Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1918-03-14
BOOM IN
HUMP DISTRICT
NOW IN SIGHT
EXCLUSIVE STORY IN FREE PRESS
GIVEN EMPHASIS BY
SPOKANE PAPER
WILD RUSH MAY BE RESULT
Disposition TO Keep Strike in Central
Idaho from Leaking Out
Blasted-Rlch Veins

The story published exclusively in
the Idaho County Free Press two weeks
ago of possibility of extensive mining
development south of the Buffalo Hump
district, is given emphasis in the fol
lowing article, printed last Sunday by a
Spokane newspaper:
ne central Idaho gold field, in which
interest has languished in recent years,
is the scene Of "a strike that has
aroused the wifaest enthusiasm, ac-
cording tc report from the field. The
report is confirmed by mining engi-
neer and mining man. Prof. George
Bancroft, a mining and metallurgical
authority of Denver, Col, IS among
those in the field. A New York syndi-
cate is at work.
Letter from Elk City Engineer
''The strike was made at point IA
miles south of Buffalo Hump says
George McGregor, a mining engineer
of Elk City, Ida, in a letter to Raj
stol McCaig of this city. 'The shoot
has width of twelve feet and assays
5000 to $500 to the ton. 1t is a lead
copper gold-silver ore, in which gold
predominates in value. The body has
been followed by drift for sixty-ive
feet and crosscut every thirty feet at
a depth of 100 feet.
"The property, known as the Billie
Boise, owned by William Boyce and
partner, was bonded by Mr.. Bancroft
last fall. He gave contract for $50
feet of drifting. The strike was made
in the performance of the contracts
''The property lies within few
miles of the Holt gold mine, where
Holt, an Alaska miner, has been taking
out more than $1,000 a-day with a Eve
foot Huntington mill. 81
Boost for Hump District n
The Billie Boise strike means more
to the Buffalo Hump country than 81
casual inspection would suggests ae
cording to George Pelikan. "a mining
man of Spokane. Mr.. PeIikan AYERS
there is a geologicalgseoniiection be-
tween the mineral resources of the
Hump and the Bill Boise strike. He
says the Billie Boise is 1000 feet lower
than the mines of the Hump, which
suggest to him that higher values will |
be found in the veins of the Hump
when more depth is attained on them.
"Most of the ores o. the Hump carry
some lead and very little copper, in
Heating that possibly with depth the
character of ore may change and the
cad and copper values may increase,
out, of course, that is only specula-
,ive,' said Mr.. Pelikan. "This
,heory is based largely upon what has
AfcaoparaA " IN a
lew section on the Salmon river slope.
anne district where three different
have been opened during the
asst winter and where hope of phe-
lomenal value have been disclosed
carrying as high as 80 percent in lead.
n another property ore in a body four
cen feet wide has been opened in the
,reast of tunnel at depth of $50
eet. 1t will average over s-o0'to the
on in gold, silver, copper and lead.
No Hot Air in This
"This is no hot air. nor midwin
er boom proposition. Five assays from
his property showed values averaging L
rom eighteen to thirty ounces in gold
nd from ninety-six to 1856 ounces in sill
e, SO percent lead and 3 to s per
emit copper.
Zone of these properties is under an
piion to eastern people, whose engi-
ecr, George Bancoft, of Denver, is in
barge, having left for the property
en- days ago. There has been dis
osition to withhold news of the strike,
ut it is becoming known, and if its
cal merits were generally known at
his time / believe that, notwithstandi
lg the depth of snow, there would be
stampede, because the district is
rom seven to eight miles in area and
as the appearance of being a well
efned mineral zone, the character Of
he ore resembling that of the Hump.
4" Mr.. Bancroft has taken up power
tie on Crooked river, about four miles
rom the Hump, from which, he says ,
e can develop at least 5000 horse
over under a 2500-foot head. That
leans that there are other power sites
valuable on the same stream.