The weekly ledger., 1857-08-01

A walk Of three miles over not q bad road
brought me to
HooDvILLE.
Maybe you do not recognize the name?-
Well, some sneaking scamp succeeded in fas-
tening the title of "Slabtown' to it, (and you
know mean name sticks like a bur to a
sleeps tail, and by that you may know the
camp
This has for long time been one of the
wet-weather mining localities, and much gold
has been taken from the gulches in the vicin-
ity. A small ditch which cost about $5, 900
and emanated from the south branch of Jack
son creek, was for long time the only arti-
fetal source from which water was obtained
here, and that was not to be depended upon;
but the Butte Canal" which gets its supply
from the Mokelumne, is now looked to as the
means of working the mines. There is un-
doubtedly great deal of ground that will
pay good wages, and when the reservoirs on
the line of the ditch are completed it is be-
lieyed that water will be plenty
Sailors Gulch, which is so frequently men
toned in the prints, has some very good claims
in it and at its head, several of which are
paying from So to $40 day to the hand
This gulch runs through the town from the
east, and on it the most of the mining of this
section is DONE
AS village Hoodville does not make much
pretenson, although it contains some good
houses which are scattered to suit the taste
of builders, they generally seeking a spread
ing oak under which to 'pitch their tents."-
A blacksmith shop, two grocery stores clo-
thing store, three saloons, tavern, ten-pin
alley, butcher-shop and the requisite dwellings
constitute the town. The people live pretty
well, if the meals really enjoyed here are
any criterion The hallfor dancing is prom
inent building, and is decorated on the inside
with portraits (life size) of miners in various
attitudes. One of the sketches is intended to
represent one of the workmen on the Canal
who was slid down a very steep rock some
hundred and five feet escaping with only a
few skinned places, principally little below
the small of his back where it was covered
lohen he started dOaoa by the seat of his pan
falcons.
A ten-pin alley here, belonging to Mr. Gill
man, is new wrinkle to me. To the heads
Of all the pins twine is attached that unites
with cord that runs along the ceiling to
where the players stand. When the pins are
down a pull on the cord suspends them over
their proper places and by gently letting them
down they stand all ready for the game to go
on. The balls roll back of their own free
will (and the inducements of an inclined
plane) under the floor, and are by pully
raised up to their receptacle Thus, you see
a boy to ''set EN- up" is not required, as the
players do it all without leaving their places.
Is not this yankee" for you? believe it is
Pierpont who says in regard to a Yankee
''Ay, when he undertakes it
He'll make the thing and the machine that makes
it,"
A large reservoir is being constructed at
the head of Sailors Guch in manner new
to me. Instead of wheeling the dirt to make
the embankment, they arc sluicing it on which
is a more expeditions plan, and it makes a
dam so solid that do not think it can posi-
bly, break away Ofcourse this method could
not be often adopted, but here water and sit
uation are favorable. This reservoir is to
save the water that now runs to waste during
the night. To this point the water is clear
The strip of red earth which in Clinton pays
so well passes across Sailors Gulch and CON
tinues on to Iowa Flat, which reminds me
that | had better leave for there also.
On both sides of the road about half a
mile south of Hoodyile is the farm of Mr..
Migan, on which is a comfortable dwelling
and barn. When passed there they were
threshing grain in the barn by riding horses
around on it in the old Western style. OBJ
served here large number of young fruit
trees set out, and other signs of homestead.
A half mile further on and over hill brought
me to the new camp of
IOWA FLAT
which has been the centre of attraction for a
couple of months past.
Here everything is bustle New houses
are being built and tenanted before half fin