The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-08-09
WOOD RIVER MINES
ARE COMING BACK
Advance in Silver
Makes Outlook
Good
MINES OF LITTLE SMOKY
Capital Taking Hold of Old
Properties With Rich
Ore.
MINES OF LITTLE SMOKY
T ]. STANFORD, of the engineer

Y ]. STANFORD, of the engineer
ing firm of Stanford 4 Semple,
returned Monday evening from
south Idaho, where he had been
for several weeks on mining business.
He devoted considerable time to the
inspection of old silver-lead producers
in the district known as Little Smoky,
in the center of which are the rem
nants of the once bustling camp of
Carytown. With the decline in the
price of silver in the early eighties the
mines of Little Smoky suffered re-
lapse and steady decline. Shipments
were suspended, for as silver was the
chief value in the ore, there was no
profit in hauling it to the railroad at
Ketchum, twenty miles away, adding
a prohibitve tax to the long railroad
haul to the smeters. The old timers
be better days for the white metal,
that it would be restored to its place
as a money meal on parity with gold
at the ratio of 16 to l. They fought
for it with a determination that was
born of honest conviction, although
frequently confronted with the charge
that the free silver agitation was
wholly in the interest of the Silver
barons" of the west. Finally in 1896,
under the leadership of Bryan,
free coinage of silver was demanded
in the democratic national platform
and became the issue of the campaign.
Free silver swept the west like
whirlwind, and in Idaho, as we'll as in
other western states, it was almost
equivalent to inviting boycott to
ones business or suffer social ostra-
cism to be known as a gold standard
man and a supporter of Mckinley.
The Knockout Blow.
When the news came that Bryan
had been showed under by large
majority and that by the election Of
Mckinley the nation was committed
to the gold standard, it was terrific
blow to the people of the west and
nowhere was it's effects more pro-
nounced than in the Wood river coun-
try and on Little Smoky. Men who
had lived on hope for years saw this
taken from them. Mines were aban-
doned and men sought new fields in
which to tempt fortune. Some have
since died and the fOrsaken mines
have passed into the hands of heirs
who hold them from year to year hop
ing that through some stroke of for
tune some one may purchase them.
A few of the old timers are still there,
since the beginning of the war has
revived we'll founded hope that Little
Smoky will come back" One Of
these will interest Coeur d'Alene
readers His name is Mike Ryan,
brother of the late Frank Ryan,
known to all old-timers. and builder
of the Ryan hotel. Mike Ryan claims
to have made the first discovery of
galena on Canyon creek, in the
early eighties, but 1t failed
to interest him because of the low
silver values. From here he went to
Wood river and later to Little Smoky.
He is one of the very few inhabitants
of Carytown. Recently outside capi-
tai has been giving a little attention
to that section, and Mr.. Ryan Is hope
full that he will soon close negotiations
with Salt Lake people. which will re-
suit in giving him a competency which
will not only provide for his every
want, but amply reward him for his
long wait for the smile Of tickle for
tune.
Outlook for District Good.
Mr.. Stanford states that there has
been quite a resumption of mining ac-
tivity on Little Smoky during the past
few months. Perhaps the most i'm
portant enterprise is that of the Unit
ed Mines company, controlled by
Portland and Spokane people. This
, company has rejuvenated an old mine
which in the early days was worked
, as free gold property. With little
! depth the ore grew base and lead and
silver became important elements. The
} company has built mill of 1875 tons
capacity, equipped with modern de-
+ vices for saving all the values, includ-
, ing flotation. The old stamps are
still in position and may be used for
fine crushing. This mill is being con-
! structed under the direction of John
, Magney, formerly employed in this
district,
r The Carrie Leonard.
Another Of the old properties on Lit.
, tie Smoky that is again very much
alive is the Carrie Leonard. Butte