Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-05-26
SIDNEY NORMAN TELLS OF VISIT TO IDAHO GOLD RUBY MINING
CAMP WITH INTERESTING DATA OF The PROJECT

with 900 feet of fall between the com
panys plant and its mouth. To tn
ordinary observer there appears to b
ample dump for evermore. as tn
stream is said to carry as much a
100000 miners inches at highest waite
and is a raging rushing torrent ex
cept for a few weeks in the year.
suppose that the present supply il
somewhere around 10000 miners
inches. Three forks-known as tn,
east, middle and west-combine in tn,
main stream at point approximate,
four miles above the point of presen
operation. Only part of the flow o.
the west fork is being used just now
but If the project warrants the outlay
both of the other forks can be brought
under control by IN miles of ditch, al
comparatively light cost, and thus in.
sure ample water for any possible con
tingency
Road Construction Under Difficulties
The first work after incorporation
of the original Idaho Gold & Radium
Co, capitalized at S2,000,000 in dollar
shares, subsequently changed to Ida
no Gold & Ruby Mining Co.. capital
$4,000 00), was the construction of a
road from Leonia to the camp site 5A
miles to the south. The only possible
route lay over the steep hill which
rises to a maximum of 1000 feet above
the railroad tracks and along a high
terrace on the east side of Boulder
creek. On August IL, 1913, a Marion
2S-ton steam shovel was unloaded at
H.
toward the camp upon a maximum
grade of per cent, necessitating
many hairpin turns before it emerged
upon the higher levels. A force of
about 80 men was employed in this
work, the shovel being moved on a
track picked up from behind as the
shovel moved forward and laid in
front. 1t is not difficult to visualize
the effort that this road entailed and
the difficulties encountered in moving
the big shovel around the switchbacks
on a steep hillside. One year from the
day the road was started, however the
shovel reached the main camp after
gaining point 1000 feet above Leonia
at the brow of the hill and descending
about 200 feet from that point to the
camp
Two Bridges Span Creek.
No sooner was this work completed
than the shovel was started upon the
second leg of its trip, digging another
road from camp to the ditch site, about
400 feet higher up the creek and over a
route approximately miles long. To
facilitates this work the stream was
bridged in two places, the first struct-
ure being 1877 feet long, with a center
span of so feet long and so feet high
and the second 100 feet long with 81
foot center span.
Ditch In Two Sections.
The ditch was laid in two sections
the upper about miles long and the
lower "a miles and with a difference
in elevation of 210 feet. Incidentally
it may be said that the water is con-
Quoted from one section to the other in
two 22-inch steel pipes, thus general
ing estimated energy of 1,500 horse
power The equipment for the hydro
electric plant is now on the ground
and is to be installed at an early date.
The shovel was first placed upon the
lower section of the ditch at a point
near lu0 iOdu IL ndQ dll6duJ tOu-
structed. 1t then began its work
northerly. or towards the lower end
in november, 1914, four months after
the outbreak of the World War. Up
to this date road building has cost APP
100000.
Completed Last September.
After the first section of the canal
-
decided that quicker Roadway could
be made with a larger shovel and the
Marion was then traded off for 56-
on Bucyrus, which completed the
work. The task of bringing the big
shovel up the hill from the depot
proved one of the most difficult feats
ret undertaken and it was not until
September. 1910, that the work of dig
ling the ditch was finally completed
t an approximate cost of 100000.
Capacity 10000 Inches.
The ditch itself is approximately 5A |
niles long, IL feet wide at the bottom
nd 80 feet wide at the 6-foot water
mark 1t is constructed around the
ontours of the mountain side. with
ossibly one-fifth of the total length
a solid rock In places the upper
ank is forty feet high, while the lower
banked up to 10 feet above the
resent water line. There has natural
: been some sloughing since the water
as turned in, but the task of clean
lg out offers no great difficulty. At
lie present time il is estimated that
lie flow is around 1000 miners inches
ifh Yinnnrf flow n1nnnd In 000t
Iches. The water moves about feet
Or second. the canal having a fall OF
he foot to the mile.
Supply From West Fork.
Water is diverted from the west fork
Boulder creek in SxS-foot box flume :
lrried on an 800-foot trestle to the
nal 1t is fitted with overflow safety
vices, as is also the canal itself at
fferent points between the intake
Id the penstOck Several indeDend-