New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-09
AN OVERLAND JOURNEY.
XVIII.
XVIII.
CALIFORNIA MINES AND MINING.
SACRAMENTO, Aug. :, l8'

j have spent tDe hst week msiny enotg she
Mines and miners Of FL Dorsdo, Placer, and Ne
vsas Coshhes, in the heart Of the gcldprod lclDs
rssios. There may be richer diggngs" north or
south, but | believe no other three counties lying
te.,ber have yielded 10 the aggregate, or are nov
producing, 20 much gold as those l have named
or coui,e, bsve not even been within s'sht OF
more than fraction Of the mines or plaeers OF
tAese counties, while I have not care ully studsd
even spe Of them; and yet the little Information l
have beer able TO slesD, III the intervals OF travel
hs, 6iesdy greeting and occs'iooal speech
making. my have some value for those whose
irersnee On the subject s even more dense than
mae
The three counties have nAncd lie near the
e>bter OF the State, a. the base OF the Sierra
Nevada, between hose mountains on the east aud
tie valley Of the SasranH MO on the West. Tney
are rugged 10 formation, being composed Of ionu-
nershle bill. (nsinly spurs OF the great chain),
separated by narrow valleys, Usually desceniog 70
The west and gradually opening gu. into the broad
rich valley Of the Sacrament. The three branches
sr "forks' Of the American and those Of the
Yuba River come brawlins down from the Sierra
Nevada through very deep, narrow valleys or
eshoB,, and unite respectively to run very short
eeur,e lees rapidly ere they lest in the Sacrs-
ssnso-the Yuba having previously formed Il june
lion with the Feather. Bear River" Vol
Creek" deer Creek" &c, are the names OF
,til ,maIIer streams, taking their rise among the
k.t hls, and running a short course into some
f.rk of The American or Yobs their scanty waters,
with good portion Of those OF the rivers aforesaid,
beng nsDly drawn of into canals or |" 6itches,'
o. they are inAccursteiy termed, by winch the
nesdful fluid is supplied to the miner.
TIE CANALS
There canals are striking characteristics Of tbs
entire mining region AZ you traverse q wild and
broken district, perhaps miles from any human
hsbtsdon or sign OF present husbandry, they inter
sect your dusty Indifferent road, or are carried in
fumes supported BY framework OF timber t~en-
ty 10 sixty feet over your bead. Some OF toese
ZONES or open aqasducts are carried across valleys
eseb mile OF more in Width; have seen two Of
tbsn thus crossing side BY side. Ths canals range
from len to sixty eighty miles in length, AID are
FLIED BY dsmmpg the streams whtrefrom they are
se,sIslly fed and taking out their water in vide
tereb, which runs along the side of one bank,
gradually gaining comparative altitude as the stream
b. its side falls lower and lower Ia ito cshoo, until
it 10 at 9Th on the crest Of the hssdland or
nountsin promontDry which projects INTO the
plsip, and may he conducted down either side
Of il in any direction deemed desirable. j think
several Of these car ale have cost nearly or quite
half q million dollars each, having been enlarged
IN I'M
stances dictated and means could be obtained.
Ooe Of them, originally constructed in def
sbce Of ianguine prophecies Of failure, re-
hrued TO tie owners the entire cost OF its con-
,tIuc,ion witha three months from the date OF It's
completion. Then it was found necessary 10
enlarge and every way improve il, and every dollar
of its net earnings for the next four years was
devoted 20 ito perfection. In some instances, the
projectors exhsu ,ted their Own means and then
re,orttd 10 borrowing on mortgage at Caliornla
rstes Of interest; believe nesry or quite every
such experiment resulted in absolute bankruptcy
and change Of owners. OF late the solvent and
prosperous mpapies have turned their attention
to daumipg the outlets Of the little lakes which
fl, he bolows Of the Sierra in order to hold back
the .upsrsbundaDt waters of the Spring months
for ase in Summer and Autumn. This course is
Soubly heptfcent, in that it dDinlshes the danger
from floods to which this city is specially
subject but which is also serious In al The
valleys or canons of the Mining region wherein
there 10 anything that water can ipjure
/ ledge that the cost and present eash value Of
thee mining canals throughout California must De
many millions Of dollars, paying in the average 3
f,ir income, while their supply of water is at this
season, and from July 10 November, utterly made
qua,e. Water is sold by them by the cubic inch
. ,tesm four inches deep ami six wide, for
instance, being twenty four inches, for which, at
fifty cents per inch twelve dollars per day must be
psld by tie tsker A bead OF six inches-thst lie,
ok inches depth Of water in the fume above the
top of the sperture through which the water
escapes into the miners private ditch or a1me-is
usually allowed. TIE price per day ranges from
twenty cents 10 dollar per inch, though l tbink 1t
sew seldom reaches the higher figure, which was
epce common Were the supply twice copious
a. il 10, presume it would all be required; if the
price were somewhat lowered by the increase,
sm iuIe il would BE- M,Dy works are now stand
log idle solely for want If water.
THE MINES.
Go EheIe you viii in the Mining region, you are
seldom mile distant from past or present dig
&irgs." Speaking generally, every ravne, gully,
water course has been prospected; every one at
se@e point dug open To tie bed rock" and
tAe overkirg earth or gravel run through
"roeker," tom or sluice, in the hope of maxi
ing yield the shining dust. Many of these water
have haan 10, III ,,, g.