The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1919-10-16
Thomas Thompson, Local Jew
eler, Spent Two Months
at Famous Camp
TO DRAIN BY TUNNEL
Quartz Mines Bothered With
Water; Tunnel May Over
come This Difficulty

An interview with Thomas Thomp.
son, who recently returned from
two-month's vacation in the Florence
section,> brings out some interesting
news.
He says the placer mining was halt.
ed this year owing to scarcity of wat
er. This basin was the driest this sea.
son has ever know. G. Straub who has
been In Florence since '66 says he al
ways noticed water flowing in Sand
creek every year until the present one
The dry conditions allowed prospect.
ing In places where water stood be-
fore, and many good pay-streaks were
uncovered. These prospects will be
worked next year when the water is
more plentiful
Redoubled efforts were made in To-
eating quartz claims and many pros
poets showing good values were un
covered. The lowness of water in old
quartz claims allowed the uncovering
of good ore in them. Some of these
old claims have been patented and the
uncovering of good ore should mean
that people holding these claims would
make an effort to develop them. 1t will
be remembered that Florence is prac.
tically virgin as far as quartz mining
is concerned, placer mining having
been done heretofore and as this dis
trict is in basin, with only two ways
OF draining, the water fills up shafts
faster than it can be pumped out, max
ing it hard to get depth. To tunnel
on the south of the basin has been
seriously though of. to drain the basin
and mine promoters have had this in
view. 1t is possible that this will be
done eventually. The plan was to be.
gin a 2-track tunnel on the Salmon
breaks where there is a quartz lead
and charge claim owners for the use
OF the tunnel; that is they would
charge a percentage ON the ores taken
out Of other claims.
Bishop & Hinkston, owners of the
Alazar Mine, have done considerable
developing work this year and with the
aid OF only hand-mortar produced
metal to help pay their grub stake.
The Yakima mine, owned by James
Ward, is being re-timbered and work
Will be done in blocking out ore. II
is understood that mill will be erect
ed at this mine in the near future.
The Big Three mine, to the left or
the old State road on the Salmon
breaks, shows good values in quartz
The owners have built several build
lngs this year and it is a near fact
that mill will be installed on the
property this winter or next spring.
The Waverly Mining Co has erect.
ed several buildings about 300 feet te
The west of the old shaft and started
tunnel. This is one of the mines
that ceased operations years ago OF
account of water filing up the shaf
faster than it could be pumped out. and
IL Is understood the old pumps are
still in the shaft The tunnel now be
ing run will drain the ore body and
allow the mine to produce again. A
mil, of the Kincaid type, is being
erected. The mill was purchased this
ran from the Seaberg estate.
1t has been reported that AL Deflong
mas just uncovered quartz pros
Iect that shows rich vaules in gold
Al. is the only resident in the old
town of Florence and his cabin is about
-oo feet west of the site where the
old Wells Fargo bank stood.
Mr. Thompson states that during his
TWO months stay in the mining dis.
trict that many outside interests have
sent men in to examine this district
and those he interviewed state that
Florence win be again on the map as
mining district; that the ore l.
'here and that a way will be made
70 drain the basin so that it will hc
possible TO permit mining operations