USA > Idaho > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 25
USA > Montana > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 25
USA > Washington > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 25
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MINING AND TOWN-MAKING.
Nez Percé Indian agent, who did not find it necessary to interfere with the party, but on the contrary, ex- pressed himself pleased with their behavior. The agent might have obtained the consent of the Nez Percés to the presence of a single party of miners in their country; but when in February others com- menced to follow, they were intercepted and turned back, a few who succeeded in passing the Indian picket being warned that they would be required to return in the spring.
Knowing how impossible it would be, when spring opened, to prevent a migration to the Clearwater gold-fields, Superintendent E. R. Geary, held a con- ference with Colonel Wright in reference to the threatened complication in Indian matters. The re- sult of the consultation was that the superintendent repaired to the upper country, held a council, and made a treaty with the Indians to meet the exigencies of the coming mining excitement, promising them military protection, and the enforcement of the United States laws-a compact of necessity rather than a matter of choice with the natives.
Some weeks before the treaty was negotiated, miners were en route from Walla Walla and Portland, and merchants from the former place had taken goods to Pierce City, situated at the mouth of Canal Gulch, on Oro Fino Creek, to be in readiness for the coming demand. At the time the treaty with the Nez Percés was concluded, 300 miners were already in the Oro Fino district. A month later there were 1,000, with immigration coming in rapidly from California, overland. As the spring advanced the excitement increased, and a line of steamers was put upon the Columbia to accommodate the thousands that rushed impetuously to this richest of all the gold-fields yet discovered north of the Columbia.16
The route travelled was by steamer to old Fort Walla Walla, thence by stage to Walla Walla town, 16 Olympia Pioneer and Democrat, Feb. 24, March 15, April 5 and 26, 1861.
237
TOWN OF SLATERVILLE.
and thence by pack-horses or teams to the mines, the whole distance from Portland, where the traveller embarked, being 436 miles. Horses, saddles, wagons, provisions, clothing, mining tools, and camp equipage were in demand at Walla Walla in 1861, the mer- chants, at least, having found a bonanza.
In May the Colonel Wright made the first trip ever consummated by a steamer to the mouth of the Clear- water, and up that stream to within twelve miles of the forks, or within less than forty miles of Pierce City. A town was immediately founded at this landing, called Slaterville, after its founder. It contained in May five houses of canvas, two of which were pro- vision stores, two private dwellings, and the other a drinking-saloon. The saloon was roofed with two blankets, a red and a blue one. On its side was writ- ten the word "whiskey" in charcoal, and inside, a bar- rel of the liquid constituted the stock in trade. Two bottles and two drinking-glasses composed the furni- ture. Fifty white persons were to be found in and about Slaterville at this time. Following the Colonel Wright, the Tenino, the second steamer on the upper Columbia, made a few trips to this place, but it was soon found to be impracticable for a landing on account of the rapids in the Clearwater, which could only be navigated for a short season of the year. The last trip of the Tenino was made before the close of the month, her final departure taking place June 1st.
The next cargo of freight and load of passengers were landed, by necessity, at the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake rivers, on the south side, which was in direct contravention of the terms of the treaty made in April. There did not seem to be any alter- native, the mountains rising abruptly on the north side, and this being the natural head of navigation. When the treaty was made, the head of navigation was at old Fort Walla Walla, or in rare cases at the mouthi of the Tucannon River. Already this was all
238
MINING AND TOWN-MAKING.
changed, and the route most travelled was up Snake River to the Clearwater. By the 10th of June the navigation company and the miners had settled it that a town must be built at this point. The site was most favorable, being a level piece of ground between the two rivers, sloping gently back a mile or two to the high prairies beyond. The name fixed upon was Lewiston, in compliment to Merriwether Lewis, the discoverer of the Clearwater and Snake rivers, who had been entertained by the father of the head chief of the Nez Perces, Lawyer, almost at the very spot where Americans were now mining for gold. Two weeks after it was first used as a landing, Lewiston had a population and business of considerable impor- tance. Pack-trains daily departed thence to the inines, laden with the goods brought up by the weekly steamboat, the town at once taking on an air of having come to stay, which its excellent location fully justified. The military authorities, however, who were pledged to protect the Indians in their rights, prohibited the erection of permanent buildings, and the Nez Perce agent called the attention of the publie to the breach of treaty committed by them in their invasion of the reservation twice reserved.
But remonstrances were unavailing when opposed to the determination of 3,000 persons already occupy- ing the foot-hills of the Blue Mountains, and whose number was daily increasing. Lawyer, and the head- men generally, perceived the difficulties in which the white men would be placed if denied access to the mines, or a landing for their goods, and accepting some compensation, they allowed the town site of Lewiston to be laid off in October. That the Nez Percés were not averse to the coming of white men among them was evident from their obliging and friendly conduet. The better class of Indians as well as white men reprobated the introduction of intoxicat- ing liquors; but otherwise, expecting the treaty to be observed in regard to territory, they made no very
239
THE ORO FINO MINES.
great protest against the presence of miners on the reservation.
As the summer advanced, new discoveries were made and other mining towns sprang up. Oro Fino City, a rival of Pierce City, in the early part of June had sixty houses, built of logs, ten stores of general merchandise, and various other shops. The popula- tion was about 500, most of whom lived in tents. Three families were settled there, the whole of the inhabitants with this exception being males. A. wagon-road was completed from the mouth of the Clearwater to Pierce City in June,17 crossing the south branch of that river.
In July 5,000 men were scattered over the mining region, now no longer confined to Oro Fino district. Two saw-mills were in process of erection,18 and trade was already overdone, so many merchants had has- tened their goods into the country. In Oro Fino City building lots sold for from $100, to $200, and with a log-house on them, from $500 to $1,000. Carpenters' wages were nine and ten dollars a day, and common labor from three and a half to six dollars.
As to what the miners were making, that depended upon the locality. The first discovery was inferior in richness to later ones. On Rhodes Creek, which emptied into the Oro Fino one and a half miles above Pierce City, claims paid from twelve to twenty-five dollars a day to the man. The heavy expenses of opening a claim, however, greatly lessened the profits; lumber costing twenty cents a foot, and nails forty cents per pound, in addition to the high price of labor. A few claims yielded fifty, seventy, and a hundred dollars to the man.19
17 This road was cut out by Mr Athey of Oregon City. Or. Argus, July 27, 1861. Mr Mulkey of Washington co., Oregon, drove the first team into Oro Fino.
18 One of these pioneer mills was erected by A. M. and L. M. Starr. Ore- gonian, Aug. 21, 1861.
19 G. C. Robbins of Portland reported to the press in August that 2,500 practical miners were at work on Rhodes Creek, Oro Fino Creek, Canal Gulch,
240
MINING AND TOWN-MAKING.
With the usual restlessness of miners, a party of fifty-two men left the Oro Fino district in May to ex- plore and prospect the south fork of the Clearwater and its tributaries. This stream was almost unknown, being far to the north of the travelled roads between the Rocky and Blue mountains, and even remote from the trails made by the fur-hunters. Proceeding seven- teen miles above the north branch of South Fork, they crossed from the north to the south side of the stream, keeping up the river to the junction of the south branch of the South Fork, up which they con- tinned for six miles, or until they arrived at the vil- lage of the chief of that district of the Nez Percé country, Coolcoolsneenee, who objected to this infrac- tion of treaty agreements, which excluded white men from the south side of the Clearwater.
After a prolonged interview with the chief, who insisted upon an observance of the treaty, thirty of the party turned back. The remaining twenty-two crossed the South Fork to the north side, and pro- ceeded along up the stream by the southern Nez Percé trail to the buffalo-grounds, going about twenty miles from the crossing in an easterly course, until they came to where three branches of the South Fork met. Here they made an examination of the earth, and obtained from twelve to twenty-five cents to the pan of shot and drift gold.
and French Creek, and that 4,000 or 5,000 men were making a living in other ways. His report on the yield of the mines was as follows: Jarvis & Co., four men, $10 per day to the man; James & Co., five men, $10 per day to the man; McCarty & Co., four men, $10 each; Vesay & Co., eight men, $7 to $8; Hook & Co., six men, $10 to $12; Jones & Co., four men, $10 to $12; Dunbar & Asar, $10 to $12; Shaffer & Co., fourteen men, $60; Paine & Co., twenty men, $70; Mortimer & Co., twenty-four men, $70 to $80; Hatch & Co., five men, $16 to $20; Thomas & Co., fourteen men, $18 to $20; Rillery & Co., seventeen men, $16 to $17; Blakely & Co., nine men, $16 to $20; Smalley & Co., ten men, $16; Boon & Co., eight men, $16; California Co., nine men, $16; Newland & Co., six men, $16; Hickox & Co., five men, $16 to $20; Let 'Er Rip & Co., eleven men, $16 to $20; Hoyt & Co., eight men, $12; Felton & Co., $16; Sparks & Co., $15; Rossi & Co., $15; Rhodes & Co., eleven men, 300 ounces per day to the company. On French Creek, Antoine Pillir, T. Lapoint, M. Gumon, John Lesot, Harkum, and Quirk were making each $10 to $12 per day. Portland Oregonian, Aug. 26, 1861; S. F. Heruld, Nov. 14, 1861; Yreka Journal, Dec. 4, 1861.
241
ELK CITY.
About one third of the party returned to Oro Fino, where they arrived on the 6th of June, exhibiting their specimens, and after purchasing a supply of pro- visions, immediately rejoined their associates in the new diggings.20
The discovery on South Fork led to a rush of several hundred Oro Fino miners, sonie of whom returned be- fore winter. Other diggings were found on the north side of the Clearwater, on Newsom Creek, where from eight to fifteen dollars a day were obtained. The opposition of the Indians to the intrusion of white men on the South Fork for a time restrained the mining population, but good reports continuing to come from there, a fresh migration set in, and by September a town called Elk City was laid off between Elk and American creeks of Red River, the main branch of South Fork, which contained 2,000 inhabi- tants, several business houses, and forty dwellings already crected or in process of construction.21
Elk valley, or prairie, was about seven miles in length, and not more than half a mile in width. The mountains on either side were low and covered with small pines. From the tops of these ridges flat ravines sloped down at intervals, covered with rich grass, and watered by springs. Elk City was situated a mile from the lower end of the valley, on a flat between two of these ravines, which gave it a greater extent of view. On the west the mountains rose ridge above ridge toward the great spur of the Bitter Root range, which the miners were obliged to cross to reach it, and Elk Creek, its meanderings marked only by occasional clumps of willows, flowed along the western border of the town. The distance from Elk City to Oro Fino was 120 miles. Between it and the cross- ing of the South Fork were two rugged ranges, one fifteen miles, the other twenty-five miles over, sepa-
20 Corr. Portland Oregonian, June 20, 1861. The only name given of any one belonging to this party is McGill, in S. F. Bulletin, July 3, 1861. 21 Maize's Early Erents, MS., 11.
HIST. WASH .- 16
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MINING AND TOWN-MAKING.
rated by Newsom Creek.22 On every side in this local- ity rose ledges of pale red or rose quartz. Between the mountains were intervals of beautiful grassy prairies; on the mountains heavy pine forests. Game abounded, the principal being the elk, of which there were large bands. The country was, in fact, very different from the California miner's preconceived ideas of a gold country. But experience had proved that gold might exist either under barren sands, rich alluvium, or the frozen mosses of a Cariboo; and cer- tainly this was a pleasanter country to live and mine in than Cariboo. The objection to it was that the mining season, so far up in the mountains, must be comparatively short; and in order to make up for the expense of a long idle winter, it was important to se- cure a considerable sum during the summer. It was also necessary to lay in a sufficient stock of provisions to last while the heavy snows suspended travel.
Some who preferred wintering in Walla Walla left the mines early to avoid the snow; but the majority remained, and for these the traders provided by hurry- ing in ample stocks of goods as long as the weather permitted.23 Such was the energy and enterprise of the latter class, that by the first week in September a trail six feet wide was cut through forty miles of timber on the mountains between Elk City and the South Fork, obstructions removed, and the hills graded where required. In October, in spite of treaty obligations, a white man had taken up a farm on the road, and erected a cabin of the nature of a wayside inn, called the Mountain House.
At this period of the development of the Clearwater mines, there were comparatively few except Oregon and Washington men engaged in mining or trade in
22 "The gold at Newsom Creek is a deep red, and heavier and coarser than that found at Oro Fino.' Corr. Portland Advertiser.
23 The first firm to take goods to Elk City was John Creighton & Co. Flour sold from $16 to $20 per 100 pounds, and groceries in proportion. The only cheap article of food was beef, at 12 to 15 cents per pound, and vegetables sold by Indians.
243
BALANCING ACCOUNTS.
the Nez Perce country. The sale of whiskey, repro- bated by the majority, was carried on, notwithstand- ing the danger that it might involve the miners and Indians in trouble. Few crimes, however, were com- mited this season. One American was shot in a drunken quarrel with a Frenchman, and one packer was murdered and robbed on the road. Some instances of sluice-robbing occurred at Oro Fino; and horse- stealing by an organized band of thieves began.
By the end of summer, when the mining season was expected to close, the profits of the outlay in opening up the gold-fields began to be speculated upon by the press; and although no doubt was entertained of the riches contained in the gold region, or that it would continue to yield well for a longer period than the Fraser mines, which were already worked out,24 it was asserted that the Willamette Valley was a million dol- lars worse off for the discovery. And yet the Willa- mette Valley was, as far as cash was concerned, already poor, on account of the long period of Indian wars, and the non-payment of the war debt, while the weekly receipt of gold-dust at Portland was nearly $100,000.25 These jealous writers admitted that this money was developing in various ways the natural resources of an immense region east of the Cascade Mountains, but chiefly on the Washington side of the Columbia. Even The Dalles, which had received a great impetus from the Colville and Fraser River migrations, was but little benefited by this one; for now that the steam- ers carried freight and passengers directly to Lewis- ton, the business of supplying miners was transacted either at that place or at Portland.26 Others with more comprehensive views remarked that the gold
24 Angelo's Idaho, 23.
25 This statement is taken from the Oregon Statesman, the most conserva- tive paper in Oregon, and the one always opposed to mining ventures, or any enterprises not directly beneficial to the Willamette Valley. See Statesman, Sept. 9 and Nov. 4, 1861.
26 The Colville and Oro Fino mines helped Portland greatly; and in 1861 built up the Oregon Steam Navigation Company. Loaded drays used to stand in line half a mile long, unloading at night freight to go in the morning, that involved a fortune. Deady's Hist. Or., MS., 37.
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MINING AND TOWN-MAKING.
discoveries came opportunely for Oregon, the disburse- ment of money in the country by the army pay-masters and quartermasters having almost ceased through the withdrawal of the regular troops to participate in the civil war. It was also remarked that, contrary to the ideas generally entertained of the value of the country east of the mountains for agriculture, those persons who had taken up farming claims on the route from The Dalles to Lewiston had raised fine crops, and were getting high prices for them. This was the beginning of a better understanding of the capabilities of the soil in what has since become one of the best wheat-producing countries in the world, but which was up to this period considered as a grazing country only.
The opinion had been repeatedly expressed that the Clearwater mines were but the outskirts of some richer central deposit. In the hope of verifying this belief, prospecting parties had been traversing the country in an easterly and southerly direction during the entire summer of 1861. The party which success- fully proved the theory consisted of twenty-three men who left Oro Fino in the early part of July to pros- pect on Salmon River. After testing the bars on this river for a distance of 100 miles, with encouraging results, they retraced their steps to a point about seventy-five miles south of Elk City, to which place they desired to go in order to lay in a stock of pro- visions. At the point mentioned, the company divided, nine of them remaining to hunt, and to examine the country for a practicable route through the great masses of fallen timber which obstructed travel in the direction of the Clearwater.
In their reconnoissance, while travelling over a wet, boggy flat on the top of a high mountain twenty miles north of Salmon River, they stopped to rest in a temporary camp, when one of the explorers laid a wager with another that the color of gold could not
245
SALMON RIVER AND MILLERSBURG.
be found in that country. In sport the wager was accepted, and in a short time the prospector having taken a pan of dirt from the roots of an upturned tree, found it to contain five cents' worth of gold. Upon this wholly unexpected and flattering prospect the party proceeded to examine the creeks and gulches in the immediate vicinity, obtaining five, ten, twenty- five, and even seventy-five cents to every pan of dirt washed. They then followed their former associates to Elk City, where, after resting for a few days, they purchased a month's supplies and returned to their discovery, accompanied by a few others.27
The discovery was made in September, and in October a town called Millersburg was laid off on Miller Creek, where the richest diggings were found. From the first pan of dirt taken out of the first hole sunk in this creek $25 was obtained. In the course of an afternoon Miller washed out $100. The remain- der of the company then staked off claims and began operations with vigor. Working only with a rocker, each claim averaged from $75 to $100 daily to the man. With a pan alone $75 was obtained in ten hours, and in one gulch five men took out $700 in the same time.
During the first two weeks in October fifty men were mining at Millersburg, and a radius of five miles had been prospected. To get a winter's supplies to camp was the first care of those on the ground, to which end they expended much labor upon a pack- trail to Elk City. The first train that left Elk City under the guidance of Leech became lost in a snow- storm, and after wandering about for two weeks, re- turned to the starting-point. But in the mean time three trains belonging to Creighton had left Elk City
27 The names of a few only of the discoverers of the Salmon River mines have been preserved. These are John H. Bostwick, B. B. Rogers, Nathan and Samuel Smith, John J. Healey, T. H. Miller, Leech, More, and Hall. The Smiths were old Yreka miners. The lucky pan-holder at this last dis- covery was a Frenchman named Michel. Bristow's Encounters, MS., 10; Corr. Or. Statesman, Oct. 28, 1861; Portland Oregonian, Oct. 21, 1861.
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MINING AND TOWN-MAKING.
and proceeded as far as Camas prairie, ten miles south of the Clearwater, where they were met by Eagle- from-the-light, who peremptorily ordered them to turn baek, and observe the treaty made in April. They endeavored to pacify the justly offended chief, and pushed on.28
By the first of November there were 1,000 men on the ereeks and gulehes of the new district, believed at that time to be limited to a small extent of territory. Elk City and Oro Fino were soon almost deserted. Although a large amount of provisions was hurried into Millersburg, not enough could be taken there before the snow had stopped the passage of trains to support all who had gone there, and by the middle of November many were foreed to return to Oro Fino a distance of 100 miles, to winter, lest starvation should attack the camp before spring. The snow was already over two feet deep, and the cold severe, so that frozen feet very frequently disabled the traveller for the remainder of the season.
The excitement which hurried men to the Salmon River mines was intense. Nor was it without justi- fieation; for every report from there confirmed and strengthened the accounts given by the first explorers, though some who had gone there returned with- out any treasure. 29 The weight of evidence was to
28 C. W. Berry of Scott Bar, Cal., was the first to arrive with a stock of goods, Oct. 18th, and located himself on Nasan's Gulch. Or. Statesman, Jan. 6, 1862.
29 A Dalles correspondent of the Or. Statesman of Dec. 2d wrote: 'One of my acquaintances arrived here on Thursday (Nov. 22d) with 55 pounds of gold- dust, nearly all the product of a few days' labor on Summit Flat, Salmon River.' Also, '300 pounds of gold-dust was taken on the last steamer to Port- land.' 'The mines are paying from $50 to $150 per day to the hand.' Or. Statesman, Nov. 4, 1861. John Creighton, writing to J. C. Isaacs of Walla Walla, says: 'Our company of eleven men made $600 in one week.' Puget Sound Herald, Nov. 7, 1861. 'John Munroe, of Yamhill county, took out $180 in an afternoon; the next day 23 lbs; and the next day 5 lbs (cqual to $600 and $1,200). John Malone panned out 8400 the first day on his claim. Bostwick of Cal., 880 in a day. Smith (three-fingered) took 462 ounces (8697) out of one hundred buckets of dirt. Maroon Scott is making $100 a day. H. S. Case writes that the mines are paying from $25 to $400 a day to the man. Wages are $10 and $12 a day.' Portland Oregonian, Nov. 14, ISGI. 'Two men took out 80 ounces in one day. Many were making $50 a day with the pan, and $100 to $200 with rockers.' Ibid., Nov. 5. 'We have heard of two men
247
RICH CLAIMS.
the effect that these mines excelled in richness the placer mines of California in their best days. Of their extent, men were not so eertain.
A letter to the Portland Times of November 25th stated that while the correspondent was at the Salmon River mines, in the latter part of October, he had known from personal observation some claims to yieldl from thirty to eighty dollars to the pan. One panful of dirt from Baboon Gulch contained $151.50. The same claim yielded $1,800 in three hours, two men working it with a rocker. This claim belonged to a man named Weiser, the same after whom Weiser River in Idaho was named. John Munsac of Yam- hill county, Oregon, purchased a claim for $1,800, and from two pans of the dirt took four ounces of gold. In two weeks he had taken out forty-five pounds of dust! It was no uncommon thing to see, on entering a miner's cabin, a gold-washing pan meas- uring eight quarts full to the brim, or half filled, with gold-dust washed out in one or two weeks. All manner of vessels, such as oyster-cans and yeast-pow- der boxes, or pickle-bottles, were in demand, in which to store the precious dust. A claim was held in small esteem that yielded only $12 a day, as some elaims did, while hundreds of others returned from one to four ounces for a day's labor.
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