Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-26

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Gulch had been located or denounced"
as the Mexicans term it-all taken up
but after being there but short time we
we're offered claim after claim at the
most reasonable fgures-low fgures-in-
deed, in many instances, for about the
| cost of the fees the authorities demanded
for "denouncing" them. Had these
claims been paying the big sums the San
Diego papers would have had US believe,
the holders would not have been so anx-
ious to sell at these ridiculously low
prices. Men do not so easily give up a
good thing. And, remember, the Mexi-
can Gulch was that especially favored
locality which was reported to be so ex-
ceedingly rich. As for American Gulch,
it did not prospect anything like
so well as the Mexican. 1t is
true it was more difficult to pros
pect, by reason of there being at this
season considerable water in it, which
would flow into prospect hole and per-
nit thorough test of the stratum lying
Immediately on the bedrock; but not
withstanding this difficulty, enough pros
pecting was done to show the gold, what
there was of it, was very fine, hard to
save, and not in paying quantities if
worked by pan or rocker. The Mexican
Government will not permit either fume
or hydraulic work, SO we are told, forbid
ding it under penalty of $25 fine and
liability in heavy damages to those hav-
ing claims below. This we afterwards
heard contradicted, but only from one
source, while the other was commonly
accepted as being the law governing
placer mines.
So much, then, for the vaunted Mexi-
can and American gulches-they simply
would not, were not, and are not paying.
After being in camp few days word
was circulated that over on the Alamo
creek, or river, rich placers had been
struck, and of course this produced con-
siderable excitement. This creek was
almost five miles south or southeast OF
the two gulches OF which 1 have just
spoken. We went there and prospected,
watched others prospect and again salts
fed ourselves thoroughly that there was
nothing there that would pay much bet
ter, if any, than American gulch. The
gold, what there was of it, was fine, but
pretty generally distributed. Nearly
every pan yielded from one to two or
three colors, but not in paying quanti-
ties, worked by rockers and pan. Wa
ter, too, although Just then owing to the
recent rains, plentiful enough on the
low grounds to pan or rock with, we
were satisfied would last but short
time longer. One party was hauling
dirt with two mules and buckboard-a
party of six or seven-running ten rock
ers, and from our best sources of infor-
nation it was questionable whether they
were making more than 81 per day to
the man.
Speaking of water, when we first ar
rived here it was getting very scarce in
Mexican Gulch, and we saw them pack
ing dirt some distance to get enough
either to pan or rock. The recent rains
gave them more than enough for the time
but it was evident that the supply would
within week again run short, and with
in week or two more fail altogether
anyhow, in that part of the gulch, and as
the season advanced also in the lower
part, SO that it was safe to say there
would be no water there at all in month.
This too was the case in the Alamo. In
American Gulch the water would last
longer l suppose from the appearance of
the stream, but doubt whether it would
be good for more than six weeks or two
months, and possibly not so long as that.
So much for the famed placer diggings of
Baja California.
AS to quartz, we were shown some
rich specimens of float, some that were
very rich; but, 60 far as our prospecting
went, we could not find anything Gin
place" which warranted location.
There may be some rich veins here.
Surface indications appear to show it,
and the International Company, of Mex
leo, we are told, have large party of
men out prospecting for lodges, who
have already made about eighty loca-
lions, and who seem to be anxious to
"gobble up" everything that bears the
prospect OF paying. 1t, however, was
not quartz that we were after, for several
reasons. In the first place wood and
water are very scarce; in the next place,
the tenure by which quartz claim can
be held is too uncertain for Americans in
this country of cactus and tortillas; and
lastly it would take fortune to get a
quartz claim into running order, even
were the other objections obviated.
have, Mr.. Editor, given you ''a plain
unvarnished tale," have endeavored Sin
nothing to extenuate nor to set down
aught in malice" but to give you and
your readers facts and facts only. 70
those who still purpose coming to the
fNew Ell Dorado,'' l would give the ad-
vice of the man to his friend who pur-
posed getting married-"don't." These
mines will not pay, in the way they have
to be worked. If they could be worked
bv hydraulic, or even by fiume, believe
they would then pay we'll, but the lack of
water and lumber, to say nothing of the
Mexican law, renders that, for the time
being, impracticable, if not positively
impossible. To work them by pan and
rocker with the expectation of making
more than small wages is absurd. Nor
is this the opinion of your correspondent
and party alone, nor of "dudes and ten
derfeet," it is the freely expressed
opinion of old miners, those who have
made a business of mining for years.
The second day our party was on the
way-after reaching the Real del Cas-
tillo road-we commenced meeting
parties who bad been here and
were then leaving. Their advice
was not to go on, but as | have
said, being we'll equipped, with COM
Portable tent and plenty of provisions, are
determined to see it through, and you
know the result. On the morning of our
arrival at the head of Mexican Gulch,
one of the first men we met was one of a
party who were then selling good, big
tent for one dollar and fifty cents. This
man speak of was one of the most pow
erful physical men l ever saw, and his
hands were hardened and bony. bearing