Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-20
DEBRIS.
TwENTY-sEvENTH DAY OF THE sLIcKENs
CASE IL COURT.

TwENTY-sEvENTH DAY OF THE sLIcKENs
CASE n COURT.
Testimony Of C. H colby-Ths Opinion
of a Practical Mining
Engineer.
The Gold Run case opened at 9:30 A. NJ.
yesterday, in Department Two of the Superior
Court, Judge jackson Temple presiding.
Mr.. Hobson recalled for the purpose of ex-
planning an answer made by him. He said
that when testify ing as to the amount Of min
ing at Iowa Hill, he had reference to Iowa
Hill proper. Besides that he had noticed
some Cinnamon cleaning the bedrock, but
nothing else except the Booth mine. In answer
to MIR. Hart, he testified that there were some
mines on the north side of the North Fork
failing in the North Fork, but did not know
the names Of the mines.
G. 81. Colby, being called and sworn for
the defendant and examined by Mr.. Dibble,
testified as follows reside at Dutch Flat !;
came TO California in the spring OF 1850; my
business since has been principally mining
and civil engineering; have been engaged in
some other pursuits; occupied the position of
Deputy United States Surveyor for three
years. engaged in mineral surveying. was
appointed under General Rollins; have been
engaged in mining; did my first Gays work
at mining at Auburn in 1850; then went to
Illinoistown. and then located on Mineral
Bar, at Rices Bridge, on the North Fork of
the American river, the latter part of May
or June, 1850
Question-In making mining location,
what are the necessary considerations?
Answer-It is necessary, in the first place.
to have ground that viii pay it is neces ,ary
to have water to work that ground, and it is
necessary to have dump to dump your tail
ings.
Q-What do you mean by dump?
Al mean what has always been used by
miners throughout the State-such as flats,
ravines, gulches. canyons and rivers that are
located very much below the mine, and it is
necessary that they should be so located as TO
receive the tailings from the mine without OBJ
struction.
Q-What do you mean by an outlet?
Alt is the outlet that these various
places would afford to the mining debris
flowing from the niue, which has always pre-.
vailed in this State. 1t is necessary to have
dump low enough to receive the debris that
flows from the mines.
On that respect, what has been the
usage?
At has always been the custom to dump
into the streams, gulches, ravines and fats,
where the fats were not owned by any body.
That has been uniform custom all over the
State. 1t has been the custom ever since I
arrived in this State, from 1850 to the present
time. Miners cannot work gravel claims
without privilege of that kind. Fin
Rice's bridge [ came to Sacramento-about
the 1st of September or last of August.
Sacramento was a new town, aud judge had
started up in 1S49 It was fiourishing bust.
ness camp. 1t was center from which
very large class of miners in the adj lcent
mining points procured their mining supplies.
That was the business done here at that time
1 remained here two or three months-up to
pretty late in the fall. At that time there
were about 10, COO Inhabitants here, / think.
It was large place and very busy
place. During that tins there were some
ships here. Some sea-going vessels arrived,
but they were of the smallest class of sea-
going vessels, such as briss. barks, schooaers
aud sloops. Thsre was not, so far as my
knowledge goes, such thing as irst-class
ses- going We ssl-1 mean aare rigged ship
in this port. Some smsll-sized steamers
were hers-the Senator. the New World,
and the Gold Hunter but the steamers were
generally Of that class known as river steam
ers. A great many schooners came up the
river at that time ami landed great deal OF
freight here-a great deal of mining sup
plies. They anchored in front of tie city
here. They brought either from the East or
from San Francisco these IniEipg supplies
that were distributed from tl.is poiGt.
Q-SSats whether you had occasion durirg
the time you were in Sacramento in 1850 to
examine the American river, and il you did,
what was its condition as to banks, depth,
the color of the water, etc :?
A-During the time [ remained here, in
1850, used to go out to the American river,
usually on Sunday, to take a bath in the
American river over here near where the old
road crossed going from here to Auburn,
Grass Valley aud Nevada. l cannot deter
mine thu exact point now, but it was near the
city kere. The character of the river at that
time was stream not perfectly clear, tut
carrying some debris. Slightly roily-much
clearer than it is now. The bottom of the
river was sandy. The banks were rather
bluff, about Is feet high and composed prin-
cipally Of sand. It is what we would term,
perhaps. alluvial soil, made principally of
sand.
O.-Dsscribe where the farms were around
time?
Al did not see any. There were no
farms here in those days.
Q-Did you have occasion to visit the
American river and examine the bottom
lands and to see whether there was any farm
ing going on on the bottom lands in those
years?
Al did. and there was none.
Q-Would you have seen it if there were
any?
in this State was in 1854.
Q-Where did you cross the American
river, in going toward Auburn, in 1850.
Al should think it was below where the
railroad bridge now crosses / am not Ger.
tain as to the poiat. The face Of the country
has changed materially and do not know as
l could locate the exact point. 1t is where
the old road leading to Auburn, Grass Valley
and Nevada crossed.
Q.-Was that known in the old times as
the Auburn crossing.
A.-Yes, sir. think afterwards Lisle's
bridge was erected near that road.
Q-When you were here in 1850, state ii
you saw any evidences of high floods?
Al did. The city had been over
flowed the year before. In 1S49 so they had
q very high food here. The food was gen.
orally known here and talked about, and /
saw evidence of the city having been sub
merged by the food I saw food-wood in
different places, and the whole city, I should
say, had been covered except a small Llacs
near the Plaza there /; was a small place that
was above high water. You could see the
line OF the food-wood or debris that the flood
makes along the soil. 1t showed to me that
small place there was out of the water.
| The balance was all submerged. | saw also
between here and the American river evi-
| depces Of . high food having brought sand
on to the soil. Tners was quite coating of
sand on nearly all the bottom land besweaa
here and the American river, apparently
brought OF by the food.
Q-With reference to the trees, did YOU see
any evidences of high hood-any deposits?
Al think near the rivers the hieh-water
mark showed itself on the trees, and the
underground and willows that stood
quite high. For instance there would be
some driftwood-what we call food. wood
lodged in the trees, evidences of high water.
Q.-State if you remember place called
Hoboken?
Al do. never was at that point, but
1 knew of it.
Q-Do you know why it was built up at