The weekly Placer herald., 1853-07-23
For the Placer Herald.
ROBES RANCH. july 10th. I

hoBBS RANCH, July 10th, 1888.
Friend .MsteheU:-He am and cool
again once more. AS much as admire
old Placer its "fair women and brave
men," and although its associations and
friends are ever dear to me, yet mus,
say that at this season of the year prefer
the cool breezes, and delightful spring
water ofthe mountains, to the hot, dusty
air Of "thc valley" where you require
snow to cool your s'coblers," and the hot
rays Of the summer sun willis and almos,
makes "mummy" of one before winter
arrives. Do beg the ''kind public" then
to spare you for short time and pay us
q visit. Take the stage to Illinoistown,
ora mule-the latter is the best to climb
the hills with, and is the most easy way.
The road to that place is familiar to most
Of your readers doubtless, the many fine
Branches" and Saw Mills that you see
upon the way makes the journey more
pleasant and shows the march of improve
ment which is going on among us, and
the large tunnel and mammoth aqueduet
which we pass, Of the A. s. B. K. Co.,
stand as noble monuments of the skill,
and energy which they used to furnish
supply of water for mining purposes.
Arrived ut lllinoistown you are twenty
miles from Auburn and have reached the
head of wagon navigation; this is -four
ishing little settlement containing about
fifty buildings, mostly stores and hotels,
and as there is no mining done here it
depends for business upon the inhabitants
Of the surrounding country who do most
Of their trading at this point. AS enter
cd the town I met sspack train" of
twenty CsIestials, heavily laden with their
stock Of rice, &C., and were jogging away
to their "two dollar diggings." A large
Saw Mill which has been recently erected
near the outskirts of the village will at
once attract the eye of the traveller who
cannot but admire its size and finish, and
where, at the present time, as learned,
they are saving seven thousand feet OF
lumber daily.
Bidding adieu to this busy little place
with wish that ''its shadow may never
be less'' we will turn our steps towards
Little York, crossing Bear River al
Rivers Store, distant six miles from Hi
noistown and four from Little York, hav-
ing crossed the river ard "refreshed our
selves" we now commence the tug OF
war;" before us is mountain whose
summit we have to attain, but there are
a plenty Of trees upon its sides, under
which, shaded from the suns rays, we can
stop to rest, and listen to the turtle doves
as upon some overhanging bough they
fondfy "coo," "coo," at one another, and
reminding you perchance of some fond
one upon the far off eastern shores, in
whose ear you too would perhaps whs.
per fond words we're that fond one only
near you-but away fly our birds telling
US that we too must travel. The summi
as last reached we have to descend, ant
having gone little way we see grave
beside Us, and stop and wonder "wht
can he buried here!" The tale is sac
one, and one which is chronicled but TOT
often upon the pages of California history
It's inmate, after two years of toll ant
digging had acquired enough to return
home and make glad the hearts of tn
loved ones there; thinking perhaps of tina
family circle which be was soon to glad
den-the spot around which many de
lights to linger, he lightly trod upon hi
way, but the eye Of the murderer watch
ed him, and here upon this dsso|ate spot
he was found and buried, while the mur
derer stiff roams with his i'll gotten wealt
and hands red with the blood of fellow
being. With prayer that such may no
be our lot, we pass along and havin
crossed the waters of Steep Hollow an
tskiog the old emigrant trail, we ono
more ascend the steep mountain sid
and q walk Of about a mile finds us j
Little York, but as this is place of con
siderable note, will postpone descrip
Ion until my next. y. l..
Srotrs.-We refer our readers to tn