The Trinity journal., 1856-10-25
Mineral Wealth of Mariposa COMFY
true Value of Water

true VaIue OF Water.&
The part or portion of land knorn under
the style and name of The Fremont
Grant" says the Mariposa Dema'ot, and
concerning which so much has ken said
written, is located within the ccnteof Mari
posa county, and will fully justift all that
has been asserted of it, in regard dtoits great
mineral richness The grant may properly
be divided into four great mineral SeclionS,
viz; Guadalupe, Aqua Frio, Bear Valley,
ond Mariposa Creek.
The Guadalupe section is too we'll known
to require an extended md minute deScrip-
tion-being about five miles in length and
four in width, and would require sufficient
amount of water to run one Thousand Slnice
heads or, in other words. one thousand
Suice heads of water could sbe used within
this section, which would pay an enormous
sum per year to the ditch company who
would be so fortunate as to introduce water
The next section is the Agoa Frio dis
trict, being about six miles inl@gth, reach
ing from the Guadalupe district to Bear
Valley, and having width of threc miles.
Here also could one thousand tsuice-hesds
of water be sold per day.
Next comes Bear Valley dstrct-which
is famed for its great power and vast rich
ness. Within this valley alone some GOO
to 500 Sluice-heads Of water coald be sold
per day.
With the exception of a small tract of
land lying between Bear Valley and Cor
bits Creek, the Mariposa district is the last
remaining mineral district, within the grant,
to which we wish to call the attention of
capitalists. This district contains within its
limits the town of Mariposa, and sabout
twelve miles in length, with an average
width of two miles There could readily be
sold in this district six hundred sluce-heads
of water per day, indepcudant of that which
would oe required for running quartz mills
Without the limits Of the grant, the min
eral lands are equally as valuable and dlmorc
extended in their respective locations ~Hpt
we reserve our remarks upon these districts
for future number, as a DESCRIPTION Of them
would extend to-day's article beyond our
allowed space.
The whole sum estimated to be derived
from the sale of water in this country, foi
mining purposes, will fall little short Of SO,
0O0 000 per anum. We are aware that the
amount is enormous and that the statement
bears the appearance of exaggeration but
we will soon be prepared to show, by print
ed statements, which are now being carefully
arranged and drawn up, that the assertion
we have made above can be substantiated
by facts and figures. While all other coun-
ties Of this State have become nearly worn
out, for the great facilities afforded for min
ing purposes, this county has scarce been
more than pro2pected and when water i,
introduced, will afford employment to al
immense number of miners.
We congratulate the merchants of Sar
francisco, and the people of the State gen
orally, that such good time is coming
an advent of second 40; for as surely a,
there is enterprise and genius in the progreS
slve spirit of the American people, will wa
ter be introduced into this county. 1t is
useless to talk of difficulties and obstacles
these will be removed or surmomted. The
want Of water has become fixed fact-ar
absolute necessity to our prosperity, and We
may say, to our very existence. Upon {
proper showing, we have no doubt that al
abundance OF money can he raised in Europe
and we think that should statement o
the true merits of our resources be made
supported by the most convincing proofs
capitalists will be Induced to come forward
and advance the money required for the
construction of the ditch
OF quartz mines, within this county, we
have any number, from hundreds to thou
sands ; and it is more than probable that
one-thlrd OF them are auriferou lodcS, ant
will yield excellent ores for centuries to come
At price varying from two to three dol
lars Il day per sluice-head, to suit the dig
gings any quantity Of water could be sole
within the county.--lIln1ng JournaL
CANALS IN Ell DORADO CoUNrY.-Mair
trunks, 500 miles lateral branches, 43(
miles original cost, $l,429,000.
The price of water from these canals va
ries from twenty-five cents to one dollar pei
inch. In many of them the water is takel
up by reservoirs, and used in many cases q
many as four or five times over before i
leavs the companies works.
The mining interest of the country nevc
was more prosperous than at present. Th
gich hill diggngs," that heretofore have
denied the proprietors that ample anC
wealthy compensation for their labor, on nc
count of being compelled to cart their e0rtl
for washing, now net their owners fortunes
Every ridge and fiat in the county almost
where prospecting has demonstrated tht
existence of gold to paying extent, is sup
piled with water from the rivers by mean;
of canals.