Trafford Publishing: The History of the Gold Discoveries of the Southern Mines of California's Mother Lode Gold Belt As Told By The Newspapers and Miners 1848-1860

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The History of the Gold Discoveries of the Southern Mines of California's Mother Lode Gold Belt As Told By The Newspapers and Miners 1848-1860

by Lewis J. Swindle

217 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #01-0082; ISBN 1-55212-683-8; US$21.00, C$29.95, EUR19.50, £13.50

This book is the chronological history of the gold rush and gold discoveries from 1848 through 1860, as viewed and reported by the newspapers and miners, on what was called the Southern Mines area of California's Mother Lode Gold Belt.

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About the Book

This book is the chronological history of the gold rush and gold discoveries from 1848 through 1860, as viewed and reported by the newspapers and miners, on what was called the Southern Mines area of California's Mother Lode Gold Belt. It is the parallel volume to The History of the Gold Discoveries of the Northern Mines, published in 2000 by Trafford. The Southern Mines was that area south of the Cosumnes River, which also included the Mokelumne, Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Merced rivers, plus all their forks that ran into those rivers.
This books contains as many newspaper articles that could be found relating to the gold rush days. In using the newspaper articles from the golden era as printed, with their dates, the information reveals just when the "New Diggings" as they were called, were found; where they were being made; how rich some of the diggings were; what type of diggings they were; the names of some of the prospectors who found some of the diggings or what was found and why some of them received the names they did. The overall purpose of this book is to give a full picture of exactly what was happening to as many different diggings, locations, camps, and towns that came up in the Southern Mines area, and to give an account of events over at least a certain length of time, exactly as it was reported.

About the Author

While in the U.S. military stationed in Turkey in the early 1970s, Lewis Swindle became interested in minerals and geology. In returning to the US and during the 26 years he lived in Colorado, he spent countless hours in the mountainous terrain looking for, digging and collecting the minerals known to exist in the Pikes Peak region. He always enjoyed writing, which resulted in having six extended articles about minerals and his experiences published in a national mineral magazine over a period of eight years. He then spent six years searching the plains around Pikes Peak to determine the origin, types and forms of Petrified Wood existing within that area. In moving to California and the Gold Belt region, it seemed only natural that searching out the history of its gold would follow the author's next interest.
Also by Lewis J. Swindle:
The History of the Gold Discoveries of the Northern Mines
The Fraser River Gold Rush of 1858
The Story and Trials of Adolph Julius Weber

Sample Chapter

Chapter Four

The Discoveries and Events of the year--1851
In 1851 the finding of gold-bearing quartz veins seemed to have been on the increase. The river beds would be worked again. The "dry diggings" would need water to be worked efficiently. There would be talk about building some water ditches or canals to bring water to some of the "dry diggings."
January 4, 1851 (Stockton Times)
    There has also been some excitement raised by the discovery of a rich vein of gold mingled with quartz! Its discovery was brought about in this way. One of our merchants who, by the way, has but lately arrived in the country, had frequently seen the spots of quartz running through the hills and across the valleys, and had as often wondered why they should not be gold in them as well as in the far-famed Mariposa, and accordingly one fine morning, bright and early, with his trusty man, Ned, he sailed forth, sledge in hand. The "lead" was upon reached with the earth quickly removed; and then the resounding blows of the hammer told that a resolute hand was there. Speedily fragments of the hard rock, which had withstood the shock of the tempest and wear of time, were scattered in every direction, and upon examination, how delighted was our friend, to find bright and shining particles mingled through the rock. It was but the work of an hour to fill his bag with some of the richest "specimen" that had every been found. How bright and buoyant was his step as he returned homeward, ruminating upon the probability of his being the richest man in L_____. Directly he arrives, the news is whispered around, and a crowd is soon gathered to see the "specimens". They looked and wondered in silence.
January 6, 1851(Alta)
    SPLENDID SPECIMEN--We saw a few days ago the finest specimen gold embracing quartz of any that have yet met our inspection. The lump weighted a pound, the portion of quartz being probably not more than one ounce, some part was of the stone consisting of well define crystals. The gold was beautiful, and apparently of a very fine carat, and as unique in it external forms and surface as if Nature herself had run a little in gold chasing with some canning goldsmith and beneath him. It was one of the prizes in a lottery and had been purchased for $300.
January 7, 1851(Alta)
    GOLD-BEARING QUARTZ--Some very rich specimens of auriferous quartz are to be seen at the office of Palmer, Cook & Co. they were taken from the Mariposa Mines, where a company is now operating with machinery and are extracting some $1,000 per day.
January 17, 1851(Alta)
    CORRESPONDENCE FROM NEAR CASTORIA TO THE EDITOR. (Excerpt) Business never was so dull in Stockton as it present, and I am not surprised of it. Two months ago the miners moved to the winter diggings and all who were able laid in supplies of provisions. It is undoubted fact that the richest deposits of gold in the river banks have been dug out; but those same banks may be worked over and over again and will yield good wages. There are still incalculatable riches in the beds of the rivers which have not been touched. This has been proved particularly in Tuolumne, by those who made small side dams last season. Had it not been for the three days rain we had early in the fall, (The rain hit in September 1850), immense sums would have been taken from the rivers, but the southern miners have had a double misfortune and disappointment this season. After the break of the dams, they left for the dry diggings and for the want of rain have been unable to make anything for the last two months. Whereas, had they remained, they might have reconstructed their dams and succeeded in turning the streams.
    The winter diggings particularly between the Stanislaus and Tuolumne will hold out for many years. The whole country has been explored for quartz veins and I have heard lately of several discoveries a friend of mine sold his interest in a vein recently for $25,000.
    MINERS--The miners in the southern diggings have very wisely concluded as the water will not come to them, to taken the dirt to the water, and are now purchasing mules and horses in Stockton and vicinity for that purpose.
January 22, 1851 (Stockton Times)
    VALUABLE DISCOVERY--A great sensation has been created in this place, by the discovery by Mr. Bours, of this city, of another vein of metalliferous quartz, in the neighborhood of Sonora, of amazing richness. It is said that all great discoveries are made by accident; so in this case, Mr. Bours had dismounted from his mule to light a cigar, and kicked from the earth a piece of quartz to ignite his match with, when, to his surprise, he found it studded with gold. From further exploration, he found that he had stumbled upon the richest mine in California. The vein is about ten inches in thickness, and Mr. Boyce is convinced that the quartz contains nearly 50 per cent of the precious metal. We saw twenty pounds of quartz from the vein, and are quite confident that this estimate is rather below than above the average, Mr. Bours is on his way to San Francisco, to organize a company to work the vein on an extensive scale.
January 30, 1851(Alta)
    QUARTZ VEIN AT WOOD'S DIGGINGS--Every day adds to the evidence which we possess, both from observation and information, of the great abundance and richness of this country in auriferous quartz veins.
    We have at from undoubted authority that the great vein at Wood's Diggings has proved to be very rich. For sure past, the miners have been blasting the rock. On Wednesday last, the profit of the company amounted to $30,000. Woods is in a very pleasant situation, with excellent water, a plentiful supply of timber.
February 8, 1851 (Stockton Times)
    MINING INTELLIGENCE--We feel happy in being able to inform our readers that the news from all parts of the Southern Mines is of a favorable character, the Unlucky miner, disheartened by various untoward circumstances, had begun seriously to complain of the want of rain, when Providence, in its wisdom, develops another field of labor for the people. The heavens refuse to supply the earth with water, and the beds of the river become dry, and the richest deposits of the precious metals are then laid bare.
    Large numbers of persons have flocked to Wood*s Diggings and are there doing well.
    Along the line of the Mokelumne and Calaveras, the miners are full of hope, and we have heard of several instances in that region of extraordinary good fortune.
    On the Stanislaus we have information of a similar character.
    At Gerote, two rich, metalliferous quartz veins have been opened.
    LETTER FROM OAK FLAT--Mr. White--The weather seems dry and settled, and rain is hardly more looked for than in the summer. But although it is hard on the miner, on account of water, he can live much cheaper than heretofore. Flour can be bought for eleven and twelve dollars per hundred, and the probability is that it will be still lower.
    The miners have always been called migratory in their character; but never since the gold was first discovered here they moved about more than the present winter, and they are still in a very unsettled state, and the tide now seems setting towards the rivers, which last fall were nearly deserted.
    There was a lucky strike made a few days since upon the Merced, near the mouth of Solomon's Gulch, by a man by the name of Johnson. He took out upwards of $5,000 in the course of a week, then sold his claim and left for the Atlantic States. This deposits was one of those freaks of nature which are so often met within this county; it was deposited upon the ledge, nearly twenty feet above the present bed of the river, beneath twelve feet of hard clay, large boulder rocks, and rotten granite. The gold was in large smooth pieces, varying in size from one pennyweight to three ounces. There are some twelve or fifteen holes sunk around this; two of three of which are paying very well, the others nothing at all.
    Some very rich specimens of gold-bearing quartz were found last week upon this flat, but whether the vein will prove extensive, remains to be proved.
    The Indians are still prowling about between here and the South Fork of the Tuolumne. A few days since a party of six of them attacked a man by the name of Peter Stout, from Texas, but they waked up the wrong passenger this time, he was armed with a double-barreled rifle and springing behind a tree, he dropped two of the red-skins in their tracks; he then re-loaded and killed the third, and wounded the fourth, the other two seeing how matters stood, took to their heels, leaving Peter in undisputed possession of the field and two fine mules.
(note: Oak Flat is more widely known as Big Oak Flat)
February 8, 1851(Alta)
    LETTER TO THE EDITOR FROM SONORA. There is no running water in the gulches and but little more in the creeks than during last summer. A great many of the miners have abandoned the places where they built their cabins and are now working on the creeks where there is water. There are a great many on Woods Creek, but as this was the first place worked in this country, it pays but poorly. Myself and a great many others have been using a machine called a "Long Tom" It will wash as much dirt as four cradles. It is generally used in old diggings and then every particle of dirt can be put through. If dirt will average two cents to the bucket full, fair wages can be made. It required plenty of water and 3 feet fall in order to work places at some distance from the banks of the creeks which have considerable fall, the miners have made dams on the creeks and turned the water down a ditch dug on the side of the hills and running nearly level. The end of the ditch terminates at a considerable elevation and some distance from the creek. I known on one ditch 1,100 yards long. A plan of great merit for bringing water into the dry diggings has been designed by Thomas Frazer, a skillful miner of Yankee Hill diggings. He proposes to take water from a creek that is a tributary of the Stanislaus seven miles from Pine-Log Crossings.
    It will supply all the following diggings with water: Yankee Hill, Columbia, Shaws Flat and Humbug and many other places with no names.
    I have examined the quartz vein at Carson. It is on top of a high mountain and distant from water. Every trace of gold has been blasted out and there is not money enough in your city to work it, even if the vein could be found.
February 13, 1851(Alta)
    RICH DIGGINGS DISCOVERED--We had a conversation with a gentleman yesterday, upon whose word we can place the utmost belief, who informed us that an immense discovery of gold had lately been made upon a hill in the vicinity of Mokelumne River, which had never previously been wrought. A party of four struck upon the summit, some three weeks since and by digging down 15 feet have those far extracted over $4,000. The gold although much coarse, is similar in color to that found in the vicinity of Nevada, black and rusty. The gentlemen who have been working this claim have had much difficulty in washing, being obligated to converse their dirt a great distant to water.

Catalogue Information