Gold Fever in the Saloons
Massive, high-value quartz specimens from the Boise mines go on display in Walla Walla, fueling local speculation.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Messrs. Waddingham and McBride have arrived from South Boise with 16,000 pounds of quartz destined for assay in San Francisco. The cargo includes ore from several prominent ledges, including the Ada Elmore and the Comstock. Two specimens weighing 100 pounds each, valued at up to $200, have been drawing crowds at the Challenge and Bank Exchange saloons. These exhibits have triggered a bout of 'quartz on the brain' among local residents, sparking intense interest in the region's mining potential.
“They are curiosities in their way, and have attracted a deal of attention among quartz fanciers.”
The 1860s obsession with 'quartz on the brain' mirrors modern speculative manias, where physical displays of wealth in public spaces (or digital equivalents) drive investment into often risky, distant ventures.
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