The Trinity journal., 1856-07-19
Lower Trinity Mines.

A desire TO personally observe Tue cohuiHon OF
mining affairs and business prospects generally
on the lower Trinity, induced us to take trip in
that direction last week.
Our intentions were however greatly miscon-
strued by many, who believed us to be out on an
eleetionesrtns expedition. We succeeded in con-
gincing some that such was not the object of our
visit but the suspicious ones still looked upon us
in the light of an Office seeker, notwithstanding
our protestations
We were greatly surprised at the prospects on
Trinity. We had lately heard it ntimated thet
the lower Trinity mines were about used up. Our
trip has, we are pleased to say, convinced us
that they are in reality in better condition for
yielding richly than ever before,
From the suggestions of number of practical
miners and our own observations and experience,
We are satisfied that the great difficulty attending
the full development of the mines, is the appar-
ent indispostion of miners generally to work to
the bed rock.
In travelling along IT,, river nearly all the
bars present the appearance of having been work
ed, but upon inquiry we found that in nine cases
out of ten, few feet only Of the top dirt had been
washed and the balance left untouched We sup
posed miners at this late day had given up the old
49 and 80 way of working and now washed ev-
erything clean to the bed rock 1t appears how
ever, that such is not the case, Notwithstanding
all experience has shown that the richest deposits
of gold are always found near the bottom To
prove this, we found for distance of over thirty
miles not one bar claim worked down to the bed
rock whiah was not yielding richly their owners
making from IS to $50 per day to the man. At
present, we are sorry to say, the number in pro-
portion to the extent of the dggings, who are
thus Judiciously working, is very small
The bars upon which the top dirt has been wash
ed of, most generally paid good wages, and we
certainly think there is no good reason why the
top should pay and not the bottom
In most instances there appears to be deep
channel running through the bars, which is gen
orally lower than the surface Of the water in the
present channel of the river, aud it is therefore
necessary for the expenditure of considerable
labor and money to place them in a working con
1tion, which is, we believe, why the working of
them has been SO long delayed
We think the river miners do not look to their !
OWN interest in thus neglecting these dggngs, for
'laims OF this description when they do prove
'ich, are not only lasting but profitable, almost
'nsurlng competency to the owners.
We have determined in this article to give some
title account Of the different localities as we found
hem and their prospects.
CANADIAN BAR or TAYLoR's FLAT, is situated a.
'out thirty miles from Weaverville A number
f large bars in this locality have been worked |
ver, some to the depth Of three or four feet, and
leserted. Messrs Winslett, Drake & Co. are the |
'nly company working down to the bed rock, and .
hey are doing we'll. We believe indeed, that the |
Bar on which they are working, is the only one
'rospected the others are lying there untouched.
from the water facilities in this vicinity the ad-
7antages for working these deep bar claims are
greater than at any other place we saw. The
Washington Fluming Co.'S Flume conveys water
through them, supplying q sufficient quantity to
employ large number of miners. There the dig
gings lie, however, with almost certainty of |
their paying richly, unworked because the outlay
of a few dollarsis necessary before they can be
placed in working condition But we think
they will not long remain thus, for people will, /
no doubt, soon find out their error and commence
working them. We were informed there were 4
several claims farther down the river being work
I'd to the bed rock, which were paying we'll. At
LITTLE PRAIRIE we found Alex. Peltreau 4 Co.
had just started drift in very high bar above 4
their garden, which gave unmistakeable evidence
of richness. We examined pile Of dirt which
had just beeen wheeled out for washing, and saw
with the naked eye particles Of gold all through
it. This is the first attempt at working the bed,
and we think there is no doubt the prospect just
obtained will open an extensive range of diggings
in the vicinity of Little Prairie At
WHITE'S BAR, short distance above Little
Prairie, company have just opened claims which
are yielding richly At
NANCE's BAR, new claims are being opened
Randolph Sanburn and company have just open
ed claim which is paying we'll, and has induced
the miners to take up claims for long distance
on either side Of them, but owing to the scarcity
of water but little will be done until supply can
be obtained. At
Big FLAT, the principal mining 10 in claims
worked to the bed rock, and they are paying we'll.
In all the claims we have mentioned, the own
ers are making SIS to $50 per day to the man. and
in some of them they occasionally make more,
and we certainly believe that ere long numbers of
bars deserted, will be successfully and profit
ably worked.