Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-10-04

not end at this. We had gone but a
few miles when a gentleman on the
stage remarked to me, "Do you see
that white mountain in the distance z
I replied I did. He said "that il the
snowy range. The snow lies there all
summer" and all this occurred when
inside my trunk could be found pack
ed very nicely lineu suit of clothes
which I had calculated to wear
around occasionally on Sunday even
ings during the warm weather. l
| find that such clothes are not worn
| in this country. I heard another
man say that he brought a suit of the
same when he first came out mere
and found he had no use for them.
l have never yet beea down in the
mine and, therefore, cannot give you
any description of it.
| There is plenty of government land
here, and in this section it is all COW
cred with the very best pine timber.
A lode claim (that is vein of quartz
can be taken 600 feet wide and 1900
feet long. You are required to do
| 800 worth of work on each claim you
may ownaevery year, and by having
it properly recorded and doing the
proper amount of work each year. no
one can Jump your claim it is yours
no matter how valuable it may be-
come. A placer claim is 20 acres
and requires the same amount Of Ia
Dor done each year to hold it, as it
does the lode, or vein claim. In a
placer claim the gold is got by PAM
ing, etc. Those regular old gold
miners who thoroughly understand
the business get into region where
| gold is to be found in paying quanti-
iies, and they so tc projecting. tax.
.as ap CLAIMS, ETC., enduring all
kinds OF hardships, and wait for the
excitement which will probably come,
and when capital begins to rush in
they sell out their claims, making, as
they call it, "a stake" and they then
look for other fields in which to pres
pect. 1t is said that several hundred
realized fortune at Leadyille III
this way. There are numbers here
at this mining camp who are only
waiting for the excitement and cali-
tai to come to give them an orpor-
tunity to sell. 1t is claimed that this
is rich field, and the indications are
that it is. But whether capital can
be induced to come in to properly de-
velop it remains to be SEEN There
are some representatives of capital
here every few days viewing around.
A gentleman from Denver was here
yesterday that their eyes are upon
this field there is no doubt. But
what it will amount to no one at
present can tell.
After I had been here week or
two an old gold miner and myself
sunk hole on placer claim in
which he was interested. We found
nothing. He remarked to me
short tilno afterwards that 1T was
singular that we did not even find
color" l replied, cit Was not strange
to me that I COLD account for it
quite easily; not being interested had
considerable to do with the failure of
The enterprise" He laughed at the
idea, and said he had sunk many
hole for nothing, but he sunk one
which, in working, afterwards took
one thousand dollars per week to
pay bis hands.
We have sood board in our board
ing house plenty of good, substan-
tial food. Fresh ELK meat is furnish
ed by a hunter, and is very good,
rather better than beef. The COM
papy pays him four csnts Der pound
and he makes from fifteen to twenty
dollars Ter week, as there is plenty
of elk within a few miles. 1t is said
that none will stay within sound of
the mill engine whistle. He brings
one elk cn each trip on a pack horse,
weighing about four or five hundred
pounds. He also sells some of his
meat to the different families in the
camp. The meat is not salted here.
The weather is not too warm and the
air is pure, so the meat is hung up
and keeps nice and fresh until used |
Hunters say that when the snow is on
the ground is the best time to kill |
elk, but it is very hard to get them
to camp as the snow is 80 deep that q
horse cannot travel in the woods |
The hunters travel on snow shoes.
They can shoot a number of elk, dress
them and hang them up in trees and |
60 and get them when it becomes so
that pack h9rae can travel. or shoy
CAN make a sled with very broad
soles and drag them in by hand, but
that is laborious work and hardly
pays. These snow shoes need de-
scription. They are about eight feet
long and made something like the
sole of sled, only the work is fin
ished somewhat neater. There ia
place in which to stick your foot
about the centre. made with gum or
leather. 1t is quite trick to ride
snow shoes successfully. But it is
said if one understands it properly |
he can travel farther than horse in
day. In coming up or going down
a mountain one is compelled to 90 |
zigzag, as travelling in a direct line |