The record-union., 1892-02-12
BURIED TREASURE.
Nevada County's Wealth Concealed in
Her Quartz Lodges.
A visit to the Old Allison Ranch Mine.
Which Has Yielded It's Millions
of Golden Dollars.

GRASS VALLEY, Feb. 10.-Ye Yesterday on
invitation of George Mainhart, Superin-
tendent of the Omaha mine, your CORE
spondent took a seat beside him in his
buggy behind the finest stopper in Grass
Valley, and we were off for Allison
Ranch.
These letters have already described
the wonderful Idaho, the rich Eureka,
and the Rocky Bar; but the most noted
mine in the Grass Valley District, the
Allison Ranch, has not been referred to.
1t is two and one-half miles south Of the
town, and for time was regarded as the
richest in the State. Mr.. Mainhart, who
is thoroughly posted on all the mines in
this section, gave the following history OF
the Allison Ranch.
In 1852, two brothers by the name of
Daniel worked out the placers, and in
digging the tail-race discovered the ledge.
At that time quartz veins were consid-
cred of little value, and no attention was
paid TO it. In 1854, Michael Colbert and
James Stanton bought an interest in the
claim, and the ledge was again uncovered,
and found to be exceedingly rich. Two
Of the partners traced the ledge a short
way and lost it.
The placers were exhausted and the
members of the company We're going TO
abandon the workings, and all knocked
off except Colbert and Stanton, who
found the ledge again and took out about
ton of rock one afternoon that yielded
several hundred dollars.
Experienced quartz miners were of the
opinion that, owing to the peculiar situa-
ton of the ledge in Wolf Greek and its
abrupt pitch, it could not be proftably
worked. Con Reilly, an experienced
miner, was, however, OF different Opin-
lon, and was employed to open the ledge.
lie erected water-wheel and sank a
shaft on the ledge TO the depth Of eighteen
feet, and in that short distance took out
enough gold to erect mill and hosting
works without having to levy an assess
ment on the stockholders.
For some years over 200 men were en-
ployed. From 1855 to 1866 some 10000
IONS of ore yielded $780, 900, of which
Sl,200,000 was divided among the six
stockholders. 1t was practice of the
partners to divide all the surplus earn
1ngs and leave no working capital, and
The consequence was that when it became
necessary to make some quite extensive
improvements no money was on hand.
The last work done on the mine was in
April, 1869 It's incline had a depth of
4S6 feet, and the ledge, which was three
feet wide, was studded with free gold.
The mine is owned principally by
James G. Fair and A. Z. Davis, and is
about to be bonded for large sum of
money.
THE HARTERY NINE.
After leaving the Allison Ranch mine
we drove over on Missouri Hill to the
Hartery, where new hosting works have
recently been erected. When we entered
the mill the engineer on the elevated plat
Iorm, who had just landed q carload OF
ore, sang out that he had something good,
and we climbed up the ladder, some forty
ieet, to take look at the ore. The car
was filled with beautiful quartz, indicat-
ing a strong vein, and speckS of gold
could be detected in every piece eX-
amined.
This is very encouraging to the owners,
as they have spent many thousands sink
Sng for prospect.
In early days the Hartery yielded over
100000, and had an excellent mill and
hoisting-works that were destroyed by
ire. Coming home we passed through
BOSTON RAvINE,
A town that at one time was rival of
Grass Valley, and to-day is part of its
suburbs. / was introduced to William
Campbell, its principal merchant, man
who has spent forty years in the mines
and made a quarter of million in mer-
chandising and buying gold. He ex-
nibits with considerable pride pair OF
scales on which have been weighed over
S6,000,000. They are very large, but their
adjustment is so perfect that a scale from
The wing Of butterfly would be no.
ticed.
In July, 1881, Mr.. Campbell bought
I,56S pounds of rock from the Ford d
Mullen mine that yielded S20,038.
J. H M.