The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-11-29
Excitement Over War News.

tiAS halIpH NdlieA vi the SoutHSiA
branch.
Excitement Over War News.
we are about lis miles from Walla
Walla by the trail on the north side
of Clearwater. but not SO far by the
new wagon road on the south side.
About 100 from the Agency in the
Bitter Root valley; $50 from there to
Benton.
Il wish one of the boys was out
here with me. We have hired a
Dutchman to cook for us for sos
month, with the privilege of taking
in washing, by which he may make
$25 more.
1T takes over a month for the news
to get here from the states. l have
often wished myself back there to help
my Uncle Sam under difficulties.
hope you will not be disturbed by
existing difficulties. We are all ex-
cited about the secession news and
get or 4 papers a week,
But | must bring this to close.
Give my love to all at home and re-
member that | am anxious to hear
from you.
ITO Amanda. EDWIN"
First Gold Discovery in Idaho.
The place where this letter was
written is of great historic interest
to the state of Idaho. 1t is the spot
where gold was first discovered in the
state. The exact date is not known,
but il was in the fall of 1860. Mr..
Crockett speaks of about 80 men hav-
ing remained in the new camp during
| the winter of 1S60-61. He was evil
IDENTIFY one of the early arrivals in the
spring, and from that time through
out the year and the next there was
steady stream of gold hunters head
ed for Orc Fine. The town of ORC
Elmo, at the mouth of Rhodes creek,
soon became second in importance to
Pierce City, about mile and half
below, built on little bench overlook
ing the wide canyon through which
flowed ORC Elmo creek. 1t is estimated
that within the few years following
the discovery of gold, 10000 adventur-
Gus men We're swarming along the
stream and it's tributaries and pros
pecting the country for miles in all di-
rections. Mr.. Crockett's estimate OF
$780, 900 from Rhodes creek proved to
| be 100000 or more and the Orc
Elmo diggings produced not less than
$50, 100000 in gold and perhaps much
more. In those days gold dust was the
currency of the country and men were
too busy mining the gold and spend
ing it to bother with records of pro-
duction. But Rhodes creek, where Mr.
Crockett had located his claim, proved
to be wonderfully rich, and the ground
he refers to about a mile and hall
above him proved to be probably the
richest in the ORC Elmo diggings. The
discovery of gold on Orc Elmo creel
was soon followed by the wonderfully
rich discovery at Florence, in Idaho
county, and still a little later by thu
discovery of Boise basin, in Bois'
county. 1t was, therefore, gold, frs
discovered on Orc Elmo creek tina
placed Idaho on the map, and the min
ing of gold and other metals is still tn
basic industry of the state.
In Shoshone County.
This letter written by Mr.. Crockett
and the early history of mining> a
Pierce City and on the tributaries Q
ORC Elmo creek, are especially interest
ing to the people of Shoshone count,
The rapid influx of population due t
the discovery of.gold in various part
OF the state was soon followed by tn
creation of the territory Of Idaho, an
in establishing the political subdivl
sions vast stretches of unexplored VII
derness we're included within count
lines with a mining camp or other pho
| neer settlement for a county seat l
this manner Shoshone county was ere
{ ated with Pierce City the seat of gov
eminent. What is now the Coeu
/ d'Aene district was an unknown WI
| derness. A few years after the dis
: covery of gold on Orc Elmo creek tn
f Mullan road was built through TN
3 district, but it was purely for mllltar
I purposes, although it eventually led
: the discovery of gold on Prichar
I creek in 1888, which marked the Dc
ginning of mining in the CoeC
| d'Alene district. In 1886 the count
seat of Shoshone county was move
from Pierce City to Murray, but u
i! south end which included the famoI
ORC Elmo gold diggings remained
, mart of this county until some tie
,,o,rs on whom If was cut off to forl
= part of Clearwater county.