The San Francisco call., 1896-03-30

S.
bondholder is David Gage Of Oakland.
The balance is held in New York. Most
of the Eastern ones are now owned by
estates, the original owners having died
during the protracted litigation. Among
the men who have owned in the company
is the late Edgar Judson of the Judson
Powder Works, A. E. Davis, the late mil
lionaire, Doe, another deceased millionaire,
and Senator George c. Perkins. L. L. Rob-
inson was president of the company up to
the time of his death.
Mr.. Gage was one of the men in charge
of the mine for twenty-five years and he
and Mr.. Glass are the only bondhoiders
who are acquainted with the practical
operation of the mine.
It is an odd fact that more diamonds
have been discovered at the Cherokee Flat
mine than in any other part of California.
About 800 diamonds many of them valued
as high as $3.50, have been found in the
fumes, and it is supposed that great
many were washed away with the slick
ems. as no special attempt was made to
save them. Carney Williams, the famous
California expert, who is now superln-
tendent of the Kimberley diamond fields
at South Africa, under salary of 500, 900
year, paid some attention to the dia-
monds at Cherokee Flat while he was
superintendent of that mine, but there has
UCCIl iIO OthOA plOoPCCaih6 oASAS'
Although Cherokee is generally spoken
of as dead mining camp, as result of
the litigation over 100 men have for years
been making wages on the old workings of
the nine. Under leases from the receiver,
two companies, consisting respectively of
forty and twenty men each are ground
sluicing" the fiat" together with various
smaller firms. A Portuguese company
composed of twenty men recently cleaned
lob
The bitches conveying the water to the
mine and the provision made for the care
and disposal of its debris are both on a
gigantic scale. No two such systems for
one mine has probably ever been success
fully carried ont, if even attempted.
The water is brought over the 100 miles
in bitches, pipes and fumes, and the canal
by which the "slickens" is conveyed to
the tules is over thirty miles long, and
from 1000 to $500 feet wide. with levees
seven feet in height. To bring in the
water alone cost $750,00O, and the con-
struction of the canals $500, 900 more.
The water rights of themselves are con-
sidered highly valuable. The bitches tap
the largest watershed in that part OF the
Sierras, and command in the dryest part
of the year over 5000 inches of water,
miners measure. The mine also owns
twelve reservoirs, used to supply the works
AZ SoSS Va oby eSAA pOAoAy oSOANSAAS ~ SAAS
fumes.
Two of the reservoirs are located on the
route of the ditch, each being three miles
in circumference.
The engineering difficulties overcome in
the problem of bringing the water to
Cherokee were Of most hazardous nature,
most of the engineers who examined the
proposition when it was first broached pro-
nouncing it impracticable. The late Ed
gar ]. Judson, founder of the Judson
Powder Works. finally found an engineer
who said it could be done and poured his
money into the project. despite the ieers
of his associates.
The work, during it's progress, was
dubbed "Judson's folly" The most diff
cult piece of work is the crossing of the
Feather River by wroughtiron pipe
thirty inches in diameter and $4,000 feet
long. The pressure at the lowest part is
1000 feet, the pipe being three-eighths OF
an inch thick.
The sale of the big mine under fore
closure of the bonds will be pushed for.
ward with haste. Already the bondhold-
ers are organizing to put in collective
bid for the full amount of the total iudg-
ment. Whether the policy of the banks
will be one of delay looking for possible
compromise is not yet known.