Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-08-27

with his father. playing in the dirt,
while John, Sem, tied up the grape
vines, helping to carry away the limbs
when the orchard was trimmed, aiding
in bringing in the fruit and vegetables
when they were gathered. sitting astride
his fathers shoulders as he went TO and
from the barn, or by his side in the
spring wagon as he drove about the
place or to town.
Sometimes he would hitch Bose to q
little wagon his father had made for
him, and climbing into it. would drive
about the place; but, to his sorrow, he
had found that the dog was entirely too
active for his own comfort; in fact, the
last time he had tried to play horse in
this way it came so near ending in a
serious accident that it put stop 70 all
such experiments.
The dog had started off on a rapid
run, and on making a sudden turn as
he passed little tree that stood in the
yard, had caught one of the front
wheels upon ii in such a way as to vio-
lently throw the boy out and badly
wreck the wagon. Poor Johnny pre-
scented a sorry picture as his little boots
were seen higher than his head, while
inc plu tlO2 SlOch uslIl sAtIAC0
trying to take in the situation, and
looking more troubled, if possible, than
the child.
No sooner did his father say he was
going to Gravel Hill than Johnny an
nounced his intentions of accom- pany.
ing him.
L hardly think he had better go,
do YOU, father?' said Mrs. Parsons to
her husband; '.it's a long ride over the
hills. and YOU will be forced to stay
over night, besides which Johnny will
be a bother to you in getting about to
see the mines l guess he had better
stay at home with Erastus and me, and
help us to take care of the ducks and
chickens this time
But Johnny persisted. He wanted
to see Gravel Hill:' wanted to see the
Mines" wanted to see EN- throw the
water and finally clinched his argu-
ment by asserting that his father would
be lonesome without him. And so he
had his way and Went with his father.
The road over the ''hills,' which
We're really mountains. was rocky and
often precipitous, But the horses were
used to such, and with only Mr.. Par
sons and Johnny in the spring buck
board, they made pretty good time, ar
irving at their destination just as the
sun was sinking out of sight.
Stopping in front of the largest build
inc in the town, Mr.. Parsons gave the
lines to Johnny to hold while he went
in to inquire if he could obtain lodging
for the night He was promised bed
for himself and boy in room in which
were a half-dozen other beds, and was
shown where to get feed for his horses
after he had taken them from the buck
board and tied them to a rack in the
rear of the boarding. -house. No shell
ter for an mails had vet been built, and
for the present there was little need OF
any. the winter rains not having set in.
By the time he had cared for his ami
mails supper was ready. and father and
son joined the score of men who
gathered about the long table upon
which WIS placed a substantial meal
Of bacon, potatoes, bread. beans and
strong coffee.
The men were mostly miners in the
employ of one or other OF the placer
companies having claims in the neigh
bGrhood. or We're working on a small
scale for themselves. Nearly all wore
red flannel shirts, and most of them
had their sleeves rolled up to the elbow,
just as they came from their work; or,
perhaps, in imitation of those of their
number whose garments were lacking
sleeves altogether except p few inches
at the shoulder.
But # they lacked for wearing ap-
parel. none were lacking in appetite,
and the coarsely cooked food disap
peared from before them in a way thai
would have astonished any cook not &C
customed to provide provender for a lot
OF hungry miners.
OF these men John Parsons learned
that the work of washing down thu
mountains had already begun. The
water had been brought from stream
three miles distant and many feet above
the placers which it was the intention
TO work. and conducted into an i'm
mense reservoir. which had been built
on the bluffs above. From this reser-
voir strong pipes of heavy duck cloth.
strengthened by bands of iron. con-
veyed it to a point below, from which it
was directed against the hills which
contained the gold.
This piping was six or eight inches in
diameter, with bands of iron every few
AuCLtS- anu tuGtu III Il 1OZLic llhc Shos
of garden or fire hose. and from the
immense pressure of the water above
would throw stream with sufficient
force to cut man or a horse in two in
stantly, and which ate into the side OF
the mountain as fire eats into dry
brush heap.
To obtain the gold-which was in
fine particles scattered through the
whole earth of the hills composing the
placers-sluicewavs, extending some
distance down the gorge, had been
built, through which all the earth and
stones to be washed down were to be
passed.
The hSm of this sluice was ct
planks, which was nailed. or
wedgedN hlar pieces from the ends
OF logs. alternating with rows of Slate
also fastened across the bottom of ths
sluice, into the upper end of which WAC
turned many pounds of quicksilver,
which gradually made its way through
the sluice, lodging in little pools be-
tween the interStices of the circular
pieces of wood, or on the upper side Of
the Stats, and served to catch and hold
the fine PARTICLES of gold as they sunk
to the bottom of the mass of earth pass
ing through the sluice and being pull
verified by the action of the water and
its own grinding motion.
Not one company only, but several,
had taken claims and were prepared
for an assault upon the hills with these
enormous pipes. All, however, took
their water from the same reservoir.
paying those who had built it by the
thousand feet for the amount used.
John Parsons slept but little that
night, and was up at the first noise
which indicated that any of the other
OccuDaDtS were aStir