Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-04-18
RETROSPECTIVE AND PROS
PECTIVE.

In all mining communities, there are
alternating periods of excitement and de-
preston, With us, the first named per-
iod came with the first discovery of the
gold deposits, and continued until the an
nouncement of rich discoveries in other
and distant localities, drew from us a
large proportion of the floating pepulay
ton. Bat this excitement, Qf such il can
be called), had as its result, the develop
ment Of a large extent of gold bearing
territory, which furnished remunerative
employment for thousands of miners
The character of the deposits were such
that little or no capital was required for
their being worked successfully. Along
the banks and bars of the river and its
tributary streams, the success Of those
engaged in the occupation of mining was
such as gave promise of stability to this
industry, and to all others connected with
it,
The first great blow to the prosperity
of the mining interest, and through it to
all others, came through the great food
in the winter Of 1861. Mainly, its work
of destruction was confined to the river
claims, the majority of which were ruin
ed beyond redemption, for successful
working. Along the line of the river
the work Of destruction was indeed com
plete. Wheels, fumes and bitches were
swept away the bars covered with tail
ings and debris and cuts filled in and
leveled up, until it was scarcely possible
to tell where the ground had been work
ed, and where it had not. Following
this came the reports of discoveries of ex-
traordinary richness in the mines of Ida
no, Cariboo and Nevada, and many who
had lost their all in the food turned to
these new fields Of labor, in the hope OF
retrieving their losses. The value OF
mining property destroyed was immense,
and the county has never recovered from
the effects of the great food. Ths low
bars Of the river ceased to pay, and ma
ny of them were wholly Abandoned
River mining was given up almost entire
ly to the Chinese. The lowest and latest
deposits had proved richest and most ac-
cessible, and when the means of working
these were lost, it required larger outlays
Of capital and labor to develop claims
To work in the higher benches Of the
rivers and creeks necessitated larger vol
umes of water than were required by the
simple methods by which heretofore the
mines had been made to pay, and thus
the success Of mining was made to de-
pend upon the character of the season.
A succession of bad seasons was followed
by stringency in money matters, and,
nnder the influence of these drawbacks,
Trinity county has steadily declined in
population and wealth since 1861.
Within year or two however, events
have transpired which bid fair to bring
to our county a return of its old prosperi-
ty. The old appliances of mining are
laid aside, and in their stead the improv-
ed machinery, tried and perfected in the
gravel beds Of Placer and Nevada, being
brought into general use. So far as the
test Of this has been applied in our mines,
1t has been eminently satisfactory
Claims that had yielded we'll under the
old system Immediately acquired an in
creased value as the saving in labor
which is effected by the new machinery
was demonstrated old claims which had
ceased to be remunerative at once assum-
cd proportionate value. The great draw
back to successful mining in flats and
benches" had been the necessity of cut
ting numerous deep bedrock bitches, a
work both expensive and dangerous. The
use of the "giants' did away with most
OF this kind of work and the time which
had been spent at it could be devoted to
other labor. Another thing, and the one
of greatest importance to the future min
ing outlook is the fact, that q new char.
acter of placer mining will be followed
in the future, which up to the present
time has been ignored. Prospectors ir
this region have mainly sought for OLD
creek and river channels, or gravel de.
posts supposed to have been formed by
present streams. With the influx of min
ers from other localities, we obtain the
benefit of their experience, and learn
that many of of the gravel ranges and
mountains of the county will, if properly
worked, prove a source Of wealth the ex'
istence Of which, has hardly been sus
pected.
In the succ ess of the enterprises nov
on foot depends, in great measure, tn,
future of Trinity's prospects. If the,
are pushed to successful conclusion, i
will be an incentive to others of equal, i
not greater Importance. They are in tn,
hands Of men of practical experience anC
business energy who know no such wore
as fail, and we cannot doubt but the re
suit will be all they can desire.
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DIvoRC1NG WITHOUT COURTS TIL
following, from last weeks CotaUero
0b,.on5cIo ie cnooeosti,,o oP fbo forf;l,t,, ~