The west shore., January 01, 1886, Page 37, Image 35

WEST SHORE.
37
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miuers, are pushing tbeir work with nil tho speed possi
ble. They have some five or sis months' supply ot pro
visions, and a ditch and sluice box in working order.
Tlioy report having taken out gnld enough in two dnvs tn
11 1 1 - t - ? i mi ... J
ny an we bxububob bo iar incurred, xne citizens of
'o'lodo have subscribed work and cash for the oncninn
up and shortening of the road to the raining enmp. Gold
certainly exists in our foothills, and the mou now out
think they are on the right track."
Of the wheat crop of 1884 raised in the region trib
utary to Lewiston, Idaho, 135,000 bushels wore Bhippod
from that place by tho Snake River boats. Already
2,000 tons of the crop of 1885 have been shipped, 3,000
are in store awaiting transportation, and as much more is
still in the granaries of the farmers. This is a gain of
100 per cent As soon aa Lewiston has a railroad line
through the Clearwater country and Camas Prairio it
will become one of the largest grain shipping points in
the interior. It will not be long before the thousands of
idle acres of the Nez Perce Reservation will bo thrown
open to settlement and annually produce an enormous
crop for export
Yamhill County, it seems, has determined not to be
outdone by her sister communities of Oregon in present
ing her claims to .the intending emigrant We are in
formed from trustworthy sources that Mr. J. F. Cacho,
compiler of the history of Yamhill and Washington coun
ties, is now actively engaged in collecting data for a
pnmphlet on Old Yamhill's resources. This is a tine
scheme on the part of Mr. Cache, and we extend him our
heartiest wishes that he may do justice to Yamhill and
its present inhabitants. He proposes issuing an edition
of 20,000, a number insufficient at that, to meet tho de
mands of would-be locators in our midst
The books of the Territorial Controller show that
Idaho has taxable property assossed at $15l!)73,(i()0, about
equally divided between real and porsonal property, and
owned by 9,108 taxpayers. The total bonded and floating
indebtedness of the fifteen counties is $921,785, the cash
in county treasuries $100,5-10, and tho value of county
property $320,512, leaving a net indebtedness of 11)1,727.
1'lie heaviest debts are those of Ada, Alturas, Bingham
and Oneida counties. Nez Perce shows the smallest
ratio of debt to value of property, being respectively
$20,208 and $1,712,702. The highest ratio is that of
Alturas, being $207,800 and $3,315,81)5.
Another placer mining strike has been mado in Mon
tana, in the Big Hole country, in the southwestern por
tion of the Territory. Reports of work done by pros
poclors sound like those of early mining times, 'lho new
mines are located in Monument District, so named bo
cause of the granite shaft erected there to the memory of
those who foR in the bloody battle of tho liig Hole. The
diggings are on the north fork of Big Hole River and
not far from the battle ground If they prove half as
rich and extensive as predicted the farmers of Bitter
Root Valley will find a good market for their produce in
the mining campB that will spring up.
The rareness of genuine mica which will split into
arge, thin, transparent sheets renders that mineral ex
tremely valuable, ranging from $H to $22 per pound.
The only real mica mine on the Coast now being worked
is a few miles from Lewiston, Idaho. Recently oue was
discovered in the Oeur d'Alone region which has Iwn
named the "Mica Wonder." The mineral is said to be
from seven to ten foet thick between well-defined walls or
granite and shale, the slanting voins being separated by
thin layers of soft spar. The owners have refused an
offer of $-10,000 for their undeveloped claim. Boveral
thar locations have been made.
been
snii
Experimental shipments of Montana potatoes have
n mmlo to St Paul with satisfactory result, and it is
1 Hint a ready market can lm fniin.f f,. ...,
tity of thorn. The tubers mined in the dry, rich soil of
Montana nro superior to the product of tho Mississippi
Valley and ought to command a higher prico in the
Eastern market Montana barley is also very superior,
and is in demand among Fastern brewers. Potato ami
barley are the two most perfect crops of the Territory,
and if a market can be created for them in the Knst tho
farmers will bo encouraged to raiso more extensive crops,
A now mining camp called "Gold Hill" has sprung
tip ten miles west of Colvillo, W. T., since tho discovery
tliero last suminor of ledges of gold-bearing quart. A
ten-Btamp mill 1ms been purchased in Han Francisco and
set up ou tho hill for tho working of oro from tlio Lady
Franklin, Australian, Golden Kaglo, Hail Columbia and
Bunker Hill claims. Homo of tho lodges show quart
voins from one to tlireo feet wide on tho surface, and
much is cxpocted from tlieir development If they provo
to bo easy working ores at a depth of sovoral hundred
feet Gold Hill will Boon become a noted camp,
Tho Mtwniwr, Challis, Idaho, says: "Tho Clayton
smelter closed down for tho winter on tho 25th of Novem
ber, after the most successful summer's run it him ever
made, leaving everything in tho best sssililo condition
tho oro house empty, the ooal bins empty and the ma
chinery in lino shape for another successful year's run.
Tho output this year, although we do not know tho exact
figures, has been large, very largo, ami aggregates about
7(H) tons of bullion, matte and high grade oro of tho aver
ago valuo of not far from 500 ounces per ton, or a total
product of $:150,)00."
Great confidence is felt by tho people of Hnilcy in
tho futnro of tho Wood River country, even if silver
should receive a black eye in Congress, based usn tho
clieerf ul prospects before the " gold belt" This consist
of several wide parallel veins of gold-bearing quart,
which tho HMipleof that region look Unhi aa tho working
ground of several thousand miners in a few yours. Two
mills, one a regular twenty-stump and tho other a new
Wis well of about the samo capacity, are already at work,
and are demonstrating tho valuo of tho gold licit ore.
It is generally understood that an agreement has
Itecn reached Isttwoon tho governments of (treat Hritaiu
and Canada, whereby tho Fsquimalt station on Vancou
ver Island will be fortified and garrisyiwd. Tho Imperial
Government will erect an arsenal, fortifications and bar
racks, ami tho Dominion Government will maintain a
garrison of troo and a buttery of artillery. It is also"
understood that a torodo factory will bo built and tho
dockyard enlarged to accommodate ships and iron-clad.
Gold has Wit discovered on the Coqtiillain River,
only a few miles from Now Westminster ami Port Moody,
II. C. As yet nothing (Infinite is known of either tho ex
tent or richness of the diggings, but it is a general belief
that good ground will Is) found on several stream in
that vicinity. Protqccting is Ixiing doiin by a largo num.
1st of men and much excitement prevails, lleing so near
cheap supplies of all kinds they will lm Iom uMnive
mines to work than any yet discovered ou tho Coast
ThoAlphnand Omega mines, thirty-five mites north
of Helena, have been purchased forll.lXW by busine
men of that city, who have incoriortel a company for
working them. This is the lurgtf prico paid for a miim
in Montana since the big Drum Liimmon sain. Tim
locations are an extension of tho Hoinoittak, which liaa
produced $70,000 in the last wiven mouths with a flve
sUuip inilL