USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume I > Part 12
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ROCKY BAR AND ATLANTA
The restless spirits among the gold seekers of 1862 and 1863 were not satis- fied with even the rich claims of the Boise Basin and struck out in prospecting parties in all directions. Many of the claim owners were interested in keeping at least one of the partners in a group of claims in the mountains engaged in an attempt to make other discoveries. Among other places struck early in 1863 was the mining camp of Rocky Bar, situated upon the waters of the Middle Fork of the Boise River. These placers proved to be rich, although not exten- sive. Discoveries of rich gold quartz veins were soon made in that locality and the Town of Rocky Bar was established and soon became the county seat of Alturas County. Rocky Bar was situate about sixty miles from Idaho City, the principal town of the Basin.
Discoveries were soon made at Atlanta, about fifteen miles from Rocky Bar, and lode claims were opened that attracted the attention of hundreds of prospectors and miners for many years.
OTHER DISCOVERIES OF THE EARLY DAYS
We have particularly mentioned the important gold discoveries in Idaho in the early days. In other sections of Idaho than those mentioned gold was found in isolated localities in paying quantities, but no other large mining camps were built up until long after, when, in 1880, gold was found on Pritchard Creek, one of the tributaries of the Coeur d'Alene River, and the mining camps of Eagle and Murray established, where hundreds of men for a number of years found profitable employment.
These discoveries led to the opening up on the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene of the great lead and silver mining section of the Coeur dAlenes to which reference will be hereafter more fully made.
In the southern part of the state, also, mining areas were opened in many localities. Stanley Basin, Deadwood Basin, the North Fork of the Payette, and a number of other smaller camps on the waters of the Salmon and of the Payette rivers gave profitable employment to many people.
It was ascertained that the low bars on the Snake River contained gold in
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large quantities. This gold was of a very fine quality, but was in such small particles as to make it very difficult to save. Still, many were engaged for a number of years in mining at various places throughout the entire length of the Snake River, as it traverses the state. The source of this gold, which exists in great quantities and is contained in all of the gravel deposited in the hundreds of miles of its course by the Snake River, undoubtedly is in the mountains somewhere near its source, and it has been the endeavor of num- erous prospecting parties from the early days to discover the point from which this gold originally came. As no discovery of gold has been made in any place that would account for the deposits, it is generally concluded by both scientists and miners that these deposits have been occasioned by the erosion of great areas in the upper regions of the Snake River and embracing a large amount of territory, none of which, perhaps, was particularly rich in gold, but the residue of which deposited in the limited area of the Snake River plains caused a comparatively large amount of gold to be found in that locality.
LEMHI COUNTY GOLD MINES
The rich gold deposits on the eastern slope of the mountains now embraced in the State of Montana, but formerly a part of Idaho, and which were opened up in 1863 and 1864, caused many prospectors to strike to the west from those localities and a rich mining section was soon discovered on the western slope of the dividing mountains. The Camp of Leesburg was established. The Moose Creek and other rich deposits were found in that locality and placer mining was pursued on an extended scale. Many small localities in that sec- tion were found to contain gold in paying quantities and were worked at a profit. The last of the discoveries of any extent, however, was that made on Loon Creek in the very heart of the Salmon River Mountains, in the spring of 1869, and a new camp was there established that for two or three years reminded those who visited it of the flush days of the more famous camps of Idaho and Montana.
Volumes might be written concerning the discovery of gold in this state. Legends without number of discoveries made and lost prevailed in the early days in every locality and the lives of many prospectors were devoted to at- tempts to make discoveries based upon such authority. The object, however, of this chapter is to show only the early mining operations-those which caused the great rush of immigration into what is now Idaho, and not only caused the organization of the territory, but caused subsequent development upon agricul- tural and grazing lines. Further mention of mining development-not only in gold and silver, but also in other metals equally valuable, so far as the pros- pector is concerned-will be found in the chapter devoted to mining and manu- facturing and in the historical sketches of the several counties of the state.
OTHER EARLY SETTLERS
But while it was the hope of sudden gain and the lure of gold that brought nearly all of its early inhabitants, excepting trappers and missionaries, into what is now the State of Idaho, there were a few pioneers who were not so engaged.
In the spring of 1860, thirteen families settled in what is now Franklin
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County and near the Town of Franklin. They were not looking for gold, but were searching for a place in which to establish homes. All members of the Mormon Church, they had been sent out by the great pioneer leader of that sect, Brigham Young, to establish their homes at a point which seemed then to be far distant from the headquarters of the church in Salt Lake City. It was supposed at the time that this section was part of Utah; in fact, it was supposed for many years after Idaho was organized as a territory, that not only this section, but the Bear Lake County settlements that were started by General Rich in the early '6os were a part of Utah, and the people were treated as citizens of Utah until surveys made years after developed the fact that they were residents of Idaho.
Thirteen families mentioned, in accordance with the usual plan of the Mor- mon people, laid out a town when first they made a settlement, and called it Franklin. They then constructed irrigating ditches to the lands which they claimed for farming purposes and these hardy pioneers, more than one thousand miles from railroad or water communication with the world, were the first to establish an agricultural community in what is now the State of Idaho. Un- doubtedly stories of the rich mining strikes to the north and west of them reached their ears, but they produced no effect. These people were more inter- ested in making their lands productive and in taking from the soil rich nuggets in the form of crops than they were in the precarious occupation of washing out gold-an occupation in which many fail while few succeed. In this little colony of thirteen families was the birth of the agricultural industry of Southern Idaho, and their names should ever be commemorated in the annals of the state.
But it was not alone in Southern Idaho that even in the very early '6os men were found who devoted their time to other pursuits than that of mining. L. P. Brown, one of the pioneers of Idaho County, and a man who made his im- press upon the early history of that section in greater degree than perhaps any other of its citizens, built in 1862 a large hotel at Mount Idaho, only a few miles from the present county seat of Idaho County-Grangeville, and gave but scant attention to mining, except to provide entertainment for those going to and from the gold fields. It was through his efforts to a great extent that farming was started in the Camas Prairie country, now one of the richest agri- cultural portions of the state.
In various places men started sawmills, and manufacturing operations be- came more remunerative than the search for gold; while hundreds of others were engaged in freighting operations in preference to using the pick, pan and shovel of the miner.
Vol. I-8
CHAPTER IX PIONEER DAYS
FIRST SETTLERS PRINCIPALLY MINERS-HABITS AND CHARACTERISTICS-MINERS' TRIALS-HONESTY OF THE PIONEERS-LAWLESSNESS IN THE EARLY DAYS- PROFESSIONAL "BAD MEN"-VIGILANCE COMMITTEES IN THE WEST-THE MAG- RUDER MURDER-HENRY PLUMMER-THE BERRY ROBBERY-FATE OF SOME OF THE "BAD MEN"-CURRENCY OF THE EARLY DAYS-GOLD DUST AND GOLD BARS -BANKING AND EXPRESS OFFICES-THE WELLS-FARGO EXPRESS-MAIL FACILI- TIES-RAILWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION-PONY EXPRESS.
As heretofore stated, with the exception of the missionaries and a few others mentioned in the preceding chapter, the first settlers of the region now com- prising the State of Idaho were chiefly miners. None of the gold seekers ex- pected to establish a permanent residence, and they did not seek to make im- provements of a substantial nature. Coming from all parts of the Pacific Coast, it was the lure of gold that attracted them to the mountains of Idaho, and the hope of acquiring sudden wealth and then departing for more favored localities was the inspiration that continuously nerved them in their efforts.
To bring together thousands of men, all of them comparatively young and three-fourths of them under thirty years of age, in a new country practically without courts of justice or officers of the law and entirely lacking the restrain- ing influence of women, where no ordinary methods of amusements are found, where money is plenty and drinking and gambling not only tolerated but ex- pected, brings out the true inwardness of men's dispositions in no uncertain way and develops characteristics undreamed of under ordinary circumstances.
This was the condition of affairs in the early days of Idaho. The mining camps in which the population had centered were a long distance from the ordinary settlements in the western country, and a code of morals developed unknown in other sections. The innate sense of justice pertaining to every right minded man caused property rights to be respected, and in addition the very condition of things made honesty a necessity, even if it were not con- sidered a virtue. The law afforded practically no protection, because courts in the very early days were not organized and there prevailed in Idaho, as there had in the earlier days of California, a method of disposing of disputes concerning mining ground through miners' meetings.
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The rights of the miners in the mining sections to make regulations govern- ing the size of claims, representation work thereon and similar matters, had always been exercised in California and in the mining sections of Oregon, and recognized by the courts. Upon the discovery of gold in a new section, one of the first duties devolving upon those who first came into the new camp was to organize a district, which was done at a meeting called, and laws were passed governing the subjects mentioned. A mining recorder for the district was always elected and the claims located were recorded by him in proper books and a record by him kept of the laws and the amendments afterward adopted. In the older mining sections, to trace the earlier locations the searcher is com- pelled to go back to the old district records and laws. Unfortunately, many of these have not been preserved. However, this has not unsettled titles in the mining sections, as in the isolated cases where mining claims have not been re-recorded, the undisputed possession of the owner for a long term of years has been a guarantee of ownership.
MINERS' TRIALS
It followed, almost as a matter of course, that where the laws governing the acquisition, development and retention of mining claims, both lode and placer, were enacted in the informal way mentioned by meetings of the miners in each particular district, some method should prevail under which the makers of the laws of this kind could act as the arbiters in cases of dispute concerning the subject matter of such laws until regular courts of justice were firmly estab- lished in the different mining sections. In all of the mining districts, as part of the laws passed by the miners themselves, were provisions for settling dis- putes between conflicting claimants of mining ground by a call for a miners' meeting to be held at a certain place in the district upon a certain specified date, where the disputed matter would be settled by the miners of the district. At such meetings, which were often held in the early days, each of the con- tending parties, after the meeting had been called to order, gave to the as- sembled miners his statement regarding the matter in dispute, each being per- mitted to give reasons why the decision should be rendered in his favor, and some times a representative being permitted to argue the matter for him. Where there was a dispute as to the facts each party was permitted to introduce other witnesses who made their statements upon the disputed matter. After the matter had thus been put before the meeting, it was generally briefly considered by the assembled miners and a verdict reached by a vote being taken, a majority of those present deciding what disposition should be made of the cause. As a general thing the conclusions reached by a meeting of this kind were based upon natural justice and very few errors were made. The conclusions reached in these trials always ended the matter, because while there was no executive officer of these minors' courts to enforce the decrees of such tribunals, the miners themselves were ready always to carry out the decision to which the majority had come and to see that the winning party was maintained in his rights.
THE HONESTY OF THE PIONEERS
Men thrown together as were those who composed the population of the mining camps in the early days soon realized that for their own protection and
THOMAS J. BEALL, LEWISTON One of the Pioneers of Idaho
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the good of the entire community, property rights should be held sacred. The opportunity of taking personal property that belonged to another so constantly occurred that it "inspired the vast majority with the necessity of being absolutely honest. Particularly was this the case, so far as the mining operations were concerned. The attempt to steal the gold dust that was being extracted from the mining claims by robbing sluices, or similar crimes, was regarded as the unpardonable offense and justice in its severest form was generally meted out to the transgressor, and there were but few mourners at the funeral of a person guilty of such conduct. In fact, a crime of this kind in the mining region was regarded in the same light as the theft of a man's riding horse in the sections where all travel was done on horseback. Considering the opportunities offered, there was a remarkably small amount of stealing in connection with mining operations. The miners themselves almost invariably lived on their mining claims on the creeks and in the gulches a considerable distance from the min- ing towns. Nearly everyone cooked his own food, as it was impossible, owing to conditions and the scattered population, to have boarding houses where those engaged in mining could secure their meals while working their claims.
Very seldom was the cabin of a miner left locked. His goods were there and the traveler in need of the necessities of life was always privileged to enter and cook himself a meal and stay, if necessary, overnight. To violate the hospitality thus extended by taking property from its owner was almost an unheard of crime.
OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PIONEER
Hospitality, indeed, was a cardinal virtue of the old timers in every mining section. Honesty was a common characteristic of practically all of them. When their word was given to do a certain thing, it as a usual thing meant that such promise would be literally kept. A man's word was his bond. Transactions involving large amounts were often made without a word in writing. In fact, transfers of valuable mining claims were seldom evidenced by any writing ex- cept a simple bill of sale, which was sometimes recorded in the district re- corder's office, and sometimes not. Often such transfer was made without a writing of any kind. To refuse to live up to an agreement was to brand the person so refusing as being unworthy of the confidence of those by whom he was surrounded. This characteristic of the miners in the various camps in the early days of Idaho was one that equally characterized the men of '49 and '50 in the golden days of California's early history.
LAWLESSNESS IN THE EARLY DAYS
While the great majority of those engaged in mining in those early days were hospitable, honest, and men who highly regarded their given word and were naturally peaceable in their tendencies, still, under the conditions that pre- vailed, personal difficulties were not uncommon and were often of the most serious character. In those early days Sunday was the day upon which every miner expected to spend a portion of his time in the nearest mining town. It was the day on which the miners made their purchases and on which the miners' meetings were held. Theatres and similar places of entertainment seldom existed. The saloons were the places to which everyone went and were the meeting places of all. In the saloons all kinds of gambling games were established.
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Everybody both drank and gambled more or less and a man's standing was not affected on that account.
These various mining towns especially in a place like the Boise Basin, where thousands of men, all making considerable money were mining in a very limited area, necessarily had their limited accommodations strained when the miners came to town in force. All public places were filled. The streets were crowded. Men were looking for excitement and almost as a matter of course, difficulties often occurred. While on a summer's day in these mining towns one would seldom see a man who wore a coat, never would one be seen without a revolver ; in fact, the six shooter worn in a scabbard upon a belt fastened above the hips was considered almost a necessary part of every one's wearing apparel and a personal difficulty often resolved itself into a shooting scrape.
These early mining camps generally were governed by a code of morals, so far as public opinion was concerned, widely differing from that which pre- vails at the present time. To engage in a personal encounter in which one's opponent was shot and perhaps killed was not considered a disgrace, provided both parties to the encounter had willingly engaged in it, and always provid- ing that no advantage had been taken. To take or attempt to take a man's life without giving him a fair chance, or to take undue advantage of a man in a dispute of this kind, was a matter that would not be tolerated and when in- dulged in was apt to cause swift vengeance to be imposed upon the wrongdoer.
THE PROFESSIONAL "BAD MAN"
The peculiarities of life in the mining camps of the far West, commencing at the time of the first discoveries and extending to the era when mining ceased to be the main pursuit, developed a certain class of men, who came into undue prominence by reason of their desperate and bloodthirsty acts. These men were not necessarily criminals in other ways although a majority of them developed criminal instincts in other directions than that of taking human life. Their prominence generally depended upon the number of men they had killed. Their intentions in this line were usually directed toward men of their own kind, and not toward ordinary citizens. The typical "bad man" of the class to which these men belonged, originated in the early mining camps of California and the Washoe excitement caused most of them to take up their residence on the Comstock. When the early discoveries of gold were made in Idaho and Montana, those of these desperados who had survived their many conflicts, came to the new camps, most of them finding their way into Florence during the summer of 1862 and from there scattered into the various other mining camps. It is a well known fact in the history of the West that every newly discovered gold - field attracted not only the professional bad men, but also other elements bent upon acquiring wealth without labor by preying upon the industry of others. A horde of desperados, gamblers, highwaymen and other criminal adventurers gathered from all parts of California and the early mining camps of Nevada, followed the prospectors and miners into Idaho and Western Montana in the early sixties and vice in those places flourished in most of its forms. ยท
Idaho, until May, 1863, was a part of Washington Territory, the seat of government of which was at Olympia, nearly 400 miles away, and the nearest settlement of any consequence was at Walla Walla, nearly 200 miles distant.
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Courts were not established and every man was in a certain degree a law unto himself. Under such conditions, the many law-defying individuals infesting these camps carried on their unlawful practices without fear of arrest or punish- ment. Prominent among those outlaws whose crimes gave Idaho an unenviable reputation during the early mining days were, Ferd Patterson, Henry Plummer, "Cherokee Bob," Bill Mayfield, Boone Helm, Dave English , Jesse Peters, Farmer Peele, George Ives, "Dutch Fred," Charley Harper, Jack Cleveland, Bill Willoughby and a score of others equally desperate and law-defying. Some of those mentioned were worse than others, from a criminal standpoint, but all were equally entitled to be called "bad men."
Then there were a number of lesser lights-men who courted the favor of the desperados and outlaw leaders, but who lacked the courage and initiative to become real "bad men." There is a certain element everywhere, especially in newly discovered mining camps, that seemingly rejoices in an opportunity to asso- ciate with outlaws, although perhaps really not criminals themselves.
The greater part of the desperate criminals who infested the mining camps of Idaho during the flush days of '62 and '63 found their way into the mining camps in Western Montana and there, sometimes individually and sometimes banded together, preyed upon the public until the people of that territory, as the only method of ridding themselves of this menace to their lives and their property, organized themselves into a vigilance committee which, taking the law into its own hands, hung scores of the desperados, banished many others and for years made Montana an orderly, law abiding community, not by reason of any particular severity upon the part of the courts toward law breakers, after courts were firmly estblished, but by reason of the fear impressed upon the law- less element that the vigilance committee would be revived if crime again became rampant.
VIGILANCE COMMITTEES IN THE WEST
A history of any state of the Pacific Coast would be lacking in an essential element if no reference were made to vigilance committees-organizations of law abiding citizens formed to rid the communities in which they lived of lawless elements which were infesting the communities by taking advantage of the weak- ness of courts and the impossibility of securing legal convictions.
Oregon was the first of the Pacific states settled by Americans, but the pop- ulation that crossed the plains in the forties to find homes in Oregon settled in the main in the Willamette Valley and constituted a farming population.
The discovery of gold in 1848 in California brought on the great excitement of 1849, when thousands of adventurous spirits from all over the United States came round the Horn, or crossed the Isthmus, or made the tedious trip overland from the Missouri River to try their fortune in the golden state. The very exi- gencies of such a situation in a state like California, that had only shortly before come under American control, made it impossible to secure the benefits of a strict administration of the law.
While the great influx of population from all quarters was going on in many of the mining centers of the state vigilance committees were formed among the citizens for the purpose of removing the lawless element, and after this was done conditions were restored to normal.
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In sections, however, where the desperados and outlaws from all portions of the state congregated at times and where the administration of justice developed almost into a farce, the situation became so unbearable that the best citizens of the town, the law abiding element, were forced into an organization that in reality defied the law for the time being in order that the law might be sustained in all of its vigor in the future, and organized the great vigilance committee which finally purified the Bay City and through it, the entire state, by ridding the com- munity by death or deportation of its obnoxious elements.
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