San Andreas independent., 1857-08-29
The Oregon Gold Mines.
CARsoN's CREEK, Calaveras CO., CAL,
Anrnef cAth 1877

August cath, 1867.
Mr.. EDIT0R AS came through your village
few weeks since, promised to send you an
account of my trip to the celebrated Oregon
Gold Mines" but have neglected doing so, owing
to my having been engaged in prospecting
around this section of country which, hope,
is sufficient excuse
As soon as | arrived in Stockton from MUIR
phys placed myself in the Western Hotel !"
next day took the boat for San Francisco-ar-
riving there, took the sColumbia" steamer for
oregon Before | arrived at Crescent City,
iounu there were three families on the boat
TWO for Washington Territory and the other
Tor Althouse Creek.
as my funds were rather on the decline
"usiseo these parties to land at Crescent City,
Knowing that could fit ourselves out at this
place. We stayed over one lav n rrcruit-
Inc next day we prepared ourselves for the
march to the mines-we started for Ped Woods
The hrst river we came to was Smiths which
we crossed One and a half miles from the
ierry we found party putting in a water wheel,
ana on my return found that they had aban-
doned the claim as no goodn There were at
.his ume fourteen persons in the party, and we
hao made up our minds to prospect from Smiths
river On our trip from the first wheel on this
river, we came to where there had once been a
store, and around that vicinity it had been thor
=
this old store there were party of Frerchmen.
on the opposite bank prospecting, and building
their cabins. passed several deserted miners
cabins on this side Of the river. After leaving
this place we came to the forks of Smiths
river, which we had to cross again. and canned
over night we had to pay ST. a meal, 81 for
hay for our horse, 81 for barley and bad beef
We Immediately started for 'sSailor's Diggings."
From here until | arrived at {" Cold Springs
| cannot say that | saw any mineral land
From Cold Springs, according to my Judgment
advised, as we were all strangers to each
other, that should prospect from there; but
they were anxious to reach Althouse Creek and
Sailors Diggings-both of which places have
proven to be humbugs by my own labor; how
ever, on Althouse Creek there are two claims
abreast of Mr.. Cohcn's trading post, belonging
to the brothers ireland, that paying small
wages. From here went to "Sucker Creek"
which is nine miles from Athouse Creek
This camp is now being rebuilt, having been
burnt down short time previously by the In
dians. | made up my mind to go among the
miners and find out how things stood. ] found
on the left fork of " Sucker Creek that parties
had fiumed the stream, and were California
miners | therefore thought that could place
more dependence on their say; after cleaning
up the length of eleven sluces, they took out
the enormous sum of SIS. They paid l25 cents
for lumber, So for shovel $3.50 for pick,
Is cents for pick handle, and S 10 week for
board. The Oregonians take every advantage
they can of the California miner they give
exaggerated accounts of every creek and stream.
From "Sucker Creek" went to @Happy Camp
found the miners there anything else but
happy, and were leaving as fast as they could.
From thence made my way to z Rogue river"
the trail took brought me 10 " SCOTS Bar
NJ ha min hat - ~
ifornians had gone mp to the head waters of
Rogue riveri Rom there | went to Scotts
river" and to ssilinos rivern and landed opno
site Deer Creek. On Deer Greek Flat parties
had run deep cut and struck blue clay, that
will pay $4 per day if it can be pulverized-
As that place did not pay them for working,
they went to the right of the fiat and opened a
race through the middle of the fiat
The miners on Illinois river do not wash out
ottener than once month, as the gold is so
very fine; they use botR the patent rifles and
false bottoms, and have their sluices set very
steep. The valley from Deer Greek to the
lower end of Illinois Valley, has not been pros
pected; but from there up to the head it is
thickly settled.
! will now state the most economical way of
| going to the mines from Crescent CITY. II has
heretofore been rule among California miners
| to hire animals from the Livery stables in Cres
| cent City to go to Althouse Creek which will
cost them Slo or $50. AS all Orcgonians are
looking out for Caiifornans, my advice is that
as soon as they arrive to form themselves into
pafues OF three or four persons, and purchase
an animal for about S4O--buy their provisions
| and tools, and as soon as they strike Sm;tb.s
river commence prospecting from there to Sail
orS Dlggings Before they strike Cold Springs
they VIII lind gold bearing country, more so
tnan above; as the country above is more
thlckiy timbcred. From Cold Springs to Sail
ors Diggings is a very mountainous country.
and miners do not examine the gulches until
they reach that place. They find also when
they get there that it is all monopolized by tbe
water company. Prospecters can have wafer
from the company to prospect with, but when
they hnd the claim pays, they deprive them of
WATER ana consequently they are compelled to
sacrlhce their claims and tools, and the next
thing is they are strapped. and must hire ont
among the farmers for $50 or $40 a month
When we got back to Crescent CITY. the fare to
oan francisco was $50 in the steerage. There
were ~ passengers from Luck's Hotel and 10
from the What Cheer House; these PASSENGERS
ohered SIO apiece for their passage. and were
refused They had to go and work on tbe road
Tor 500 month, and were not sure of oett;ng
that sum. have had to work SUNDAYS as woI1
as week days, to enable me to make money suf.
hclent to get back home
from my own experience, would advise no
one to go to the Oregon gold mines. Califor-
mans going to Oregon know nothing abont
what dlfilculties they have to encounter. IF
they are bound to g Caldwells Digpinps.p in
Washington Territory, as soon as they strike
fortland, they go from there to the Dalles $50
mlles distant; they must pay SIS to cross the
river IN boat and must furnish themselves
with pack and saddle animal From tbo,oo
they go to the Cascades, $50 miles; Won nav
30 more for your privilege to cross the Cas-
cades. From the Cascades to Caldwell's Dio-
gings is 40 miles 80 miles north of Cald-
wells Diggings, they have discovered some
new mines, but the Indians are very trouble
some.
have written these few lines to deter o.,,,.-