Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-02

have calculated the whole amount washed
out of the Gold Run ridge I visited it in
1879 frat, and learned by inspection and in
quiry about the extent of the mines worked.
The old washings before the recent bedrock
tunnels were run covered an area of about
800 acres, and the depth washed off averaged.
to the best information can get, about sixty
FIVE feet, which will make the total amount
washed about 81, 440, 600 cubic yards. Thisis
exclusive of the washings recently carried
forward, and which go to greater depth.
examined the location Of the ridge as
to Canyon creek. The ridge runs
in scuthwesterly direction from the rail-
road crossing to about a half mile beyond
the town OF Gold Run. The Canyen heads
further to the east, and runs TO the ridge, and
then turns and runs parallel with the ridge.
1.-THE map referred to was here introduced,
and marked Diagram, Hall No. 1T The
hill washing is in length about two miles
along the ridge. The top of the ridge is
from 1.200 to 1,400 feet from Canyon creek.
! can't say how much higher the ridge is than
the bed of the creek, but to estimate il, l
would say it was, before the washiags, from
400 to 500 feet. The inclination of the sides
of the ravine is very percipitous. The rate
would vary from thirty degrees from the top
of the ridge left standing to sixty degrees.
The base of the ridge is one side Of the bot
tom of the ravine. Probably it was origin
ally continuous rise from the bottom of the
ravine to the top of the ridge, with no inter.
vening table lands. The creek was very
precipitous, cannot estimate its fall from
my present knowledge. 1t is very precip-
itous creek from the washings down to the
mouth, where it enters the North Fork Of
the American river, about three quarters of
mile or mile from the mine. Back of the
ridge there was higher land to the northwest
the opposite side of the creek. That higher
hill extended for the greater portion of the
length of the ridge about the medium por-
tion of the ridge. At the northeast end I rec.
ollect the land dropped off, and became lower,
and at the southwest end the high land
turned away more to the west aud probably
left ravine. I was at Canyon creek in
August or September, 1879 The ridge then
was mass of roughly-excavated powders
and gravel, being excavated along the ridge,
so as to leave bluff on either side. 1
could tell by examining the creek where the
excavated material went. At the dumps
found cobble stones and bowlders principally.
The lower portion of Canyon creek was then
quite free from sand and gravel deposits.
The dumps are into the bed of the creek, ex-
cept the old ones from the original surface
washings Where the washirgs began the
earth had been mined off, and then pits had
been made. The hill was ridge, with the
creek parallel. The southwest portion had
been mined off by open cuts to ravine en-
teriLg the North Fork of the American river
half mile below Canyon creek; the other
end by like cuts entering through the rim of
the excavation into Canyon Greek ravine.
THE GENERAL APPEARANCE
OF this old mining ground was that of a
ridge, the crown and body of which had been
cut out, longitudinally, leaving bank each
side, with hills and rough places. The gen.
eral bed made by the washipgs was left a plane.
This mining out had extendedupthe hill to the
railroad line. That ridge originally extended
past the railroad and over toward Dutch Flat,
so that what I described is not all of the
ridge that once existed there, in length. The
ridge is south and southwest Of the point
where the railroad crosses. As to the
amount taken out since the lower excsva-
tions began, I may say, that after they be-
gan had surveys made of the Indiana Hill,
and the Cedar washings; from these surveys,
Indiana Hill and the Cedar Hill washings,
were calculated. l have that memorandum
in my office. The debris of these mines, SO
far as I know, could have escaped
only into Canyon creek. 1 only
know as to the fact that dumps were made
into Canyon creek by what was told, and
what 1 saw of the little dumps on the side of
the creek, and the little tunnels running to-
ward the creek, through the rim. Can't say
definitely that there was no other place or di.
rection for the escape of the water and debris,
but saw no other, and | think l would have
seen such had they been there. The appear
ance of the little tunnels generally was that
of very much dilapidste1 bole in the face
of gravel bank, with decayed timbers in the
mouth or head, and some were caved in. At
the lower points were piles in the cut of
gravel and stones, like mining dumps, and L
judged they had been placed there by the ac-
ton Of running water. l was SO well satisfied
OF that, that 1 examined for no other evil
dences of it. l didn't examine all the pits
The whole ridge bears the appearance of one
large pit. The little tunnels or former open
cuts, were many in number, as also the
dumps. but I didn't count them. was shown
over the ground By Mr.. Caldwell, an old
think Mr.. Gould returned TO Dutch Flat
from some place he had been after l made my
examination. [ met him there. | saw the
outcome of the tunnel of the defendants
niue, but not the outcome of Canyon creek
into the American river. This mines dump
is at the end of a tunnel, on the slope of Cam
yon Creek ravine. [ understood that further
down were under-currents to save finer gold,
and so it may be that the dump continues
down nearer to the mouth of the creek. The
altitude of the dump, as L judged it, looking
down from some 800 feet above ii, was diff
cult to estimate. I didn't go to the mouth of
the tunnel To go to it there is little noun
tain trail. The mountain slopes 80 or 40
degrees to the horizon. The dump went
down directly to the bed of the creek. Wit
ness, with a sheet of paper folded, showed
about the slope of the hill and sides of the
ravine1 Below the mouth of the tunnel [
saw large bowlders, and not any great amount
of sand or gravel.
CROSS. EXAMINATION.
ITO Mr.. w. c. Belcher)-I said sixty.five
feet was the depth of the early washings. I
based that statement on the appearance of
the edge of the excavations, and the length
Of parts of the banks left standing, and some
of the hills left and on information given by
those familiar with the original surface. l
think an esti nate ten feet greater would be
considerably in excess.
Afternoon Session.
Mr.. Hall recalled and identified map of
the American river from the mouth of Alder
creek down to the Sacramento river, and in
cluding the vicinity of Sacramento. It was
made in his office, and was the result of his
joint surveys with those of the United States
under Col. Mendell. Witness said it was
very correct map, and he knew it to be SO.
THE map was fled in evidence, and marked
Diagram, Hall No. 2.'l
Mr.. Gould recalled-There are two tracts
of land belonging to our company. When on
the stand before I described only the most
southerly. The other is north, up the can
yon about 1000 feet. They do not ad.
ioin. Between them there is the Gold Run
Hydraulic Limited 1t is about fifty acres.
The length of the northern claim is about
400 feet. The following claims belong to
the defendants: Gold Run, joining the North
Star, 500 feet long. The Church and Golden
Gate, north of the Gold Run, 1000 feet in
length. Taylor claim is next north. and
LOO feet in length. Harkness claim next
north, at least i, 500 feet in length, also
part Of small claim called the Benton, $50
feet in length. These claims belong to the
defendants and are situated between the
Indiana claim and the railroad. The Blue
Gravel Gleesen Ravine and part of the Benton
belong to other parties, are situated on this
ridge, and empty into Canyon creek.
Cross xaniuation-There are other claims
in the district not owned by defendant, the
surface of which has been worked off. They
are the Excelsior, the Bay State No. l, which
is about LOCO feet long; Blue Gravel, about
500 or /, 600 feet; Prindle claim, about l, 600
feet. The surface of all these have been
worked off say seventY-fve feet. Bay State
No. our company owns. 1t is about twenty
acres. Of other claims in that district ara
the Pacific, 1.2O0 or 300 feet In length; the
Union. GOO feet. Further recitation of