The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1859-12-31

SMIrHvILLE. Dec. 2sth, 1859.


from out door work, have concluded to drop
you few items from this truly f1ourishing
and most desirable locality of our county
BE it known then especially to seekers after
dame fortune that Smithvile is the head
quarters, of all Secret Diggings
A large amount Of mining operations are
being carried on this winter in this region
for miles around. There are more people in
this section now than there have been for
the last four years,-and the probability is
that reasonable yield of gold dust will con-
tinue to find its way into commercial chan
nels, and the pockets of the laboring classes,
for six months to come. Secret Diggings
have been successfully worked for the last
eight years. and still "the end is not vet"
They are all placer and ravine diggings;
quartz operations, although energetically
tried 10y large and small machinery, not
proving very profitable investments. Still
it may still be made to pay in the course Of
time. Hill and tunnel diggings have as yet
scarcely been tried. In several instances,
this kind of mining has paid tolerably we'll.
The dry diggings, however, bid fair to last for
many years to come. The. Bear River Ditch
supplies all this region with water-and I'M
..
will doubtless be made to pay-as the main
ditch and its collaterals are now more per
manent and substantial than in former
years.
Smithvie is making rapid st rides towards
becoming young city-and may truly say,
a moral one at that--tor no locality Of an
equal number of inhabitants in California
can show as clean police record, or less, adj
dicted to crime, immoralty, and intemper-
ance whether, however, these last exemptions
are owing to an entire absence of the
formality of church going, and its gosspping
concomiants, or tie moral and intelligent
breeding Of the most Of our people, this de-
ponent saith not but inclines to the latter
belief
Smithvlle is located on the Auburn and
Sacramento road, and within five miles Of
the great Central Railroad at the Half Way
House. If trade should warrant, the Smith
vile Railroad will lie built within the next
six months. A survey has been made, and
the grade found to be the same AS certain
hydraulic power invented by two enterprsing
citizens in this place some time ago 1t is
not onlyfeasible, but practcabe-as soon as
all the "sinews of war" are subscribed. Gold
Hill and Auburn had better stir themselves
-forthe Smilhsonians are wide awake.
We have Court House here, and if Pla-
Ger should be cut asunder this winter 10y
the Solons at the Capital, we intend to bid
for the new count seat-Lincoln being too
far out Of the way Of TIE population Of the
new county, besides too young in years,
wealth and talents; and as to Gold Hill or
Virginia, tley are too small-alhough pos
sessng good deal of Democratic merit.
Smithville is the place. newspaper to be
the SmithrHle FitIibuster is to be published
here AS soon as our Post Office gets under
way. w. Ramsey q Co., publishers.
We also have a theatre here, called the
Odeon, on Shakespeare street, regular
stock Company give performances once a
week. Saturday nighls.) The Play on
Christmas Eve, was new local tragedy,
written by sarant in the reighborhood,
founded upon an awful affair which occur
red on Secret Ravine sometime ago. 1t is a
soul harrowing and etfecting piece of acting
and a person seeing it once wishes to
witness it again. The title of the play is
MIL IENKENIUCIZ, Or, -str- 11nyuny,tanett
Chindman.
The various characters of the piece were
IloSt AMY sustained by the very eXceIient
company of actors, and which elected re-
peated rounds of applause One of the
parts was that of a "Greek, with the reddest
kind of hair" who essayed the part of a
Barrister-but the tout en- semble and other
surroundings were too much for the critical
audience, and he was accordingly Kissed
down. This was the only failure and enraged
the BarIster very much-even to the rend
ing of his neither garment.
A new original song, Qocal Of course,) to
the tune Of My Mary Ann, was admirably
rendered by Mr.. Cfuser-its title being
my Peggy Anu"
A local farce concluded the performance
entitled, Nedleb, or Tom Belts Gang.
The stockholders in the Theatre are san
guine of its becoming paying institution
rs its attractions are not eXcelled anywhere
all the plays, dances, and songs being To-
cal, aud of course Original. But more Of
this another time.
he political atmosphere of Smthville is
as cool as "cowcumber." On the Senator
ial question we "don't care d-n"-be
lieving that the Legislature is honest and
Democratic enough to elect the best man up
Christmas, that glorious old Holiday, thai
makes children of us all, passed off in fine
style-with plenty of the good things of
this life, and consequently jolly time gen
orally. Hope YOU had the same. Good bye
RUSTICUS.