Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-17

6tucKs a pOrt10n Of them, Tn tip or sheet iron cand.est.cks; others in blocks o wood into winch Q hole had been bored to receive them.
 The men were mostly miners in ths
 employ of one or other of the place, 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, Tn imitation of those of the
 number whose garments were lacking
 sleeves altogether except g. few inches
 at the shoulder.
 But if they lacked for wearing ap-
 Parel' none were lacking in appetite,
 and the coarsely cooked food disap.
 peared from before them in way that
 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 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 built on the bluffs above. From this reser- volr strong pipes of heavy duck cloth, strengthened by bands of iron, con- veyed it to point below. from which it was directed against the hills which containe the gold.
 This piping was six or eight inches in diameter, with band; of iron e cry few inches, and ended in a nozzle Ike that or garden or fire hose, and from the immense pressure of the water above would throw stream with sufficient force to cut man or horse in two in stantly, and which ate into the side of the mountain as fire eats into a dry brush heap.
 To obtain the gold-which was in me particles scattered through the whole earth of the hills composing the Placers 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 bottom of this sluice was of pianks. upon which was nailed. or wedged, circular p eces from the ends o1 logs. alternating with rows of slats also fastened across the bottom of the slulce, into tho upper end of which was turned many pounds of quicksilver, Which gradually made its way through the sluice, lodging in little pools be- tween the interst ces of the circular pieces of wood. or on the upper side of the slats, 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 sluce and being pull verized 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 ther water from the same rescrvo;r, paylng those who had bu It it by the thousand feet for the amount used.
 John Parsons slept but little that night, and was up at the first noise which ind cated tn tt any of the other o cu:'ants Were aStir.
 Leaving Johnny asleep in the bed he went out and fed his horses, and then came in and sat down in the bar-room that tho meal was nearly ready, he awakened Johnny. and after eating, started to look at the m nes, which were a good half mile away, taking the boy with him.
 The men who handled the pipes were on the ground as soon as hc The day previous they had exploded fifty kegs of powder in a tunnel which they had dug into t!e hillside, and had rent and torn th" earth ill every direction. They now turned the water from long lines of hose upon the loosened mass, and began washing away the earth with rapidity which promised to soon re- duce the hills to q level with the val leys.
 Talk about faith movin' mountains" said the man who handled the pipe, as he watched the d Tt crumble and dis solve, while great trees and rocks slow ly sank into the abyss. "Talk about faith movin' mountains, and I'm a l-c-e-t-l-e bit skeptical, am; but say. faith and stream of water from one it every time."
 John Parsons turned from the sight, faint and sick at heart. He had seen enough. They would wash the earth of those hills from their rocky foun- dations as the dust is washed from the paved streets of |. z ty by a July shower, and the valley must become it's rest ing place. Fla ms, and orchards. and vineyards would be covered, at the fir>t great flood, with the worthless earth of the mountain tops which was now pouring through the sluice into the gulch below. Fertile fields would be made barren, their owners impover- ished, their homes made desolate; all. all that a.few men already rich might grow richer by possessing themselves of the few penny's worth of gold that lay hidden in each cubic foot of the top.
 "'Ow do you do. sir; 'ope I see you well?''
 John Parsons turned squarely around and stood face to face with Mir. Job berS, who extended his hand with rather pompous though cordial air.
 "'Ow is Mrs. Parsons and the young ladies; well, l 'ope? Mr. Hannelsey was Hing me before e left as low e 'ad hoften called on you during is fish ing and 'unting excur ions. Come hup to my quarters and 'aye a piass of