The record-union., 1895-03-14
LIVELY MINING CAMPS.
Some of the Rich Mines Up in Amador
County.
Many Are Now Being Developed
and Are Paying Their
Owners Well.

Deep, cavernous pits, gaping tunnels,
grass-grown prospect holes, lichen-cov
cred walls and buildings which, like
Hans Anderson's cabin, have not fallen
because of an indecision as 10 which way
to tumble-all these and unique his
tory full of romance and tragedy, are
the inheritance of many once thriving
village in the gold fields of California.
Oleta, Amador County, has for years
been an example of this type, many of
her inhabitants being obliged to make an
annual pilgrimage abroad to find en-
ployment. With the awakening of min
ing interests. which have come with the
past year, there has been q marked
change in this little mountain town.
Oleta is no longer dependent upon other
localities. Every brawnv arm in that
village is again delving for precious
metal.
y RECORD UNION representative who
lately visited the place found everything
booming. Four or five gravel mines,
saying nothing of several quartz mines
IN that vicinity, were employing every
able-bodied man.
ii. Schrader, prominent merchant, in
speaking OF the mines, said: Prospects
were never better; times are looking up,
business is good and all the mines have
paid from the start. Every miner has
been paid promptly. Not mine has eX-
tended pay day, and there is a general
feeling that prosperity has come to US to
stay.'
The principal mine being worked is
the Lone Hill, owned by Sacramento
men, including Add. c. Hinkson, S.
Miles, John Ochsner, J. c. King. George
0. Bates, Mr.. Gribble, Mr.. Van Fleet
and others. The Davis and J. II. Hill
mines are also being successfully oper-
ated, the former employing twenty men.
All these mines are working channel
gravel, similar to the famous ''6lueIead.' -
and quite as rich. 1t is not an infrequent
thing to turn in gravel carrying from 81
TO 80 to the car.
The extent of the lead is not even
bounded by section lines, and will fur
nlsh work for generation or two of
miners.
The Lone Hill has fine mill run by
the most modern pattern, and has not
only a large capacity, but saves every
particle OF gold. The company has leased
the Pennington ditch, lately purchased by
u. Il. Thomas, and has in this way Sc
cured control of the entire water supply.
Light miles above Oleta the Robertson
brothers have struck an S0-foot ledge OF
porphyry and quartz carrying low-grade
ore. 1t runs from s. to 81 to the ton. and the
proprletors have such faith in the prop
erty that they will construct twenty
stamp mill.
Another new mine is that located bv
Henry Linton, and known as the Coffey
Gulch mine. This lead, while small,
produces rock running as high as 81 800
per ton. The mine has not yet been thor
oughly prOSpected, and sinking it is
hoped will develop larger ledge
ID. X. Thomas, superintendent of the
HlI Top mine, now the property OF
the Interior Development Company of
San francisco, is expecting to commence
the construction of one of the largest res
ervOirs in the State on the old Case ranch
at the head of the South Fork Of the Cos
umnes River
The purchase of the site was made some
time ago, but immediate WORK deferred
pending the adjudication OF litigation in
VoIvIng large interests in the western
part of the county. This reservoir will
be the first OF system which will add
thousands of inches OF water to the old
Pennington right, now the property of
Mr.. Thomas.
once perfected, the system will de-
VelOp numerous mines of the foothills.
and transform thousands of acres of Anna
dor and Sacramento County lands now
used for grazing and wheat-growing into
a land having every advantage desired
by the practical fruit-grower and farmer
CaIIiornla's history promises an era in
the present when agriculture, hortiCuIt-
ure and mining are III perfect harmony,
water Tor mining meaning water for
frult-growing and farming.