The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-02-09
PIONEER SECTION OF THE RECORDER
EARLY DAY HISTORY COMPILED BY JOHN E sEss
.oHN {. RES.

ionged to Trip which they were
bringing along 10 be used for sluice
boxes We dickered with Tripp forl
the boards as We wanted them tol
make boat with which to cross the
river. finally got them for a TWEEN
" dollar gold piece We built
boat and when IL was done none Of
the party would venture TO cross In
Il, but ] said | would and went oyer
hrat by myself and afterward tooA
LOOK the men and provisions over.
swimming the horse behind the boat
We then hid the boat in the willows
and went up on the west side OF Sal
mon river to Williams creek, passed
Williams lake and over the ridge
down on 10 i'helan creek TO It's mouth
thence up Napius creek TO the present
site OF Leesburg, prospecting all the
way and the fact that no placer gold
has since been found In paying guam
titles. along this route, testifles to the
th0roushness OF our prospecting
Pitching camp in the Leesburg ba
sin. the 1rst prospect hole was sunk
BY Barney Sharkey and Bill Smith,
Just above the mouth OF Wards guleh,
and upon reaching bedrock they got
$l-20 in gold TO the pan OF dirt. They
we're overioyed feeling that they had
struck a bonanza. They then prospect.
/ cd Smiths gnlch. Bear Track. Ward 5
| guleh. Discovery Bar and Napius
creek. In every hole they found a good
prospect and it looked like they had
/ struck the biggest diggings ever was
known and subsequent mining opera
/ tions showed that every one of those
| prospect holes. first sunk by them
/ even though miles apart, were sunk
in the richest places in the entire ba
1 sin.
Knowing how men would rush in
as soon as knowledge of this rich finC
would reach them and the outsid,
camps. this party planned TO keep tn,
discovery a secret until they coult
get word to their friends, so that the,
i could come in first. Accordingly the,
located two claims each--al the Law
allowed lAem-one by right of dis
covery and one by right OF location
. They also located the water. Feelin
I that they had everything secure the
started for Montana, intending {
4 quietly tell their friends about tn
4 find for them TO come in and max
the first locations. Leaving their cam
= in the Leesburg basin they came GU
by Sierra gulch, which they named b,
: cause IL looked so much like the ric
: Sierra gulch in Montana, and as the
= rode through IL Sharkey said he coul
!, not help getting of his horse and tai
= ne pick and shovel from his pacl
!. sRFtFd to dig prospect hole. whe
) i-lse Mufhey riding up salu. Pleas
! | don't stop boys. I'm so sick I'm abol
: 20 die" So they made all haste poss
bic To the Salmon river coming dow
y dry gulch about four miles beIo
! salmon AT the Jake Flnstur ranC
: from thence up to where they hs
: left their boat. Here they pitcht
;, camp which was about where no
!. stands Mrs. McCaiebs house. Liz
: Mulkey continued 10 get worse an
= became TOO sick to move. so Sharkt
: had TO stay in camp and take care
him but the others OF the party wei
y on TO Montana
= Next day 80 buck Indians came
1, Sharkey's camp, having followed u
y trail travelled BY this party from n
a strike in Leesburg I sin. The chi
y. asked Sharkey II they found any n
=, Plus (money) Sharkey answere
!, no" The chief said, "Ish-ump" ",
- le) He then told Sharkey how
= had taken some of the dirt from OF
- Of their prospect holes on shoy
- 10 the creek, where he washed Il
% dirt and found "napius" Cmoney
:, Knowing how alluring gold l. 70
!, II pfbspSctOf me chfeI tOid shark
- hat this country vas no good {
:. white men and for him TO get O
~ right away and stay out Shark
pointed To Mulkey. who was lyi
deathly sick upon the bed, and "a
he Indians that as soon as be "
- yell enough TO travel that they wou
= move out OF the country. This see
= I'd TO satisfy the Indians. go they /,
g the camp alone. but BY their actiO
=. and manner of treating them sh
~ key concluded that they Intended
~ murder them
- To ha continued