USA > California > Nevada County > History of Nevada County, California; with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and manufactories > Part 46
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ART. 7. The regularly elected County Recorder of Nevada , south side of the South Yuba river demonstrate the fact that a · county shall serve as Recorder in this county in quartz claims, large and continuous channel connects with the range channel ncar Columbia Hill. authenticating his acts by the county seal; he shall appoint as his Deputy such person for Grass Valley as may be elected by the district of Grass Valley; and he shall pass his records to his successor.
ART. 8. The fees of the Recorder and Deputy shall be the same as the statute fees for recording per folio.
ART. 9. No title to a claim hereafter taken up, or purchased, shall be valid unless recorded in the books of the aforesail County Recorder or Deputy within ten days of its location or purchase."
CHAPTER LI.
THE MINES OF BLOOMFIELD.
Early Methods-Discovery of the Gravel Range-Consolidation of Claims- Eureka Lake and Yuba CanalCo .- North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Co .- Otber Miniug Operations-Little Grass Valley-Derbec Mine.
THE placer mines of Bloomfield township, now among the most extensively worked in the county, were not developed at as early a date as in other sections, and the district did not become of sufficient importance to be erected into a separate township until 1858. As early as 1850 the rivers that form the north and south boundaries were being worked, as were also the creeks and ravines to some extent, but gravel beds were not discovered until 1852, when they were found on Humbug creek; work was commenced in opening these in 1853. The crude methods of working deep diggings at that time, ground sluicing being the most advanced, required a great many men and mnade but little impression upon the immense gravel depos- . its. The theory and extent of the great gravel range was not then understood, and miners were working entirely in the dark. Claims were small and worked independently. Ditches were constructed, upon whose supply of water the working of the inines depended. The gravel range was also tapped at Colum- bia Hill and Relief Hill, and later at Lake City, but that there was a continuous range of gravel connecting these points the miners did not discover until the constant working of the claims and prospecting between these points developed the fact.
It is now demonstrated that the gravel range enters the township from Woolsey's Flat on the northeast and is opened at North Bloomfield. From this point it curves to the west
and runs through Lake City and Columbia Hill and thence into Bridgeport township at Chimney Point. At North Bloom- field there is evidently a small tributary entering the main chanuel, which has been developed at Relief Hill. Explora- tions at Grizzly Hill on the north side and at Blue Tent on the
So long as the miners were able to work only the surface or more accessible portion of the deep diggings, those lying con- tiguous to the present deep water courses, small claims could be made to yield a good return for labor, with but a small investment of capital. When, however, it became necessary to drive long and expensive tunnels through the bed rock to make the profitable working of the mines possible, a consolida- tion of claims and interests into large tracts and companies with adequate capital was the inevitable result. For this rea- son the gravel range, water rights, etc., are now in the hands of a few large companies, who have expended several millions of dollars in developing their property, and have received large profits upon their investments. The two companies engaged in hydraulic miuing on an extensive scale in this township are the Eureka Lake and Yuba Canal Co. and the North Bloom- field Gravel Mining Co. Both of these companies own their own water rights, reservoirs and ditches, and large tracts of mining ground.
The Eureka Lake and Yuba Canal Co. owns property at Columbia Hill, North Bloomfield and Relief Hill in this town- ship, one hundred and twenty acres at Snow Point, in Eureka township, and oue hundred and fifty acres at Cherokee, in Bridgeport township. The water rights embrace one hundred and ninety-five miles of ditches with a capacity of 8,800 ten hour inches, and sixteen distributing reservoirs with a total capacity of 18,700 inches, and four storage reservoirs, covering about 450 acres and having a storage capacity of about 820,- 000,000 cubic feet of water. The company owns 1,445 acres of mining ground at Columbia Hill, lying two and oue-half miles along the channel and having an average width of four thousand feet. The depth of the gravel varies from one hun- dred and seventy-five to six hundred feet, averaging over four hundred. It is estimated that 300,000,000 cubic yards of gravel yet remain to be washed away in this claim, a mass that will require the constant use of from four to five thousand inches of water for thirty years. A large area of the top gravel has been worked off in past years by the various owners of elaims here, to depths varying from forty to one hundred feet, the tailings being run into Spring creek, Shady creek and Laird ravine, In past years much of the mining on the company's ground has been carried on by private individuals, who pur- chased water from the company and gave it a certain propor-
tion of the net yield. More recently the company has been mining on its own account. At present the company is work- ing the easteru end of its claim, using Spring creek as an outlet. A tunnel has been lately run 2,200 fcet long into the south side of the claim. Noue of the company's tunnels fur- nish facilities for reaching the bottom gravel of the claims, and the construction of a tunnel 10,000 feet long from the South Yuba, or one 7,000 fect long from the Middle Yuba is under consideration as are also other methods.
The property of this company at North Bloomfield adjoins that of the Bloomfield Company on the south, and contains 720 acres. Besides this there is a tract of forty acres lying on a branch of the maiu channel, and known as the Cook and Porter ground, which has only been worked in a small way in former years. The length of the large tract is 6,000 feet and avcrage width 5,000 feet. This property has not been much developed. Some washing of top gravel has been done in the past, extending southerly from the Bloomfield line over 2,000 feet, draining into the ravines of Humbug cañon. To work this extensive property a tunnel is projected from Humbug cañon, about 4,000 feet loug.
Relief Hill is on the south slope of the main ridge, and is evidently situated on a stream that was tributary to the main channel. It is cut off on the one hand by Logan cañon, and on the other the lead disappears under the lava covered ridge. The ground has been extensively worked along the face of the hill, near the ravine, aud some valuable claims have been worked as far into the hill as the heavy beds of pipe-clay and the overlying surface dirt will permit. Some of these claims are being worked by drifting. The Eureka company owns a tract of two hundred and twenty acres here, in good condition for hydraulic working.
The North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Company was incorpo- rated in 1866, by L. L. Robinsou, S. F. Butterworth, F. L. A. Pioche, W. C. Ralston, William Banon, Thomas Bell and R. Bayerque, all of San Francisco, and these gentlemen or their heirs have continued to control the stock. As an example of a mammoth hydraulic enterprise this company is unequaled. Eight years and over $2,000,000 were speut in developing the mine before hydraulic work was commenced ou a large scale, and during the five years that have followed the completion of the tunnel the immense sum of $1,225,000 has been taken ont. The total viekl of the claim was $1,440,000, up to the end of 1879. The company first purchased a small claim near Mala- koff, and has since acquired claims until it now owns a large tract embracing 1,600 acres of mining ground. After mining for two years with water purchased from the Eureka Company. the Rudyard reservoir, at the head of Middle Yuba river, was purchased, and in 1868 a ditch was commenced. After the ditch reached Eureka, it was decided to construct a dam at the
184
HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Bowman ranch, on Big Canon creek, aud bring water from that place to the ditch. A timber damn sixty-five feet high was built in Big Canon creek, and water was conveyed to North Bloomfield by a canal forty-three miles in length, completed in 1870. After washing for a few months it was found that thlic top gravel would not remunerate the company for its outlay, which had then reached $700,000. They then sank prospecting shafts, and discovering rich gravel deposits on the bedrock, some two hundred feet below the level of their top washings, the construction of a tunnel to drain the bedrock was decided upon. Mr. Hamilton Smith was intrusted with the work of locating and constructing the tunnel, which he started from Humbug creek through the rim rock, and struck the bottom of the channel at a distance of 8,000 feet. To hasten the construc- tion, eight shafts were sunk along its course, and by this means the tunnel was worked upon at sixteen headings, materially increasing the expense. The tunnel was commenced in June, 1872, and completed in November, 1874, and cost $498,800, the estimate having been $487,000. At the time of the completion of the tunnel the company had constructed a ditch from Rudyard reservoir to Columbia Hill, a distance of forty- four miles, which they sold to the Milton Mining and Water Co., receiving in payment half the stock of that company.
As soon as the tunnel was completed the company, having expended over $2,000,000, commenced active operations on a large scale, under the management of the present Superintend- ent, Henry C. Perkins. The company employs about sixty white men and forty Chinamen in the mine, and from ten to thirty men along the ditch. Work is carried on at night by means of an electric light. The company owns a controlling interest in the Yuba Range G. M. Co. and the Union G. M. Co., besides half of the Milton M. and W. Co.
Besides the two large companies there are others carrying on inining operations at North Bloomfield. A tract of forty-four claims called the Colorado Hill claims is owned and worked by Brockmeier & Haner, through cuts and tunnels into two deep ravines. The bank ranges from twenty-five to one hundred feet deep. Half of the tract, which was first located in 1855 and 1856 by several parties, yet remains to be worked. Water is conveyed to these claims by three short ditches from Humbug creek. The product of these claims is about $200,000. The Brockineier claims are five in number, adjoining the Bloomfield Company on the southi, and were located in 1856. They are being opened by a tunnel three hundred feet long, to cost $3,500. The Republican Hill or Jacobs & Co. claims are owned by Brockmeier & Co. Jenny Lind claims adjoin them on the west, and are owned by Stokes & Co. Next to them are the Quartz Hill clains owned by L. Haner, and not yet opened. The Ballarat Co. owns 1,000 acres soon to be opened by drifting.
Besides the large mining operations above referred to there are a number of smaller hydraulic and some quite extensive drift mines. Near Lake City are the North Star, McDonald, I X L and Ballarat. At Relief Hill the Blue Gravel, Union, Great Eastern, Relief, Penn Cut and Waukeshaw claims are being worked by drifting, hydraulic power being also used in the last two. A bowlder was found at Relief Hill by Chinamen, in 1866, that contained gold to the value of $6,936. Richard- son Bros. own some claims at Columbia Hill. Work is also being done at Kennebec Hill and Grizzly Hill.
The north end of Little Grass Valley was worked in the carly days, and found to be very rich. In 1878 six shafts were sunk by J. E. Broderick along the length of the valley, to the depth of from thirty to fifty fect, which demonstrated that a gravel channel, probably a small tributary to the main ridge, runs along the valley. This is being worked to some extent by drifting, but a bed rock tunnel, 1,500 feet, will be con- structed for the purpose of working the mine by hydraulic process.
The most extensive drift mine in the township or county is the Derbec, one inile from North Bloomfield, on the Eureka road. The main shaft is 464 feet deep, from which run two main drifts, and from these nine lateral drifts. Great care is taken to scrape the bed roek absolutely clean, as here tlie richest particles are found. The gravel is taken in cars to the bottom of the shaft and then hoisted to the surface, where it is washed. The company has two engines, one for hoisting and one for pumping out the water and forcing air down to the men at work in the drifts. One hundred men are employed by the company, and a boarding house and several cabins near make quite a village. J. B. Cox is the Superintendent.
CHAPTER LII. THE MINES OF BRIDGEPORT.
River Bars-The Gravel Range-Cherokee and Badger Hill -- North San Juan- Montezuma Hill-Sweetlaud and Birchville - French Corral-Milton Mining and Water Co.
So far as we know, the first mining of any extent in Nevada county was done in Bridgeport township. Rose Bar, in Yuva county, but little more than a mile from the Nevada county line, was mined in 1848, and in 1849 the miners began to work their way up the river, and mined all along the South, Main and Middle Yubas. On the South Yuba, but little more than a mile from its mouth, the town of Bridgeport grew up, and for two or three years was an exceedingly prosperous camp, being the headquarters for miners working for a number of iniles around. In the early days the trade of this region went. to Marysville, which was but little farther than Nevada City.
and was much casier of access. Bridgeport was a lively camp as long as the river mining continued to be profitable. On the Main Yuba were river bars, such as Rice's Crossing (form- erly called Liar's Flat and Lousy Level), Frenchinen's Bar, Condemned Bar, the mouth of the Middle Yuba, and all along the rivers were miners scattered. Jones' Bar, on the South Yuba, was also quite a celebrated river inining camp. All these places were busy and teeming with life, the sound of the pick and the rattle of the tireless rocker were heard from morning till night.
In 1851 "deep diggings" were discovered at several points on the gravel range, and in the three years that followed were worked in a small and unskillful way from the surface. Ground sluicing then came into use, and in 1855 and 1856 hydraulic inining on a small scale was introduced, increasing in extent and effectiveness as time and experience added to the skill of the miners, and to their knowledge of the extent and nature of the gravel deposit. The continuity of the range was by this means discovered, and claims were located wherever the channel was supposed to rnn. These claims varied in size in different mining districts, but averaged about one hundred feet square. As the size and nature of the gravel deposits began to be understood, and it was found that the best earth was near the bed rock, to reach which, by the hydraulic pro- cess, required long and expensive tunnels, miners consolidated their interests, and claims soon crystalized into large tracts In the following pages an effort will be made to give a brief outline of the largest mining industries of the past and present. passing over the few earlier years, when mining was of an individual character and on a small scale.
The gravel range enters Bridgeport from the east at Chim- ney Hill, where it turns sharply to the north, passing through Cherokee, and reaches the Middle Yuba at Badger Hill. From this point the ancient channel seems to have followed the course of the present stream, until near North San Juan, where it turns to the southwest, passing through North San Juan. Sebastopol, Sweetlaud, Buckeye Hill. Birchville. French Corral. and disappears, coming to view again for a short distance &t . Mooney Flat, Smartsville and Timbnetoo. when it is lost in the plains below. Commencing then at Chimney Hill and Chero- kee, we will follow the channel dowu to French Corral. At the first of these points the property of the Enreka Lake and Yuba Canal Co. lies, and is not being workerl. At Cherokee and from there to Badger Hill, Pauken & Co. Nesteny & Co. Driscoll & Co. worked for some time, but the Milton Mining and Water Co, now owns the entire ground and is working it under the name of the Manzanita Min. A description of this company's operations will be given later in this chapter.
The chief mining enterprises were for years carried on near North San Juan. The first located was the Gohl Cut Mine. by
185
HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY. CALIFORNIA.
Kientz & Tucker, in 1853. The claim soon comprised two acres. In 1854 a tunnel was started, about 500 feet long, and completed at a cost of $12,000. The next year another, 200 feet in length, was run, at an expense of $2,000. In 1858 tbe claim was worked out, having yielded $800,000, of which $350,000 were paid in dividends. The Deadman Cut Mine, formerly known as the Chapman & West claim, was located in 1853, and adjoined the Gold Cnt on the southwest. Iu the spring of 1855 a tunnel, 600 feet long, was commenced and completed the next year, at a cost of $5,400. It was after- wards cxteuded to 1,000 fect. The Superintendent was Louis Buhling, still a resident of North San Juan. The mine yielded $200,000, of which $90,000 were net profit. In 1858 the inine was nearly worked out, and was bought by Buliling & Sears, who extended the tunnel for the nse of the Dutch Cnt and Knickerbocker companies, at an expense of $30,000. Adjoining the Deadman Cut was the Low Company, which uscd the tunnel of the Deadman Cut, and worked the ground out by 1859. The gross yield was $200,000, net $90,000. The Brit- tania Co. washed through a cut until 1859, when they nsed the Deadman Cut tunnel, and exhansted the claim in 1860. Yield 850,000, net $20,000. The Sailor Diggings, located in 1853, were abandoned in 1859, never having paid expenses. The tunnel cost $20,000. Adjoining this claim was the Nelson Claim, which was washed throngh a cnt and worked ont in a year.
The Ohio claim, located in 1853, ran a tunnel 500 feet in length, completed in 1858, at a cost of 7,500. The mine was worked out in 1860, having yielded $35,000, not enough to pay expenses. Tbe Wyoming miue, adjoining the above, was located in 1854. It was first worked through an open cut, but a tunnel was commenced in 1854, which cost $10,000, and was useless on account of being too high. In 1856 another tunnel was run 550 feet, at a cost of $20,000. The yield was $80,000 up to the time the claimn was worked out, in 1860, but this was all covered by the cxpenses. The Dutch Cut Mine was located in 1853, and a tunnel, that proved to be too high, was run in 1854, and work was abandoned. The claim fell into the hands of the Yuba Canal Co., who commenced to work it through the Deadman C'ut tunnel, in 1862. It was worked out the following year, aud yielded $30,000. The Golden Gate Co. ran a tunnel 900 feet long, which proved too high, to remedy which the grade was cut down. Upon reaching gravel a shaft was raised aud a drift run. A charge of black powder was fired in the drift, two quen losing their lives from suffocation. The company then went back in the tunnel 200 feet and started a branch ou a six-inch grade, which was increased to eiglit inclies. The main tunnel was ruu by the Eurcka Co. No. 2 and the Golden Gate Co. This mine was worked a long time without a profit, but finally paid good dividends. The
Star mine completed a 1,400 foot tunnel in 1860, and worked successfully for a number of years. The Knickerbocker tunnel . able to work the lower gravel. was 2,000 fect long.
The most extensive of the old companies was the Eureka Tunnel Gold Mining Co. A bed rock tunnel was commenced in 1854 and completed in 1839, at a cost of $72,000, being 1,000 feet long. Work was energetically and economically carried on until 1866, when the little still remaining was sold to San Francisco parties. The yield was $1,700,000, and the profits about $50,000 a share. This is au instance of the great success that sometimes accompanied the working of mines favorably located.
The New England Co. used the Eureka tunnel. The Badger Co's. was 700 feet in length. The George Bluff Co. had one tunnel 1,800 fcet long, and in 1866 commenced another. But little ground is now left to be worked on San Juan Hill, except " back ground " which is not of a good quality.
On Montezuma Hill the Scotch Boys, or Montczuma Co., sank Pennsylvania shaft 275 feet, and struck good gravel. A tunnel was then run 1,000 fect. When the tunnel was in 500 feet the rock became so hard, that a raise of twenty-one feet was made. This had to be sunk again, and the dirt and water had to be elevated over the raise. The minc yielded well, but the expense of working was great and no profits accrued. On the north side of the hill Parham & Robinson ran a tunnel 1,200 feet when they struck hard rock, and a drift was then run 550 feet to the right. From this point an incline was sunk about seventy fcet where good pay dirt was found. The com- pany being unable to pay its men, the mine was surrendered into their hands, and returned to the company when the men were fully paid. The drift was then continued 1,700 feet from the bottom of the inclinc, making a distance of 3,500 feet. Car men on both levels and a windlass inan at both shafts were used to get the dirt ont, the mine being worked by drifting. To the west of Parham & Robinson was the Keystone Co., and four hundred feet south of the Montezuma Co. were the Jim Malone Claims. The width of the channel was forty to seventy-five feet. The Mammoth Co. sank an incline on a flat west of the Pennsylvania shaft, through pipe clay to gravel, but encountered difficulties with the bed rock that compelled them to abandon the work. The Yuba Tunnel and Mining Co., comprised forty-five claims; a tunnel was ruu 1,800 fect, mect- ing many difficulties of caving, etc. In 1865 a consolidation of the Uuion Co. Yuba Co. and other interests was effected, and the claims, nearly forty acres, washed through the Arnold tunnel. In 1871 the joint interests were incorporated. The Yuba tunnel had been eleven years in process of construction, and cost $85,000. About $40,000 were taken from the top dirt, and theu the mine was sold to the American Co. in 1872,
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which was coming from the north with a deep tunnel, and was
The American Co. is now working claims at Sebastopol on a large scale, this being one of the mammoth mines of the connty. A new and promising mine at North San Juan is the Lone Ridge, which is just being opened. The Keystone Co. owns a drift claim on Montezuma Hill that is not being worked at present.
At Sweetland, Buckeye Hill and Birchville, drift mining was carried on until 1857, when the completion of the Middle Yuba Canal to Bircliville gave an impulse to hydraulic mining. In 1859 fonr bed rock tunnels were commenced, and completed in 1864, at a cost of $120,000. In 1862 the Bed Rock Tunnel Co. commenced a tunnel 2,900 feet long, that was completed in 1871, costing $80,000, and is capable of working all the ground between Birchville and Kate Hays Flat. The leading mines at this point have been the Irish American, San Joaquin, Don Jose, Granite Tunnel and Kennebec and American.
French Corral is and has been the scene of extensive hydraulic mining, the Milton Co. now operating here on a large scale. The Grizzly and Shady Creek ditches were used here in an early day, and a great many small companies were at work. Tunnels and cuts were run into the hills wherever enough fall could be obtained; claims were consolidated and enlarged to enable more profitable work to be done. Following this work, which was donc near the surface, bed rock tunnels were run to reach the bottom of the gravel deposits. The outlay for tunnels bas been probably about $250,000. The Esperance Mining Co. was incorporated in 1877, with a capital stock of $1,000,000. The company holds a U. S. patent for about 4,000 feet of the channel, being a combination of the Bell and Alexander claim of 1,755 feet, the Trust and Hope clairu of 1,200 feet and one half of the Kate Hays and Tracy claims, the other half belong- ing to the Milton Co. The incorporators are John Coleman, Edward Coleman, George D. McLean and V. G. Bell. A tunnel is being run which will be 4,500 feet in length. When this is completed the last large body of unworked ground at French Corral will be opened. The last two have been worked to some extent on the surface. At the bottom of the channel at Freuch Corral there is a hard stratum of "blne cement." that has been successfully worked by cement mills.
The Milton Mining aud Water Co. is the most extensive il the township, and is operating largely at French Corral and at the Manzanita Mine. The French Corral claim is olle and one- half miles long and the claim at Badger Hill is one urile long. The company has thee tunnels, 4,300, 3,500 and 3,000 feet long respectively. The company owns the English Reservoir at the head of the South Fork of Michelle Yuba. from which runs a ditch to Badger Hill, Mauzanita Hill, Birchville and French Corral; leugth eighty miles, capacity 2,800 inches The
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