Worcester daily spy., 1852-02-17
CONTINUED,


With my wash-bowl on my knee.
(coNTINUED.)
Apr. Is. Many rumors of rich dggings ten
miles distant among the mountains. Large
numbers are going in that direction. while
muititudes who have been but TO be disap-
pointed, are returning. One of the con-
pany went up, and being much encouraged
by his success the first day, sent for The
rest 10 follow. Their stay was brief. Lame,
hungry aud tired they arrived at Jackson
vile The next night. During the following
week they worked on the river with small
success. One day they made $3.50 each
the rest of the week nothing.
May /. Since the last date they made
not enough 10 buy provisions. Most Of
the company were now at work on the can
al. Our miner continued 10 dig. One day
he made six dollars, the rest of the week
not GEMS day. Cases are frequent
where persons will make one hundred dol
ars in one day, or even in a single hour,
and then for a week will get nothing. The
results are very uncertain, depending more
upon luck, than on industry, judgement or
merit For instance, at this place, a young
man of indolent habits hired man to dig
with him, and took out in six weeks 1900
dollars, while six industrious hard working
men in the immediate neghborhood, at the
end of four months hard work had but 1900
dollars in all.
May 10. A company was organized TO
dig a canal at Harris Bar, two miles below
Jacksonville. AS the water was TOO high
TO commence work at the bar, it was agreed
that they should separate and work at other
YDlaoap tor honaHf 81 tbo A of
July, when they were TO commence the
great canal, at the bar. In the meantime our
miner joined another company, consisting
of 90 persons, who undertook to drain a
part OF the channel at Woods Creek, where
il was thought much gold would be found.
They commenced May 10Th. The work
was very heavy, requiring the largest bars
nine days labor the canal vvas l.,.1i
100 #. long, wide, and 5 deep. The only
fear was that The hole would be too deep for
the canal drain, in which case the labor
would be lost The tenth day the dam was
built After all was done there was three
feet of water left Nothing but steam fore
ing pumps could make their work available,
and they silently and sadly abandoned it,
He says 81 went up TO my tent alone, all
my efforts had failed. | was already deeply
in debt for my provisions. Had any pros.
poets of success? Could hope 10 make
enough ever to enable me 10 return TO my
family? The future seemed dark 10 me.
was desoate and disheartened" From
this time up to June 21 his fortune was
various, some days doing WELL but most Of
the lime he had bard fale, troubles with the
Indians, and i'll luck On the 21st of June
a company of seemed to have got togeth-
er. That day they added to tile Treasury
80 dollars, 22d so, 23d, Sunday, 0, oath 25,
25th S3, goth 90, 9th 6S, 28th "a, 29h I, in
all in s days 447 dollars; divided TO each
69,40 dollars; average per day TO each
lI,l7. From this time 10 July 3D. they dug
without much success. July 4th the COM
pany met atthe bar, but the water was too
high TO commence work. aud adjourned 10
the 9th, and they worked on to this time
averaging not so cents day The water
did not get down so that they could COM
m ence till the Both of July.
Hari's Bar is on the Tuolumne river
Gold is often found in rich deposits in The
channel of that river. To obtain it the rv-
er must first be turned by dam and canal,
an operation requiring the united labor of
many individuals, for which purpose com
panes are formed who elect officers and
enact bylaws for the regulation ofthe busi-
ness The work before US was truly an ar
duous one, made doubly so by our limited
means. The clay for the construction of
our canal must be carried in hand barrows
horne between two men, from the side hill,
down steep bank and then along stony
path 10 the canal, a distance varying from
one eighth 10 one-sixth of mile, and this
must be done day after day for weeks
Then the lumber for the aqueduct is TO be
sawed by hand from logs cut and rolled
from the side of the mountains with whip
saws. Each barrow was carried every day
fourteen miles. Sept. Goth he says, "Since
my last date have carried such a barrow
420 miles, 1t was a great undertaking.
They had TO dig through lodges of hard
rock, aud fill up deep holes worn by the wa
ter, and to build piers far out in the deep
water and fill them with stones, and all this
with hand labor without any aid of oxen or
other teams. The canal when finished was
632 feet long and IL feet wide. Sometimes
sudden rises of the water filled them terror,
lest all their hard toll should be swept away,
but the water subsidized and left them for
the present, unharmed. AT length, on the
oath OF Sept. their work was done and the
bed of the river laid bare for operations.
The price of shares went up rapidly. One
was sold for 1900 dollars. 2500 was offered
and refused for another. The first Gay they
took out 176 dollars, next 415,75 dollars
| AT midnight, in the rain they were called TO
repair the wall and stop leaks. The river
was high and slowly rising, filling them
with feal. With deep anxiety they were
compelled 10 watch the steady rise Of the
N a ~. - l.