The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-04-20
CROWN POINT, LYON
AND FAY TEMPLETON
THEIR RISE AND FALL
Wonderfully Rich Gold De-
posts Still Open for In
telligent Exploitation
THEIR RISE AND FALL

(By Adam Aulbach, Murray ldahO)
- NE of the February 1881. loca-
tions was the Crown Point
claims on the divide between
Prichard and Trail creeks. $50
feet of the ledge being in Occur d'Alene
district and $50 feet in Beaver district
following course north and south
on the top of the ridge and down the
Trail side there was a very large out
crop, mainly of free milling quartz,
literally impregnated with gold at the
apex. Much of this quartz was broken
with hammers. sacked and carried
away, to be planted elsewhere on a
forest discovery near Murray to soak"
some tenderfoot for several hundred
dollars. The claim got such a boost
that its marvelously rich outcroppings
even excited the conservative metrop-
oils on the Willamette (Portland) and
prompted a group of citizens to send
representative named Steele to Eagle
city to negotiate for the purchase of
the property, if it proved to be as rep
resented. Steele arrived in the latter
part of March, and visited the claim.
He returned to Eagle and was shot and
killed by a man named Ferguson. Civ
ing the new Eldorado the first cold
FLOODED murder committed in the camp.
Steele was walking along the snow
cleared space in front of some tent and
board structures, principally saloons,
when he saw a woman laundering in
the snow and slush He went to her
assistance. although others stood near
by and refused aid As he got her on
her feet she screamed in drunken
dclrum Ferguson rushed out of a
saloon and without a word shot and
killed Steele. All was pandemonium
for a while The dead man was finally
identified and there was some agitation
for swift Justice but the community
was so new and cosmopolitan that it
was difficult to unite on a plan of pro-
codure. Hence the murderer escaped
even apprehension. lie reached Belk-
nap the following night and told some
acquaintance that he had to get out
of the country p. d. q. He secured an
escort of friends and they walked TO
Thompson Falls. Nothing further was
heard of the desperate
Jenkins and the Crown Point.
The tragedy appeared to sidetrack
the Crown Point from public interest
for a number of years, although frac-
tional portions readily sold every little
while. In the early '9Os Francis Jen-
kins formerly superintendent of the
Bunker Hill & Sullivan at Wardner-
Kellogg. purchased one twentieth in
terest and secured a verbal option on
the remainder He Immediately in
stalled a ten-stamp steam-power mill
built a long tramway to an upper tun-
mel he had started. and erected the
necessary buildings to accommodate a
force of about 40 men, on the Trail
creek side of the divide, where water
vas very scarce and fuel difficult and
expensive to secure Mr.. Jenkins pen
strated the Crown Point with q 75O-
DOT tunnel at the head Of the tram
way and removed practically all the
at the apex of the ridge.
When his option expired. A renewal of
he option caused a slight friction, and
complete shutdown occurred, which
Tins admits a yield of $4,000 during
lis operation. The Crown Point is a
,atented claim and is now owned by
2. J. Linden, of Portland. Ore, three
ourths Francis Jenkins, one TWEEN
ieth; Rose Aulbach and Adam Aul-
zach the remainder The interests of
Mr.. Linden is, however, in charge of
he writer.
The mill has been sold by Mr.. Jen-
inns in units, being his personal prop
rty. It was a mistake to put the mill
N the Trail side of the divide. On
he Prichard side water power was
valuable most of the year and wood
T necessary. was handy and cheap
he Crown Point has a promising fu-
ure, but must be tunneled from the
'richard side.
Value of Small Mill
The Mountain Lion was discovered
y Silas Branch in the latter sos on
he south side of Prichard creek. one
nile west of Murray A mud slide
ad drawn his attention and in pan
ing some of the dirt he found coarse
uartz gold. A location was promptly
made and as promptly a half interest
d the claim was sold to A. L. Honekar.
he pioneer metal worker of Wallace
IT. HOneker also very promptly bought
small MILL the smallest ever install.
I'd on the North Side, consisting of a
hree- stamp battery, the stamps
'eighing 800 pounds each controlled
y a small upright boiler and engine,
~ loo liz. tl,-o..