New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-30
E4RLY Days OF MINING.
THE STORY OF wEsKE's TUNNEI-FIGHT or THE
FARMERS AGAINST THE HYDRAULIC PLAN.


FARMERS AGAINST THE HYDRAULIC PLAN.
AT the Gilsey House, a few days agoa TRIBUNE
reporter met Isaac Trmbo Of salt Lake City. assistant
manager of the weske Consolidated Mines Of California
and Utah. Said lie:
Tho history Of many Of the early gold hunters in Cali
forna reads like romancing. The gentleman from whom
one large mine is named the first to advance the
theory OF bedrock mining. His abors TO prove that
theory have been related print but like
story Of the Imagination His full is Adolph
Weske He is a German. short, heavy. phlecmac, per
sstent above all things, his experience shows He
Was young man when he emgrated to this country.
The fever Of - still felt and he soon dred To the
Pacific Coast 1t ia thirty years ago that he started
into placer mining the middle fork OF the American
River His successes and failures there would fill
book His difficulty in mastering the English language
made him n aughing-stock among the miners But at
nothing did they eer much the theory he advanced
concerning the real place OF deposit OF gold His broken
talk in trying explain It would expose him TO rdicue
at and he finally held his tongue. but held also his
theory. The ordinary placer mining followed along
the beds Of the streams. which had Gaping Of lava
cement The little German. by Studying the conforma-
ton of the land had formed the idea that deep under
this lava Gaping and earth the real bed OF the
original stream the rock That he held to he the rich
deposit place OF gold. His problem how TO reach IT,
He could not for lack OF capital TO take care OF the
water begin the surface. But he conceived the idea
and unneling through to the bedrock From the Amer
River he went higher up in the country toward the
Ball Mountains in Placer County. He made several
stops at Last Chance. AT every place he tried to
tunnel With hand labor for drilling. anu with the old
black powder single pick shovel and wheebarrow. he
could do very little. S Rugged his favorite theory
He finally started in for tunnel at Michigan Bluff II
was now almost life death with him. lie found the
hill little yielding to his snglehanded abors but
still II was slow work He spent twelve years in making
tunnel 700 feet in length II varied from i9 to Sig feet
I'm height and to feet in width, according the soil
was hard Occasionally he struck little pocket
gnld that relieved his necessities But Tor most OF
the time he starvation's door lie would 90 of
and work for others couple Of days to get brela and
then return to his pet tunnel again The men in the
noshborhood inclined TO look him beggarly
crank the few looked with kindly eyes the
biuc- eyed haxon-hairod little He had happy
heart in his struggles and was always pleasant in the
way that captures One woman for years,
whenever she baked, put loaf in bag ana hung it out
where h. could get it uuseen by her husband
~Thcrc Is point IN the tunnel called Starvation Dig
lug- which he tells pathetic ana yet ludicrou,
story. The tunnel runs through very hard rock just
there and he mad worked FOR two weeks to get out less
than half load Of EARTH He wa, down to his last
mouthfu and nothing 10 get more with. lie washed out
the earth carefully and found about cents worth Of
gold in it-cn0ugh keep him from ,tarN ing till next
day. "A IT was growing dark h started down to the
camp with the little piece OF precious metal in his hand
His foot struck root he tumbled fell and when he rose
his hand WAS empty, did any amount Of search
ward him in the effort 10 lind his treasure again. As he
tell IT, he felt AT first utterly disheartened and dscou
sllc. But presently his good nature got the best OF
him and he much righteousness in the situation
that sat down log and laughed. 1t IL twenty
seven years since he began his tunnel II was In 1850
TINT he struck his first pay dirt II was not great find
but il enabled him to hire three To five men. and as the
tnne continued 70 pay Is2I liz petcp
III, nF bg
Ioon "u' raoJ was iUy1ed for n;ocbncry improve
hlohtIS' Nalai ""T n 10 itI - nm
Wcsle has made his millions. and its management Is in
be hands OF what il known as the Gravel Mining Co.
The theory secuted by every practical miner II
California, but successfully demonstrated by the ntte
West is now conducted II has been enlarged by the dis
eOvery that old river channels, he Up FOR years ana
unlcrupied by water, profitable working locations
Won can SOMETIMES trace the ~ these old rivers
for miles across country Just b tine surface Indications
where does Mr.. Neskc now reside r.
In san Francis, ae has fine residence there. lie
f. geni" and appr"achabe, Keen ~ mo"' Wiz III
an especial iiklng Tor Young men NnoI tan au. ig
remained bachelor TIL ne riruch " I'l4; hhu ma
,ncc married California lady Mrs. "eske Is now
YoS must KSow something Of the legal contests re-
Gently decided in tyOr OF California agrculturisls as
Every mining man L. posted on them. Tho decision
The sensible view OF the matter would be alorDe 10
the miners, though the mere local view i against tHT
Tbey do wash vast quantities OF ,um stun down the
valley covering MP rich farming country. But the STUN
is n 50 fertile and the end the country Will MOI he M
fotmery uncultivatd marsh land That nave Deeu hlltu
up with these deposits and made valuable Inc products
da,trs;ed amount 10 about S4,5UO,OOO annually; Tie
mine products 20 SlO.OOOOOO on THIS basis the
tanners should be- obliged to yield No suits were c
brpu,,t IN California la which mach money was IN
voyrd or much talent employed o. 90 mucH ttG al
tqlru Inc government h1- experts now examining the
Feasibility Of budding huge dams IN the great canon III
viii D the sluu eau Dee deposited aud 50 save me Valleys
tbink il might bc done The mining compaAie- will not
suffer by The dct1I great loss rs i -cucrAN rep
r.-curd They can mine in the old and the ore Il
zu their for them TO ahe out The cost l. 'tIc more
tnnl Is NJ !"