The hydraulic press., 1859-06-11
THE HINES.

History OF A Rich CLAIM.-Some of the
readers of the Press may have wondered
why nothing more has been said about the
famous " Dead Man Claims" the name oi
which was once synonymous with heavy
gold yields. Well, the reason is, that they
have been sluiced off clean to the bedrock
and months since the last fragment went
rolling down the Middle Yuba. The history
Of these claims is interesting enough to be
written. The ground composing them, and
which consisted of 44 claims, each so by
$50 feet in dimensions, was taken mp in the
spring of 1853, shortly after the discovery
of San the Juan diggings, and was the third
piece of ground taken up on the hill for min
ing purposes. The original claimants were
Chadbourne and West, who were killed in
March, 1858, by cave, while making an
open cut. They were not known to be killed
until, being missed, suspicion was excited
brother miners proceeded to the cut saw
that there had been cave, washed off some
bodies, which were taken for interment to
French Corral. The ground that had
proved so fatal to these unfortunate men
the first of many victims on this hill--was
sold by two brethe.s of the deceased to
1soass Buhring and Peter Lassen for the sum
of $500. Fearing that they could not work
it alone, and not knowing its richness, these
gentlemen sold two fourths at advanced rates
upon the cost of the whole, and these shares
were in turn subdivided, until finally the
ground was in the hands of seven partners.
From 1853 until 1856 the Deadman claims,
which took their name from the fatality de-
tailed above, did not pay more than the cx-
pense of working them and running a rock
| tunnel. Water could only be had at brief
seasons and in small quantities, until the
all the labor up to that time did not amount
to more than prospecting and preparation.
On the completion of four hundred feet of
tunnel, about June, 1856, the richness of the
Deadman claims was fully ascertained and
Mr.. Buhring refused an offer Of $500 for
his fourth interest A sixth interest was af-
terwards sold for $4,000. The really ad-
vantageous working began in August, 1857.
The gross yield of dust from that time un-
til December 1858, period of about six
teen months, was Sl56,3O7 49, The total
expenditures were S62 2,494 81, showing a
clear profit of S93,sl3 10, which, for each
original fourth interest would be 500, ,453 %.
This is not staggering amount, but it is
pretty fair interest on $500 for five or six
years, with labor thrown in. The total
length of tunnel run by the company was
one thousand feet, all through rock, at an
aggregate cost of $4,000. This is still as
valuable as ever, and is now used by ad-
joining companies whose ground is paying
richly and will ultimately yield more than
the I" "Deadman."
The bodily removal of four and a hall
claims, each so feet wide by $50 feet long
and mostly 100 feet deep, has made a big
hole in the end of the hill, and opened the
way to the successful working of neighbor-
ing diggings, and will afford some idea OF
the rapidity with which large spaces of bed
rock are revealed to the light of day. This
little history will also indicate how much
perseverance and courageous labor are re-
quired for the proper exploration of these
auriferous mountains.
| GREAT activity and good yields are re-
ported from every district on the ridge, ex-
cept those affected by the strike. On San
Juan Hill, the Sailor Company have taken
up S2,277; the Star Company, Sl,3l2;
Ohio Company $3.50, and the Brittania Co.,
$l,243; making a total from four claims Of
| S5,492. Other companies that are washing,
have not yet cleaned up. The Keystone
claims, at Montezuma, lately yielded 81, l85
from drift dirt A fourth interest in the
New York Company, at Manzanita, sold re-
Gently for $4,000 the last washing of this
company gave them Sl,loo. The miners at
French Corral are reported to be doing bet
ter than any others on the ridge. From
Cherokee we have heard reports of good
yields, ranging at from one thousand to
three thousand dollars each.
WAR IN EURopE.-The storm has burst at
last, and Europe is the scene of more excite