An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 252

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524

USA > Idaho > Kootenai County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 252
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 252
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 252
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 252

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Picturesque north Shoshone county is not, as yet, a vacation Mecca for the annual tourist. What the Adriondacks were to the Knickerbocker settlers of Manhattan a century ago : what the Yellowstone Park and Yosemite Valley were to the average business man of the middle west five decades ago, the region of the north fork of the Coeur d'Alene river is, today,

to almost the entire world. Writing in his paper, the Murray Sun, Editor Adam Aulbach says of this erst- while terra incognita :

"The North Fork river region, although it has been penetrated by sportsmen and trappers for the past fifteen years, is still an unknown country-a sealed book. Even prospectors have very seldom ventured into the region. *

* To a person prepared with heavily nailed shoes, not high or low gum boots, the wading in the limpil stream, above its confluence with Prichard creek, is not disagreeable. The bed is rocky, mostly round boulders, and very slippery. The water, in what are termed pools, is seldom three feet in depth; the most that is waded in is not over eight- cen inches, and so clear that every pebble may be seen. There are frequent pools of considerable depth in which the forest and sky are perpetually mirrored. In fact the entire distance we traveled was a succession of long, shallow rapids, with projecting rocks and boulders, against which the water dashes in everlast- ing glee, and long pools as smooth as glass that form ininature lakes in their wonderful beauty. With ma- jestic sweep the river courses along between low banks and high, rugged bluffs, never less than one hundred feet wide, but mainly one hundred and fifty. With two exceptions. the valley, to the mouth of Big creek, is- narrow, walled in on either side by crooked moun- tain ranges, unexplored by man. There is fine timber everywhere, from the water's edge to the mountain's crest. On the bottom lands are large cedars, many of them measuring thirty feet in circumference near the ground. There is a lovely flat at what is known as Chicago Crossing, extending half a mile back. There is another at the mouth of Big creek, but densely cov- cred with timber. It is a glorious stream, and a true sportsman's paradise."

The north fork of Clearwater river constitutes the northern boundary of what is termed southern Sho- shone county. Between that river and the Lolo Fork, the latter the extreme southern boundary of the coun- ty, is a vast tract of mountainous, heavily timbered country, interspersed with meadows whose abundant resources have as yet hardly been primarily developed. A portion of the Bitter Root forest reserve lies in Shoshone county, north of the Lolo Fork and east of Pierce City. Within and without the boundaries of this reserve are billions of feet of the finest timber in the northwest, white, yellow and black pine, white and red fir, cedar, spruce and tamarack. And lying be- neath these forests is a vast mineralized region, carry- ing gold, silver, lead, iron, copper and coal, the sur- face of which has barely been scarred by the pick of the miner. Here, too, may be found some of the finest liay and grain land in the state, and grazing lands for thousands of head of stock. While it is a country of varied and magnificent resources they are. as yet, but feebly comprehended by the less than 2,000 inhabitants within the limits of southern Shoshone county. The most ordinary foresight can anticipate the day when these broad, cavernous canyons will ring with the stroke of the lumberman's axe and the continuous hum of sawmills; a time when the sparkling, dashing,

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

mountain torrents, now the habitat of gamey trout, will be utilized to spin the wheels of industry ; when the, as yet, undeveloped meadow lands will respond generously to the efforts of the farmer, and the richly timbered lands shall have been transformed into grain and stock farms; when stamp mills and hydraulic plants will be robbing this earth of its mineral for transformation into the metal of commerce-the cur- rency of the world.

Actual sight lends forceful inspiration to a descrip- tion. And it was this truism that led the writer to make a reconnoisance into this southern portion of Shoshone county. This was in April last. It was a period when the earth was still snowbound, not the most propitious season in which to "spy out" any land, and one could hardly hope to view this goodly country at its best. Still, even this invasion was fruitful of grati- fying results. Ascent to the high table land lying east of Clearwater river was made from Greer over an ex- cellent grade, between three and four miles long. On reaching the summit an inspiring scene was presented. Fifteen hundred feet below wound the Clearwater, a silken ribbon between precipitous canyon walls. Scat- tered along its banks were a few habitations, gardens and grain fields, and at one point a narrow line of huddled frame buildings through which ran two gleaming lines of metal-the village of Greer and its railroad track. From above the snow-line one could gaze on the lower altitudes, clothed in garh of brightest green, prophetic of summer's appearance, and the charm of the picture was further enhanced by the sight of butter-cups, violets and other floral offerings of spring, in bloom along the road to the summit. Far across the long, serpentine canyon could be seen the rolling prairies of Nez Perces county, and the heavy growth of timber lying north of them. In the greater distance Craig's mountain reared its snow-crowned peak above the grand undulating prairies at its feet, and still farther to the west and south a broken, jagged, white sky-line marked the location of the Salmon riv- er and Seven Devils ranges of mountains, the nearest of which was sixty miles distant. East of this view point the landscape sweeps away in long, rolling swells, parks and meadows alternating.

To the eastward is the Fraser country, so named after the postoffice established in that section. Mag- nificent groves of yellow pine cast shadows across the rich, black loam upon which they thrive in stately beauty. As one continues along the road numerous dwellings of pioneers fall into view, accentuated occa- sionally by improved farms, and not infrequently hid- cous fields of stumps ; rough, but eloquent testimony of a partially developed ranch. Included in the Fraser country is a strip of land about five miles in width, lying along the north side of Lolo creek for a distance of twelve miles from its mouth. Here the chief indus- try is stock-raising, although considerable wheat and other cereals are cultivated. The rolling hills in this vicinity are densely timbered and sparsely populated. Crossing a rather swampy stretch of country, tamarack being the predominating timber, at the end of a four- teen mile ride, the beautiful Weippe prairie bursts

upon the view. This, too, is a region of alternating forest and meadow, although what is recognized is Weippe prairie proper, lies in the form of a circle fringed with forest. The prairie is a level meadow. perhaps two miles in diameter, and through it'sinu- ously winds Jim Ford's creek. Here have been held. in earlier days, innumerable Indian councils, and for years it was their favorite camping ground. In sum- iner time this historic place was frequented by the Nez Perces. They erected hundreds of lodges, fished and hunted in rippling mountain streams and surrounding game resorts, smoked the pipe of peace or tripped the hideous measures of the war dance. Reluctantly the swart Indian yielded this spot of beauty to the invad- ing white man. He called it the "Weippe," signify- ing a place of tepees, or "wickiups," a camping and a council ground. And by the name of Weippe prairie has it ever since been known.

But the Pierce City mines were discovered. By thousands the whites passed through the Weippe. driving before them the Indians, although for several years subsequently the red man continued to haunt its preceincts and hold therein annual encampments. In the latter 'seventies permanent settlers succeeded stock- men, and thereafter population continued to increase in a gratifying ratio until now it is all under cultiva- tion and improved, with comfortable farm houses and ample barns, corrals and granaries.

During the vear 1884 the government surveyed a large portion of the country lying between the Lolo and Clearwater, and the official opening of this terri- tory was immediately followed by an army of settlers. Four years later, in 1888, a town was laid out on the northern border of the prairie, and named Weippe. Approximate size of the portion which is thickly set- tled is about twenty-five square miles, although, as be- fore mentioned, the main Weippe prairie is not more than half that size. An estimate of the producing ca- pacity of the land, furnished by farmers in that section. accords timothy hay the first place, which averages three tons to the acre. Oats yield fifty, barley between eighty and ninety bushels per acre, while vegetables and the hardy fruits are raised in large quantities. The soil, a black, vegetable loam, lies about three feet deep, upon a strata of clay, and which is considered an excellent hardpan for the conservation of moisture. The average altitude of this section, as given by Wel- lington Landon, pioneer settler and owner of the town- site of Weippe, is, approximately, 3,000 feet. Two sawmills, perennially industrious, cut an excellent quality of pine, fir, cedar, tamarack and less important woods. Bands of cattle are not large, ranging from ten to fifty head, but for this number excellent feed is still found. Jim Ford's creek is named after a pio- neer wood dealer of Lewiston. Ford came up the Clearwater to this stream, where he cut logs, floated them down the river to Lewiston and converted them into stove wood. Ford's creek is a broad, swift stream and a populous haunt of the finny tribe during the summer and fall. It affords ample water power. and this is, at present, utilized to a great extent. Two miles below Weippe prairie the stream is broken by a

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

graceful waterfall whose murmur may easily be heard, on a clear day, so far away as Weippe. The creek, after leaving the prairie, enters a canyon through which it flows to the Clearwater, debouching into that stream four miles above Oro Fino.

After leaving Weippe prairie the road passes over small ridges and up several streams, lined with pret- ty meadows, until a low mountain divide, separating Oro Fino creek from Ford's creek, is reached. This is at a point about five miles west of Pierce City. Here one enters a portion of the far-famed white pine belt of northern and central Idaho, and a magnificent piece of timber it is. . This timber is of the finest grade and improves in quality and size as the Bitter Root summit is approached. The Weyerhauser syndicate's hold- ings, amounting to nearly 100,000 acres of white pine, lie adjacent to Pierce City. During the past two years practically every valuable quarter section has been ap- propriated by scrip filings, and under the stone and timber act. Last season hundreds went into this dis- trict and many are still searching for unoccupied tracts. This timber will run from 1,500,000 to 4,000,000 feet to the quarter section. As clear pine lumber now sells at not less than $30 per thousand feet at the railroad, some idea of the values tied up in this immense timber belt may be gained. The entire, district is traversed by streams, many of them large enough for logging purposes. Still, the main timber bodies are destined to be tapped by railroads in the future. From the summit of the divide, west of Pierce City, may be gained a fair idea of the country farther inland. With the exception of meadows on the creeks a vast forest covers every foot of the region. From the crest of French mountain, a high divide separating Oro Fino from Oro Grande, creek, the summits of this most rugged and wildest of Idaho mountain chains can be seen. The altitude of the low divide west of Pierce City is, approximately, 4,000, while that of French mountain must be, at least, 6,000 feet. Pierce City is 3.000 feet above the sea level.

It is claimed by residents, and indisputable evi- dence has borne out the claim, that the meadows along the creeks of this region produce the finest qualities of hay, grain and fruit. Frank Carle, owner of a por- tion of the townsite of Pierce City, has harvested forty bushels of wheat to the acre, and cuts annually three tons of timothy to the acre. Oro Fino, Lolo and Ford's creeks are the largest streams in this section, their waters flowing into the Clearwater. The Lolo heads at the summit of the Bitter Root range; the Oro Fino and Ford's creeks, about forty miles in length, head further down the slope. All flow west- ward, the Oro Fino being the most northerly. North of Oro Fino creek a high divide separates the water- shed of that stream from the north fork of the Clear- water, the largest branch of this famous river. From its headwaters this stream flows, or rather leaps, through narrow, densely timbered canyons, and hun- dreds of smaller branches gush forth from precipitous mountain sides to the very summit of the. Bitter Root range, contributing their crystal waters to the forma- tion of the mighty torrent below. Its most easterly

feeders have never been thoroughly explored. Brave is the man and skillful should be his woodcraft, if he aims to penetrate the broken wilds, among which are the hidden sources of the north fork. It is a primeval region, haunted by moose, elk, bears, cougars, deer and other wild game, a region of impassable canyons, stifling. forests and hoary mountain peaks.

Along the eastern canyon of the Clearwater the coun- try is, for the most part, considerably broken and tim- bered, mainly with yellow pine, for a distance of eight or ten miles back, after which an increasing amount of white pine is found. Practically the canyon bottoms is all under cultivation, and every tillable spot on the can- yon's side has been eagerly appropriated by the home- seeker. West of the town of Orofino there are many fine farms, the character of the country being similar to that of the Fraser district, already described. The principal industry is stock-raising. Six miles west of Orofino is the postoffice and settlement of Blake, at which there are a store and postoffice combined, con- trolled by Edwin Blake. Four years ago, on land owned by Isaac Gregg, a comfortable school house was erected. At present it is attended bv nineteen pupils, who are instructed by Chester W. Groves. A petition has been presented to the commissionrs of Shoshone county asking for an appropriation of $1,000 for the purpose of opening a trail on the north fork, from Ahsahka to Big Island, a distance of fifty miles. To this fund it is expected that many private subscriptions will be added, and the trail immediately constructed. This will afford an outlet to a large sec- tion of grazing country and several promising mining districts.

The foregoing description of Shoshone county, cursory though it be in many respects, outlines the chief characteristics of the northern and southern por- tions of this minor political division of Idaho's "Pan- handle." In directing attention to a section whose principal source of wealth lies in its mineral deposits, it follows as a corrolary, that the description would be incomplete and unsatisfactory devoid of a general review of its

MINES AND MINING.

Commenting upon the important problem of prac- tical mining in the Coeur d'Alenes, Mr. W. H. Ross says :

"The natural facilities offer exceptional opportuni- ties for economical mining. In most places the angle of the hills rises abruptly from the gulches, affording opportunities for deep explorations by tunnels. The ore, as taken from the mines, is not in marketable con- dition, but requires concentration. This is done by a very complete but inexpensive process of crushing, screening and "jigging." So cheap is the process of assorting and dressing the ore that but little care is taken in mining it. The ground is worked in large breasts and stopes, and everything that contains ore is put through the mill. In some places large bodies of clear galena are found, and this is sacked and shipped direct from the mine, but the bulk of the val- nes occurs in greater or less quantities of galena, des-

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

seminated through a large extent of rock. These mills are ingenious and practical contrivances, being almost automatic. Large quantities of water are used in dressing the ore, and the mills may be said to be only huge washing machines. The product of the mills is called "concentrates," and has a value of about thirty ounces oi silver and sixty per cent. lead per ton."

Through the northern portion of the county, from Kingston, a small station on the line of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company's Idaho extension, situated on the western boundary of Shoshone county, to the Bitter Root mountains, on the cast, extends what is known as the silver-lead belt, development of which is still in its infancy. This El Doradian territory lies between the north and south forks of the Coeur d'Alene river, whose confluence is at Ena, near the western boundary of the county. Aside from this vast reach of untold ore values there are two distinct "gold belts ;" one north of the south fork, and the other, the "Pierce City belt," or "Pierce District belt," in the southern portion of the county. The important posi- tion of Shoshone county in the mineral group of our national industries may be satisfactorily estimated by the fact that its output of lead amounts to nearly one- half of all the lead mined in the United States. The following table, showing the amounts and value of out- put of Coeur d'Alene silver-lead mines for 1902, while not official, is said by the most prominent mining men in the district to he, approximately, correct :

NAME OF MINE

TONS LEAD

VALUE 0%

VALUE SILVER

TOTAL

VALUE

Bunker Hill

17.054.50 $1,193,815.00 886,834 $ 427,680.32 $1,621,495.32

Standard

12,739.50

891,765.00 891.765

428,047.20 1,319,812,20

Morning

12,906.00

903,420.00 619,488

997.354.24 1,200,774.24 1,010,000,00

Empire State

11,000.00

770,000,00 500,000

240,000.00

Mammoth

7,514.88

526.041.00 922.951

443,016.48

969,057.48

Tiger-Poorman

7,500.00

525,000.00 375,000

180,000.00

705,000.00

Silver King

3 354.00

234,780.00 402.480

192,190.40

426,970.40

Hecla

3,963.00

277.410.00 261,558

125,547.84 402,957.84

Hercules

2.400.00

168,000 00 320,000

153,600,00 321,600.00

Hunter

1,800.00

126,000.00 200,000

96,000,00 222,000.00

Frisco

983.50

68,845.00 55,076

26.536.48

95,381.48

California Consolidated

264.00

18,480.00 12,100

5,808.00

24,288.00

Grand Total. . 81,479.38 $5,703,556.00 5,527. 132 $2.635.578 96 $8,339, 134,96

To these may be added the outputs of the Crown Point, $1,006,047.50 ; the Golden Chest, in the Murray gold belt, $100,000, and the Coeur d'Alene placers, $65,000. In pure lead and silver the output for 1902 was 87,709 tons of lead and 5,512,289 ounces of silver. The latter figures, obtained from resident officers of the companies, may be considered accurate.

Within the confines of Shoshone county the authen- tic original discovery of mineral was made in Eleverton gulch, near Osburn, in 1878, by Andrew J. Prichard. The Shoshone county records, however, established the fact that, as early as November 15, 1865, F. D. Schnebly and eleven others, filed articles of incorpora- tion of the Mountain Chief Gold and Silver Mining Company. These properties were located near Mis- sion. They may, and may not, have been in Shoshone county, but it is quite certain they were either within its territory or contiguous to it. In early territorial days Shoshone was the only organized county in north Ida- ho. Naturally this mining company would seek legal

acknowledgement of their claim at the nearest available point. Still, it is certain that for fourteen years there- after nothing resulted from the alleged location of these rather mythical mines. On the wings of rumor flew the wildest reports all over the northwest, invari- ably centering at some point near Mission, but noth- ing was developed; nothing tangible resulted, and the locators appeared to be fully as elusive as the crew of the Flying Dutchman. Not until 1883 did mining operatives enter upon their hegira from California and Montana to Eagle City, Shoshone county, where the Mother Lode was exposed and where, at one period, 5,000 people swarmed and toiled ; were fired by hope and sobered by despair.

Of the heaviest mineral producing localities in this country, undoubtedly Canyon creek, debouching into the south fork of the Coeur d'Alene, at Wallace, leads all the rest. At the mouth of this stream is located the Standard mill, which treats all ore from the Standard mine, five miles up the creek. A railway between the inine and mill transports about 550 tons of ore a day, the product of which concentrates in the neighborhood of 2,200 tons a month. Farther up Canyon creek are the Formosa mine and mill, located within one mile of Gem. Next is the Granite, and then the Gem mill, and as one continues his explorations of the upper waters of this wonderful stream he encounters the Mammoth, the Frisco mine and mill, the Black Bear and, at Burke, the Tiger-Poorman concentrator. Can- yon creek was the original location in the Silver-Lead belt of Shoshone county, and it has been a most lib- eral producer since 1887. Today the deeper levels are more generous than were the leads nearer the surface. Identical conditions exist in the Helena & Frisco mine. a property in the same canyon, now down a vertical depth of more than 2,000 feet. It remains for the most conservative deep mining expert to foretell the future of these Midian properties, and he, too, shall lay himself open to the charge of extravagance.

The Nine Mile district, deriving its name from Nine Mile creek, extends in nearly a northerly direc- tion from Wallace, the stream joining the south fork of the Coeur d'Alene river at the depot of the Northern Pacific Railway Company. The most important group of mines and concentrators in this district are the properties of the Black Cloud Company. Aside from these there are the Custer, Tamarack & Chester, Cow- an, Blute Grouse and other minor properties. Today the original discoveries are more liberal producers than ever before in their history .

On May 7. 1885. Timothy McCarthy, Timothy Hynes, Frank Hanson and John H. Simmons located the Standard group of claims, all in the Canyon creek mining district, one mile from Burke. They comprise the following patented lode claims: Standard, Snow Line, Banner, Sandwich, Youngstown. Sancho, Par- allel, Little Chap, Sullivan Fraction, Mammoth Frac- tion, portions of the Columbia, Crown Point, Tariff and Tom Reed and the Union millsite, at Wallace. The capital stock of the Standard Mining Company. holding patents on all these claims, is $500,000, in shares of one dollar each. This stock is held, princi-

LEAD SILVER

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

pally, by the Finch & Campbell syndicate, of Youngs- town, Ohio, Milwaukee and Chicago. It is officered by Amos B. Campbell, president ; John A. Finch, sec- retary and treasurer, and E. H. Moffitt, Wallace, Id- aho, manager. In the fall of 1892 pay ore was struck, since which period it has been a reliable dividend pay- er. This silver-lead "proposition," assaying from ten to fifteen per cent. lead and from twelve to thirty-five ounces in silver, is one of the best equipped mines, and from the initial period of its development, was under the supervision of Archie McCallum until he was suc- ceeded by E. H. Moffitt. From the mine the ore is transported six miles to a concentrator, at Wallace, the capacity of which is 600 tons of crude ore in twenty- four hours. The original cost of the property was $38.80.4.80. It has paid $3,000,000 in dividends. For- mal incorporation was made in the spring of 1892. The initial tunnel extended was the Standard, 1,700 feet ; second, Banner, 2,000 feet; third, Wilson, 800 feet ; and the Campbell, 3,300 feet, the latter being now worked, the others abandoned or leased to the owners of the Mammoth mine for transportation pur- poses.

At the terminus of the Campbell tunnel is a shaft 1.050 feet in depth. There are levels at 200, 450, 600, 800 and 1,000 fcet; three compartments, steam and motor hoists, 600-horse-power. Steam and electrical pumps are employed, the company owning one of the latter. manufactured by Allis-Chalmers, built in two units, under a 1,050-foot lift, with a capacity of 250 gallons a minute. This is a "wet" mine, requiring ex- pensive pumping facilities, one of the pumps alone costing $15,000. An electric railway is provided with two 50-ton motors, each hauling twenty cars; capacity one and one-half tons each, the ore from which is transferred to railway cars and hauled to the mill six miles distant. The company employs 260 men at the mines and thirty at the mill. J. H. Neil is superintend- ent and A. D. Marshall mine foreman. The average capacity of the mill is 550 tons crude ore, concentrating to fifty-five or sixty per cent. lead and forty ounces of silver to the ton. It is a water power mill, supplied by two fltimes, one from the south fork of the Coeur d'Alene, and the other from Canyon creek, the former for wash and the latter for pressure. Every day in the year this mill is in operation, with two shifts. Concentrates are loaded direct on cars belonging to the Northern Pacific Railway Company.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 252

Author: Publication date: 1903 Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1524

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524