WHERE THE RICH PLACERS WERE FOUND--MINERS’ SUPERSTITION--THE BLUE CLAY
DEPOSIT--GOLD MACHINES.
It might be of some interest to those who engage in mining, as well
as for others, to know where were found the richest gold deposits by
the first miners, or, rather, what were considered as the richest
ravines or cañons, in the central portion of the mining regions or
dry diggings, as they were called. Previous to the arrival of the
emigration of ’49, those who happened to be in the country, as well
as the Mormon element which rushed into the mines from Salt Lake upon
hearing of the gold discovery, and those also who came from Oregon,
made their way immediately to the vicinity of Coloma, where gold
was first discovered. But little placer mining was found in this
vicinity, and the gold seekers wandered off in various directions. In
the vicinity of Georgetown and Kelsey, rich mines among the hills and
ravines were found, the dry diggings around Hangtown being discovered
about March 1 by parties from Oregon. The first discovery was made in
Hangtown Creek, near the mouth of Cedar Ravine, the latter being the
first ravine worked, and found to be very rich, yielding upwards of
$1,000,000. The next discovery was in Bedford Avenue, at that time
called “Log Cabin Ravine,” and a large amount of gold was taken from
it by the two Winslow brothers, who first discovered it, and also by a
Mr. Rider who took home with him about $25,000. From this ravine had
been taken altogether, as near as can be determined, about $250,000.
The richest portion of the creek was from a point below the mouth of
Cedar Ravine down to a point near the foundry. Below this again but
very little gold was found. In ascending the creek, good wages were
made above Cedar Ravine, and a few very good deposits were found nearly
up to the store of Dr. Price. From that point up, but little gold was
ever found, although a few spots paid fair wages. The creek was worked
in ’49 and up to the autumn of ’51 by the usual process of sinking of
holes and cradling the gravel upon the bed rock. Spots in the creek,
especially in the rear of the court house, were found to be very
rich, and a piece of ground in the rear of Adam’s Hotel (afterwards
the Mount Joy Hotel) was worked in ’49 and up to the spring of ’50 by
Fish Brothers and Co., from which they realized, as they stated, about
$20,000.
Just below Adams’ Hotel was a round tent used as a saloon and gambling
house by Tom Ashton, in the winter of ’49. Immediately in the rear of
this tent, a man by the name of Wiley, in the spring of ’50, from one
pan of white clay washed out the sum of $1,400. A singular fact noticed
and commented upon in ’49 was, that from about this point in the creek
down, but very little gold was ever found. The cause of this was not
discovered until near the spring of ’50, when it was found that the
original creek which deposited the gold made a turn at this point,
running down under the buildings and crossing the street about opposite
the grocery store belonging to A. W. Bee, continued down through town
on the opposite side of the street, being confined in its course to
a narrow channel until reaching nearly to the Cary House. From this
point, no regular channel was ever found; but the gold was found
scattered over the flats below. This flat was worked principally during
’49 and the summer of ’50. The old channel running through and under
the town has all been worked with pan and cradle, and found to be very
rich in places; and would pay well with sluices, but not in my opinion
half as well as many imagine, for there is no gold to speak of in the
main street, except perhaps a very narrow spot on the Plaza, where the
old creek crossed.
The amount of gold extracted from the creek altogether, including the
flat below, as near as I was able to judge, was about $800,000. It was
generally known how much miners were realizing from their claims, yet
there were certain ones who kept it a secret, these generally being
those who had the richest mines. Emigrant Ravine paid fair wages nearly
up to the head of it, and a few smaller ravines emptying into it, also
paid well. Going north from town across the Big Cañon to Poverty Point
and its vicinity, many rich ravines were found; but the richest gold
deposit was reserved for the miners of ’50. This was the celebrated
Red Hill, of decomposed quartz deposit lead, found upon the apex of a
slate ledge crossing three different ravines, and running down towards
the Big Cañon. This lead was about an eight of a mile in length, and
in some places only about three inches in width; yet over $250,000 was
taken from it. The very richest ravine that was discovered up to this
time, the spring of ’51, around Hangtown, was the Oregon Ravine. This
ravine was first discovered by two men from Oregon named Yocum. They
first worked a narrow strip up through the ravine about three feet in
width, and were at work at the time of our arrival in Hangtown, about
the 1st of October. We had consequently an opportunity of forming some
idea of its richness. Their method of working was of the most primitive
kind. One would with pick and shovel remove the dirt from the surface
to near the bed rock, which was about three feet in depth, and the
other, with an old knife or a sharp stick in one hand, would stir up
the dirt, and as the bright pieces of gold showed themselves, would
pick them up and drop them into a tin cup, which he constantly carried
in the other hand.
This was their slow method of working, and although they realized a
fortune by this process, they did not glean as much as they should have
done. How much these two men realized was never known, for they were
very cautious; but it was supposed that they took home with them about
$100,000 each.
Old man Harper, who also worked in this ravine, was said to have made
out $60,000; several others also, have made large profits here. They
all left for home in the fall of ’49.
Soon after my arrival, there were at least 200 men at work in this
ravine, and all doing well, for the ravine was wide and paid richly
from bank to bank. Dr. Ober was very successful, and as he passed along
down at night among the miners who were at work below him, with a
smiling countenance showed his tin cup in which he carried his gold. I
found that about $150 was his average day’s work. In my opinion, Oregon
Ravine yielded at least $1,000,000 if not more, and considering its
size was the richest one in this portion of the country.
In Spanish Ravine also was found a rich lead which continued up for a
short distance from its mouth, and which was worked out in the summer
of ’49. As we go to the east a few very rich spots were round near
Smith’s Flat, one small ravine in particular near the Emigrant Road,
and only thirty yards in length, yielded about $13,000. At the small
town of Newtown, which was located about six miles nearly due east of
Placerville, and upon the eastern edge of the gold-bearing district,
from a small ravine, during the winter of ’49, was taken by a company
of four men the sum of $64,000.
Weaver Creek upon the south was also very rich in many places, all
included, however, in a distance of about four miles. Many small
ravines emptying into it were also found to be very rich. Of the many
cañons in the County of Eldorado, which were prospected and worked
in the winter of ’49-’50, there was but one which was noted for its
mineral wealth. This was Georgetown Cañon, from which it was estimated
that fully $2,000,000 were taken up to the spring of ’53. Whether
this is a correct estimate or not I cannot say, although this was the
estimate of a miner who worked there for about two years, and returned
to the East in the autumn of ’52 with about $20,000 as his portion of
it.
There were also numerous small ravines emptying into all of these
larger ones and the cañon which contributed their quota to the general
fund, besides numerous flats, slides and benches, which however, were
worked at a later day. The Big Cañon, two miles north of town, was in
some portions of it very rich, and a few places were worked in ’49; but
the greater portion, or rather the richer portion of it, near the head,
was worked with toms, in the spring and winter of ’50-’51. The cañons
lying at the east of this were not very rich, although one portion of
White Rock Cañon worked in the winter of ’49-’50 by O’Brien, Grayson,
Stuart and Dayton, was very rich. The South Fork of the American River,
as well as the numerous bars upon it, was not noted for its paying
qualities, although some few rich deposits were found. Upon Kanaka Bar
a rich lead was discovered, which yielded many thousands. One beautiful
nugget was found upon this bar which was valued at $1,010; but by far
the richest bar upon the whole river was that belonging to Portuguese
Joe, from which he realized a fortune.
As we advance to the north we find that a few rich places were
discovered around Coloma, at Kelsey’s, Spanish Flat, Greenwood Camp,
and in the vicinity of Georgetown.
Early in ’49 the country and rivers as far north as the Yuba River was
examined and prospected, a few of the bars upon the latter being worked
and found to be very rich.
Fortunes were realized from Spanish, Murderers’, Big and Michigan Bars,
where Ex-Governor Stanford had his little store in ’52, the germ from
which sprang the Great Overland Railroad.
In one respect Eldorado County differed from nearly all other mining
counties in the State, or even upon the Coast, as the gold was more
evenly scattered and the mines, as a general rule, were more shallow
and much more easily worked. For these reasons they paid better for the
time expended in working them, though naturally worked out much quicker.
In consequence of the first discovery of gold having been made in
Eldorado County the first mining was confined to this portion of the
mining regions, and for this reason also the yield of gold during the
first two years subsequent to its discovery was greater than from any
part of the State, the amount realized from the county up to the spring
of ’51 having been estimated at $20,000,000.
As we advance to the north we find that the gold deposits in the
ravines and cañons are much deeper, and although gold upon the bed
rock can be had in great quantities, being in some cases taken out
by the pound, yet the net profits are very small, owing to the great
expense in working. For instance, in Cœur d’Alene gold mining region
the gravel upon some of the richest creek bottoms is from 20 to 30
feet in depth, while upon the bed rock there are rich deposits from
which very coarse gold and nuggets have been taken by the pound. Yet
the great disadvantage and expense of working many of these places in
consequence of the amount of water to contend with, as well as the want
of sufficient fall of same, make them unprofitable.
In the Caribou County, creeks were discovered of fabulous richness, yet
such is the depth of gravel, in some cases upwards of 60 feet, that the
expense of working in many instances exceeded the income.
We find, also, as we proceed to the north, that the ancient river beds
are of greater extent and much richer, the mountains also being higher
and more rugged. The placer mining, on the other hand, is confined to
a smaller area, gold being found only in a few of the principal, or
larger, creeks and ravines.
It is evident, therefore, from this fact, as well as from the general
appearance of the hills, that those natural forces, such as volcanic
and glacial action, which wore away the high mountain peaks to their
present altitude, and which broke down the ancient river channels
throughout the central portion of the mining regions, were of much
greater force and of longer duration. And it is for this reason,
also, that we find the washed gravel and particles of gold which they
contained scattered over a larger area of country upon the surface.
It was the general opinion among the early miners that where placer
mines existed would also be found rich quartz ledges, and where rich
quartz ledges are found there must, for similar reasons, be good placer
mining. This is true only of the central portion of the mining regions,
where the quartz ledges have been thrown down and broken up, and is
not true of other sections, for we find farther north, among the high
cliffs and rugged peaks which have not been worn down by these natural
forces, quartz ledges containing free gold, in many cases of great
value. Yet no free gold, or at least but very little, can be found
among the ravines or cañons below them.
It has been often said that the early miners were a very superstitious
lot of men and firm believers in luck, even more so than any others;
but this is a great mistake, for observation shows us that all grades
and races of men are afflicted to a greater or less extent with this
peculiar mania of belief in the efficacy of signs which give warning
of coming dangers, as well as prognosticate good luck or a change
in conditions. Those who are believers in this mysterious change in
circumstances termed luck are close observers of such signs, and before
commencing their operations or enterprises will first consult the
oracle to see if the signs are favorable.
Among the mining classes in early days, the Germans were firm believers
in the potency of signs, although many Americans and those of other
nationalities were not far behind them, the main difference between
them being that the former had no hesitation in acknowledging such a
belief.
In early mining days it was generally believed that success in mining
was entirely owing to luck, and this is the common belief at present
among portions of the mining classes, as well as those engaged in other
kinds of business. For this reason the so-called signs are intently
observed, which will indicate what the future or result of any work or
enterprise is to be. From the observation of others, as well as our
own experiences in the operation of many of these omens, it is very
conclusively shown that in many cases such circumstances do occur, or
such effects result, as were previously suggested by the signs; but
reason teaches us that there can be no possible connection between the
mere fact of a dream, or of the occurrence of any certain events and
any subsequent effects. As a consequence such future effects can have
no other explanation than that of coincidence, although we must admit
that the future events very often constitute a mysterious phenomenon.
Many instances might be mentioned as an evidence of this, while again
numerous cases of a similar nature could be brought forth as reliable
evidence of exactly the reverse. Of this latter class of effects the
believer in lucky signs takes no note, since they are of a negative
character, and have, therefore, no value.
An acquaintance of mine was realizing from his ravine claim about
$20 daily, and upon his way to his cabin one evening he picked up a
horseshoe which he took to his quarters and hung upon a nail, with the
remark that his claim in future was “just agoin’ to pungle”; and sure
enough, for about two weeks following it did “pungle” at the average of
$50 per diem.
A short time after another miner, a near neighbor, found, upon his way
home from work, two horseshoes, which were hung up in his cabin for
luck, and strange as it may seem, instead of his claim increasing in
its daily pay, in a few days it ceased paying entirely. Of course, the
only explanation for this phenomenon, as one of his friends told him,
was that in finding two horseshoes he overdid the business, for one
offset the other. Another acquaintance accounted for the catastrophe
by saying that very probably one of the shoes was a mule shoe, and
consequently all good luck was kicked out.
Another miner, upon commencing his work one morning, said that during
the night previous he had dreams of finding a hen’s nest containing a
number of eggs, and was told that such a dream was surely a sign of
good luck. Singularly enough, for three or four days afterwards his
claim gave down far better than it ever had done before.
A few mornings subsequent, another miner at work near by reported a
similar dream, and he also received his reward by an increase in daily
pay. But a short time afterwards another miner in the same ravine, who
was making upon his claim an average daily profit of $14, reported
one morning that he dreamt the night before of finding a hen’s nest
from which he took nearly a peck of eggs. It is to be feared that he
too overdid it, as the sign for him was an entire failure. He found at
night that the lead upon which he had been at work had run out, and he
could average but two dollars per day, and was consequently forced to
abandon his claim. Many explanations were given for the sign having
gone back on him, with a peck of eggs behind it, too, but were all
unsatisfactory with one exception, this being the only reasonable one,
that by the law of coincidences it could hardly be possible that such
effects should occur three times in succession, notwithstanding the
favorable nature of the signs.
Many cases could be mentioned of miners who had first discovered the
new moon over the right shoulder, and, if future prospects and events
were favorable, would always be sure to mention the fact of having seen
the new moon in the proper manner, while others who saw the new moon
in a similar manner were, for certain reasons, very careful to never
mention the circumstance.
It was not expected, of course, that the most intelligent miners would
acknowledge a belief in such signs, and they were always ready to
ridicule any one who did. One of the old miners in particular, who
ridiculed the superstitious notion, would always close his eyes when
leaving his cabin, so his partner said, and not open them till he got
into the road, and faced in the right direction in order to catch the
moon in the proper position over his right shoulder.
A miner who had some trouble with another one about the right to use a
certain stream of water, the case being then in court, stated to his
acquaintances upon the day of the trial that he dreamt the night before
of killing a large snake. A German acquaintance informed him that he
would surely win his case, and he did.
Another miner subsequently had a similar dispute about the right to
a certain claim, and, dreaming of killing a big snake a short time
previous to the trial, success in winning his suit was assured him, and
he did; but in working his claim it was found to be of no value.
Hundreds of similar instances might be cited to show that these
so-called lucky strikes, as foretold by dreams or signs, are simply
coincidences, and no other explanation, in my opinion, is possible.
It is, of course, well understood that gold mining in general has
reference to the method or process of getting money, or of acquiring
wealth in an easy as well as in a very rapid manner, without the
necessity of toiling through a long series of years for the purpose,
and it was this idea that brought many thousands into the mining
regions of California. But coming here and finding, alas, that
even to dig gold direct from the soil required labor, patience and
perseverance, as well as an indefinite space of time, and even then
with uncertain results, was the cause of hundreds returning immediately
to their Eastern homes, or, at any rate, of leaving the mining regions
in disgust upon making the unpleasant discovery that gold was not to
be scraped from the surface of the ground, but that it was away down
out of sight, badly mixed up with the dirt, mud and water. For these
reasons, thousands who crossed the sandy plains, or who came by water
to the gold mines, were sadly disappointed.
In order to find a gold deposit or lead which would pay for working, it
was, of course, necessary to travel around with pick, pan and shovel
among the ravines, flats and gulches; and when what seemed a favorable
spot was found, a hole of suitable dimensions had to be dug, and the
dirt upon the bed rock panned to determine the value of the claim, or
whether it would pay to be worked.
After the central portions of these ravines had been worked in ’49 and
’50 it was then, of course, necessary to prospect in deeper ground,
near the banks, or in the flats and gulches.
Of the great number who prospected subsequently to ’49 but a very
small portion found claims that paid them for their trouble, while
hundreds barely made a living. This was not, however, on account of
the mines having become exhausted, but can be attributed to their
manner of working, or prospecting. It was a common sight to see many
tramping around among the hills, carrying their picks and shovels
on their shoulders, in search of a suitable spot where they could
strike it rich, but where the soil was not too deep, and this class of
prospectors could very seldom find a claim worth working; for if they
even ventured to sink a hole, it was generally of such a size that
no idea could be formed of the nature of the bed rock or of what it
contained.
As an illustration: Two miners on their way to work one morning
encountered a tall, middle-aged man, sitting by the road-side
lamenting his sad fate. He said that he had left his family upon his
little farm in the State of Illinois, and had come to try gold mining,
but couldn’t find enough to enable him to live, and was very anxious
to return home again. He said that he had dug and prospected in many
places, but could find nothing. He led the way to a ravine near at
hand that he had been at work in for quite a spell, he said, “but
thar warn’t nuthin’ thar,” and we found that he had started to sink a
number of holes. They were about four feet across upon the surface of
the ground, but contracted as they approached the bed rock, coming to
a point finally. He was asked if this was his method of working in his
farming operations. “Wall, I reckon not, but thot it mought do here.”
Upon suggesting to him the necessity when sinking a hole of keeping its
full size to the bed rock, especially in a ravine of that character, he
concluded to act according to the advice, and sure enough he found that
he had run across a very fair claim, from which he succeeded in getting
gold enough to take him back again to his Eastern home.
Another man dug a hole in a shallow ravine, the ground being only about
three feet in depth; he found that the bed rock was descending towards
the center of the ravine. He dug another hole adjoining, and discovered
that the bed rock inclined towards the first, the channel being between
the two, and the place where gold would be found if there were any
there. He did not, however make a connection between the two holes, as
he ought to have done, as he was told by an old miner who passed that
way; but left the wall about six inches in thickness between them. The
consequence was that the aforesaid old miner who had given him the
advice was passing the place a few days afterwards, and, finding that
it had not been acted upon, commenced to investigate that six-inch
wall, and discovered a very rich lead from which he took in a few days
about $1,000.
It may be as well to explain here the general nature and character of
the gold deposits found up to this time. These deposits consisted of
such as were found among washed, or quartz gravel, and were confined to
the hills or gravel claims; as well as in rivers, creeks and in such
ravines where the gold was deposited by the action of water, there
were what were termed benches also. These were formed by a breakdown
from the original river beds, and usually contained beds of gravel
found upon the side of the hill below the level of the ancient beds, in
slides which were formed by the sliding down of a portion of a hill. In
all ravines, creeks and gulches also, the gold found was what is termed
washed gold, showing evidence of having been at some time amongst the
gravel of a running stream. Upon the various flats, the gold was of
a similar character and found with quartz gravel, showing that these
flats had at one time formed the bed of some creek or running stream.
There were some peculiar gold deposits again that differed entirely
in their nature, and had an altogether different origin. The former
deposits alluded to as being in rivers, creeks, ravines, gulches,
flats, slides and benches, were all supplied from the beds of ancient
water courses, which had been in course of time broken up and thrown
down, the gravel washed and scattered by the action of water to where
it is now found. Among the red hills in the mining regions are found
what are termed “red hill leads.” The gold in these is rough with sharp
edges, and has never been in contact with gravel or running water. The
leads are generally very narrow, in some cases being not more than an
inch in width, and are found almost invariably in small, narrow and dry
ravines; and upon the hills above and in the vicinity will be found
quartz ledges which indicate their origin.
Among these leads, quartz in a partially decayed state will often be
encountered with the appearance of having been at some time in contact
with great heat. It is very evident therefore, that these streaks of
gold, or leads, were deposited subsequent to the great convulsions
which broke up the ancient river cañons, and still remain in their
original position as when melted from the quartz ledges, which were
broken up and distributed in this manner among the ravines. There are
also found among the ravines large deposits of clay of various colors;
but as a general thing, either blue, red or yellow. Very rich deposits
are often discovered mixed with or beneath this clay.
The fact that rich gold deposits oftentimes existed beneath these
beds of clay was discovered in the spring of ’50. Three or four young
men, who had just arrived in the mines, prospected a piece of ground
located at the junction of two ravines, in what is now known as Clay
Ravine, just below the Pacific Quartz Mill, near Hangtown. They found,
upon sinking a shaft about eight feet in depth, a bed of blue clay.
It was dry and hard. Presuming, therefore, that it was bed rock, they
abandoned the place. A young man residing near, named Williamson, and
an Irishman, by the way, from curiosity concluded to sink down through
this blue clay to see what was underneath. The miners who were at work
in Oregon Ravine, a short distance below, heard him yelling out at the
top of his voice:
[Illustration: STHRUCK IT.]
“Say b’ys, jest come now an’ see phwat I hev found under this clay, be
jabers!”
Upon going up to the claim, we saw on the ground a hard solid chunk of
clay, about the size of a water-bucket, taken from the bed rock, and
the under surface was one mass of gold. It was taken to the Express
Office, pounded up and found to contain $1,500; but how much he got
from his claim was unknown.
I have before explained that the chief and only machine used for the
washing of pay dirt were the cradles, toms and sluices, although other
kinds of machines were often brought into the mines for which it was
claimed that they were of superior character, and warranted to save
more gold than any other kind. They were, however, in nearly all cases,
invented or constructed by persons who had little knowledge of gold
mining, and were, therefore, ignorant of what was really needed, it
being the general impression among them that gold existed among the
dirt in great quantities, and that some superior process was necessary
to separate it. All miners of any experience are well aware of the
fact that the great difficulty or drawback to gold or placer mining,
is not so much how to save the gold, but how or where to find the dirt
or gravel that contains gold enough to pay for the working. That is
the main question in mining, and the manner of washing or saving the
gold is of course a secondary consideration. When the richest placers
were worked out by the use of a pan and cradle, and it became necessary
to wash a much greater amount of dirt, the “tom” came into use, and
answered a good purpose for a time. But the time soon arrived when a
tom was found to be inadequate for the emergency, for the reason that
it was necessary to wash still larger quantities of dirt or gravel, and
to accomplish this the sluices were used; they, in their turn to be
superseded by the hydraulic pipe, by which large bodies of earth and
gravel could be washed with good profit that could not be made to pay
by the sluicing process, and which again in its turn will be superseded
by some peculiar electric process, by which means whole mountains will
be melted, and the liquid gold will flow out from the bottom of the
huge furnace in pipes arranged for the purpose.
There are at present in California, as well as in Oregon, large bodies
of black and common river sand containing gold in paying quantities,
only awaiting the ingenuity of some mechanic or miner to invent a quick
process for separating it, as no means or method is at present known
whereby this can be accomplished with any profit.
Upon the Columbia River, for a distance of at least 150 miles, there
are numerous sand bars that contain gold in paying quantities if any
process can be devised for separating it. Many efforts have been made,
and many ingenious mechanics have taxed their brains in the vain
attempt to solve the problem. A company is now engaged upon one of the
sand bars near the head waters of the Columbia in experimenting with
electricity in the attempt to separate the fine float gold from the
sand. If this proves to be a success, the sand bars upon the Columbia
will be valuable mining properly.