The record-union., 1892-01-30
iowa HILL.
Operations in the Mines on the
Divide.
Millions Of Gold May Yet be Taken
Ont without Injury to
the Valley.
Iowa HILL. Jan. %. 1892.

California had left the train at Colfax and
come over to this camp, they would have
passed through the most wildly pictur-
esque section in the State and visited one
of the most historic mining towns on
the coast.
Tuesday morning last left Colfax on
the stage for Iowa Hill. The snow was
coming down thick and fast, and the
ground was covered with about three
inches of 1.-THE beautiful" ]. II. Wilcox,
the man who holds the ribbons over the
stage stock, is an old-timer, and, like
Hank Monk, his aim is to get you there
on time, regardless of dangerous grades
and chuck-holes. The stage was closed
up with curtains on all sides, and my
only companion on the inside was a
representative of the "Flowery King
dom.'' I found him, however, to be
rather an agreeable companion. We had
hardly reached the outskirts of the town
before he began to try to start conversa-
ton, and before had rode half mile
he had discussed all the national issues
and was plying me with questions re-
garding the Chilean situation. / soon
discovered that he was thoroughly edu-
Gated in English, and also that he was the
owner of some of the most valuable min
ing property in Placer County.
He had been to San Francisco to attend
the Miners Convention, not as delegate
but one who, owing to his large interests,
desired to see a compromise between
the valley farmer and the mountain
miner.
To test his knowledge of American
politics l asked him what he thought of
the recent election in New York. His
reply was: Il am glad that Flower got
away with it. His opponent was man
not worthy of his steel. Although con-
nected on this coast by marriage, MIR.
Fassett was not the man TO be made Gov
ernor Of the first State in the Union. So
far as that is concerned, neither was Mr.
Flower, but he was my choice between
the two"
then asked him whom he thought
would be the next President. Looking
me straight in the eye, he asked: You
are newspaper man? | would ask you
the same question. You know there is
one man who to-day stands as high above
his compeers as did Washington in Rev
olutionary times. That is j. q. Blaine.
In my country all the great men go to the
front Yours is republican govern
ment, ours despotism, but great men
are recognized and are given place in
our country's history, no matter if they
come from the fsherman's hut. James
@. Blaine should be your next President,
in fact he should have been the present
one, for he is head and shoulders above
all your statesmen, and is SO regarded
throughout the diplomatic world. But
will say right here that, as rule your
Government does not elect the best men
for President. John Jay, Randolph,
Franklin, Clay, Calhoun, Webster, Ben
ton, and hundreds that could be men
toned, leaders-men of brain and intel
lect-could not get there. Your sys-
1Nr.af love
in politics, your Tammany ring in New
York, your Buckleys in San Fran
cisco, your Westons in Chicago,
your O'Briens in Philadelphia, and your
political combinations throughout your
country are such that your best men are
always left at the post, and the horses
that carry no weights, catch as catch can,'
are compromised upon in the convention;
but / must confess that your rail-split-
ters, your tanners, your tailors, and even
he who wears his 'grandfather's hat, have
rendered good service to their country,
and none except Andrew Johnson has
been publicly assailed, and when you
come right down to that old 'Andy's'
Administration was credit to the coun-
try. He was not as rabid as some, and
why should he be? He came from Ten
nessee; he recognized the fact that sooner
or later all would be brothers, and he
took middle ground. Years from now,
when you and I have passed away and
an impartial historian writes the deeds Of
American statesmen, old Andy Johnson
viii be accorded front seat"
During this conversation we were going
bumpety-bump down the steep grade
toward the North Fork of the American
River. The distance to the bridge is less
than two miles, but the steep grade, the
deep mud, and the fast falling snow,
made it almost snail pace, and it was a
full half hour before we arrived at the
river.
The stream was quite low, in fact a
five-year-old boy could have waded it
anywhere, as it ran over rifles not more
than six inches in depth, and so clear
that it was evident that no mining was
being done above.
We stopped at the dollhouse for the
driver to water his horses, and l got out.
We had descended more than 500 feet, and
the low altitude had changed the snow
into rain. The SUBMITS of the hills were
white, but in the river canyon all was
green, and the orange trees in the toll
keepers garden were hanging full of
golden globes, as fine as any that were
seen at the Auburn Fair.
While taking in the beauties of the
canyon, the variegated leaves of the ma
pie, the elm, and the wild grape that
climbs to the tops of the tallest trees, con-
trasting the red berries of the holly with
the fern, cedar and fir, and the point
the snow OF the mountain began, my at
tention was attracted by the shrill whistle
OF locomotive, apparently from the
clouds. Away up on the mountain, a
thousand feet above the river, apparently
just above US, was Cape Horn, and pas
senger train, drawnIby two monster loco
motives, went rapidly around the point.
The hills being covered with snow, the
train looked as though it was travelling
through the clouds, and one would not
have TO draw severely upon his imagina-
ton TO believe that travelling through the
air was an accomplished fact.
The train was in sight but for a mo-
ment We clambered into the stage, Will
cox spoke to his horses, and we began to
climb the mountain.
Iowa Hill is bat nine miles from Col
fax, distance that would be covered by
the electric cars of Sacramento in a few
minutes, but it takes four hours, and lots
of jolting, to get there.
1t was cold. When we reached an aIti-
tude of :, 900 feet 1t commenced showing
again and came down in big flakes
throughout the balance of the trip.
My Chinese friend began thinking
about his New Years and became non
communicative, and then to while away
the hour piled Wilcox with questions.
saw man cross the road in front of US
with rifle on his shoulder and | asked
If the stage on this line was ever
robbed, at the same time taking my
Waterbury out of my pocket and
dropping 1t into box of apples that was
under the seat. Before he replied L had
my purse, containing 75 cents and some
postage stamps, in my hand ready to fol-
low my nickel timepiece, when he said.
''Noi this divide is so - poor that NO
- fool of a highwayman ever tackles
It,"
Ifelt relieved and Immediately replaced
nv iayValTv The man with ri 10 IUaS n