San Andreas independent., 1858-07-10
Frazer River a Humhng.

DC miSunuerstoou. AT the time gold was dis
discovered in California, we lived in Monte
rey, and had been more than a year a resident
OF the State. The gold was discovered in jan
uary, at Suffers mill, and the very first re-
ports of the richness of the mines were accom-
panied by the gold itself, as voucher to the
news. We well remember with what pleasure
we hefted saucer full of the yellow metal,
brought down in February, ls4s from the Old
Dry Diggings, by Frenchman named Rous-
shone, an old resident of Monterey. He told
his story and exhibited the gold, which con-
vinced all of the wonderful discovery. Next,
Sutter Greek was discovered; then, in rapid
succession gold was found on all the rivers
south to the San Joaquin. On the fourth of
July, 1S4S, miners were working at Ford's
Bar, on the middle fork of the American river;
already, soldier named Haggerty, had, at
that place, taken out 65 pounds of dust. In
September, lS48, we visited the mines, in
tending to work at the Hangtown diggings,
but in crossing the Mokelumne, at what is
now known as Staples Ranch and Ferry, we
were informed of rich gold discoveries up the
river. Our party started up, prospecting in
the banks as we travelled, but did not see the
color until our arrival at Big Bar (now
bridged,) where Tom Fallon, Mike Lodge and
John Tabor were mining and had store
Gold dust was selling at $l2 per ounce, and
all kinds of coarse food at 81 per pound On
the evening previous to our arrival, Mike Lodge
and his wife came into camp with a mule
freighted with gold which had been taken out
in less than weeks time, from the gulch
where Mokelumne Hill is now built. We saw
the gold; many of the chunks were heavier
than smoothing-irons This excited our Gu
pidity to such degree that we must needs
take up the trail, leaving six ounce diggings
behind. AT early dawn we started-the party
consisting of John Harvey, Harry Wilson and
the editor of this paper. We followed the trail
all day around the hills and gulches of what
is now known as Golden Gate Butte, without
striking the diggngs finally, we started hun
cry and weary-being on foot-to strike the
Mokelumne river on line with high hill in
front-Volcano Butte after travelling several
miles, we met an Indian, who pointed to
light tit being now quite dark cleaning
through the trees; in few moments we were
in camp. About dozen Frenchmen, under
the control of man named Cooley, were
working below where the town of Mokelumne
Hill is now located, and at the head of the
Il III xo1xo r
claim and were making from eighteen to twen-
ty ounces per day by carrying the dirt ON
mules to the river and washing it with old
fashioned bread-baskets, the gold lodging in
the straw crevices. (ThIs was probably the
first gold-saving machine used in California,
next the pan and cradle, then the long-tom,
followed by the sluice and hydraulic process.)
Next day we pitched into the gulch with butch
er-knives picking the fine gold out of the
slate crevices and saving it in little pannikins;
the day following, took up claim just op-
poste where Gebhardt's Brewery now stands,
and commenced delving down 6elow the sur
face for gold, opening what has since been
known as Mud Gulch, which proved to be the
richest piece of ground in the vicinity. We
purchased pick and shovel (more than half
worn out,) for $32 in coin, from Messrs. Nc
Kenzie Murray, who had just brought some
old mining tools over from Sutter Creek, on
speculation grub had been reduced to $l.5O
per pound, all round, and we lived high. We
took out, after paying all expenses outfit, &C.,
in seven days of light labor l8 pounds of gold.
During our stay, James H. Carson, Angel, and
negro named Antoine, all from Monterey,
came along, but would not mine in "worked
OUT diggings, so they proceeded south, dis
covering San Antoine Greek, Angels and Car
sons, each giving discovery their own name
They proceeded to James dggings, (now
Jamestown and went to work, Late in the
fall Carson's Creek was worked and during
the winter of 4S-9, almost the entire mines
were abandoned for various causes. About
April, ls49, the Mariposa diggings were dis
covered.
Nearly all the gold discoveries in Califor-
MIA were first made in dry diggings, and thence
traced to the rivers. In the Frazer river re-
gion it is the reverse, if all is true we hear
In California, all the most important discover
les were made in less than six months time
and the richness of the mines verified simulta-
neously with the reports. 1t is over year
since we first heard of gold discoveries on Fra
zer river, sufficient length of time for the
truth to be known, were the mines as rich as
they formerly were in California. In Califor-
MIA the gold is found at the bottom of the dirt,
on the bedrock on Frazer river it is " mixed"
with sand in such large quantities that it pays
equally well from the surface down, on the
bars We believe that "Frazer" is Humbug,
and would not have troubled our readers with
the above little scrap of musty history, but to
give a reason for the belief. Had Frazer river
been as rich as California was, land most of
the hireling press and letter-writers claim that
it is,) the gold would be coming down already, |
bags full fit,-and large scope of country, |
rich in dry diggings, would have long since
been discovered and worked, while all doubts
as to its reality would now be dissipatcd.
That there il oold on Frazer river all seem