Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-08-07

any one to accept any favor which he
might fancy himself TO be comforting.
When not asleep or attending to his
ducks and chickens he WAS constantly
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 tho
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 1t, 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 il came so near ending in a
serious accident that it put stop to all
such experiments.
The dog had started off on a rapid
run, and on making sudden turn as
he passed little tree that stood in the
yard, had caught one of the front
wheels upon it in such way as to VIC.
ltlblN bnlOW tlt bON oub anu Duuly
wreck the wagon. Poor Johnny pre-.
sented sorry picture as his little boots
were seen higher than his head, while
the old dog stood half turned around
trying to take in the situation, and
looking more troubled, If possible, than
the child.
No sooner did his father say he wa.
going to Gravel Hill than johnny an.
nounccd his intentions of accom- pany.
ing him.
II hardly think he had better 90,
do you, fathcrp" said Mrs. Parsons to
her husband; "it's long ride over the
hills, and you will be forced to stay
over night, besides which johnny will
be bother to you in getting about to
see the mines. | 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 'em throw the
water" and finally clinched his argu.
ment by asserting that his father would
be lonesome without him. And so ha
had his way and went with his father.
The road over the 'hills," which
were 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 tho
sun was sinking out of sight.
Stopping in front of the largest build
ing 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 n bed
for himself and boy in a room in which
were n half-dozen other beds, and waf
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 animals had yet been built, and
for the present there was little need oi
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 YVES placed substantial meal
of bacon, potatoes, bread, beans and
strong coffee.
The room was lighted by candles,
, stuck, portion of them, in tin or sheet
| iron candlesticks; Others in blocks OF
wood into which q hole had been bored
| to receive them.
The men were mostly miners in the
employ of one or other of the placer
companies having claims in the neigh.
borhood. or were 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 theiI
number whose garments were lacking
sleeves altogether except D few inches
at the shoulder.
But if they lacked for wearing ap.
parel, none were lacking in appetite,
and the coarscly cooked food disap.
peared from before them in a way thai
would have astonished any cook not ac.
customed to provide provender for Il lol
of hungry miners.
OF these men John Parsons learnod
that the work of washing down the
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 bull,
on the bluffs above. From this reser.
voir strong pipes of heavy duck cloth,
strengthened by bands of iron, con,
veyed it to point below. from which il
was directed against the hills which
contained the gold.
This piping was six or eight inches In
diameter with bands of iron every few
inches, and ended in nozzle like that
of n 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 O.
the mountain as fire eats into dry
brush heap.
To obtain the gold-which was il
fine particles scattered through tn,
, whole earth of the hills composing tn,
, placers-sluiceways, extending som'
distance down the gorge, had beer
built, through which all the earth am
stones to be washed down were to b,
passed.
, The bottom of this sluice was o
planks, upon which was nailed, o
wedged, circular pieces from the end
J of logs, alternating with rows OF slat
also fastened across the bottom of thu
: sluice, into the upper end of which wa
, turned many pounds of quicksilver
which gradually made its way through
| the sluice, lodging in little pools be
, tween the interstices of the circula
/ pieces of wood, or on the upper sids o
: the Stats, and served to catch and hole
, the fine particles of gold as they sum
to the bottom of the mass of earth pass
, ing through the sluce and being pul
: verified by the action of the water an
its own grinding motion.
? Not one company only, but several
, had taken claims and were prepares
/ for an assault upon the hills with thes
: enormous pipes. All, however, too
q their water from the same reservoir
D paying those who had built it by tn
: thousand feet for the amount used.
: John Parsons slept but little ths
Q night, and was up at the first nois
l Ill. 4 IL