The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-06-21
LOCATE PLACER GROUND
EVANS CREEK, MED|M0NT
DISCOVERY MADE 80 YEARS AGO
WHEN LAND WAS IN.
DIAN RESERVATION.


was not uncommon to hear reports of
rich gold deposits in the mountains
south of where Lane and Medmont
now stand. but being on the Indian
reservation the rights of the red man
prevailed over those of the prospector
and the coveted riches remained un-
touched. Finally the Indians We're
allotted their lands west of the lake
and that portion of the east side along
the Occur d'Alene river was thrown
open to entry, But the visions of gold
which had lowered over Medicine
mountain and the adjacent range were
dispelled when the prospectors were
given free access. True there was
evidence of gold, but not to an ex-
tent to cause stampede. Some claims
were located, but the most favorable
indications were of lead and copper.
Little has been heard of gold in that
section since the Indians folded their
tents and moved westward, but many
claims for the baser metals were To-
Gated and these have been worked in
termittently and with encouraging
success down to this day, and it is
probable that some of them will de-
yelop into profitable mines.
Gold Not Myth.
Gold on Indian reservations is an
old story and few reservations in the
mining states have not been reputed
A. A1,
time the bars We're taken down and
the prospector invited to enter, only
to find that it was a myth such as
leads to the belief that the forbidden
Is reason to believe that the Occur
d'Alne Indian reservation may be the
exception that proves the rule.
A few weeks ago Colonel Chester T.
Kennan, the mining engineer and
geologist, who for the last year or
two has been giving much attention
to the gold and tungsten deposits on
the North Side, quietly passed
through Wallace and thence down to
Medimont. He crossed Medicine lake
and for the next week or more devot-
ed his time to prospecting Evans
creek, a stream that enters the lake
opposite Medimont. The colonel is
man of wide experience in mining in
various parts of the west and else
where, and he knows the value OF
keeping his own counsel until his pur-
pose is accomplished So no one save
himself and associates knew his mis-
sion to Medimont. When he returned
he and his party had located placer
claims the entire length of Evans
creek and he had taken options on two
or three ranches covering the level
ground around the mouth of the creek
and bordering on the lake. The
ground could not be prospected at
that time to bedrock, but the surface
results were highly satisfactory, leav-
ing no doubt that it will pay The
ground covered by the ranches is be-
lieved to be a fine dredging PROPOSE
ton, while the upper creek will prob
ably be worked by hydraulic. The
plans of Colonel Kennan for handling
the property are not known, but the
sudden acquisition of the ground has
given thrill to the pastoral sur
roundings of Medimont and the peo-
pie are already looking forward to the
growth of real mining camp on the
shores of the lake that is famed as a
fishing resort.
Discovered Long Ago.
About 80 years ago two young men,
Charles Johnson and Evans, wander
ed up the creek that bears the last
name. They prospected the creek and
found colors in every pan. In order
to satisfy themselves more thoroughly
they managed to get hold of few
boards and put in a sluice box about
six feet long. and on the rifles Of
which they caught considerable coarse
gold But Of what value is gold un-
less one can use 1t? The ground was
on an Indian reservation and there
fore could not be located. 1t was sim
ply a question of waiting until the
reservation was thrown open, of
which there was no prospect at that
time. So they hid the sluice box In
the bushes and passed on, Evans go
ing into Washington while Johnson
went to Murray. where he still re-
sides. He often thought Of the gold
on Evans creek, but he felt that 1t
was too big a proposition for him to
handle and he would not tell his Sc
cret to any one until he found man
he thought would be able to handle II
successfully. Becoming acquainted
with Colonel Kennan and learning
something Of his success in big min
. ing operations, he took him to the