The Nevada journal., 1856-03-07
For the Nevada Journal.
SAN JUAN, March 4th, 1856.

Mr.. EDIToR:-H Having recently returned
rom q visit to one of the most important en-
erpriscs ever undertaken in this section of the
mines and one. that most especially affects the
prosperity of this particular locality l am in
!uced, inasmuch as bavc never seen it men
ieucd in the public prints, to give your rea
ers brief account Of the Inception of the
,roject and the present condition of the work
allude to the ditch of the Middle Yuba Ca
lal and Water Company which is designed tc
furnish water for this place, Mansanita Hill
md the adjacent diggings. n. F. Hoit, Esq.
ormerly of Nevada, has the credit of being tn G
irst prajector of the undertaking. Through
lis representations company of the miners
md citizens of San Juan, commenced in the
Fall OF SO TO construct small ditch to Griz
:ly Canon with the ultima te design Of enlarg-
ng and extending it to the Middle Yuba. -
This company being, to use familiar but ex.
pressivc colloquial phrase, rather 'hard up )
the enterprise was prosecuted by the individual
labor Of the stockholders. Mr.. Holt surren
dering his right to the water of the Canon for
two shares in the ditch, and j ohm r. Archibald
performing the engin eering for similar com
pensation. This was completed about fifteen
months ago and although not so imm edately
successful as some of the bitches in the vcinity
of Nevada, received sufficient encouragement
to warrant its further extension. As this re.
quired considerable larger amount of the
''needful" t..an the company could raise, efforts
were made to induce capitalists from other
places to embark in the enterprise Through
the exertions of Col r. Abbey the indefatiea-
BILE Secretary of the Company, Messrs. Jen-
nings and Fraser, who had been highly sue.
cessful in similar enterprise at Negro Hill
FL Dorado County, were induced to purchase
one half ofthe company's ditch and water right
and to apply the funds to the construction Of
the present noble work. Additional money
was obtained by the issue and sale of more
stock. Under the energetic supervision of Mr.
Jennings the lower ditch has been enlarged
and a new ditch and Aume is now nearly COM
pleted from Grizzly Canon to the Middle Yuba.
1t strikes the river about one mile and quar-
ter above the mouth of Bloody Run, and from
thence to San Juan is q distance Of twenty.six
miles. The dimensions OF the hume are three
by four feet and the ditch is somewhat larger.
with an average grade Of twelve feet to the
mile. As between eight and nine miles of the
upper end had to be flumed, the company with
commendable foresight erected saw mill near
ly opposite to tho head Of the ditch on the
summit of the ridge and have furnished their
own lumber at comparatively small expense
They have already sawed about eleven hundred
thousand feet oflumber, and it is estimated that
between one and two hundred thousand more
will be required to complete the fume. The
lumber is slid down the hill in q "shutes of
over three thousand feet in length, and requir-
ing in its construction more than twenty thou
sand feet OF lumber. The time occupied by n
board in its descent is from thirty to fifty sec.
ords, varying according to weight, which may
De called fast travelling even in this fast age.
At the bottom they ore dropped into the water
and then toated to where they are needed
The tiumc is constructed of plank one and one
half inches thick, and is built in q very sub
stantial and workmanlike manner. The aoue.
duct across Bloody Run, some seventy feet In
height, is chef dGurre of its kind. and we
hazard nothing in saying that it cannot be ex
celled in strength and symmetry by any SINH
lar structure in California.
The blasting and heavy work upon the grade
has been under the supervision Of Mr. John
-. ""' al" 'nS P'esoht appeiTunCe VI tne cllllS
will always remain monument TO his skill and
energy. In many places the lodges have been
taken down fifty or sixty feet in perpendicular
height, filling up the river below with huge
masses of rock, and compelling John China
man to "vamoose" from his diggings in q hur-
ry. The grading and ditch is now completed,
and about six weeks more work will finish the
fiume, SO you see that we shall have to wait but
"itte longer" for the good time coming
Great praise is due the directors of the compa.
ny, Messrs Jennings, Abbey, Archibald, Car
lin and DR.. Colburn, not only for their prudent
and energetic management of the work, but
also for the successful endeavors to place the
company on a sound financial footing The
enterprise has cost about two hundred and fif.
ty thousand dollars, yet many experienced
Judges think that owing to the permaneucy OF
the diggings it will ultimately be the best ditch
property in California. AS for US we are al.
ready reaping benefits from it, our claims have
already doubled aud trebled, and in some in.
stances even quadruped in value since the com.
mencenent of the undertaking. Our merchants
are doing more business, our town is twice the
size it was last winter, and although our claims
may not be quite as rich as Table Mountain is
reported to be, yet we all think that by q few
years of steady work we shall be able to fll our
pockets with the shining dust" and return to
| the "old folks at homc'
l remain yours, &c.
QUEEN SABE.