Weekly Trinity journal., 1869-02-06
The Stewards Fork Ditch.

The beneficial results that would necessarily
attend the construction of the Stewards fork
ditch render it subject concerning which too
much cannot be said. It would be, to limited
extent, the same to Trinity county that the Erie
canal has been to the State of New York. The
Erie canal cost $40, 900 900, and has never di-
rectly returned the interest on the money, but
on the contrary has only been source OF e1-
pense to the State of New York, Yet it has
made New York city the emporium of conti-
nent and added to the wealth of the Empire
State many times the cost of its construction.
Viewing it in this light alone, were all the own
ers of property from Minersvie to Junction City
to unite and contribute proportionately towards
building the Stewart fork ditch the consequent
enhancement in value Of their property wouiu
more than repay them, even though they should
never derive one dollar of profit otherwise. But
this is not the true state of the case. The ditch
offers an opportunity for profitable investment,
such as capitalists do not fail to eagerly embrace
whenever fairly presented before them. Taking
water from stream affording an abundant sup
ply of water at all seasons of the year. the ditch
as surveyed, would range along an interior line,
cutting across large bend in Trinity river,
gaining in altitude from the head dam to the
end, and commanding at a great height the
best mining portion of the county. The first
four or five miles might have to be built before
finding sale for water, but as soon as the ditch
left Stewards fork and arrived back of the high
benches just below Van Matres, on the head of
Buckeye, large amount of water would be used
probably four or FIVE times before lost in the
river. From the time of commencing to let
water its completion would be assured, and its
construction and known to contain good paying
mining ground. Here, then, we have all that
make such enterprises profitable. Plenty of
water at great elevation above the river, COW
ering many square miles in good mining sec
ton. Suppose the ditch to furnish one. thou
sand inches of water for only six months of the
year, doubled by means of reservoirs, and rented
at the lowest rates, the rents would be found to
amount to not less than 900 per year.
Treble the estimated cost and the income will
pay the highest going rate of interest and ordi-
nary expenses and leave handsome margin be-
side. The Yreka ditch required to be dug
seventy-fve miles before reaching the mines, and
with many others it has been necessary to extend
them almost as far before receiving any return.
Ten miles at furthest are all that is REQUIRED to
conduct the water of Stewart's fork upon paying
mines. The claims at Bolts hill have been
prohtably worked for years with but from two
weeks to two months water each year, and but
a scanty supply at that, and the diggings at
Buckeye are of the same character The coun-
try from Musser hill to Van Matre's is a gravel
range abounding in gold from the surface down,
where prospected. Fifty or one hundred thou
sand dollars is a large amount of money, and
there are no ten men in Trinity County able to
spare it from their business. We do not believe
any such sum necessary. After digging ten
miles of ditch, at most, there is every reason to
believe the ditch will more than pay its way.
We believe the ditch will be built and that it
will be begun this summer, but this generation
will hardly see it extended to Oregon guch un-
less an extravagant price for water will be paid
there. The mines from this place to Van
Matre's will employ allthe water that can be
had for the next twenty years to come.