East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1922-09-22


both loud and deep
Threats to kill him unless he found
the mines within three days were
/ made: then one day was given him:
| and then he was tried by Il Jury and
| expelled from the camp under penalty
of death if he returned. Littlefield
and his three friends saved the poor
mans life from day to day. because
he worked harder than any other man
in the party. Littlefield secretly car
ried food to the man after he had
been expelled from the camp and
saved him from starvation.
Riches After Failure
Finally the party broke up, the
great majority returning to the Will
lamete valley. The four Californians
and few others then started on an
independent prospecting expedition,
and wandering through the noun
tains panning the sand in every little
stream, they finally crossed over the
divide between Burnt and Powder
rovers, just above the old town of Au-
burn, and coming down Elk creek
they camped on the night of October
%, 1861, in a ravine which they aft
erwards named Griffin guch. Here
Henry Griffin sunk a prospect hole
three feet deep to bed rock and struck
the first gold found in Eastern Oregon
not counting the Blue Bucket myth.
From this discovery on Griffin
gulch gold discoveries We're extend
ed all over the Blue Mountains re-
gion. The question may be asked, if
TDI H., =
why was it not found again. Hun
dreds of men for many years have
searched for those mines. There can
be no doubt but that the Blue Bucket
discovery has been found and worked
long ago. The Blue Bucket find was
probably in Grant county in the Can
yon City region, and the original find
ers of that gold were simply lost on
the trail west, hurrying through the
country in fear of the Indians, and
for that reason could never go back
and find the place again.
Clippings Tell Stories
The columns of the Portland Ore
gonian during the years 1861 and 1862
are the best record of the great gold
hunting stampede to and successful
hunt for gold in Eastern Oregon
that exists; and the columns of that
paper are now freely used to furnish
the record of mining experiences and
successes for this work. The follow
ing extracts are taken without alter
alton or abbreviation. In estimating
amounts of gold found the reader will
bear in mind that an ounce of miners
gold was worth SIG.
July %, 1S61-There are now ar
irving in this city by steamer. stage
and private conveyance hundreds of
miners on their way to the mines.
The Julia on Monday was crowded.
We learn from persons from Yreka
that the exodus from Northern Cali
tornia is immense. Parties are con-
stantly going to the mines by way of
klamath Lake. The Red Bluss Inde-
pendent says there is perfect stam-
pede from that section. Many from
the upper Willamette go by the diff
ferent roads across the Cascades. BY
the Julia last evening S2S, 900 came
down from the Neg Perce mines.
April, 1S62-The Mountaineer tells
the story that a miner, while on his
way to Salmon river. struck rich dig
gings. He had no bag for his gather
ed gold, so he filled one Of his India
rubber boots and at the last date was
filling the other.
The steamers from San Francisco
! bring large numbers bound FOR the
! mines, and the overland Stage comes
/ every day loaded with miners. Be
I sides, We have reason to believe that
i numbers of miners from California
! take the route east Of the mountains
I to Walla Walla. There will probably
| be nearly or about > 900 persons at
{ the mines by October. Tracey & Com
| pany brought down last night on the
steamer Julia $4,000 in gold dust.
5000 In Two Days
I December (, lS61-WaIIa walla
3 News-A man by the namF Of Wiser
from Benton county took out $1,000
i'm two days in Baboon gulch, Salmon
river diggings.
The Washington Stateman made its
first apparenace at Walla Walla on
Friday 1st
/ Provisions are very high at Orc
FinO. Flour, 80 cents per pound: ha-
con, sugar and apples. so cents per
pound
Nine men, packers. came down on
the Julia with from s50.0o6 to ss0.-
a"n in hand. the result Of their sum-
mer's work in the mines Tracy &
Co.'S express brought down SIS G8H
The whole amount which was brought
down By the Julia was about $780,
600.
october eS. 1ss1-On the 18th inst.
at. Crayton. Eledz0e. y. G. Coleman
F, 8rd others seven il al, had realhe ]
! about eieht miles on the Salmon river
I trail, beyoud the Cold sprInas tbey