The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

grades were rated at from $50 to $50. This
was written in letter of December /,
1S49, and in January, 1885, they gave an
other list of prices, as follows: Fresh
beef, 20 cents per pound: veal, so cents;
pork, IS cents; mutton, 81 a quarter;
bread, % to so cents a small loaf; butter,
81 so a pound: dried peaches and apples,
81. Ali other articles in like proportion.
A small shanty in the outskirts of the
City rented for $3.50 per month, and prices
increased very rapidly toward the busi-
ness center, where light, frail houses of
one or two stories on small lots sometimes
rented for $50, $50 or even 500 day.
BY June, 1850, these hard-working
Grosh brothers. having saved little from
their clerking in stores, were on their way
at last to the mines, like thousands of
others. AS described by DR.. Buckle, they
were of medium height, slight figures,
good looking, fairly well educated, quick
OF observation, ready with expedients,
thoroughly honest and honorable in small
things as in great, absolutely devoted to
one another. industrious, persevering,
manly and fearless. In all respects they
were men who deserved success.
The Grosh boys began their career as
prospectors in the Coloma district, Ell
Dorado County, and made $4,000 or $1,000
above expenses in the first year after
reaching the mines. Then they joined an
association to turn a river and mine the
bottom of the channel.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars had
been made this way, the gold being scooped
up by the pound from the bedrock in some
cases; but the Groshes lost every cent
they had in the world. Then they picked
up a few dollars ''crevicing," and spent 1t
grub-staking themselves on various
prospecting tours. Abandoning the placers
for time they hunted for quartz veins.
Like every one else in the mines, they felt
the charm of the outdoor life, and their
letters show how much they loved it.
Allen was offered position to write for
the Pacific News at $75 week, and Hosea
ives offered $500 month to go into
store, but they were born prospectors and
could not abandon their chosen occupa-
ton.
Through 1851 and 1852 they staid in the
Ell Dorado mines. working placer claims
to pay their expenses, and looking for
quartz. Part Of the time they tried a
small stock ranch, but met with misfor-
tunes, and in July, 1853, decided to cross
the Sierras into Western Utah, from which
region came rumors of new placers. They
prospected for gold in Lake Valley at the
head OF Tahoe, and at many places on the
way, finding nothing of value. They
settled down at last in Gold Canyon, above
Dayton, where a few Mormons and wan
dering prospectors were making a precari-
Gus living In ravlnes below the as yet un-
discovered Comstock lodges.
In the autumn of 1854 the Groshes went
back to El Dorado and mined for time
at Little Sugar Loaf. Their bad luck con-
tinued. "In fact" says Dr. Buckle, s'they
do not seem to have had any other kind
OF luck all their lives. They still just
made enough to keep themselves alive.''
They wrote to their father from Ell Dorado
in March, 1856, however, and gave the
first glimpse OF then unknown silver
ledges: Ever since our return from Utah
we have been trying to get couple of hun
dred dollars together for the purpose of
making careful examination OF silver
lead in Gold Canyon" Native silver. thew
said, was found there, but the ignorant
placer miners thought it was lead. In
spite of strenuous efforts, they remained
500 in debt, and finally went to Western
Utah in September, 1856 lily provided.
but determined to develop several pros
poets.
They worked few weeks and returning
to Ell Dorado to winter wrote: I'VE found
two veins of silver at the forks of Gold