Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-05-01
HIS LAST BLAST.


heads among the huge skyward tower
ing mountains that rise on the south
side of the North Yuba. into which riv-
er it empties its waters just before the
town of Downieville. In 1852 son of
Erin named Mike Maroney had placer
claim on this canyon of nests of golden
eggs, which in his opinion was nothing
less than the secret storehouse Of the
"Goblins of the Golden Mountains %
= Mikes claim was not in the present
or modern channel of the canyon, but
upon a bench above it, where was a
channel that had been formed by the
stream in ancient times. In this old up
per channel stood bowlder Of enor
nous size, granite rock as big as a
cathedral. Mike was undoubtedly at
tracted to the particular piece of bench
ground on which he staked out his
claim by the immense size of the bowl
der lodged upon it, rock SO large it
seemed to be pinnacle broken from the
top Of one of the overhanging noun
tains. He in some way got it into his
head that in the old channel, at the
point where he had staked out his claim,
was gold proportionate to the size of the
rock and in keeping with the difficulties
to be overcome.
The bowlder stood in the lower end of
the old channel, which it blocked COM
pletely from wall to wall. To blast it
out and get into and work the channel
seemed herculean task Many miner
had looked the ground over and depart
ed with a sigh, after careful survey
of the rock. before Mike Maroney set
his stakes on the ancient channel. All
thought we'll of the ground, but feared
to attack the "giant' that stood in the
way.
Mike built small cabin on bench
of the canyon above high water mark
and settled down in full sight of the
enemy he had determined to conquer.
Alone and single handed he mounted
the great granite rock and began drill
ing and blasting it. The rock was hard,
and the work went on slowly, but he
was always to be seen hammering and
banging away at the task he had under
taken. All the miners passing up and
down the canyon halted for word with
Mike They admired his pluck and
cheered him Oh by telling him that un-
der the bowlder and behind it he would
find enough gold to load train of half
a dozen mules.
Mike was a small man as to height.
standing less than feet in his boots,
but he was immensely broad across the
shoulders, and in strength was little
Samson. Altogether he was curiously
constructed creature. chad head big
enough for six footer. His mouth SEEM
ed the result of slash Of cleaver, and
he wore it with one corner drawn up
toward his left ear in a very knowing
way On his broad fat face was stuck
a short stump of q nose with vast cav
ernous nostrils. Add to these features Il
pair of enormous ears, little black eyes
that twinkle beneath an oyerhapgiug
crag Of brow, then top ouG the whole
with thatch Of coal black hair the size
of haycock, and you see Mike Maroney
as he appeared mounted upon his big
rock with drill and hammer in hand.
Seen thus he might we'll have passed for
the king of the gnomes, just popped up
from the chambers of his golden cayerns
for mouthful of sunshine and peep
at the upper world.
Mike was nearly two years in blast
ing out his great bowlder. When he first
began, such was his enthusiasm that he
thought he would make short work of
it, but after he had been engaged upon
it about three months he began to un
derstand more clearly the nature of the
task he had undertaken. His stock of
provisions was exhausted, and he lacked
money with which to procure new sup
ply; also he could no longer obtain pow
der, fuse and other supplies on credit.
1t became evident that he must have
money, or he would be obliged to stop
work on the bowlder.
In this strait be went up into the
town of Downieville and explained the
situation to number of friends. All
knew Mixes claim, and all had faith in
it, for the old channel with the big rock
in its mouth had been the talk Of all
the Slug canyon miners long before
Mike set his stakes there Therefore he
found it less difficult business than he
had anticipated to raise money with
which to proceed. Half dozen friends
became his hackers, telling him to go
ahead and call upon them as often as he
needed money. They would take the
chances of his finding enough gold to
make them all right once the big bowl
der had been conquered.
Again Mike set to work in high spir
it's He told his hackers that in two or
three months more he would have utter
ly demolished the big rock, but when
that time had passed the work seemed
only fairly begun. After Mike had been
at work for about year and half the
men who were putting up" for him
began to grow tired of the whole bust
hess and did not come out with their
coin SO cheerfully as at first, and they
asked rather anxiously in regard to the
progress being made.
In order to cheer them up Mike would
say: "Byes, do be l1nocl1in the ould
rock to s1nithereens! I've got her SO
wakened now that she shakes wild livery
blashtr'
Finally ths men tired of hearing this
story when Mike came round to collect
moncy, and he then began &c say, One
more blasht, byes. and I've got her!'
This went ON SO long that it became a
byword in Downieville. Everywhere it
was, Zone more blasht, byes, and I've
got her!'' Mixes hackers laughed with
the others and put up the money he
asked for.
All things have an end, however. and
when Mixes ''lasht blasht" shattered
the huge slab, constituting the sole rem
nant of the once enormous bowlder, he
went to the base Of the mass and began
working under it with his pick. On a
sudden the big block began to toppie
over Mike dropped his PICK and re-
treated with the rock following him en-
a steep down grade. The situation was
such that in order to escape being crush
ed to death Mike was obliged to leap in
to the canyon.
Owing to spring freshet, the canyon
was at the time roaring torrent. There.