The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-07-11
One Way Of Sailing q Claim.

One Way Of Sailing a Claim.
In 1851 a party of American mi
ers had been working a claim near
Columbia, Tuolumne county, Cali
fornia, and not having even found
the "color," they became discour-
aged the more 80 as couple of
Cinnamon short distance above
them we're doing very we'll. The
Americans having expressed a will
ingness to sell, one day three Chi
namen went to see the claim. They
talked it over among themselves,
and finally asked the owners at
what price they would sell. Of
course the Americans made it out
rich and put a high figure on it,
though in fact they were determined
to sell it at any price, being sure that
the ground was worthless. It was
decided that the Cinnamon should
bring their picks and pans next day
to prospect, and if they were salts
fed would buy at the figure agreed
upon.
The miners thinking it would
probably be their last chance to sell,
determined to salt the claim. It
was a large piece of ground, and
the trouble was where to put the
"salt." One of the men soon hit
on a very ingenious plan. He took
gun and went, as he said, to get
quail or two, but in reality to kill
snake. AS there were great many
about the place, he soon killed a
large gopher-snake, which resem-
bles the rattle-snake in appearance,
but is perfectly harmless to man.
Putting his game into bag he re-
turned to camp.
On being asked by his compan-
ions what he had brought back for
supper, he shook out the snake and
explained his idea thus:
"Now, boys, when the Cinnamon
come tomorrow, they won't allow
any of us to be near, because they re
afraid of "salt." Well, Jim, you
walk along on top of the bank and
have that dead snake in your pocket.
Bill and me will stay talking to the
Johns, I'll have my gun over my
shoulder, as if l was going for a
rabbit, only you see I'll put salt"
into the gun instead of shot. Well
find out where they are going to
pan out next and you be looking
on innocent-like, with the snake
ready to drop where l tell you.
When them fellers start to walk
there, just slide him down the bank
and when we all get there I'll holler,
"Hold on, boys" and before they
know what's up, I'll fire the "salt"
all around there and make believe
| killed the snake. How'll that do?"
Next morning four Cinnamon
came prepared for work. They tried
a few places, but of course did not
get the "color." The Americans
kept at a distance 80 that there
could be no complaint.
"Well, John," said the schemer,
"where you try next; over in that
corner?"
The Cinnamon were suspicious
in a moment. They were familiar
with salted claims, and were we'll on
their guard. "No likee dis corn
Tile him nudder corn," pointing to
the opposite one.
Jim with his hands in his pockets
was above on the bank, many feet
away, watching when he saw them
point in that direction, his partner
gave a nod and he pitched the snake
on the ground near the place. The
leader exclaimed, "Hold on, boys J"
and fired before they could tell
which way to look. Going up to
the snake he pushed the gun under
it and carried it away hanging over
the barrel. Jim walked off and Bill
sat on q wheel-barrow on the oppo-
site side from where they were at
work. The Cinnamon had no sus-
picion. They carried away several
pans of dirt to wash in stream
near by, and when they returned
Bill felt pretty sure they had struck
some of the "salt," but the China
men said nothing except "Claim no
good. Mclean man talkee too
muchee."
The Americans, knowing the
game, refused to take less than the
specified price, which the Cinnamon
finally paid, and in two days the
sellers were off to new diggings.
The strangest part Of the story
is that the claim turned out to be
one of the richest in the district:
The Cinnamon made q great deal
of money, sold out and went home.
The Century for June.
Nitrate of soda has again been
tried az q fertilizer of tomatoes.
The result was q very marked IN
crease of crop in every case, the
most profitable increase coming
from the use of nitrate alone.