Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-08-24
From the Grass Valley Union. /


In the years 1866 Meadow Lake Dis
trict. in this county, was the scene Of n
great mining excitement, which attracted
thousands Of people to that locality.
Towns sprung up as il lV magic, and
Meadow Lake. the central point, became a
place Of considerable sizc--boasting large
hotels, business houses with heavy stocks.
tine saloons daily newspaper, regularly
organized stock board, and all the adjuncts
Of prosperous and growing city. even to
a city government, with its council, mar
shal and prison. A number Of other
minor towns were bnilt in different parts
Of tho district, and for a season it was the
livcliest camp or collection OF camps to be
found ON the Pacific coast. To convey
something of an idea f the rush made
there ii IL on record that over 5000 claims
were located. Some OF the mines at Old
Man Mountain and vicinity for time gave
a promise Of great riciiness-such as the
Excelsior, California and Enterprse--and
expensive mills were erected, but it was soou
demonstrated that the ores were of such an
intractable character that they could not be
manipulated to a profit, and then came a
sudtlen collapse Of Meadow Lakes bubble
reputation. The district was deserted al
most as rapidly as il had been inhabited
the coming ON Of severe Winter Fastening
the departure of the people-and houses
which had cost from hundreds to thousands
Of dollars were loft never to be reoccupicd
or claimed by the owners. So Sudden and
complete . letting down of the prospects OF
u mining district has never been known
fore or since ia California. year or
two after Meadow Lake was a deserted
city tsavins the presence Of few who
held on the hope that some mode could be
worked 20 . profit and long lines Of build
iass stood with the silent stiffness OF the
t,mbst0ncs Of a cemetery. For years
Meadow Lake presented this strange and
wrird appearances town capable Of shell
tering three or four thousand inhabitants,
with scarcely rcsidcnt--until under the
crushing weight Of snow, or by conhagra-
tions, it was mainly destroyed. OF the
buildings remaining, il Il remarkably how
well they have kept preserved in the dry,
pure atmosphere Of that elevated rcsion--
appearing as IL but few years old; and
visitor can scarcely realize in looking at
spnnd and bright roofs that they have been
exposed to the clements for dozen years.
OF the other towns Of the district little evil
dcucc of their existence remains beyond
scattered fragments Of lumber. But. as
before remarked, few persons have re-
miined by the district, aud have continued
t. work and experiment upon the ores with
indifferent snccsss.
1t was at one time claimed that these
ores were rich, hut stubborn to treatment,
but numerous tests do not prove their
richness; as to their stubbornness, that il
something well established. The fact
seems to be that the ores Of Meadow Lake
are Of fair quality, and n number Of the
lca:ls are Of fair size and the rock easily
aud chcaply taken out but when it comes
TO working them to q profit, all cxperi-
mcnts have heretofore failed. For long
time past the Messrs. Schivtly have been
engaged in pcrfeoting y furnace to work
these ores successfully. and after repeated
failures they claim ~ have solved the
problem by working rock at handsome
profit that will yield SIS per ton. These
gentlemen have laborcd long and faithfully
to accomplish this result. and il they have
really attained success at last, they have
an extensive field 10 operate in, us the
leads are there. and there is no limit to
the ores they can produce. Let 1t be proved
beyond pcradvcnture that the Meadow
Lake ores eau be worked to profit, and
the district will once again come into
favor and take ON a renewed but real pros
pcrity.