The Sierra citizen., 1854-03-04
The Sierra Mountain Water Company.

Scott, Esq, the engineer employed by the
Sierra Mountain Water Company to
survey the route, and ascertain the ap-
proximate cost Of conveying portion Of
the North Yuba by means Of canal into
the dry diggings in the vicinity Of Camp
tonville. The well deserved reputation
of the engineer is in itself a sufficient
guarantee Of the correctness Of the report.
If we have been correctly informed, this
enterprise originated with two or three
prominent citizens of Fosters Bar, and
was afterwards entered into by several
gentlemen in Marysville, who saw the
feasibility and value of such work in a
rich mining district. where for the greater
part of the year mining operations are
suspended for the want of water, although
the diggings are Of sufficient Importance
to induce the miner to stop on his claim
two-thirds of the year for the sake of
working during three or four months, while
the ravines afford water.
From personal acquaintance with several
of the officers of the company, we have not
the slightest doubt but that the work will be
carried through. Most Of them have been
practical miners-men well qualified from
actual experience and long residence in
the mines to judge of the feasibility and
! value of the work when completed, and
when these are ascertained, neither the
energy nor the capital will be wanting to
overcome every obstacle that may present
itself. 1855
1t has long been known that gold exists
almost every where between Galloway $
ranch and Camptonville. Galena, Youngs
Gold Hill, Railroad and Oak Valley
diggings, all lie on the route marked out
for the canal, and these have all been
tested within the last two years; and it is
well known that nothing is wanting but a
sufficiency of water to supply the miners,
who for the greater part of the year are
idol, but still unwilling to give up their
claims. Some idea of the richness of this
district may be given by the following
extracts from the report of the engineer.
"The extent of mineral region embraced
within the section that would be materi-
ally benefited by water from your proposed
Canal, can be safely computed at 20 square
miles in superficial area. Almost daily
new and extensive dry diggings are struck
throughout this range. Good prospects
are had so far as relates to the richness of
the dirt; but there is no possibility of it's
ever being worked to advantage unless a
supply Of water can be had from the con-
struction of your work, or some other of
a similar character.
"The average depth Of dirt washed at
the different localities is about As feet.
VIM. Young's claim, at Young's Gold
Hill, has paid as high as $500 per week
above all expenses-paying IS cents per
inch for water, and SIS per day for labor
and has never paid less than 500 per
week above all expenses. Two men work
this claim with one pipe conveying Is
inches Of water. Cowan & Co., at Camp
tonville, pipe, averaged per week for
the past two months, 81 ,O3O Worley &
Co., $3.50. Barker & Newton, men,
$400. Stevenson, men, $500. Wood
& Co., 3 men, $500. Eastman & Co.,
Galena Hill, $500. Claims on Rail Road
Hill have paid as high as 81 100 per day."
The following is the estimated monthly
revenue, assuming that 48O sluice-heads
can be obtained and disposed of at the
ordinary rates of so cents per inch:
Taking the estimated amount of water
daily supplied-48O sluice heads, at $8
per sluice of Ii inches-the daily sales
would amount to $3,84O. This, for one
month, or 26 working days, would amount
to $99,S4O, or about 33 per cent, per
month, interest on the estimated cost of
construction"
The estimated cost of the whole work
| when completed is $297,748 IL. We look
confidently and hopefully for the compile
tion of this enterprise, the Importance Of
which will every year be better understood.
Something Of the sort is imperatively
called for, since the surface diggings imme-
diately on the little water courses have
been exhausted, rendering large volumes
Of water necessary to wash greater quanti-
ties of earth. After the Canal shall have
been completed, a succession of villages
will spring up along the whole line Of
works, for the reason that it runs through
quartz range which would long since
have been worked had it been practicable
Hundreds of men who are wandering
from place to place discouraged and almost
heart-broken from failure and disappoint-
ment. will then find employment, and men
with families who are now earning bare
subsistence in keeping what they dignity
with the name of a Ranch by the way
side, and in sterile, sun-burnt places in the
valley, will come to the mountains and
engage in mining as permanent business