The San Francisco call., 1895-11-03
Delving Into the Mother Lode
Will Go Forward Without
Cessation.
NEW RAILROAD IN SIGHT.
A Branch of the Proposed Yosemite
Line to Tap the Gold.Ore
Center.
Special Correspondence OF THE CALL.

liz llltCll upIlOI W bn0 cAleuSlNO milling
operations now in progress. Heretofore
the advent of winter has been looked for
ward to with apprehension, but this year
there is work for all in this section of
Mariposa County.
The exciting topic of the past month has
been the advent Of a party of surveyors
and railroad promoters who have been
visiting the Yosemite in connection with
the proposed new line along the canyon of
the Merced River into the valley. General
Mortimer McRoberts, Colonel Lyman
Bridges chief engineer of the Yosemite
Valley Railroad and several other gentle
men spent several days inquiring into the
prospects of Coulterville and its surround
ing mines. Before leaving they expressed
satisfaction with what they had seen, and
lntimated that they were prepared to
recommend a short branch line into
Coulterville. This branch would connect
with their main line at Horseshoe Bend,
point about six miles from the town at
the junction of Maxwells Creek and the
Merced River. The branch line would
pass along Maxwells Creek by an easy
gradient, and would be convenient for
several of the larger mines now being
opened
Of course the promoters of the new road
expect substantial contribution from the
citizens, who seem disposed to act very
literally in the matter. What amount of
subsidy the Yosemite Valley Railroad pro-
moters require and what the townspeople
are prepared to do has not as yet been def
nitely formulated, but both parties to the
proposition appear to be enthusiastic and
sanguine of success.
Evidences that Coulterville is now per-
manent mining camp Of solid Importance
are found on all sides. The population IN
and around the town is estimated at not
less than 1900. For miners, Coulterville is
.'three-dollar a day camp Laborers
get 81 80 and 81 day. New buildings of
all descriptions are going UP rapidly. Tenn
porary stores have given place to hand
some buildings. Business men have begun
to build for themselves and families COM
Portable and elegant homes. There is pos
sibly no surer indication of permanency
in camp than when the business men Quit
the boarding habit" and go in for house
keeping.
There are new buildings in every direc-
ton, but perhaps the most noteworthy de-
parture is to be fonnd in what is properly
termed Newtown, but is seldom spoken of
otherwise than as Cornishtown. On the
southeast this new suburb has been laid
out as residence section. Under the con-
ditions upon which lots are sold no saloons,
hotels or business premises are allowed to
be erected. About dozen handsome cot
tages have already been completed and
owned and occupied by men in the en-
ployment of the Merced Gold Mining
Company, and the tendency of the resi-
dents seems to have set in toward that
locality in looking for homes. The bust
ness portion of the town, however, is not
likely to be in any way affected by this
suburban extension. Cornishtown is about
a half mile distant from Coulterville.
There are three physicians and the same
number of attorneys now permanently
settled here. Outside the learned pro-
fessions there are representatives of nearly
every other sort of craft.
The principal hotels are the Hotel JEFF
ferry and Coulter's Hotel. The proprietor
of the latter is George W. Coulter, after
whom the town was named. Mr., Coulter
is one of the few pioneers who have stuck
by the fortunes of the camp through its
ups and downs, and he is now reaping his
reward. As a matter of fact the hotel ac-
commodatlon as whole is equal to that
of any mining town in the State.
THE CALL is the only San Francisco
daily paper that is delivered by carrier
and sold upon the streets of Coulterville.
Five minutes after the stage gets in the
shrill cries of MORNING CALLp' "MoRNING
CALLP' are heard from the newsboys. Su b.
scribers to The CALI get their paper from
Sam M. Levy, and there is usually small
crowd waiting its arrival at $50 O'Clock.
THE CALL is found everywhere in this dis
trict, and its recent mining articles and at
tention to mining interests generally are
proving the greatest possible encourage
ment to those who believe that the future
source OF California's wealth and pros
perity is to be found in natures treasure
house-the great mother lode.
There are practical men now engaged in
mining in this district who have worked
on Australian and South African gold
fields. Speaking OF the present phenome-
nal boom in "Kafirs" these men say that
| II the people who have gone crazy over
Katfirs only knew the possibilities of the
great mother lode they would go stark.
staring mad to get into these California
mines before they are all taken up.
What is now required most urgently is a.
| good water supply for Coulterviile. and an
electric plant for the distribution and sale
OF power to the smaller mne-owners. Both
these are easy of attainment, unattended
by heavy initial expense. The whole
waterpower of the Merced River. distant
only about six miles, is running to waste.
| and could be utilized at the Horseshoe
| Bend where Coulterville's proposed branch
railroad would junction with the main
| line.
The Horseshoe Bend is beautiful fruit
| ranch, the property of P. P. Mast of
Springfield, Ohio, situated at the conflu-
| ence OF Maxwells Greek and the Merced
River. 1t takes its name from a remark
able turn that the river makes at this
point. The Merced here describes a per-
| fect horseshoe, which serves as natural
boundary for the central portion of the
ranch. The land is the richest description
OF alluvial soil. Under the management
OF ID. II. Clark it is in the highest possible
state of cultivation, and in the wilderness
OF surrounding mountains it breaks upon
the, traveller like an oasis in the desert
between the two heels of the horseshoe is
a space OF about mile, and the fall tina,
the river makes in going round the bend
between the same points is about fifty feet
1t would be easy and comparatively iuex.
pensive to secure the whole power of the
Merced River by cutting ditch acros.
this neck of land, and it is generally
understood that Mr.. Mast will grant af
reasonable concessions to any Responsive
| cOmOapU or individual s,bo