The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-10-05


the progress bat the continued exts.
tence of permanent settlement in
this county depended very largely up-
on the mining industry and the pros
perity Of fanehing rested with the de-
mand for farm products In the min.
ing camps. In the COS and 7O's IL was
the placer mines; in the SOS and
later, quartz mines. In the southern
end OF the county was developed the
immense bodies OF lead-silyer ores
which, Notwithstanding unproduetive
intervals. continue today to be q sub
staRtial industry Of the county
The writer OF the following eontri-
bution was instrumental In operating
these mines, making at that time a
phenomenal record OF lead produc-
ton and while he has. since mose
days. operated mines in various parts
OF the world, yet returns to Lemhi az
that place which offers the beet ~
turns for his efforts and investment
He Is u mining engineer Of rare abili-
~ and Judgment and through his bus
mess sagaeity. as county commission
er In the SOS. he gave Lemhi county
one Of the best administrations ever
experienced in its history For him
Nicholia was named. Ed,
Ralph Nichols "Reminiscences
In compliance with your request
am sending you brief history Of the
Viola mine nj Nlcholia, Lemhi coun,
~, Idaho The Viola mine was dis,
covered and located by William Me
Kay In 1880. who. | understand. wa
nj the time tending stock for Messrs
Gilmer 4 Salisbnry's stage company
at Willow creek. near NicholiA. The
Viola prospect was brought to the at.
q ntion of Captain Charles H. RlIaH !
OF Omaha. Neb.. formerly pr@aid"nt
of the Omaha, Smelling Coz Mr.. Rus
tin bought the property Cor $500
and developed up to a certain point,
when | was called in to make an eN-
animation nf the property for the
principal owners Of the laaPlata Min.
ing 4 Smelling Co. of Leadv'lie Col
These people bought the property
and organized the Viola Mining a
Smelling Co. In the meantime some
friends OF mine who were interested
in the paint business In New York
and Brooklyn were looking for a
clean carbonate Of lead ore tceru.
sitel. and the Viola ore struck me as
| INT NtEA htN vi iAt anu AAA NtEH4
IL contained very little silver and
| from silica and iron My New York
| friends bought one-duarter interest
| in the Viola Mining a Smelling Co,
with farther option on the control
IL the property could produce the
character and quantity Of ore needed
The ore was shipped east TO Brook
Ign ground fine and sold as a pig
meut, To be substitute for white
| lead There were eleven thousand
| tons OF this ore sent east for the
above purpose during 1884. and AT
that time there Was considerable AK
itation In Congress over the tarin on
| lead bullion. lead ores and head pro
ducts The paint people fearing that
lead would be- placed on the FREE list
became frightened thinking their
| profits would be reduced 10 a mini.
mum and sold the one-quaTter inter.
est TO the original owners Of the vi.
ola Mining a. Smelling Co. and II
was soon after that that the amei
ter WAS built and long ropeway In.
stalled from the mine 10 the smelter
| This ropeway was one OF the longest
In operation in Idaho at the time. II
was 1900 feet In length. This ton
mage OF lead ore shipped averaged
over seventy-one per cent metallic
lead and about Eve ounces In silver
per ton,
After the smelling company bought
| back the one-quarter interest for
| $50 900. this sum being the same
price as they had sold Il at, the anel
/ ter and works were constructed foi
operation. This plant wanted about
! 100 tons Of ore daily and required =
/ large amount Of charcoal and coke
The coke was shipped from Pennsyi
vAnia but the charcoal was produced
/ locally The smoltcT was located al
| Nichuiia which was % miles from
/ CAmas, a station used as freightlnF
point On the Utah a Northern rail
road the a narrow EuAEe road extend
ing from Ogden into Montana but
not then finished as far a. Silver
Bow.
Soon after the smeiter was starr
ed and successfully operated com
pact was made with London corpor
alton known as the Viola Company
Ltd. OF 6 Lombard street, London. y
The Viola Company. Ltd. WaA or
gHnlxed and secured the profits o'
the Viola Mining 4 Smelling Co. Az
/ American organization. Al that time
the laws Of the Territory did not per
INIT an alien to hold property The
shelter was operated continuously
from the time II was FIRST biown IN
until II Ahut down IN iso4 and pro
dueed In dividends Just about one
million dollars.