Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-09-08
TRAGIC FATE
0E.R00SEVELT
MINING CAMP
Futile Chase for Pot of Gold
at End of Rainbow in the
Central Idaho Mountains
Transport Dead Men Out in
Spring on Pack Train at
Rate of 40 Cents a Pound
By MALCOLM CAMPBELL
In the Boise Statesman

In the year 1868, practically the en-
tire population of what was then the
territory of Idaho was drawn into a
stampede to Tie Boise basin, where
rich gold strikes of placer gold had
been reported. In the twenty years
that followed, this small district,
twenty-five miles from the territorial
capital, Boise, produced between
$150,000,000 and $20O,000,000 in vir-
gin gold-a welcome replenishment of
the nations treasury, depleted by the
demands of the Civil war-and did
more than ever has been popularly Gre
dited tc the state in maintaining the
credit of the government in the stresses
of the days of reconstruction after
the conflict.
This history must be borne in mind
in considering the facts of the rush
of 1900 to the wilds of interior Idaho
"a stampede that brought death to
scores, squandered dollars by the mil
lions and spelled privation, misery and
to almost everyone
who followed the lure of golden trea-
latter day quest of the rainbow's end,
of which this is the story.
HOW STAMPEDE BEGAN
Late in the summer of 1899 rumors
Of big strike in the mountains to the
north began to stir the cir of Boise,
half stockholm, half mining headquar
ters of Idaho IS kingdom of sagebrush
plateau and untrodden mountain
range. Four men, brothers, coming
1ut of the waste of unknown noun
ain ranges that compromised the north
central counties of the state, had de-
posted with the branch assay office
If the government mint in the capital
gold dust amounting to around 800,
700, the result of several years work
With rocker and gold pan in the un-
mapped district. Their pack train was
oaded with samples of quartz and
,orphyry, assay of which showed
promising quantities of gold is nearly
very instance, all coming from the
egion they had invaded, and which
he quartet declared their belief in as
new Golconda.
SEALED BY LAVA FLOW
For many years it had been known
n the state that more than 100 miles
o the north of Boise lay a region
where the original structure of the
arth IS surface had been sealed under
heavy capping of lava flow, the cen
raj peak of which had been named
" the Indians, tireless explorers of
heir continent, "Thunder mountain,
rom the continual rumblings, as of
istant storm, always to be heard in
he vicinity. 1t was place of evil
epute among the aborigines, who
vove weird tales of supernatural
lights and sounds to be encountered
here and avoided the section as the
bode of evil spirits and the play
round of the demons of their the
logy.
The few white men who had ira
-ersed the region had been repealed
" its barren nature and the battling
over of lava that resisted their
forts to learn the secrets of the hills
hat it concealed. Of high altitude,
he summers were exceedingly short
nd the winter snowfall extraordinary
y heavy, while but single trail was
nown to lead into its Businesses. While |
accurate knowledge of the
!6epi b 1itieS >zof their discovery, the
ioneers Of the district declared that
hey believed its riches were unlimited
nd described the course by which
hey had returned, trail that short
ned by two-thirds the known route
nto the district.
VANISH IN SALMON COUNTRY
SO much ascertained, several par
les slipped out of Boise, outftted for
few weeks prospecting trip, and
anished into the tumbled peaks of
he Salmon river country. With the
rst SHOWS these returned, bringing
many samples of quartz, porphyry
nd even lava capping, almost all of
Which showed paying gold contents
nder the tests of the assayers. These
couts also brought the information
hat the flank of Thcnder mountain
vas blanketed with the legally To-
ated claims of the original discov-
rers.
Through the ensuing winter prepar-
tion went on apace, and with the
|pening of spring party after party
ook the new trail to the north. Up
he paveffe river into Long valley