporary misfortunes that
swept over the field. In the breath
ing spell that followed, mining COM
panies as we'll as individuals, re-
solved to begin anew, as 1t were, and
demonstrate that their faith was well
founded. AS a result unlucky "thir-
teen" has closed far more cheerfully
than 1t began. The developments that
were started in the long ago have
been continued in many Of the prom
ising prospects, and before 1914 passes
into local history they will have reach
ed prominence second to none in the
discovery region.
Early North Side Troubles.
Every mining camp has it's ups and
downs. The North Side thus far has
had more downs than ups, still it is on
deck for bright wholesome and
prosperous future. Its downs began
in 1854 with the Morgner ditch enter
prise. Well conceived, but ignomini-
ously carried out and destroyed. Had
1t been successful, water power for
placer mining would have been estab-
lished that would have enriched hum
dreds Of claim owners, and furnished
steady surface work the year round
for sturdy miners.
Then came Major Hopkins bedrock
flun1e scheme. Equally well conceiv-
ed to wash the millions out of the bed
Of Prichard creek. It also went awry.
Energy and Hot air entered into the
enterprise. but the capital was lack
ing to bolster them up.
Then followed the Nye pump sue
ton effort to raise water out Of the
depths Of the Prichard channel. 1t
was costly experiment. Scotch
lord dropping about $4,000; but no
debts were left unpaid.
Pipe Line But No Ground.
A syndicate Of Occur dAlene (by
the lake) and Spokane capitalists
trailed after the failures and installed
a 5-mile 22-inch steel pipe line along
the bed Of Prichard creek at an ex-
pense Of $120,o00, to wash the millions
of gold out Of the creek and from the
hillside. The water ran through the
pipe line successfully. and demon
strated in the course of time that 1t
would find its level, but as the syndi-
cate did not own an acre Of ground
the pipe line soon became a dead is
sue. Had the investment been en-
ployed in extending the high ditch
from Bear creek, to which point a |
sflume was completed, to Eagle creek,
and used the pipe for syphoning the
water across the main gulches along
the line, the enterprise would have
been a dividend payer from the start
to the present time, and for genera
tions to come. How this opportunity
was overlooked was no doubt due to
the dense atmosphere that has OBJ
scured the vision of nine -tenths If
those who have had funds to handle In
the gold fields Of the North Side.
Syndicate Acquires Individual Placer
Holdings.
The monumental mistake, however,
(this is very mild way of putting it),
was in the sale Of all, or practically all, |
the placer ground in the territory
drained by Prichard creek to an east !
ern syndicate, which now owns 1t un-
der patent. Twelve miles of creek
bed Except little strip for a rail-
road right Of way) and six miles Of old
channel passed from many individual
owners to small wealthy syndicate
In the east. All this vast territory Of
placer ground has been practically
idle from the day Of its transfer. Sta
tistics from government reports show
that from the time gold was mined in
x N X ss4 Is & s4. lt