Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1875-10-25

Major William Downie, the founder
OF the ancient mining town OF Dowuis-
vile. California. and we'll known o. one
OF the Oldest. most experienced aud
most persistent prospectors on the Pacific
coast. has now successfully inauguratsd
another enterprise in hat line which
promises TO be q lucrative one to himself
and all concerned with him. Since his TO-
turn last Summer from his ak months
prospecting raid among the mines and
''haucas" Of New Grenada, no has again
been turning his attention TO the old
mines aud gravel diggings Of Nevada
county. California, with which region
he has been 80 long familiar. More &C.
pscially has no been following mp and
tracing out the course OF the famous
Blue Lead. which has yielded so many
millions in gold. and We ars pleased to
learn that he has been successful In To-
eating q liberal and valuable slice OF Il.
To assist In Its practical development
lao has associated with him q number Of
the enterprising citizens Of Gold Hill
aud Virginia, men OF means and energy,
aud they have organized themselves into
q company. under the peculiar and APP
propriAts name Of tho Centennial
Gravel Mining Company. We had tho
pleasure Of meeting Major Downis this
tsorning. just over from his new dig
s'nes. looking hale, hearty and o year
.: two younger than he was four months
a,:o. The old veteran prospector walks
Of with n quick. elastic step. and
bright hopeful eye. A. though
l., was bat n youngman. In factthe Major
although not a hundred years old yet,
Is just starting In on q piece OF work
shich will last for q hundred years to
some. II he does not. May he raise q
nod stake out Of II 10 60 TO the great
american Centennial next year, and
liter that find enough gold in his gravel
20 mako him and his Centennial Com
Piny rs rich a. the wealthiest OF the
ancient Israelities. From the Nevada
(Cal.) Duly Transcript OF the Gath In
slant, we copy the following relative to
lie new enterprise:
An enterprise. Of no small importance
% Nevada county, has been commenced
IA the upper part OF this county. which
will give q now impetus to gravel min
ing. along the divide between the South
Yuba river and Deer creek. II has been
believed for several years that the cele-
Grated Blue lead. running through
Downicville. Minnesota. Moore's and
Orleans Flats, runs under the divide this
ide OF the South Yuba. in the vicinity
Il Skillman's mill. This belief has been
strengthened during the past summer by
, party Of practical miners. OF which
Major Downie. n OF the Oldest miners
IN tho State. was tho NEST prominent,
who made n careful survey OF the curse
Il tho ancient river channel. and are salts
eed that tho previous theory is correct.
4 company. styled the Centennial Gravel
Mining Company, has recently been
formed, consisting OF sixteen persons,
al residents OF Gold Hill and Virginia
City, but who at one timo lived In
his county, and they have located
slGH acres OF ground. extending from n
point q short distance above Skillman's
Town to what is known as Gold Hill. q
distance Of about az miles. The
ground has been surveyed and mapped
Uy Merry & Smith. and the company
intend applying for a patent at an early
lay. On tho lower portion OF their
slams an additional channel Of red
gravel is known TO exist. and a tunnel is
being run from jefferson Greek. through
ne rim rock to strike the pay channel.
Another force Of men will DO put to
work this week higher up the ridge. to
strike tho blue lead. Major Downie
estimates that the company have ~
miles in length Of the blue lead and
one mile in length Of the red lead. They
have also located jefferson Creek. and
will Immediately commence building a
tsil.iume TO catch tho tailings from their
own claims and Phelps Hill. which
empty into that Creek. We are in
formed that tho gentlemen composing
the company arc men OF means, and
will push things to an early completion
of all their works. Major Downis has
boon selected as Superintendent Of the.
company. 4