80  CONTRIBUTIONS    TO    ECONOMIC    GEOLOGY,  1906,  PART    I. 
5.  Four  miles  below  Blackfoot,  Idaho,  is  the  most  extensive  bar  worked  for  placer 
mining  on  upper  Snake  River.  It  is  owned  by  J..G.  Walsh  and  is  worked  by  leasers, 
two  parties  operating  each  year.  A  well-equipped  dredge  is  usually  run  in  the  river 
at  this  point,  but  was  not  used  last  season. 
6.  During  last  season  this  placer  was  operated  by  Mr.  Cole,  but  with  what  success 
has  not  been  learned. 
7.  Not  working  at  present.  Owned  by  a  Portland  company  that  has  considerable 
machinery  and  a  small  dredge  on  the  ground. 
8.  I.  L.  Hoffer  property.     Assessment  work  only  has  been  done  at  this  point. 
9.  Franklin  mine,  one  of  the  best  known  on  Snake  River,  owned  by  Mary  Franklin 
and  Campbell  &  Stebbin.  Reported  yield,  $56,000.  This  claim  consists  of  separate 
holdings. 
10.  Sorenson  mine,  owned  by  Julius  Sorenson,  of  Neeley,  Idaho,  and  worked  by  a 
company  represented  by  Theodore  Lindsley,  of  Neeley.  This  is  the  best  mine  on 
upper  Snake  River,  having  richer  paid  dirt  than  any  other  mine  worked. 
11.  I.  L.  Hoffer  claim,  practically  worked  out.  Some  dirt  running  as  high  as  $101 
per  cubic  yard  was  taken  ou1  at  this  point. 
L2.  Worked  by  Dunn  &  Hand.  The  old  style  of  placer  workings  will  in  time 
be  crowded  out  here  on  account  of  the  backwater  from  the  Minidoka  dam  but  dredging 
will  no  doubl  be  done. 
13.  A  tow  miles  below  the  Minidoka  dam.  E.  A.  Keats  owns  Kit)  acres  on  which  he 
has  done  some' rocker  work  fornineorten  years.  Before  beginning  sluicing  operatic™ 
he  is  waiting  for  water  from  the  Government  ditch.  A  few  miles  below  this  point, 
opposite  Peterson's  ranch,  is  a  bar  on  which  some  work  is  being  done  by  Frank 
Eblett.  This  is  the  last  of  the  workings  above  Milner,  Idaho,  as  the  backwater  oJ 
the  Milner  dam  has  driven  out  those  operating  on  Snake  River  between  this  place 
and  Milner. 
11.    I.  L.  Hoffer  claim;  worked  out. 
Robert  X.  Bell,  State  inspector  of  mines,  Boise,  Idaho,  states  that 
in  southern  Idaho  the  counties  bordering  Snake  River  annually' 
report  to  the  United  States  assay  office  at  Boise  small  shipments  of 
gold  derived  from  sluicing  operations  along  the  lower  bars  that  border 
the  stream  f<>r  miles.  These  small  operators  are  satisfied  with  $2  tc 
$4  per  day  per  man.  During  the  summer  they  pick  a  favorable 
place  along  the  first  terrace  that  rises  10  to  20  feel  above  high-water 
mark  and  a  (lords  a  dump.  They  then  build  what  is  locally  called 
a  "machine,"  consisting  of  about  30  feet  of  .'5  to  4  foot  sluice,  floored 
with  a  steel-punched  screen,  and  begin  operations.  (For  methods 
see  p.  77.)  The  water  for  sluicing  is  generally  derived  from  some  m 
the  big  irrigating  canals  or  small  streams  in  the  mountains.  This 
simple  device  intelligently  handled  will  save  a  large  percentage  1 
the  visible  fine  gold  of  the  Snake  River  gravels,  and  is  applicable 
as  well  to  the  large  dredging  operations.  Some  of  these  bars  in  the 
past  have  given  this  portion  of  the  State  a  fair  standing  in  the  pro- 
duction of  gold. 
That  part  of  Snake  River  which  forms  the  boundary  betweer 
Lincoln  and  Cassia  counties,  Idaho,  was  the  scene  several  years  ag] 
of  the  most  successful  gold-dredging  enterprise  that  has  ever  beer 
conducted   for   the   treatment   of  the   extensive   beds   of  fine   gold- 
