The Sierra citizen., 1854-04-29
A Visit to Minnesota.


pedestrian expedition to the more inn
portant mining districts in the mountains,
in order to be able to speak from personal
observation. Last week we were indis-
Greet enough to set out on expedition No.
just as the clerk of the weather had
commenced brewing storm-not one of
those commonplace, hesitating sort of
| showers, or minor hurricanes which con-
| tent themselves with turning umbrellas
inside out, or disturbing the equanimity
of corpuleht gentlemen by whisking off
their hats but a regular old fashioned
mountain storm, such as tie genius of the
mountains only knows how to get up,
when he gets tired of the monotony of
sunshine such shower as would COM
pei canvass backed duck to take water
to keep dry. But we may as well say
that during the elemental war. we were
snugly slowed away in the hospitable
shantee of A. S. McMillcn, who is so well
known and appreciated by the miners at
Minnesota, that they present him almost
every day with ureighty evidences of their
confidence. When we say ''shantee,' we
mean the clapboard Express Office, where
gold enough is deposited weekly to make
Wall Street broker quite nervous.
We cannot stop to describe the scenery
by the way, (for full description, see some
of the minor California poets,) but must
confine ourselves to a commonplace de-
scription Of the digginss and villages
scattered along the trail.
| About five miles of the road between
| this place and Minnesota are covered with
STOW from one to five feet in'depth-in the
vicinity of Galloway's Ranch it is perhaps
more; but after crossing the divide and
commencing the descent to Kanaka Creek
no more snow is met with. The first vii
lage Immediately on the trail is Smiths
Diggings, situated on the north side Of
Kanaka Creek This is busy little
place, built like all mining villages. more
with a view TO usefulness than ornament.
Just opposite, on the south side of the
creek is Chips Diggings--the town here
is somewhat larger, and the diggings more
extensive. These two places are eligibly
situated for rivalry, though we do not
know that such Il feeling exists. We had
intended to examine the numerous tunnels
in these places on our return, but were
compelled to return by another route
Fastening on without stopping in either
place we arrived at Minnesota towards
sundown.
Minnesota is quite large business like
place, built on fiat or bench on the di-
viding ridge between Kanaka Creek and
the Middle Yuba. It is impossible to as
certain the exact population, scattered as
it is over the hill sides and up and down
the ravines we should suppose however,
that six or seven hundred men are en-
ployed In and about the town. The tun-
nels enter the hill about hundred yards
below the village. Here the sound of
pick and shovel and the rumbling OF the
cars conveying the wash dirt to the sluices
outside, may be heard night and day; and
while the Idle portion Of the inhabitants
are recklessly squandering their money
above ground, these subterranean people
are digging away hundred feet below;
It's all the same to them whether it is day
or night, sunshine or storm.
We have never seen more thriving
bus:ness-like mountain village. Every
one seems in a hurry, and bustles about as
though he intended to accomplish some
thing. But few loafers and hangers-on
are to be seen, ar all seem to have some
thing to do for which they expect to be
paid; there are however, a few idle per-
sons in all mining towns, always dead
broke, just as they would be if it rained
half dollars, and they could not "rig pur-
chase to pick them up by machinery
But little gambling is carried on except
by lansquenet players. On these tables
reckless young men who don't care a -
fig for expense, throw down hard earned
quarters and halves as a sort of tribute to
the fair divinity who so gracefully bran
dishes the rake; while the mothers and
sisters of these fast young men may be
breaking their backs over the wash-tub,
or plying the knitting needles at midnight
to keep the wolf from the door.
Most of the houses and cabins are built
of clapboards, though many of them pre-
sent very neat appearance. The timber
on the hill side is too scarce and scrubby
to be used for building logs, but higher
up the timber is better and makes excel
lent shakes" which answer all purposes
for the present. The Minnesota Water
Company have nearly completed first
rate saw-mill, built for the purpose of
saving lumber for their fume. The mill
is located near the head of their ditch, and
their design is to complete few hundred
feet of the iu1ne, turn the water in and
float down the lumber as it may be needed.
After the Aume is completed, lumber can
in this way be conveyed to town; then
we may expect to see the temporary shan
tees torn down, and permanent and COM
modious dwellings erected. We must not
forget to say that there are now few
very good houses in the place which are
weather-boarded in front with split boards,
which at first sight might be taken for
sawed lumber. These require too much
labor to be generally used
On the opposite side of the Middle Yuba,
separated from Minnesota by an apparently
impossible gulph, may be seen the little
hamlets of Snow Point, Orleans and
Moore's Flats. These pretty little towns,
half hidden among the trees, present very
lively appearance; sluice washing is here
carried on very extensively, and the muddy
/ water and white rocks NAV ho COON tumh-