The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-11-29
Where Gold Was First Discovered
in Idaho---Letter Written by Miner
Describes Orc Fine in June, 1861

Elmo in June, 1861
other creeks prospect well, but none
of them as well as this. We hear of
new diggings being struck on the
South Fork (of Clearwater) This
creek is certainly equal in average
pay to any similar California stream
ever knew. This climate so far
has been very unpleasant 1t rains
very frequently and is quite cool We
have snow before our door at this date
June 81.
Prevailing Prices.
Prices of mining tools, etc: Shov-
els, from IS to IS; picks, do; pans,
81; tin camp kettle, holding about as
much as common milk pail 81;
handsaW, IS. Flour is from ST. to
$40 hundred; beans, from 20 to %
cents per pound; butter, from rs cents
to 81 China sugar, No /, $35 hun
dred
board, a day; the former price for
regular work on this creek. Black
smiths, etc, charge enormous prices
for work. Whipsawyers make $40 a
day and sometimes more. Rubber
boots have been as high as $24, and
common miners leather boots, SIS.
We hope to have things cheaper, as
we now have a wagon road in here
from Snake river and the steamboats,
come to the forks of the Clearwater,
some forty miles from here, where
they intend to build a town to be call
ed Lewisville, for Captain Lewis, of
Lewis and Clarks expedition.
"Hurrah for Abe Lincon!"
John Montgomery is with me. He
saved the claim for me after the
creek was all taken up. A man met
me on the trail as | was coming in
and told me my brother was in the
mines anxiously expecting me. M. got
afraid the claim would be jumped and
went out to meet and hurry me in.
1t was a wild, cold and dreary country
when they got in here, April u, with
snow 3 or feet on a level and storm
ing nearly every day; and it was but
little improved when l got there on
the 18th day of May They were
some of the first on this creek. About
80 men wintered here. They had
been about months without any
news from the outside world and
were greatly rejoiced to see the new
Corners. who's PRESIDENT? was the
first question asked. When told that
Lincoln was elected, one enthusiastic
individual shouted "Hurrah for Abe
Lincoln!' "Oh, d---n II! says
another fellow, in a tone of dlsap-
pointment, and so they all met the
announcement with pleasure or dis
satisfaction, according to their pecu-
liar political views on the subject.
Tobacco Famine.
"The tobacco chewers had got out
Of the article and were most crazy
for want of it. They had pared the
bark from young cherry trees and
used that as a substitute for the
weed.
81 believe told you in my last letter
that this was very heavily timber
ed country The underbrush Is also
quite thick all over the mountains
| Now | will try to give you some IDEA
of the geography of the country as Il
was given to me by mountaineer
The two forks of the Clearwater heat
very near to each other, with hlgf
ridge between them. 1t is about 81
miles from here to the pass between
the heads of the streams, so | wa:
told. This is mountain country ant
much elevated, which may account TO
it's being so cold here. the bed o
the Clearwater is much lower. M.
informant told me he could stand OF
the pass and look down thousan'
feet (almost perpendicular on tn
headWaters of the north branch o
the Clearwater, and facing to tn
right about could see rs miles dow