Sierra County CA Archives History - Books .....Mining Of Sierra County 1882
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Book Title: Illustrated History Of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

MINING OF SIERRA COUNTY.

   Since 1849 Sierra county has never ceased to yield from year to year an
abundant harvest of gold; indeed, the precious metal has been almost the only
harvest she could produce, so very little of her soil being suitable for
agriculture. Thousands have made fortunes in all the mining districts, enriching
the world by almost fabulous amounts; yet Sierra county to-day presents more
inducements for the investment of mining capital than any other county in the
state. Drift and quartz mining are the most extensively carried on, though
considerable ranges of auriferous gravel are being worked by the hydraulic
process in the southern and western portions, and to some extent in every district.

   Sierra county has produced a large number of nuggets, several of them being
perfect bonanzas in themselves. The first chunk of the large order was found at
the mouth of Sailor ravine, two miles above Downieville, on the banks of the
Yuba, in the summer of 1851, by Tom Hall, Jack Hinchman, Red Dick, and several
other sailors. It was in the shape of a foot, with a small quantity of quartz in
the heel, and weighed twenty-six pounds and a half, avoirdupois, netting the
lucky finders about eight thousand dollars. In 1853 another piece was found by
the Frenchmen in French ravine, which is said to have weighed fifty-one pounds.
But the most remarkable mass of ore produced by this county was that taken from
the Monumental mine at Sierra City, in September, 1869. The celebrated
Monumental nugget, when taken out, weighed one hundred and six pounds,
avoirdupois, or one hundred forty-one pounds, four ounces, Troy, being the
fourth largest piece ever found in the world, and the second in size of the
California nuggets. At the time this magnificent specimen was discovered the
Monumental was being operated by W. A. Farish, A. Wood, Harry Warner, J.
Winstead, and F. N. L. Creveling. The piece was exhibited as a curiosity for
some time, at Woodward's Gardens, San Francisco; when smelted it brought the
owners something like 630,000. On the same day of its discovery the hole from
which it was taken yielded, in small pieces, several thousand dollars.

   The Bald Mountain mine at Forest City is the most extensive drift mine in the
state. It was located in August, 1864, by Dibble & Spaulding, James A. Cowden,
M. Redding, H. C. George, M. Burke, P. Rutledge, H. Holling, C. Redding, J. F.
Wenberg, H. Hilgerman, S. Granger, N. H. Meaney, C. Heintzen, F. H. Campbell, O.
W. McDonald, and E. P. Meiley. Each had a frontage of two hundred feet. A tunnel
was started to reach the pay channel, but after a time several became tired of
paying assessments, and allowed their stock to be forfeited, while others gave
it up; all of it eventually falling into the hands of M. Redding at the time the
tunnel was in five hundred feet. In 1869 new stock to the amount of $90,000 was
issued to the following parties, and work was begun immediately: Edwin and N. H.
Stone, C. D. and C. B. Jillson, Milton O'Brien, D. H. Raymond, W. C. Killep,
George Patterson, James McGregor, James McNaughton, Warner Forbes, James
Brandenburgh, J. O. Jones, J. M. Lowell, A. C. Worthley, G. G. Clough, Reuben
Stout, F. H. Miller, M. Redding, Abel McFarland, and W. F. Long. The old tunnel
was abandoned, a prospect shaft sunk, which paid well, and then another tunnel
run, striking the shaft at two thousand feet. The main tunnel is now a mile and
three-quarters into Bald Mountain, at one place being thirteen hundred feet
below the surface. Side tunnels from one hundred and fifty to five hundred feet
in length extend on either side, at an average of eighty feet apart, of which
there are about two hundred and fifty, the intervening gravel of the channel
being excavated as they proceed. The limit of the claim will be reached at a
distance of two miles from the mouth, and the coming summer will see its
completion, when all the pay gravel will be cleaned up, and the pillars taken
out. Tracks are laid in all the tunnels being worked, over which an engine,
christened "H. K. Wallis" in honor of the superintendent, makes hourly trips
both day and night, carrying cars to and fro in the long interminable corridors.
The main tunnel has a total raise of 207 feet from the mouth inward to the
locomotive station, as it follows the course of the channel, creating a perfect
system of drainage. Four hundred and forty-one acres of mining ground are owned
by the company, four miles of creek, two flumes of half a mile each, a mile and
a quarter of washing flume, and at the bottom of the latter flume tailing claims
8,000 feet in length. Two dumping yards, double-blanked, with a capacity of
25,000 cubic yards each, receive during the summer, when water is scarce, the
gravel to be washed. Enormous quantities of heavy timber are required in the
tunnels to support the vast masses of loose gravel above. At present the number
of men on the pay roll of the company is 140, the number having reached as high
as 230. Nearly all the gold found in the great blue lead is very coarse, the
largest piece ever taken from this mine weighing over seventy-five ounces. The
yield of the mine for the last ten years has been about $2,000,000, of which
$795,000 were paid in dividends. The board of directors consists of James
McNaughton, James McGregor, and H. C. Perkins. James McNaughton is president of
the company, and James McGregor secretary. The superintendent of the mine, H. K.
Wallis, has held the position for ten years. His knowledge of mining ground in
the vicinity is very extensive and accurate, and to his excellent judgment, it
may be said, is due much of the success attained in this work.

   The Bald Mountain Extension claim was located in 1874. It embraces 1,600
acres of ground running along the center of the ridge; and the tunnel begun in
the fall of 1878, at the east side of Forest City, now has a length of 4,000
feet, costing $35,000 for its construction. In June, 1881, it struck the old
channel, since which time $30,000 have been taken out, the largest piece
weighing twenty ounces when taken out. In the summer water for washing the
gravel is obtained from the Pliocene shaft, on the upper end of the claim, 260
feet in depth. H. T. Briggs is president of the company; H. W. Orear, secretary;
and Walter Lawry, superintendent of the mine.

   The North Fork mining land adjoins the Bald Mountain on the west, has a
tunnel a mile in length, which was worked up to the past year, and is now the
property of Charles Heintzen. In 1877, from a hidden ledge discovered,
twenty-five pounds of rock yielded $4,811. The Wisconsin company, on the north
of Bald Mountain, is running a long tunnel, now in 2,000 feet. John L. Slatterly
is superintending the work. The Ruby claim, also on the north of Bald Mountain,
is being worked by a tunnel 3,000 feet in length, that has just tapped the
channel. The Arizona company on the east have very rich ground, frequent
break-outs of the auriferous gravel occurring on the side of the hill. Their
tunnel has penetrated the earth 1,000 feet. The South Fork, south of the
Extension, has run a tunnel 1,800 feet long. The Mammoth force is striking very
rich prospects, while the Seventy-Six has a short tunnel south of the Extension.
Passing eastward from Forest City, we find the Wallis Consolidated claim not yet
opened, which covers 1,500 acres; and beyond that the celebrated Monte Christo
mine. Diggings were started at Monte Christo hill in 1854, the extraordinary
richness of which caused a large settlement to spring up. At one time Monte
Christo was as large as Downieville, but the flight of time scattered the
inhabitants to the four corners of the earth, and the town is no more. The Monte
Christo tunnel reaches 3,000 feet into the hill. A great deal of money was taken
out here. The claim is now being worked by hydraulic means. In the Eldorado
claim a tunnel is being run by the Woolsey brothers. The Savage placer drift
mine, seven miles south-west of Sierra City, is owned by the Savage Mining
company, composed of Virginia City men. The tunnel from the Middle Yuba, 1,400
feet through very hard granite rock, cost in the neighborhood of $50,000. N. H.
Ball is superintendent.

   The Haskell Peak mine, nine miles north-west of Sierra City, is mostly owned
by people of that town. The prospect tunnel cost $10,000, and is 1,200 feet in
length. The Blue Gravel and the Eureka mining companies have claims six miles
south-east of Sierra City, with lengthy prospect tunnels. The One Thousand and
One drift claim of 600 acres, three miles east of Sierra City, has a tunnel
1,000 feet in length, with numerous side tunnels and cross-cuts. A ditch six
miles long brings water from a small creek. Fifteen thousand dollars have been
expended in prospecting. The mine is operated by a board of directors,
consisting of J. J. Sawyer, Matt Arata, John Watts, Arthur McGregor, and J. M.
Gorham. James T., A. C, and A. F. Smith have a hydraulic claim in Ladies' canon,
near Butcher ranch. Water is obtained from the head of Gold Run creek through a
ditch two miles and a quarter in length. The mine was opened in the summer of
1880, and pays well. The Lewis Brothers' mine, below the Smith mine, owned by
Robert and Samuel Lewis, has been worked by hydraulic means for twelve years.
Hutchinson & Mooney have a hydraulic claim on the other side of the ridge, which
was opened in 1879.

   The Gold Lake mining district was first prospected by Philo Haven, in 1858,
and was organized by him and his brother, J. M. Haven. They prospected for
quartz until 1863, when the placer claims were discovered. Around and near the
lake are a large number of quartz and gravel claims. The Pennsylvania claim is
operating an extensive system of tunnels, trying to reach the blue lead. Above
it is the Wilhelm Consolidated, a drift claim on which a great deal has been
spent in sinking shafts and running tunnels. The New York hydraulic, the Wilson
& Davis hydraulic, and the Limperich & Haven hydraulic claims are all on Howard
creek. They have about nine miles of ditch. The Gold Lake placer and drift claim
was located by Limperich & Haven in 1862, since which time it has been worked. A
tunnel 500 feet in length has just been opened. The Woodchuck is a very valuable
claim, owned by Lemuel Foss. Below this, Foss & Densmire have two claims, while
many others are being prospected. An eight-stamp quartz-mill was erected near
the outlet of the lake by Limperich & Haven in 1860.

    At Downieville considerable hydraulicking has been done in the past. At
present S. D. Hill is running one chief on his claim, and another is being run
by W. S. Watson, two miles below the town. The leading hydraulic mine at Howland
flat is the Union Hill, owned McChesney & Boyce. In 1857 the Bright Star company
began work on this claim, but failed in 1859, and was succeeded by the Union
company. The total yield to 1869 was $900,000; at that time eighty men were
employed, and Howland flat was the most thrifty camp in the country, shipping
during a number of years an average of $600,000 per year. The Fair Play
hydraulic mine, owned by the Boyce Brothers, has a bank of auriferous gravel
from one to four hundred feet in depth. It has been worked twenty-three years.
Sections of petrified trees are often rolled out by the powerful stream of
water. The Cleveland and Sierra is the property of a Cleveland company.
Chittenden & Co.'s hydraulic claim is at Howland flat, above which are several
large drift mines, such as the Union, Hawkeye, Pittsburgh, Monumental, Bonanza,
and the Empire. The last-named mine has enriched its stockholders in an amount
exceeding half a million dollars. Near Little Grizzly is the Bunker Hill claim,
which comprises 800 acres of mining ground, and has a pay channel 7,000 feet in
length by 500 in width. At Brandy City many large hydraulic enterprises have
been carried on in the past, the number being too great for enumeration here. On
St. Charles hill, near Goodyear's bar, are several gravel companies, with
tunnels varying in length.

   The quartz-ledges of Sierra county that have been worked and are now in
process of working are legion. Locations are made somewhere every day, much more
attention being now paid to this branch of mining than at any time previous. The
oldest and by far the most extensive quartz-mine in Sierra County is that owned
and operated by the Sierra Buttes Gold Mining company, of London. The ledge was
located in the summer or fall of 1850, and was being worked by arrastras in
1851, since which time there has been no cessation in the taking out and
crushing of ore. The first locators were Italians, whose names are unknown. A
few years after Ferdinand and Gustavus Reis became interested in the ledge,
together with a large number of others, among them W. A. Parish and Elkan Said.
In 1864 a ditch costing $20,000 was built around the Buttes to the mine, a
distance of seven miles. In 1870 the present company bought the entire property
of the Reis brothers, paying them something over a million dollars. At that time
there were five tunnels in the solid rock on what are now the upper levels,
which are entirely exhausted; at present there are nine. Tunnel No. 1 runs
entirely through the hill; tunnels No. 1 to 5 are from 700 to 2,500 feet in
length; No. 6, 4,500 feet; No. 7, 5,000 feet; No. 8, 3,000 feet; No. 9, 700
feet. The last tunnel is on a level with Sierra City, and will eventually be run
9,000 feet through the rock. At 6,000 feet it is expected the pay ledge will be
struck, which is now being worked one thousand feet below the upper tunnel. The
diamond drill is used in boring, being impelled by compressed air forced through
pipes into the tunnel. Ninety-six stamps were in operation in the three mills
that were running prior to March, 1882; but on the sixteenth of March a
snow-slide carried away the 30-stamd mill on the level of No. 6, involving a
loss to the company of 840,000. The old Reis mill of sixteen stamps stands too
high for ore, and will be removed below. The 50-stamp mill stands between the
sixth and seventh tunnels, to which is hoisted, from five hundred feet below,
the ore from the lower tunnels. A turbine wheel is run by the tremendous water
pressure of six hundred and fifty feet. When all the stamps were running, 5,600
tons of rock were crushed monthly, but now it averages 3,000 tons. Before the
snow-slide over two hundred men were employed at the mine, which number is at
present reduced to one hundred and eighty. The rock averages from five to six
dollars per ton, costing for raining and milling each ton $3.85, being fifteen
cents less cost than formerly. The total yield of this mine for the thirty years
it has been worked cannot be accurately determined, but it is estimated that no
less than $7,000,000 have been taken from it; having always paid dividends
without levying a single assessment upon the stock. In the last ten years
800,000 feet of timber have been used in the tunnels, requiring on an
average^ieaily-100.000 feet per year. At the mine all of the employees reside,
many of whom have private residences. The most spacious boarding-house in
northern California is owned by the company, in which the men are furnished food
and lodging. Near this building are a dry-house, with furnace and drying
apparatus for wet clothing, wash and bath rooms, storehouse 80x20 feet,
hose-house, and other buildings. Excellent provision is made against fire by the
organization of a fire brigade. Thomas Preston has been superintendent of the
mine for five years. Dr. J. J. Sawyer of Sierra City is the regular physician
and surgeon. In 1876 this company purchased the Independence mine, situated on
the same lode as the Sierra Buttes. The Independence was worked as early as
1851, by R. G. Beatie, James Phillips, and several others. For a long time prior
to 1863 Wood & Beatie owned the mine; in that year Wood sold to Elkan Said, who,
was afterwards murdered in Mariposa county. Harry Warner of Sierra City was
superintendent from 1861 to 1863. The first mill, erected in 1856, burned down.
The second mill was injured twice by avalanches. The third mill, built in 1861,
had twenty-four stamps, and was carried away in March, 1868, by an avalanche by
which several persons were killed. A fourth one, containing twenty-four stamps,
was put up in 1869; and a fifth one, of twelve stamps, in 1875, by an English
company, who were unable to make the mine pay. A rich lead has lately been
struck, and the Sierra Buttes company will thoroughly work it.

   For many years the tailings from the Buttes mine have been worked by
arrastras in the ravine. These tailings assay three dollars per ton. At present
there are thirty arrastras run by water power, owned entirely by Italians, as
follows: John Trombetta, seven; John Fopiono, seven; Mateo Arata, eight; Isaac
Martinetti and Ned Tartini, eleven; J. Lavezzolo, four. The sight from the
bottom of the ravine along which the thirty whirligigs are ranged is indeed
novel and interesting.

   Two miles below Sierra City, at Logansville, is the promising Marguarite
mine, which was opened in the fall of 1881, and a ten-stamp mill erected. A
Boston company owns the mine, and T. Berger is president. The yield for March,
1882, was $11,000. Forty men are employed. The Colombo quartz-ledge lies west of
the Sierra Buttes mine, and is supposed to be a continuation of the same ledge.
The rock assays ninety-four dollars to the ton. Italians own the claim. The
Phenix ledge by the Beard brothers, the Mountain ledge by Harry Warner, and
numerous other rich ledges, are being opened in the vicinity of Sierra City.

   The Gold Bluff mine is a mile and a quarter north-east of Downieville, on the
west side of the North fork. This mine was discovered and located in 1854,
receiving its name from the richness of the outcroppings in free gold. The ore
was at that time packed in sacks upon the backs of mules from the summit of the
ledge down the steep descent on a winding trail, to the mill one thousand feet
below the croppings, where it was worked in a small two-stamp battery driven by
water power. In 1856 an eight-stamp mill was built, at a cost of $20,000, and
the mine proved profitable until 1859, when disagreements among the owners, and
other things, caused its abandonment. A new company reopened the mine in 1865,
discovered a very rich vein, and put up a twelve-stamp mill, which they operated
until August, 1871, making considerable money. Work was then discontinued for a
few years, but renewed again subsequently, and the mine has since paid well. The
Oro quartz-ledge, 500 feet above Downieville, on the North fork, has yielded
large returns in early days, but the vein "pinched out," and the mine lay
dormant for a long time. Some years ago a lower tunnel on a level with the road
was started, but as the ledge failed to appear, work was again discontinued. The
Good Hope quartz-ledge, the most prosperous mine at Downieville, has been worked
for a number of years. The ore is run down a long tramway several hundred feet,
to the mill situated on the bank of the North fork. Several other rich ledges
are being prospected near Downieville, with a view to their vigorous development.

   The Rainbow quartz-ledge near Chips' flat, one mile from Alleghany, was found
in a gravel tunnel 2,000 feet from the mouth. From that an incline was run down
the vein. In 1858 an eight-stamp mill was erected, and now the mine is yielding
sufficient for a respectable dividend. The Golden Gate 21 mine has a quartz-mill
in successful operation, as also the Bullion mine and the Docile. On the
Plumbago lead at Minnesota, four locations were at first made, two of which are
now owned by Charles Hazerty. Adjacent are the Bowles claim, the claim owned by
Captain John & Sons, and two extensions of the Rainbow owned by W. A. Hawley &
Co. At a former period the American Hill mine, four miles from Minnesota, was
flourishing with an eight-stamp mill, built in 1858; and the Union mine in Wet
Ravine, one mile from Alleghany, with an eight-stamp mill, put up in 1864. From
the latter $15,000 were at first worked out with a hand mortar. On the Biber
quartz-ledge, near Goodyear's bar, considerable prospecting has been done. It
was located two years ago by Russ & Co., who sold it to an English company, and
thorough developments will be effected in the near future. In Hog canon, the
Uncas Quartz mining company has taken hold of the old Primrose mine, which
yielded so much in years long past. Near the Uncas ledge another company is
operating, Parley De Long having the management.

   In 1880 the various quartz-mills of Sierra county crushed 70,000 tons of
quartz, and the length of mining ditches was 266 miles. In 1858 there were only
seven quartz-mills in the county, valued at $56,000, which crushed 12,500 tons
of quartz. The length of mining ditches at that time was 183 miles, carrying
22,180 inches of water.



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sierra/history/1882/illustra/miningof159nms.txt

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