The San Francisco call., 1898-01-30


 the cabin table and he has had plenty of time for prospecting. He has found profit Tn working placer mine, as is evidenced brought to town to help pay for sugar and coffee, ammunition, fishhooks, and likely enough new boots for the boys.
 This Is just a little commonplace in- stance. illustrating one interesting phase of the mining industry in California. Be cause the mining regions of California. all along the Sierras and across the northern part of the State, are splendidly wooded and watered are blessed with fine climate, and present fertility in every cubic yard of alluvial soil, thousands of people have found such homes. while turning to mining as their chief hope and business. Some are located near markets and sell something of the products of some little placer or quartz mine; but thousands more have and want no mar kets.
 Here and there along swift mountain rivers and rivulets flowing through mar row canyons are little homes wherever a few square rods or a few acres of bench or bottom land have been left by a wind ing stream. Just little hard work means an abundance of vegetables and fruit for the home and hay for a horse and COW in winter. They are ten to forty miles from a town, often as far from a wagon road and near or far is the next ne1ghbor- From mountain roads or moun- tain trails that wind high along. canyon slopes one looks far down on these se- cluded, picturesque little spots nestling by foaming stream and shut in by tow ering heights. There is trout by the door and game in plenty in the hills
 It Is miner or prospector who lives in such royal home. The fruit and wheat wife, and the boys tend to the agricul- tural business it suits them and to the fresh meat. Once in weeks or months there is a trip to town with pack mule, perhaps. From this home the lord of the cabin goes out through the surrounding nils prospecting and doing assessment nr1 p1l inc hot h-r- or to dig in placer claim that he is working. or to wield pick and drill in a quartz claim he is working away at in a small way. The dust and nuggets cleaned up from the placer are slowed away in tin cans in cracks or behind the wood-box by the "old woman.' and store or bank. If operating capital is small. perhaps enough gold to keep things a mortar and pestle. Some such miners are operating in partnership with a neigh DOT, and others operate on a scale that enables them to hire one or more men for wages
 This is the life of hundreds of Califor- mia prospectors and miners. Many have peena at 1t this way for years-hunting and of a strike Is never-failing and reasona ble and 1t often comes at last Whether the mine and the little fortune comes along clear eyes, strong limbs and boundine blood for all the family. There is peace ana nope, opportunity, pleasure and com fort that struggling poor in town and city do not know. S-e'
 Away back in the wooded and watered mountain slopes of Kern County there has been living and working alone for thirty years an old cook, who left the sea to go there. He has a mine or two of low-grade quartz a crude arrastra. cabin a potato patch and a burro He is vet begging contentedly away grinding out a few dollars for coffee and tobacco and expects to die there alone. Such bacheIor miners are many. On the other hand hundreds of women in such homes go o1,f to prospect and mine, too and hunt There are more women prospectors and miners in the hills than most people dream of.
 Three years ago a man by the name of Van Ness found himself broke and his family hopeless in San Jose. He gave up the hopeless city struggle and went to the Trinity mountains. He camped on a little garden patch by the old Oregon staoe road, near Doble's road house and wa5e. ' to prospecting. He found pockets and is worth $10, 900. "iio is
 There are many miner-farmers who ca n farm for the market, and who farm in tba spring and summer and mine in winter This is especially practice in Southern Oregon. These observations suggest the opportunities which the mining regions of California offer to any industrious and in- telligent man or family. Ability to work and small grub stake may give any struggler from 75 cents to $2 a day wash ing gravel in many regions Beyond this are chances for such homes and such lives of independence and there are the larger possibilities to feed hope and arn- | btuons California is the one paradise of