The Pioneer Stimulus of Gold 151
River and the establishment of the towns of Empire City and Marshfield.
Scattering appearances of gold, in 1853-54, were aimounced from Burnt River in Eastern Oregon, and from Yakima, Pend Oreille and Coeur d'Alene rivers, but their significance was not then realized.^® "Not enough [gold]- has yet been found to repay the labor of procuring it," wrote Major Benjamin Alvord in 1853.^ Authorities do not agree upon the first discoveries in the interior country, but it is known that the real awakening came from discoveries near Fort Colville, in the Spring of 1855,*^ and on Kootenai River, about the same time. Later in the year the John Day Valley in Oregon was favorably prospected.^
Indian hostilities then delayed pursuit of gold in the interior country, but in 1858 many prospectors were again busy along the waters of Columbia River and on both sides of the Cana- dian boundary. Reports of gold in Thompson and Fraser rivers in 1856-57 produced the gfreat "rush" of 1858 to those streams. Gold-seeking thence spread over British Columbia, and a great development of mining took place in that province in 1860-70. The Idaho mines began activities in 1860,*^ those of John Day^ and Powder River, in Eastern Oregon, in 1861 f^
iSFor gold discoveries of Burnt River, see Th€ Oregonian. July 15, 1854: }\x\y 31, 1855; July 18, September 23, 1861; near Fort Colville and on Pend Oreille River, June 23, 185s, and many issues following; September i, 1855; No- vember 3, 1855, May 16, July 11, 18, September 26, October 3, 1857; January 30, 1858; Yakima River, April 22, 1854.
19 Letter of Major Alvord appears in The Oregonian, April 16. 1853*
20 See Howay's British Columbia, pp. 9-11.
21 For details of the John Dav mmes in 1855, see The Oregonian^ Julv 21, 1855; narrative of discoverv bjr earry fur hunters, and again in 1862, ibtd.. Febru- ary 14, 1806, p. 7. These diggings became widely known in 1861-62. Canyon City was a large town. See The Oregonian, March 18, June 27, August 7, 21, 27, September 8, November 16, 1862; February 11, 14, 1865.
22 The Clearwater mines were discovered in i860; Salmon River mines, in 1 861: those of Boise Basin, in 1862, and of Owyhee, in 1863. Reminiscences of the Idaho mines, by Joaquin Miller, appear in The Oregonian, November 24* 1890, p. 7; history of the mines, by Preston W. Gillette, Jtme 14, 1899, p. 9; July 17. 1899, P* 6; Ke also, ibid., September 21, 1887, January 3, 1890.
23 See note 21.
24 Powder River placers were at their best in 1861-62. The town of Auu^m became the largest in the interior countrv, and was in decline in 1864 (The Orego- nian, April 20, 1864). The celebrateo Auburn ditch, sixteen miles long, was built in 1862-63 bv Portland capital, at a cost of $40,000. For details, see The Oregonian, November 15, 1861; May i, June 5, 11, 17, 19. August 6. 8, 14. Sep- tember 17, 29, October i, 4, 10, November 21, 27. December i<, 1862; January 28, February 23, April 9, May s, 14. June 8, October 7, 1863; April 4, 20, July 16, October 29, 1864; see history of Auburn dig^ngs. Portland Bulletin, February 5, 1873, p. I. Gold was discovered near Baker in 1861 (The Oregonian^ January 27, 1883K Granite Creek was busy in 1863 (The Oregonian, Tune 10, July 23, 1863). Eaffle Credc had placers and quartz ledges (v>id., February 15. 1865). Quartz gola began to be mmed near Auburn in 1864 (tbid., October 29, i864).
