Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-09-22
THE FAIR AT PLACERVILLE.
IrRex TIE REooRDusros's SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

The Tenth Annual Fair of the Ell Dorado
District Agricultural Society terminated
yesterday by limitation. The early even
ing was occupied by the award of the pre-
miums by the President, consequent COM
ments and congratulations, and promenad-
ing, or rather elbowing about through the
exhibition, while the later part of the
evening, including a ''smart piece of the
morning, was devoted to the grand ball OF
the society, constituting the actual winding
up of the fair /; and it was, indeed, grand
ball, presenting an array of feminine
attractiveness quite beyond expectation, or.
the supposed possibility of so unpreten-s
tious place. Not a notable instance of
loud or immodest, or even over.dressing,
gaudy adornment, or offensive extravaganza
in the use OF cosmetics, in an assemblage of
perhaps two hundred ladies, is what could
hardly be said nowadays with equal truth
of so large gathering of urban femininity
In grace, beauty, health, vigor and vivac-
ity, too. the vantage Of comparison would
certainly rests with the mountain ladies'
1ioCCb, III Wis 1di biSuidi, UC COu-
coded that Placerville has much of which
she may rightfully boast
The success of the fair, all things con-
sidered. has been all, perhaps, that could
reasonably have been expected, although
when the extent and variety of the re-
sources of the district are considered the
number of exhibitors must be rated COM
paratively small, leaving it evident that
great proportion of the farmers and other
producers are not awake to the broader ad-
vantages of general and competitive exhi-
billions, or else are unwilling to make any
effort that ensures no immediate return in
actual cash. But particularly was this
noticeable in the department of mineral
exhibits and mining appliances, the latter
of which was represented by single mini
AZURE quartz mill, and the former by but
two or three exhibits. 1t is true that
these were bewilderingly fine, but
it is equally true that it does
not absolutely require dirt or cement show
ing proportion OF several thousand dollars
to the shovelful like that from Zerga &
Co.'S mine nor rock assaying $4,000 to
the ton like that of Mr.. Watt from the
Arctic mine, to make an interesting and
Instructive mining exhibit. Specimens of
the various kinds of gravel in which gold
is found in paying quantities, and the re-
verse, quartz from the numerous lodges of
the several grades, specifying depth, direc-
ton of dip, nature of castings, ETC., would
be full of interest, and accompanied by the
details of average yield, cost of produc-
ton, working, ETC., would be very vaIu-
able, and the same will apply to all the
departments. The energy and activity OF
the management, however, has been
severely taxed with efforts to overcome the
apathy alluded to-. and has undoubtedly
awakened an interest which will assist
greatly in promoting the attractiveness
and usefulness of future exhibitions.
Now, word as to the town itself. The
hustle and din of the fair have passed
away, and yet the evidences of life, thrift
and prosperity exist on every hand. The
signs, outside display of wares, interior
and general fresh appearance
of the stock of the stores of every branch
of business betoken active trade and hope
full progress. Scarcely vacant habita-
bic residence or eligible place of business
is to be found, and that ominous sign of
to let may be searched for in vain
through her lengthy thoroughfares. Mo-
rey's foundry and machine shop, than
which there can be no better index of the
vitality of a town, mining or agricultural,
is well employed, has just finished ten
stamp mill for new company, large hoist
ing works for the Pacific quartz mine, shaft
and cams for the Prospect Flat mill and an
engine and boiler for winery near by and
all together exhibits an activity not to be
mistaken. The hotels, too, of which there
are many, all bespeak growing patronage,
and to the credit of their proprietors, as
also to that of the town, be it said, made |
no resort to raised prices and diminished |
table during the rush of the fair, choosing |
rather the far more honorable and wiser |
course of extending their accommodations |
by engaging rooms in private dwellings and |
increased help in kitchen and |
dining. room.
THE MINES.
So far as the observation of your CORE.
spondent extended, the indications are |
that the real mining has but Just COM
Claims, both of quartz and gravel
that were considered about worked out, or
were abandoned for want of capital from
one cause and another, have changed hands,
and under new management are astonish-
ing ybody-but particularly former
owners. A noticeable instance of the
former is the Pacific mine, few minutes
walk from Main street, idle for many years,
assaylngwell, and the deepest mine
in the county. It is now owned by an
English company, and under the superin.
tendency OF Professor Price of San Fran
Lac Is
in the State; and the Empey
mine, few miles south, is in the same
hands, and just about to undergo the same
transformation. Of the latter, the Pros
pect Flat gravel mine is an illustration. 1t
has been considered as worked out two or
three times, but each time, by following the
rise of the bedrock, or where it touched
the underlying lava, piercing through it,
new benches were found, and usually of
extent. At one of these discour-
aging phases it was sold to its present
owners, Messrs. Cutler & Sinclair, who
have opened into another, and probably
the main, channel, nearly on the level of
the ground, from which the first shaft was
sunk over hundred feet through hard
lava This mine, under Mr.. Cutters super
although all the gravel has to
be crushed through regular stamp mill,
averages its $50, 600 per month right along.
The same parties have now purchased the
Cedar Ravine mine. similarly located a
mile south, and are already on the road to
like results. And these are but samples of
many of the worked out mines Of early
times, which abound in this region, show.
ing plainly that the future of Placerville is
full of promise.
RAILROAD WANTED.
The great need of the place, however, is
the completion of the railroad from
Single Springs. This once attained, bring.
ing her close to a market for her wealth of
fruit and agricultural products, she would
throw off her town or village dress and
take rank with the interior cities.
PREMIUMS.
The awards of the various committees
the fair are as follows:
FRUITS.
Best display Of apples, Jacob Lyon; second, I. s.
hoy haaf tvaly I Ron, har |