Weekly Trinity journal., 1869-10-16
Notes OF Trip through Trinity County.

THE NEW RIVER COUNTRY.
II were of a philosophical turn OF mind
should have sat down on top of the New river
mountain, scratched that portion of my Uranium
IN winch the organ of causality is developed, and
enoeaSored to assign reason why the troll to
almost any locality you may choose to visit is
sure to lead over the highest possible mountain
that can be found in the range, when, perhaps
oy turning little to the right or left, lower
gap would shorten the climbing, if not the
length OF the journey. Like the King of
france VINO, with forty thousand men, marched
up the hill and then marched down again" the
hrst explorers of mountain trails seemed to have
climbed every knob and point in the line of
route' the better to enjoy the descent on the op-
posite side But being more inclined to take
things as they are than inquire rhy they are,
merely turned to q Rip when we reached the
su'n'n'', ana telling him we-were as nigh heaven
as we were likely to get on that journey, asked
him to pray. But being discomftted with the
answer that if a man who had voted nothing but
straight Union ticket for the past eight years
was not sure of salvation praying could not help
him, started on down a mountain so steep that
my boot-heels chugged against the horses jaws
every step he took, and the thought struck me
that if the crupper should break would not
fetch up till I'D be at least half way down to the
great Chinese wall.
The mines on the river commence some three
or four miles from the foot of the mountain and
aIopu down nparly IN tha inn ~, l.
Trinity. There are rot over a dozen white
miners in the whole New river country and they
are scattered in companies Of two and three over
a range twenty or twenty-five miles long. This
part of county has been first to receive the
shock of any Indian troubles, and the natural
result is that most of those who thronged along
New river and its tributaries few years ago
have gradually left until now, although the
Indian question is regarded as finally settled
few of them are left. visit to New river re-
minds of the pictures have seen as chill
dren. Cabins were built with an eye to defence
as well as comfort-loop-hoes on every side
from which rifles can be fired at the outside foe,
while around Caraway's store, at the forks, a
paisade of stout timbers, ten or twelve feet high
surrounds the building. think it was in 1868
that Uncle Billy Kirkham and number of
others, residents of the New river precincts,
being located for the time being on Salmon
river, HOt CuOUSlHS " COHSiutT tHeulSelVeS as
citizens of Klamath county, climbed the noun
tain on election day and as soon as they crossed
the Trinity line opened polls aud held an cleo
election, the returns of which were duly for
warded to Weaverville. But now, as no danger
of Indians need be apprehended, it is quite prob
able that tide of emf grafton will flow toward
that section again.
Concerning the New river mines learned but
little. There are plenty Of places good for small
f-,,, 70 lotl l.,y Bat
the old settlers, with the recollections of the
coarse chunks and big pay of other days, prefer
generally to prospect for something better than
the low bars along the stream affords. There
are few Cinnamon near the forks with their
everlasting rockers, otherwise the stream has
but few of this class of miners on it.
The old settlement at Woods place, five miles
above the forks, was burned down day or two
before reached there; the same fire had
spread along the hillside below and the road
was obstructed with fallen timber From the
point where the bridge crosses, down to Cara
ways a new trail has been made which is a
great improvement the old one.
From Caraway's down to Hoboken fiat is a
distance of fifteen miles, leading by " Quimby
the precinct from which much was expected
in 60. The returns had all come in except that
precinct, which expected to throw a good
vote. So when everything had been heard from
except Qumbys, and the Union candidate was
but seven or eight ahead, Democracy was conf
dent that it would be all right when the returns
came in from Quimhy's. But, alas, for the folly
of human expectations, some mining excite
ment had carried the voters to other places and
when Quimby's came in, it had but three votes,
all however for Pitzer. Politically, the New
river precincts won't do to bet on, straight Re-
publican being nearly as much of rard avis as
on the 8! klapperschlange."
Five miles below the forks, Mr.. Caraway has
found a quartz ledge which prospects very we'll
There good indications OF paying quartz
found in several places, am told. Mr.. Hackel-
man gave some specimens of silver-bearing
rock, which he thinks well of.
IIoboken fat is pretty little valley, and am
told there good mines along the river here.
The place has been owned for several years by
Mersrs. Patterson and Flowers, who have re-
Gently sold out. IMPREsoR.
q p NN