San Andreas independent., 1860-12-22
EAST OF MoKELuMNE HILL.

bers OF miners radiated from the original set
tiement at Mokelumne Hill in every direction.
we shall here speak Of the discoveries made
and settlements formed by those who went
eastward
Sandy Bar, Whites Bar, Spanish Bar and
Twenty-seventh Bar, on the Mokelumne, were
among the earliest discoveries made on the
river They have all been worked out, and
/ are now nearly deserted. Buckeye, situated
on small gulch two miles from the Hill, and
mile from the river, attracted the notice of
the '49 miners, and soon grew into a settle
ment of considerable Importance. At present
it cannot boast either many mineral or other
advantages yet the greater portion of the
country in that nighborhood may be reclaimed
to the uses of the gardener and horticulturist
The timber has been sadly swept away by the
wasteful miners, imparting to the landscape
an aspect of sterility which it otherwise would
not possess.
Rich Gulch (the town. is located on ra-
vine of that name The present Rich Gulch
is quarter of mile from the site of the old
40 CAMP, which has disappeared It's a per-
manent Ilace, possessing local horticultural
advantages over most mining towns The
surrounding country is level, with good SOIL
There are some eight to ten good ranches here.
The summer climate is milder than that of the
Hill, or of San Andreas, or Angels. Fruits of
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great perfection in the orchards and gardens
of Rich Gulch. The mines, within the past
year, or two, have greatly deprecated At
Pleasant Springs, half a mile from this place,
is located the County Hospital for invalids,
under the superintendenceo of DIR. A. H. Herch-
ner. Rich Gulch is about one mile from the
Mokelumne river, and has an altitude of about
1900 feet above level of the sea. 1t is near
the western edge of the great gold bearing
quartz belt which traverses the county from
north to south-having its centre east of the
great marble range, and is supplied with wa
ter by Clark Woodbury's canal, taken from
the South Fork of the Mokelumne.
Eight miles to the eastward is Sandy Gulch
on which is the small town of the same name.
1t is one of the early settlements, and is loca-
ted at the western edge of the timber belt.
Two bitches supply the miners and gardeners
with water: Harris & Co.'s and Kadisches.
They furnish water throughout the year. The
soil of the hills and flats on Sandy Gulch, is a
sandy loan, quick and fertile, and when the
placer mines shall have been thoroughly work
ed out and abandoned, it may be confidently
expected that this neighborhood will be turne
to account by farmers. AT present there are
few good ranches here, among which may
be mentioned that of Mr.. Dearborn, possessing
local reputation for the superior quality of
its grapes. In 1852, a rich quartz ledge, known
as the "Woodhouse claim" was discovered
on Sandy Guich. For the last year or two it
has been worked with stamps propelled by
water power, and is ore of the best paying
mills in the county. In every direction around
this place, exist rich quartz deposits, which
have been only half prospected. Many of the
ledges have been scratched over by Mexican
miners, working with arastras; few have
been tested (feebly) by Americans, with more
approved machinery; but the work of quartz
mining which is again to revive the sinking
energies of this part of the county, has never
been vigorously prosecuted. The mineral
wealth is there, however, and at some future
day, when Improvements in machinery, and
cheapened labor shall favor its development,
it will be forthcoming, and give honest and
profitable employment to hundreds of laborers.
A foundry for the manufacture and repair of
quartz machinery is located on the Middle
Fork of the Mokelumne mile to the east
ward of Sandy Gulch. A mile east of this,
among the heavy timber, and between the
North and Middle Forks of the Mokelumne, is
located the town of West Point, at present
containing not more than $50 inhabitants, a
large number of whom are Mexcans
WEST POINT.
West Point is east of the great marble ledge,
and consequently has never been famed for
rich placer mines. 1t is Is miles east of Mo-
kelumne Hill, having a tolerable stage road,
and line of stages running between the two
places-leaving the Hill one day and West
Point the next There is also tolerable
wagon road to Volcano, Amador county, cross
ing the North Fork of the Mokelumne by
good bridge. The distance from here to the
intersection of the Big Tree road is 81 miles,
and this is the route generally taken by i'm
migrants going to the lower Calaveras and
Mokelumne. We append a sketch of the early
history and present resources of the settle
ment, furnished US by an old resident. He
says:
That portion of country lying between the
North and Middle Forks of the Mokelumne
river, known the West Point mining dis
trict was first settled by Americans in the
spring of 1851, by O. D. Rolf Cal. Percival,
Hyram Boulter, and company of thirteen
others, who came from Rich Gulch, on a pros
pecting tour, and who discovered what they
then supposed to be rich quartz lead, on
what is now known as Boston Flat, some three
miles below the present location of the town.
The company, like many other early adven-
turers of that day, supposed they had a good
thing" and Immediately went to work to con-
struct mill. After surmounting innumerable
obstacles and dfficulties-such as crossing
their machinery over rivers on RATS, and haul