The herald., 1898-07-24
NEWS FROM THE RAND
A FIRE DEPARTMENT TO BE OR
CANNED AT RANDSBURG
The "King Solomon Boys" Knocked
Out by Decision at Johannes
burg-News of the Mines

| held July 30 to decide whether a tax shall
be levied for the purpose of establishing
and maintaining fire department in
Randsburg, and also to elect an assessor
and collector. Robert RAIDER, William
Maher and Robert Price have been ap-
pointed judges of election, and Frank
Goodbody and Thomas Mccarthy clerks.
1t has been estimated that $500 will be re-
quired to meet the first years expenses.
Randsburg has good volunteer fire de-
partment, but heretofore 1t has been
necessary to call upon individuals to fur
nish the necessary money to buy hose,
carts, etc., and it has become burden
on few where the whole community
| should meet the expense. There is hard
| ly doubt but that the tax will carry.
There have been a number of deaths
lately from fever, and many others have
gone out sick. The impression has gone
abroad that the water is the cause of so
much sickness, and some may be de-
TERED from coming here on that account
The water supply is as good as will be
found in any of the towns of Southern
California. Where sickness comes from
the drinking water it will be found to be
due to the carelessness of the parties
using it, The purest water in the world
for months without ever having been
cleaned. would endanger health. That
it is not the water, as it comes from the
pipes, is abundantly proven by the fact
that the same water is used in Johannes
burg. and at the many mines surround
ing Randsburg. and as yet your corre-
spondent has to learn of case of fever
there. A more probable cause for the
ytcfr l.
with which many persons dispose of their
garbage, etc. The citizens committee
and health officer have done what they
could to enforce the observance of prop
err sanitary conditions, but in a great
many cases they have not been helped
by the residents as they should have
been. The fever seems to be confined to
the people living in the thickly settled
portion of the town, those living on the
outskirt being practically free.
Pick and Pan
The shaft of the gasoline engine at the
Little Butte mine broke a few days ago.
and the mine has been closed down until
new one can be made and put in place.
1t is expected that work will be resumed
about the 10th of August. This is the
second time this year that the same acct
dent has happened, and it is due to the
watchfulness of the engineer, George
Reynolds, that there was no damage
done to machinery or building beyond
the breaking of the shaft. The ledge in
the drift at the 4S0-foot level is four feet
wide.
On July the johannesburg reduction
works cleaned up after forty-ton run
Of Butte ore, running about SIS per ton;
at the present time the stamps are drop
ping on a fifty-ton lot from the same
mine. A few days ago your correspond
ent saw a horning made from a quarter
of an ounce of Butte ore, and there was
at least cents worth of gold in the pan.
A ton Of ore like the sample would run
up into the thousands of dollars per ton
DR.. Helm, coroner of Kern county, was
in Randsburg few days ago to hold an
inquest on the remains of Andrew Bag
ley. who dropped dead on the streets.
Building Notes
Joe Callahan is putting up an adobe
building near the junction of Broadway
and Rand avenue. When completed it
will be the finest building in town, and
will be as nearly fireproof as it can be
made. One room will be occupied by
Fred Rowland is erecting a good two
room adobe building on the corner of
Butte and Broadway avenues. This
building is on the site of the old express
and telegraph offices, and will be occu-
pied by the same when completed. Now
that there is water for fire purposes it is
probable that many substantial build
ings will be erected.
Two Araq Wara pipnpH N tho hid nm
Friday and Saturday evenings. The
first was caused by some small boys who
were smoking cigarettes near a tent
Their mothers called them, and they
slowed the cigarettes in the crevices Of
the tent building, with the result that it
was soon burning. On Saturday even
ing a lamp exploded in Mr.. CARROTS
home, the flames being put out by buck
cts of water before the fire company ar
rived.
At johannesburg
JOHANNESBURG, July 22.-After
having the matter under advisement for
six months or more, the judge has rem
dered a decision in the case of the
"Windy" or Rocket" claim, and has de-
cided in favor of L. A. Scott and against
the Ashford brothers, or king Solomon
boys, as tney are more SeHerdlly Cdlleu.
In the spring of '96 the King Solomon
boys located the Rocket and did some
work. At about the same time L. A.
Scott located the same ground under the
name Of the Windy claim. One morning
when the King Solomon boys went to
work they found Scott in possession and
ready to back up his claim with a shot
gun. The case was taken to the courts,
| with the results noted above. There is
| still chance for zone more guess" at it,
and it Is probable the Ashford Bros. will
carry it to the supreme court. While
Scott was in possession he sunk about
forty feet and took out in the neighbor-
hood of $500, $1,000 of which is held by
injunction in bank awaiting the result
of the trials. In the fall permission was
given by the judge for both parties to do
| their assessment work. Each drifted fif-
| teen feet, and the ore was put on the
dump, only to be stolen by some un-
known parties. The first murder COM
mitted in Randsburg was the outcome
of a quarrel between Scott and his part
ner, Richardson, over this mine. Scott
was tried and senteced to ten years in
San Quentin, but appealed the case, and
is now lying in Jail at Bakersfield await
ing new trial. In all probability it was
the richness of this mine that saved his
neck from stretching, and it is pity it
is so, for the murder was cold blooded
| nd docaruo1 tho fI11l nona1tv Of tho Ia w