The Newtown bee., 1905-02-24

1ldl SN1lOOl DullulIIX, DdllD rate stone oven and we get up some first rate bread. We have plenty of tea and coffee with sugar. In these that have named consists our fare, the expense of which is about $2 aday for each man. The Fourth of July I spent the day digging gold almost alone, but I had such poor luck that I promised myself not to do it again let me be where would for only got 20 dollars, although ought to own that did not work in the heat of the day. Perhaps you will say ought to be sat- isfied with 20 dollars a day, and so had, when there are thousands and thousands in the country here this hot weather who do not get a half ounce a day for working hard, and thousands more who are walking up and down the earth in search of a place to work. Many of them have no knowledge of mining and but few want to employ men until the river is considerable lower than it now is. By what you wrote about Joseph, he ought to be in soon. Many have already arrived from the east by way of the plains. I shall do what can to assist him in getting a location. should like very much to have him make his pile this summer and return with me in the fall by the way of Hawleyville. When he does go home l shall try hard to have'him take that route. Perhaps you would like to know something about wing dam, and the manner of building it. The place being selected which must be where the river is quite rapid, but not too much so, with the bottom covered with stone but not smooth rock. In that case there would be nothing for the gold to lodge in. We want to find large stones cemented together with gravel and clay and this contains the gold. If the gravel and clay are in a thick strata so much the better and is generally richer, as we go down un- til we reach the bed rock, which is of- ten very rich.
 On a bar twelve miles below this called Womboms bar, last year, yielded one hundred dollars to the square foot on the bed rock, but that was some thing extra. Some bars are worthless, being sand and loose gravel; in either of these it is useless to look for gold. The miner must work something hard CT to get to pieces than either sand or gravel by itself.
 We begin to build our dam by com- mencing at the head of the bar with two stone walls about four feet apart and run into the river perhaps half way across it, then turn down and follow the middle of the stream to the foot of the bar. Between these walls we as possible. It is slow work to do up job like this without any imple- ments to work with, except tools that consist of a pick, shovel, crowbar and a pair of hand buckets to each man. We are continually going to and from the dam, something after the manner of ants on an ant hill, and perhaps to about as much purpose.
 Our company consists of 10. Henry has gone to Marysville and rented a public house. Cousin Wheeler is con. cerned with him. Daniel Curtiss is here and takes place on the bar. have heard no news from the other NewtoWn men in long time except Summers and Jackson, who have beer off on long tramp with their ma chimes in search of Gold Lake, about which I wrote you in my last. Re spects to all. Yours ever.-[ G. Flaw ley.
 Sunday, July II.
 July Is, We begin our wing dam, to day. l and Blake work about On'
 hour and get about $2 each. Haskin
 goes to Foster Bar to see Dr Akins. 1 July Is, We work on the dam in th'
 forenoon. Dan and I work the rocke
 about two hours and get $8.
 July IT, We work at the dam in tn
 forenoon. Very warm in the middl
 of the day. Dan and 1 take the rock
 CT at p. m., and get $1050 each.
 July 19, We work at dam as usual
 I work at washing gold just at nigh
 and get S4 50.
 July 19, We work at dam all day.
 July 20, We work at the dam al
 day. Our expenses for the week SIG
 Amount of gold the four first days S2;
 Sunday, July 2l.
 July p, We work at the dam all day
 Haskins goes to Foster Bar to atten court MT Belden and two other , from Vermont are here.
 July 23, We work to- day on the dan and finish it. I send d letter to m F wife. work after sun set and ge $325.
 l July 24, To-day clear off the bar an t ditch it. Daniel, Neafe and myse