The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-05-05
FaE oLD MINERS TALE.

/ had never been In the old placer
mines, and was SURPRISED 10 find the
country 80 much "dug ont" as the min.
ers express 1t.
Almost from the time one takes tho
stage, the records of past glorious and
romunerative industry are visible on all
sides. II may DO the ruins OF some
miners ten by twelve cabin, with a few
logs, or, what IL more often the case. an
old mud ci imney, 20 tell the story Of
better days. In some places there still
remain remnants OF an orchard or
garden, telling the tale OF deserted
village" On the sides of the road are
visible the limestone powders, among
which were found tho golden treasures
that had seduced from their Eastern
homes the Argonauts Of 30. But now
all is quiet The placer mines, that
were the source of no much wealth, are
gone forever, and with them the hardy,
Independent pioneers. Some arc gone 10
new mining camps; others have gone
back 10 the "old folks at home" Some
are engaged in farming, while many
aleep beneath the stars Oh tho mountain
sides that overlook the camps, whore
they had. in their youthful manhood,
worked the "long tom" or pushed the
''rocker.''
We arrived at Sonora about dusk. The
day was very warm, and the roads were
quite dusty. Eut there il something
about the pure mountain air that Is
bracing. and. although the heat In fear
fol by day. il is not that sultry heat ex
perienccd in tho East. The nights are
comparatively cool, aud ono sleeps
soandly and eontentedly, and awakens
in tho morning refreshed. TO view with
wonder the shadows on the hills and the
beauty Of the morning sun as he first ap.
pears over the eastern mountains.
Thus found myself one morning in
June, 1880. | determined 10 remain In
Soaora few days at least, and visit the
old mining camps that surround that
good old town.
breakfasied ut the City Hotel, and
afterwards walked out upon the road
leading 10 Columbia, some four miles
away, along what - called Woods creek,
TO Browns Flat, once one OF tho richest
camps in the southern mines.
The mines on Woods creek ere deep
or wore deep-And for that reason arc
not worked out" yet. The place is
principally peopled BY Portuguese, but
q few Of the "Old Guard" are still living
there. furrow ID and gray with years
grim sentinels Of the past. They were
among tho frat To come. REd will, / be-.
lIeve, be the last 10 leave. mot some
OF these "old timers" during my stay,
and with them spent many pleasant
hodrA.
Sitting with Que OF them. ut noontime.
in the shade Of his cabin. he said. in ro.
ply to q question: "Well, no, / don't
think thIs place will ever como mp again.
or be again wha. il was. You have no
idea of the number OF people that once
lived and mined on this creek. II you
ever saw one OF tho old Democratic pri-
mAries held up there at Norwood's store,
you could hardly believe that score or
less OF voters il all We boast of to-day.
Poor old Tommy Norwoodl He was one
Of tho whitest men in the mines. He
kept the store on Browns Flat for
many years. He went East, / believe,
where he is engaged in business, aud is
doing well. Shortly after he left the old
store was burned down 10y its purchaser
10 get the insurance. This Hat was then
divided into claims Of about iour shares
each, four men 10 a claim, and IL wonld
do my old heart good il could SEQ once
again the good old times, or even have a
picture Of the boys as they stood in their
shirtsleeves on the dump or Aluice boxes
in the early days.
"You see that claim over there oppo.
site us? Well. that is what we used TO
call the Ophir. IL was worth $1,000 a
share once. John Manning owned in
that claim with me and two others. He
lived in q cabin next 10 me here.
Poor fellow, he is dead and gone now,
and so is the cabin gone, too. The cause
Of his death was always q mystery 10 US,
although .He each had theory about it..
You see We used TO have great deal OF
trouble with sluice robbers, and while
we sometimes caught them. .they gcner-
ally got away. At first we blamed the
Indians and Mexicans, but il turned out
that Cinnamon were generally the
thieves. The robbing of the sluices oc-
Cured, as q rule, on Friday or Saturday
morning. The miners washed mp on
Saturday afternoon, 80 that the thieves
generally robbed the boxes on Saturday
morning about two or three o'clock. I
tell you what, it was discouraging 10
work hard all the week, standing in the
broiling sun, with gum boots on, up TO
your knees in water, shoveling clay and
gravel, TO find, ut the end OF your long
weeks work, your rifles mp on Saturday
morning. But il was an old story in the
mines, and many fellow was hanged
from the fume up there for appropriat-
ing other peoples gold dust, and that,
too, without Judge or jury, or o chance
30 plead insanity.
1--WE used to take turn about Watching
the luices-commencing on Thursday
/ srxhk Gaku Nhe
| White Mountain and Fort the Pitt
claims had been robbed, so we deter.
mined to save our dust. The four part
ners in our claim met in my cabin on
Thursday evening TO arrange as TO who
should watch the first night, and the
others to follow in turn. drew the
short straw, which meant the first night
John Manning drew the next shortest
and he was to follow me, and watch the
next night So, armed with sixshootel
and double barreled shotgun loaded
with buckshot, made my way about
eleven o'clock at night down among the
powders ON the claim.
st never killed man in all my life
and I know it must be fearful to have
] the blood of human being on your
| hands; but I made up my mind tha
night that, if there was man that need
ed killing, and ought to be killed, IL wa'
man that, too lazy to work, robbed the
honest and industrious miner of his hard
earnings, and determined to shoot the
first man that put his foot upon oul
dump box that night. Thcre / sat the
whole night long, as l had done many
nights before, and have since, crouchei
down among the rocks. And / assure
you the feeling is terrible waiting fol
the transgressor to come--that you may
send his soul into eternity, and hoping
to God that he may not appear. No one
came that night.
/ apho navt ovan;no Tohr Mann;no, xvo,