Year: 1869

MARTINsvILLE.


1t is called ten miles from Hoboken fat, across
the mountain, to the main Trinity river at Mar
tinsviIle, but think the man who guessed the
distance meant it was that far straight through
the base of the mountain, leaving out the crooks,
climbings and windings of the road How the
first discoverers of New river ever found their
way in in the first place, and being in, how they
found their way out, are questions which will
not undertake 10 answer. But after climbing an
imitation Of Jacobs ladder for couple of hours
fancying ourselves at the summit half dozen
at length crossed the ridge and decending by the
mouth of Hawkins creek reached Martinsvlle.


This is the lowest Trinity precinct, being
within few miles of the Klamath and Humboldt
lines. The chief occupation of the people here
is farming, though the mining capacity of this
section is again beginning to attract some atten-
ton, and, from what learned in regard to the
prospects obtained in different bars and high
benches it bids fair to become paying interest.
Two miles below Dave Gray's store Messrs.
Thompson Il White nre constructing a ditch
from small creek to the bars at Horseshoe
bend On of those high bars, Mr.. White in
formed me that he had, the previous winter, with
the aid of the seepage water of some springs
caught in a reservoir, washed out some four
hundred dollars. The gold in those high bars
is very fine and scattered all through the bank
from the surface down. On the low bars along
the river and in the river bed the gold is coarse
and can be saved in rocker. Our whom
friend Bontecou is at work Ia John Chinaman,
putting in the time until the season arrives to fit
up his winter claim. From 81 % to So 30 per
day is the result of this way of working which
is certainly better than doing nothing. 1t is
somewhat strange that where there are such
rocker diggings as these there none of the
Celestial race at work.


LOWER TRINITY.


Lower Trinity has always had its share of
Indian troubles and, as a~logical consequence,
the development of its resources has been re-
tardcd. There are many good water privileges
along the river below Taylor's fiat, that will
some day be made the means of unearthing the
golden treasures of these numerous benches and
bars. There is some talk of conveying the water
of the large creek at Cedar fat down along the
river, but don't think it will amount to more
than talk at present.


POLITICAL AND PERSONAL.


The Republicans at Martnsville are ready to
Swallow the fifteenth amendment, and (like
Oliver Twst) ask for more, but some of them
dogged{g set against the head of the ticket.
They keep dogs on lower Trinity, and dogs are
a necessity of frontier life. The dog tax falls
heavier on these folk than any other part of the
county and is the cause of some gro,cling.


Riding along below Martnsville, my coadjutor
stopped to fix his saddle while kept on until
came where two men were sitting by the road
side, at little creek, eating dinner. ! stopped
and let my horse drink while - Rip" came up.


- Halo, Mr. Balch" said one of the men,
" How you? dow you running


Mr.. Balch WAS very well, and believed himself
running very we'll. Around Martinsvle at least


And how is this man Jones running p


Candor compelled Ar. Bsdch to admit that the
(" man Jones was not running so well.


@ Bully for him. Set me down as teeth and
toe nails for the that's agin Jones"
lie blocked out another chunk Of bread and
washed it down with cup of water. Then
wiping the knife on bis boot he continued:


- We got three hound bitches and pay nine
dollars tax en- every year. We sent that
man Jones down thar two years ago and he sot
like knot on log and left to pay tax
my bitches these last two years. Ef he goes
agin, can make up my mind to pay for two
years more. Bet your life IN for the man agin
Jones.


Who the man agin Jones " was don't know
whether he knew or not. 1t was enough for him
/ to know that he . agin y him. Perhaps he
was like customer struck day two after
and asked how he stood on the Assembly ques-
ton:


''Och, sure, I must vote for Nike Murry."
! Mr. Bach concluded it about time that
we two knew each other, and performed the
ceremony of introduction. 9 H-l" said my
friend. Be you the man. Well, I'd told you
the same eff Id knowed it at first


ilereupon we entered in dogmatical discus
sion of the question at issue, and left with the
| impression that had made the thing 5 near
right as possible. But from the returns of Mar
tinsyille precinct have reluctantly concluded
that not only he but sundry Rcpubs, of Martins