Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-02-17

ana Inc curTSnt poured uOWH. Inc Wdler
rose with great Iapdty, ill it poured over
the top of their aqueduct. Its power was
irresistible. Their work was hurled to des-
truction, and rhus in a moment they saw
the labor of 1929 days Of the company
swept away.
A meeting was Immediately called of the COM
pauy, and ii was resolved 10 proceed with the
work by means Of wing dams, The water did
not fall so as to allow them to commence till the
18Th ofOct Thea they bravey marched into the
water oficy GOODNESS, TO the depth Of three four
feet The head of the dam ran out from the
shore to the midd of the river about 40 feet. 1t
was constructed by Two walls of stones parallel to
each other, about two feet apart, 1.-The difficult
ty Of this is inconceyable We must roll the
stones and adjust them, where there is rapid
current four feet in depth. Sometimes a whole
section Of this would be swept away at once, and
must all be done over again. Alter the walls are
completed. strong cloth is spread down against
the lower wall, and over its whole surface
the space is then filled with small twigs sand and
clay. After the wall is thus carried to the mid
die OF the river, 1t must turn, forming right an
gle and run down the middle Of the river parallel
with the shore, distance of 250 feet till il pas
es over some falls, by which means the water is
partially drained from some portion Of the chan
mel. The portion is then divided off into small
pens WHICH are surrounded DIV small walls,
as to exclude water which is then bailed out and
all the space within the wall of the pen is then
worked over. ] he cradles are set just over the
walls the outside, and some six or eight of
them are sometimes being rocked at the same
time, supplied with dirt by dozen or twenty
miners IN the pens. 1t is busy scene. 1t will
be seen that the work is not only laborious but in
an extreme degree exposing At times nearly
all the company may be seen working together,
waist deep in the water, which coming from the
Sierra Nevada is very cold. This we must en-
dure willis burning sun is shining holly down
on the head" The account of the work at this
dam from Oct. Sth to Nov 9th, shows The total
amount taken out TO be SIT l23, 95. Expenses
were So, 5O8,95, leaving to be divided $lS, $685.
90. Dividend to each Of 81 persons, members of
the company, $546,4l Average per day from
July 80 to Nov. 9, $7,2S. They hired many
men to work for them, at from 81 to S. per day,
mostly foreigners, and very indolent. There was
much sickness and many of them died. On the
9th ofNoy. left the mines for home
Our author took much pains to ascertain from
the secretaries and officers of.the mining COM
panes, the results of their labor, and he publish
es a table Of Il such.
The number of members of these companies
was PA. The total number of DAYS labor 3d.
S7S, or ia years of 3l3 working days. Total
amount taken out $llS,6S3. Average for each
days labor 1915. 1t was more difficult to OBJ
tain averages Of the results In the Northern mines
He did obtain such from So miners for l2I
working days each, and the average was SO, 26
per day to each man.
All companies formed at home, have worked
badly. They generally break up before or soon
after they arrive, and only serve to embarrass the
miner In his movements. Much time is lost in
hH[yDg io 9% DDdHhdaod s ana gsSatss55
"a &c rsoa-ylAoors newly discovered He says
be knows of no place where the pounding ofquarlz
can be probably pursued.
| have taken up so much more space than
intended, that have no room for comments. In
deed, there is little need of such; for if this plain
statement of facts will not open the eyes and ar
rest the attention OF those who are bound TO the
gold region, they are California mad and moth
lng but dear bought experience will cure them of
the distemper. At the rate of $3l6a day, for
3l3 working days. the miner would get 1897
year, provided he lost no time. Deduct one quar-
ter for time lost by sickness and moving from place
10 place, and there will remain $40 for the year.
Expenses of outfit and return will not be less than
$500, leaving but the scanty pittance of $240,
for all their hard toll, from which should be de-
Quoted the value of the time spent in going and
returning. But this disappointm ent in results, is
not the worst feature Of the case. The unfortu-
nate returned Californian is a broken down, dis
heartened man, often with constitution ruined
by exposure, hardshps, and sickness. He returns
impoverished to his family, without the means Of
redeeming his little homestead from mortgage,
put upon it TO raise the means to get out TO the
land Of tabled gold, but to him, Of rea sorrow and
disappointment. On the other hand, the aborng
man who has had the good fortune to make his
pile, returns with all his habits of industry and
economy very much shaken, if not overturned,
and there is great danger that his pile will melt
away, and he will suddenly find himself depend
ent for support of himself and family, on his daily
labor, when both the habit and ability 10 make
such labor available, have left him forever.
What is the prospect Of success Of those who
are now hnrrying to California? Great inconve.
niences, suffering, and sickness, from bad accom-
modatons and fare, and delay on the route, and
Svhen they arrive, they will find every sort o.
business and employment III which dollar car
be made, oyerdone, and although provisions will
be much cheaper than at the tBe of Mr. Woods
experience, yet those dependent on labor, will
find it difficult to get enough to do to keep them.
selves alive, end there is every probability tina
extreme suffering must be the iottune of many o.
the new comers This is the opinion of many
persons Of good Judgment, who have been there
and can speak from their own knowledge.
But if they go TO the mines. what Is the pros
poets there? The best of the surface dlggings are
exhausted Not one of the wonderfully rich
new piacers, Just discov ered which we so IRE.
quently hear Of in the newspapers, are ever heard
Of the second time, which shows concusiyely that
they not real, but that these stories put ia
circulation from interested motives. The process
Of damming and draining the rivers to dig in the
bed of the stream, requires vast amount of time
and expense This mode of mining is very I'M
certain in its results. Sometimes after all the la.
har oudo c of 9th