Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-06-30
Imposition.

Every little while We hear of some person
who manages to get into the confidence of
capitalists, in San Francisco, who are anx-
ious to invest Their money in quartz opera
tions; and having succeeded in obtaining
money from them by false representations,
for the ostensible purpose of carrying on
mining in some county in the mountains,
pockets the money and leaves for parts un-
known. These swindling schemes are some
times carried on to a large extent and tlous-
ands of dollars are obtained, before the i'm
position is discovered; and sometimes some
"Cheap John" gets his fins in, and does them
out of few hundred, until capitalists have
become so disgusted with such operations
that they frequently will not let their money
go when they might really make a good
thing, especially in section where they have
once been "done for" Such transactions are
an injury to any section of the country, where
capital Is needed to develop the mines. An
operation OF this sort, by one of these "cheap
kind took place in this county not long
since. An unsophisticated young man,
whose whole appearance bore the mark of
honesty. came here representing that he was
IN the interest of capitalists below, by whom
he was engaged TO carry on mining opera
tions. He obtained specimens of rock from
several of the best lodes in this section, took
them below and represented that they were
from claim located at Ell Dorado, which he
owned, when he had no interest whatever
in any claim there. BY these representations
he obtained money from several parties, who
sent him back to work the claim. He stop
ped at El Dorado several weeks, and run
bill for board. and also bill at the hotel in
this place, and then left without promising
to call again and the question now is, schere
as hea Two or three parties from below have
been in town asking tcliere is her They have
been "honswaggled' out of hundred or two
dollars each. and ARE exceedingly anxious to
know achere he is. A few years ago one Bal
ley "played" the San Francisco stock deal
ers and mining operators to the tune of near
ly hundred thousand dollars, and then be-
came non est enUentum. The query was,
where is Baileys Do you know what has
become of Bailey Tne question now asked
by them there, as well as when they arrive
here, to look for their supposed rich mines.
is, do you know one Joel Cooper: Where is
Cooper Have you seen anything of Cooper !:
There are very many rich quartz lodes in
this section, which San Francisco capitalists
could secure if they would go the right way
about it. But if they allow themselves to be
duped by some travelling "bummer," and
then withhold their money because some
worthless fellow has "milched' them out of
few dollars, they will lose many opportu-
mites for valuable investments. Their money
Is of little value in developing the mines, un-
less directed by experienced and practical
MINERS such as are to be found right here in
the mountains, and not such as loaf around
the cities and towns.
The remarks of the Register would apply
very well to this place, by changing the
names trifle. We wonder if every noun
tain town is cursed with these wise-looking,
scienti6cally-educated gentlemen, O. who
pretend to know everything about quartz,
and who. to take their word for it, represent
unlimited wealth. They travel through the
county, picking up all the rich specimens
they can get hold of. making liberal offers
for leads, the bargain to be consummated,
and the money paid. as soon as they can con-
suit their principals When they leave
town they generally forget to settle their
bills at the hotels, and other places, and al
most universally take their departure between
two days. When capitalists wish TO invest
in our rich quartz ledges. we think they will
adopt different plan of discovering the more
valuable ones than by sending seedy ad-
venturer through the country to pick up
specimens, and disgust the inhabitants by
his garbled dissertations on s.sulphurets,' -
''slate formations" etc. These "bilks" will
not meet SO favorable receptions in the fu-
ture.