The San Francisco call., 1897-08-29
RabIdore's Strike Verified.


PEA RIDGE, CAL, via Fresno, Aug.
2S.-The Old miners of Laurel, Bear and
Dinkey creeks were anything but pleased
when they learned that the news of the
rich gold strike of Louis Rabldore, COM
monty called French Louis, 3" had reached
the outside world, and the dlspleasure of
q number was intensified when they
learned that THE CALL had sent = CORE
spondent into the Laurel Creek mining
district to ascertain the exact situation.
With but few exceptions the old miners
are doing all IN their power TO prevent
even small rush into this section.
Setishness is the reason for this condi ition
of affairs.
For many years past they have placer
mined the rich creeks in this section and
they have made what they call just fair
living out OF their claims. Just a living
means that during a few weeks, or per-
haps months, every year they have taken
out enough gold 10 keep them in bacon,
-four and coffee during the rest of the
time without work. If rush should take
place they would be obliged to get out
and hustle to keep up with the process
sion. There are few who have the spirit
OF the present century in their makeup.
and among them are w. Wakefield. Sam
Jennings of Kenyons, James McMurtry
and Louis Rabidore, the lucky miner.
Rabidore is TO be congratulated for his
fortunate find, for he has struggled along
on his claims on Bear Creek, above Laurel
Greek, for the past eight years, and his rich
fnd comes none too soon, for "French
Louis" is now going down the western
slope of life. He comes from good fam
lily, his relations owning large properties
in St. Louis, Mo. he is little old man,
grzzled of hair and beard, and shoulders
bent with hard work with pick, shovel,
pan and by hydraulic pipe.
His neighbors speak of him with respect
and good wishes. His claim, that set the
tongues of all Fresno waggng, is undoubt-
edly rich. 1t is what is here known as an
ochre proposition. That is the gold,
which is very pure, lies in the ochre, sort
of decomposed quartz mixed with iron,
which stains the whole m ass dull yel-
low. Even the precious metal itself is so
stained with the iron rust that its true
nature would escape the attention of those
not familiar with this kind of mining.
The acid test brings out the true metal
ochre in Rabidore's claims is soft, and
easy to get out of the ledge, but the gold
which is of f1oury nature, is hard TO get
free from the iron rust and consequently
is difficult to amalgamate with the quick
silver. To get around this the gravel is
sent down q very long sluice, and the
sharp, finty quartz and granite grave
cleans off the rust sufficiently to make il
hold to the quicksilver.
The claim, which is called the Klondike
of Fresno, lies at the foot of high mouu-
tain that drops to the south into Bear
Creek, a tributary OF the Laurel. The
veins run east and west. One is almost q
blanket ledge, the dip being not over
twenty-five or thirty degrees. The others
dip at forty-fve and sixty-fve degrees,
and all dip to the north. The three vary
in thickness from ten inches to two feet,
and accom- panying these are many small
stringers. All who have inspected the
claim express the bslief that these are the
stringers that run 10 the main ledge, and
that when they come together great wealth
will be found in the main ledge. but
whethe this main ledge is found or not
Rabidore has fortune in sight. The way
in which the discovery was made is best
told in the old miners own words. He
said:
Eight years ago / came here ard took
up a placer claim just below here. near
where ray cabin stands. After while