The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-05-06
Fire Devils" According to
Indian History, Belched
Fire and Smoke.
HISTORY REVIEWED
Well Known Local Writer States
Buffalo Hump VIII Again
Claim Its Own.

Buffalo Hump, one of the highest
elevations on the western slope of the
Bitter Root mountains, IN Idaho coun-
ty Idaho. has its legendary Indian
history, which claims this ancient noun
tain sentinel as one of the several
Fire Devils" of its neighboring region
that at one time was belching forth
fire and smoke.
Not so very many years ago, after
a long period of behavior, clouds of
smoke and vapor were reported to
hang over the mountain, which attract
ed scientists and reporters for a clos
er investigation.
That this vast mountain in Its time
should have expelled smoke and sui
phurous vapors Is not to be wondered
at when one considers the immense
and varied mineral wealth existing
within its very bowels as demonstrat-
ed by strong surface indications, and
which minerals during countless ages
of chemical formation and reaction
and the great heat and pressure at
depth could have caused such volcanic
demonstrations.
The early placer miners of Central
Idaho mining along the creeks and
often wondered as to the possible source
of the gold found by them and II II
We're not traceable 20 the high noun
tains, to mother lode or lodess They.
however, knew little or nothing OF
quartz mining and paid no further
attention
Since then quartz mining has come
to the front with a number of good
tx M.
Orogrande, Ten Mile and other districts
and also In the Florence basin about
1896 where considerable activity was
going on for several years, but unfortun
ately the mining was mostly by tender
feet and clod- -hoppers of no mining ex-
perience. with consequent detrimental
results.
During this period some OF these
would-be-prospectors visited the Buff
falo Hump country and reported num-
ber OF large and prominent ledges stand
ing boldly out but were barren OF min
eral.
In August 1898, Charles Bobbins and
Bert Rigley, experienced miners from
Colorado, also started out of Florence
camp on a prospecting trip toward the
Dixie country, the trail between the
the main camping place on the Hump
along the trail was against bluff of
rock, as was indicated by previous
camp fires.
Robbins and Rigley also made this
their camp and then commenced to
prospect this very ledge when to their
delight ana amazement they found free
gold in the quartz. They located two
claims, the Big Buffalo and Merrimac.
They took some of the ore back to
Florence and explained where It had
been found. At first the sour dough
prospectors would not believe the story
and purposely kept from going to this
new Eldorado.
However quite a few at once start
ed for the Hump and made locations,
some Of which afterwand proved to be
good properties. The news Of the
find was soon circulated among western
miners, but owing to the seemingly i'm
probable reports of high values found
in the surface groupings, there was
not much Of a stampede to the new
district until late in the fall.
In the meantime other miners had
gone into the camp and returned with
rich samples and more improbable
stories. Then the rush began, in
earnest. An unusual heavy fall Of
snow during the winter did not keep
away the seekers for riches.
After the Robbins and Rigley dis
covery capitalists became interested in
the camp, eager to secure bonds ON
the Big Buffalo. Well known mining
engineers were sent in to examine some
of the reputed properties Their re-
port confirmed previous statements as
to the extent of the lodges and their
richness
Capt Huntley, of the celebrated De-
Lamar mine. visited the new district
His liberal offer for the Big Buffalo
group was rejected.
Finally deal was effected with Clark
& Sweeney, OF Spokane for a quarter
million dollars for the Big Buffalo
group Of three claims with only a ten
foot hole on the property, which per-
haps was the highest price ever paid
for a prospect
This deal gave the Hump a world
wide fame as a rich gold district Cap
italists from the east made investments
Considerable development work was
done by some OF these companies, but
CONTINUED on page five.)