Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-20
Afternoon session.

G. II. Colby resumed the stand, and in
answers to questions by Mr., Cadwalader, is
cross. examination, testified In 1850 I think
there was no cultivation of gardens on the
American river near the old ford. Do not
remember the Hubbard gardens. Do not
know Of any gardens between the city and
the ford in the summer of 1850 la 1856
travelled between Moore's Flat and Sacra.
mento By stage. Came DOM by Johnson's
crossing. There were two routes from Ne
vada-one by Johnson's crossing, on Bear
river, and the other by Auburn. Came absut
as often one way as the other. The Auburn
road did not always come by Newcastle. The
hocd was principally the cause of The people
moving to Hohokep. There was an extensive
fire in 1852 and that may have had something
to do with it. but the food was the principal
cause. The 90 coo miners spoken of as beins
az work on the American river substantially
abandoned it in 1854 or 1856, and worked
farther back. Have general knowledge OF
what took place on the American river from
1876 TO 1871. In 1855 q great majority of
those who had been at work on the river went
to washing this top stratum in the blue lead.
There were not as many dry digsings at
Auburn as In some other parts of the State.
There were quite number Of people working
these dry diEsings in the Auburn district.
There might have been thousand. Do not
think there we're 900. Never mined there
but little. In one days work in one of these
dry diggiugs could not say how much dirt
man would move. l never worked In the
dry diggings. Never saw the Chileans with
their bowls blowing the sand. The material
washed in the dry diggings would go into
Auburn rayine. That would not come into
n A -. n l. 1..f le0
mines st Moore's Flat from 1856 to 1859.
The claims then under the mining regula-
tions were 100 feet front, running back to the
center of the ridge. They held claims with
out work when they could not get water.
Cannot state the provisions in regard to the
amount Of work necessary to hold the claims
and prevent their being jumped. They
always had to have their claims recorded and
do certain amount OF work. That was one
of the objects Of the rules. Have done min
ing since. worked part Of three seasons for
the Birdseye creek mine. l had charge Of
the works at night. Was not supsrintend-
ent. but looked after the water and mine at
night. The Moore's Flat mines worked
usually about nine months OF the year. Have
seen the following up of old placers at Rat
| tlesnake Bar, on the Arerican. II went
| up to the fat, about 100 feet. They
| traced up the ravine and lost the
| lead, and then went up the SIDE OF the
hill, and then struck the lead again. That
was about 100 feet above the bar. That was
worked on the ground. sluice plan-running
the water over the bank and breaking it down.
I know of several others, at Iowa Hill, at Wiz
consin Hill and Yankee Jim's. I have seen
the evidences of it, but was not one of the
men that did the following up of the leads. l
| was chickering's Bsr. or in that vicinity, in
| 1850. / am not sure that ! was right on the
bar, but it was near there. When l was
camped at Mineral Bar l prospscted up the
river, looking for better diggipgs Picker
ing's Bar was not known as bar
at that iime, but was in the I'M
mediate vicinity Of it. When / went
to Rice,s bridge, three weeks age,
I estimated that it was filled abOut
three feet. There was not much
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