Display
- Identifier
- wwu:29287
- Title
- M. L. Stangroom report on construction of the BB&BC Railroad
- Date
- 1890
- Description
- Fifteen-page report regarding the construction of the Bellingham Bay & British Columbia railroad (for which he served as engineer).
- Digital Collection
- Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
- Type of resource
- Text
- Object custodian
- Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
- Related Collection
- M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
- Local Identifier
- stangroom1_2
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- . :J.?.·: ;. t�ir;· . ', '• ! i ! ..... ·-··------·--- ·--.. . . (l) __ .:,0--- ...,--:. ·�·e ·----------------------,-----------------------· · · • o·o .• oo·. oo· •. ----------�----._:·· ______ --------· To the Pres.ident arid Directors of the B ...B.&,.B .. C.R.R.Co .. 1 · • ---.-.
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. :J.?.·: ;. t�ir;· . ', '• ! i ! ..... ·-··------·--- ·--.. . . (l) __ .:,0--- ...,--:. ·�·e ·----------------------,-----------------------· · · • o·o .• oo·. oo· •. ----------�----._:·· _
Show more. :J.?.·: ;. t�ir;· . ', '• ! i ! ..... ·-··------·--- ·--.. . . (l) __ .:,0--- ...,--:. ·�·e ·----------------------,-----------------------· · · • o·o .• oo·. oo· •. ----------�----._:·· ______ --------· To the Pres.ident arid Directors of the B ...B.&,.B .. C.R.R.Co .. 1 · • ---.-. ·.: Gentlemen: - . I ttfhere-with to lay before you a condensed repo-rt of' .woFk . - . . . . . . . and -operatior.i.S 'conducted by me, in consultation with and u�der . ·.. !:t ' ./ :.� .. . ·., . .-- . � : . ; _: : .. the general direct-ion of your President, since 27th May -1888, . . .. ·. . {.t; ' . when I received the appontment of Engineer and·.Sllp.erint,endent_, of your Co,_.pa.ny. . . . On arriving here on 1st June, y,-our p�ty, consisting of about 3800 acl'.es of land, a small wharf \:b'uiit. 1'�1 /i .ii ?.1 .;; 1883 fror:1 which ·a railroad had been.graded about 3:Ilfi'.�$' and track laid about 1 1-3 miles to Whatcom Creek 1 ·tim. -��s �:_: l���-�. dwellings, an� old store- and ··black-smith· shop-, and . tools _ and .horses, was turned over to me by your Agetit whose appointment as Agent was s0,on ffterwar-ds transf·,... :- .. · . ·., m e,.;, so; and Whatco.o., separated from it and by half a_ mile, by .. ·;·· t:� . .Cre-ek Whatcom of forest, rn:>t more than 3 or 400 people. · Bellingham and Fairhaven lying on the Bay and about 2 .mtles south of Sehome contained perhaps 50 more. ---------------------------------- Railroad location and construction. ••••• : 0: ••.•• ' After a firtnirrht sp�nt. ;r,,-.studying the situation and �ki):� · . . . cursory exa.mit�tions of the count;, I obtained a co·���e of ., Assistant Engineers from Seattle�,. organized an. ·Engineers· corps, :ind cor.1I:J.enced the surveys for a 1Railroad to connect Bellingham "· Bay with the Cari.adian Pa,cific Ry. A thorough investigatior::. having convinced me that the line locc1..ted ir:. 1884 as far as Nooksack River could be mucl1 L!:proved upon, I atandor.:.ed the two ..11iles of grading-done iiorth of ., C\ ·r·1 ·. '}-:::>t.. �JI�rikf The settlement of Sehone or New Whatcom contained at· t,4a£ not ove·r ":i ·j . �� :� �.-•·---.. -i_ . . :1 . , ;' (2) ---0--Whatcom Creek, and, after �uch slow and tedious work in running . many lines through the almost impenetratable forest jungle, 'I obtained a line 4000 feet shorter with better grade$and aligrune� and which cost $16.000 less to build than it wou.ld have done to complete the old line. No pains were spared in getting a good locat"ion combined with economy of construct ion., and I feel satisfied that we have obtained a first class road at a very moderate cost, considering the country through which it runs. The � Engineers and Chie.f Officials of the C .P.R. have repeatedly told me that ,it is eqµal to any ·par½'-- and superior ·to �:ah of their line_, in every respect '- excepting in the lightn¢Sis �f· our s 1 . ..·-•�11!· . rails, 50 Lbs .per yard o •; . .. ·; and structures,as also map and profile of the aair.i. line. In the Summer of 1888-, having -streagtbitltaed and partially-:E�-d the old ,! j -� •: wharf and trestle approach an.d repaired and put the road b-ed and track through towr.i. ir:i. good order, I co:mmenc-ed clearing and constr:uct iion beyond Vmat com Cre .::. k. The Winter rains eoming early and ti1e shortness of the winter days making it unprofitable to do .more work than immediately necessary,we stopped for the winteJ;after clearing and grading a few mile.s besides clea.r::j.ng and making roads and incidental to constructior.. .ln 1889 we with loca t ior1 arid cor.struct ion as ��ppeared. to warrar1t. other work re,sumed,�nd proceeded fast as circumstances and funds The track reached Nooksack Rive·r in September 1890, and the .3ri tish Boundary. on 1st March 1891. We found r.o gravel or other __ :aterial suitable for Ballast, (excepting a small quantity of Coal Ci-nders in heaps of :r::.irie refuse at What�om) until we reached Nooksack River at 15 r:.1iles, so after completing the Ballasting from the River to ·the Bound-��.:.,.: ,,·.•:,;':·_'c:·',:.,,;_;kf • :...... · ....._,:·.··. . (3) -----0--�· we have b-een working baek towards town and have now almost completed the Ballasting of the entire line and put it in first class condition.· We· have buil ti4 · stall round house and turntable at New Whatcom �d turntable and shed at Sumas, and tn: a-11 � 5-4 . � . ... miles, of spur and sidings;. We have built:and are o�·ia � connection with the ·p.P.T.Co, a telegraph line. the whole lerigt.h of' our road. . • .Ra.ilr.oad Ope·ration • -----. -------------• •.• o-o ••• In January 1889 ., we eGDaenee,d hauling piles, and �-�• laat,. . . having complet.ri the SBall Saw Mill, we cQrneneed �- t.t ' with logs cut OD, � 14.n«. and hauled gyer our r�:... of July, 189-0, we ,e,o-:mmene·ed r� :� . �:· _ <l '•'•':'.'·.': --:.::-.-•··,•.· /f�Ef� 4-tll ��'"_>_ lil�I.)-> . , mile, extending the distance operate� as ea.eh �ee:ssivle miles were put into running order. regular train servi.ce, 2;· ,� 6n fir:st of .April our · ..•·,y: :s ( 2 trains per day } reached the B&undaiy at Sumas City, 23 1-2 miles, our trains still consisting of a Caboose and box car for passengers a.nd a box and flat for freight, or two each train,.._in addition to the passengers and w.U. freight bring in logs from the Camps being established along our line. On 22nd li<Jf June, the C.P.R.ran their first express train ' ,.. from Vancouver to the Boundary, taking on at �.ission J:uneti.on a couple of coaches from the Pacific express which it met there; and we took it on from the 3oundary to New �'ihatco.m, wh:ere we made close connection\ with Stea.mer Premier, for Po!fT9wnsend, Seattle and Tacoma,. Returning we took the F.a.st Bound passengers which had arrived on the Premier from up Sound points, to the Boundary, where we turned the train over to_j:.he C .P.R. which :e� .-.. :_ �---:--· i ' (41, conne.cted· at the Missi,�b. wt.th_ the Atlantic �xpress ,_ -?..r.i.c. whi;;h <3.elivered passengers an<l coac::.1es for the East to it "before proceeding t'o \/aµcouve�. _ 'I'.his- d2.jly e?Cpr_es_s _service has since _ cont inuf:'d_, - the St.ea:per -Eastern Oreg-on ai terr..a t inF 1.vi th th_e . . . . .. ' . . . . Premier urider an a:JTee.:ient ;x.de with. t_he TraffiG depart:ment of .. . . . . . ' . ' ·•- _ '• . ... , . ••,.:\.'..I. Under th-is a�sreement they now Give us all their through b'usiness jetween Eastern ar�d Sound points, which formerly passed through Vancouver. I have also just made satisfactory rates on Iron_ Ore to be brought over th"e C�P .. R. to ·-New Vfua.tcom for shipraent to Tacoma. The_ through Eastern r,asser�§:'er travel both ways has averag:ed since 22nd June-., 65 per day besides local business to Th::e: through ·' freight is OI."!lY just begin.ni-ng to seek this channel 1' but is· points on C .P.R. Eas't of Brar1d.on and on our line. . . ; . - . .. :. . . -� � .,.; , ., . : :·,:;: - rapidly. increasing in quanti tg:; · so far it has averaged 10 tons per d.:t.7. We are also beginning to ship Shinsles East, hz.ying so far shipped 17 car loads. .. •• ' Vie expect next uor!th to ship the hop crop from the ?fooksack Valley East over the C .P.R. We rim, ir. _addi'tili>n to.the exi_)ress, .two rnixe-d. trains to SUID.as for :freight and local passenf;er busin<ess, :1nd ·run two or three trains dail�/ to i)ring in logs, piles ar�d cord ·wood; we are. also . .,· carrying the U .S .:!viails. I append table of . gross earnt.r,.gs, and disbursements with reference to which I would state ihat the eost of tra_ck .maintena.nc_e for July is :;,.,.uch higher ,than it wil·l be , after being fully "?" ·';. , • ballasted, and SODe expenses iLcidental to transfer of trains h3,ve also been done away with, :_yhereas our . t-1- �->e2.rnin::;-s are likely to increase as t�e efforts n•:JW bei:1:c made by the C.P .. R. to obtain freight. t2.ke effect. ·-, �-:·· . '· �" �-4, -J -- We have also a.;reed 1'dth the Dorimitn Express -Co to carry tlleir business Jver our " .. '· ' · ,_ �ine for 40 percent of their gross earninGs. '' •; (5} ,: •• o ..... ----------------•.••• 0,••..• Our Rolling stock consists of two old lgcomot'ives brc;mght from ..; "£ . th " . , is about worn out; ,., e Bl 1._ac.r:l, D'· ''1�ona. 1v11ne, · t,ne s1:1a11er o f wuicn 1)ut the larger one has just been built �ver in our shops, :1nd is now a very - serviceable Engine. We have also a good new Baldwin passep.ger Engine, and a Mogul freight ·Engine has beeL ordered. We have just recei ved fron Troy two new co.aches, a11d a combination Passenger and Baggage car. We have also a 4.8 ?asseng-er coach whieh we :ma,(lte here, a Caboose which �a$, .sest last year from- San Fra.neiseo, 50 old c_a.rs built by Mr �il:.k and not accepted by the C.P.R. which we have put in repai-r s:0 as to be good, · ( 12 as box and 18 as tlat car s ) and we have ais:o· 12 flat cars and 12 Rair of logging trucks built by us here-•. 3ranch R.ail Road t,o Lake Vv'hatcon. --·-----� -oOo---------In the fall of 1888 I i:iade a preliminary locati ;r.:, OL the South side of V{.natcon Creek for a branch Rail-road 5 miles long to Lake What�oE:. In 1890, I found and located a ::ietter thouc-h sofilewt.at loq;er liLe le<1..vir1rr our main liri.e at the Sun,ni t ., 3 miles from the tovn-1, a.nd runr�r.g to the L4-ke oa.:. the :,J::,rtr-� si.de of �. vn:atcoD Creek. ThP_ � •l..,,.. • ., 'I.he cost of eith-er woulJ riot ex�eed $75.00C. · · e i.;�t ;__ Ii, 'uuildirn� � th1_·s branch would be to rea,.;.h the fine OOJ a:.-1d extensive �jdy of t.im.ber lying- a.round. the S,:;uti:: end of· the • .�•i,. Lake and t8 retair::. the tr?,cle between the South f )rk of �c'i:::s,;;.ck and t.he Sout ..-"1 end of the Lake which nay� otherwise 1..J-,;1 .., el.+he-r,_. ... .,i, .._I which passes a few �iles fr:Jm it. the S. .L .S .&.E .R:,r, ·t,..., C:.=-a++ V'- le, w v_...... -or An;::r>orti=>s, or· b"ly a line --- be diverted. .._,, • 1 to Fairhaven. ·I .I (6) -:���� --0 �..:- .•· '!'he re:�ent devel,opmert ... s of Coal on the East side or the Lake wc::;.ld appe:::�r to warrant the expectation� of considerable t� tide water, though to do that 0:1 a lar;;� s,:::ale would require considerable out lay for tracks and bunkers beyond the above naned figures. - Goal Prospecting. 00000:0:ooooo In 1838 & 89, .we did eor�iderable prospecting_ f_�r coal on the Tributaries of the Noo-ksa.ck River'. T�e only in¢.icati,ans which I felt warranted in followiri� up and spending.money on -w:£re on Ar.1.ders rm Creek about ten n:iles N .E. of the Bav and abe:i:ic\ .5 miles J . •.·. ' ..., .. , .-.� There we f oun<l: .. a :y.ei,� of East of our na.in line at 6 miles out. fai r quality though dirty semibituninous Coal from 4 t.o 7' 1-2 ' ·:r:;e sank i.:.1 it about 40 feet, as far as we &a,1Ii1:d wit not. t :ruachinery, and followed it some distance, . ,. • -:, ,; --':·-.,,,-;,+ 1·+ '-,-""st +,.. s+np unt.;1 ,.... e ('.,oulct· ;">.vr\T",t,1· nue ·th-e S\•1•. ..'..:1y1··np- � '--'-' •. •• .,_,• ..., '-•,_J-�V ':..J _ - \, V V' \..: _ ...L.- V'J· _. ..., ,._.., ., - l::� al-"'Q eit2'!.er ::.:y �irillir.:-g- 0r with a steam.Enr;ine. This Sumner we.are agair.. prc,s_pe-:tir:g out s-o far without rauch result. Snall Saw Mill • . . • : 0: .... Early iE 1339 ,, we ::milt a s1�:all Saw Mill of about 4-000 feet Capacity _per l:0---.::r. I operated it supplyir.:.g- our o-w-n needs ::or 1838 -:Jf.it i.l :-::--:rver:::oer 1890, wher:. the ri.e·. Saw Mill beir1g almost {'\T,0 ._,..,,I,..., J . a. : :) · inc�e/.se t.l�e Stat e,.,=�"--.i,.i=:-v� , .... --o�-1- -� -r i- +.,�-� ..,rrro ,.:,.. s uso-1 +·J..l1 0 H'.hrr1· ;· 0 .,.1,_. ..... u ....,, -·• b l··:al ·"',·..· .. and. ,.,, .. �i ------· ...... {7} ----·:O:----- life time. By it you will s ee ,it earned $26 .·6?5 .82 a'bove ''its running expenses. over and .. New Saw Mill. ---:o:-·--- In October 1889, we commenced bU.ildin� the Bew Saw Mill. It has been constructed in the .most thourough r!.nd substantial sa.nn:er and started up for the first time on the 15th January 1891 Since t her. some additions, planers, dry kiln, lath Mill &c, aave been Bade to it, so.me of which .are still u1lfini.s�tl:•. It has a capacity of about 10.000 feet per hour, and¥ oow··in operation as a. sepll!!jat� and indep�ndent department .·'lili• · :i? ·the · --�;-' . .. _. .. - ·, 2anas-en:ent of Mr Atkinson, wJio takes his instructions�:;,�:>� ···:..·\1L · reports to t11e Presidents offi0e direct. ...·,.. . �.:. �· ,,· •••• 00 •...• In November 1889, we commenced t he const ruction of the Eleetric Light Station and plant with one Engine and one·65 Arc light Brush dyrfin:o ( of 2000 .C .P .Capacity each ) and coa:nenced operatine it on. the 4th of February .1890 with 19 lights. As consumption ±n·:!reased and ·warranted we added two more 65 Arc light dynamos and one 850 { 16 C .P. Capacity ) West.ingholis:e -. incandescent dynamo and increased the power by the addition of th� Ene:i:;:).e 2.r:c!. ooiler which had beer. in the· SE1all Saw Mill. 1r�le ct.. re r:.O'\¥ suppl�ling, to the City of New Vfuati.;om. 65 Arc lights, t.:) pri v?...t e ,.;onsu.:�i:;rs---and T.:. os e • 11 75 I II ----390 incandescent lights. stal:ement ·•Xmdi'ttL to the Cit:, are supplied Ulider contract by which we get .l \ I ,, (8) -----0----$13.00 per month for eac-h light; those at 3. to private consumers are· sGnewh.at higher rate. B. B. Water Conpany. --------�------------0 : : -------· ------- Early ir.:. 1889, I co�:1eEced su,rveys for supplying Old and New Wbateo.E1 with water from Lake Whatcom, which is 12 ·miles long and a nile •Nide ar1d the lowest Sun.:::.er leve 1 of which is 312 fe�t above low tide. Having found a good route and made ?- loca.'tion survey 1 we revived a local tncorporation .made in 1383 f.ex ··the sc:1.Ee purpose, subs.cribed for 7925 of the 10 .ooo shar�P·j• ·�i-tal' ' ....:·. . ,··- . _:.- st'::lc1: ( outside parties taking the rem2..ining 2075 sha°T�h): procured the passage of ordir.ances by the Coun�ils of ��¥��. a�·.d Seh0�s1e :;iving us all the rights we -desired for 45 ·y.�� ..... " , ;, f:-'.Jn the 12th of June 1889, we agreeing to place hydrants?�-,;0::ar ·:iwn exper.se at ea.ch street' int ersection reached by our mai&is: and to supply them free of charge with water for extinguishing fires, and commenced wor_:k clearing the right of way_, making a road the whole length and prep�ring to lay pipe. r1y plan conte2plated a deep cut or t unnel to take water from the Lake at a depth of 7 feet below low water level, but, in order to s2..ve t i:.1e a,:·!d exper:i.se at that e3.rly and aimo�t · experimental st21,ge of the er,.terprise, I followed the edge of Whatcom Greek for some distance from its head at the Lake for 4800 fe·et, faljir;g 7 feet' uo«R to the top of the upper falls, with an 18 iLch riveted steel pipe; thence on a grade of 5 feet per mile witr_ 2. 20 ir.::.;h pipe 6200 feet� and thence with 2.n 11 inch pipe � .8740 feet to the intersection of Maple and Hish under presure ,.. s+.reets ir.:. New Whatcow, fallin g 105 feet to an elevation at' t :,A.t :r,oi.nt of 187 feet above low tide. A'----,---·---·-- -· ·--..-· - ... � I'-'· :· ' �·· ' (9) -----0----I had contemplated g-rade carrying the water as far as the 5 foot extends in a flume, but substituted a light buried·steel pipe tJ avoid the dar(;er to be feared from fires and falling the :.::arryinrr Capacity of the pipe being 2 .000.000. gallons per 12.y, ir.. ,Jantiary 18-90, wb.en we CDllli..1eLced layine the main� for dist:-ibutior:., being 8 rivetted steel an.d 6 inch and J.aer sizes of iron. We have 12.id Mains· between Lake .and High Street11, 18, and 20 tnch.: 19.740 feet. Mai1:.s in tov;:n distribution,81 6, 4 and 2 inch: 58.188 • Service pipes:2, l, 3-4 .; aL<l 1-2 inch _1§�7§7�-� Xot-a.196.685 feet. Vie have so. far pu� iL 39 hydr�.i.t s and a;bout 450 se'l"Vi�, . •. i, mny .. ·, ·';: •. ' . '·f-�:�- _�::._ ' -, ·:-.,.. !)f �9.u!. which supply more than· one ;house. The tot.3.l cost to date has been..---- •, ... $107. "127 .41 � -----.--,-�'� less recei·ved �-to pay for connection$ • 3 .452...G'5.f $104�275 .·'.:.;1f:. Of which the main to town cost about, -And the distribution servi-ce a.bout, $58.000, 46.000, The 18.. t t.er covers a large a.re a and ·will provide wtth c�mparative ly ).:itile exterision for a large increase of cus�omers, although .. ·,. -� I think it will be wis:e to ext·end the :mains from· time. t9 t i1;.;.e 'i . l irlto districts in which we -wish to sell property. · ... The upp•:r two thousand feet of pipe near the Lake is now beinp; rer.uv::ed with throug-h' ?. i larger and L.1ore per.raanent o.-ne, reaching the Lake a cutar1d short tunnel. The increase of size at t:pe head from 18 to 06 inch with an increasedhead beir.g for the purpose of c.ontrollin!;" oy possesion for -6-ee@ _futura-use-il- .., I I I .. ; ·----� - -- - ---�--------,qp/ ....--__,,.. __ ----\.-,-.. ,it: ' . 20 .QOO oOOO gallons per 24 ho-qrs instead of as at present. · You will see by the aecompa�ying stat:�rit . ....."\i::•:·'' that the receipts have increased steadily until in JalY. ti1ey ·: ·••; ·: . .;.__ reaehed $1.2a4.50 at a cost of operation of +�ss t·han·-$·te:v:.: per Eotth. Wharf and Wood business. '-:... ------0------ .. We have built good and substanti3.l wharves 15 feet deep. · The New Mill Wharf· is 700 feet · fror;: 20 to 24 feet of wat.er at lo-w tide�l';he-re are �m1:ef_ Steamers plying between Bellingham Bay, Seattle and Tac�jJi}?··. , . ·. ° ·:-:; � ........ � ,;. ';" •' . '.· - . The U.P. b?tve;oe-side� their. daily l O"cal St.earner plying J.,,-. .lellingham Bay an.d up �-Jund Ports, two Steamers making_ �-b��- ·5 trips a month between here and Portlar1d. The toats of t.he o.r.co. tne also the Ste?..mer 1N C.P.N.Co and the P.S •.&.A.C.o♦,�s asco,n1ak- .daily round trips between B l�ay and up Sourid Ports,.,. The P.S.&.A.Cos Boat making elos·e·_ e,@�itiian ··,:/�: � l' at Port Townsend with their boats to and from Victoria. .• ., · ;j 'i The P.C.-S.S.CQ_S Steamers als·o cooe to our wharf every fi;ve days with freight for California. Vie have attracted Steamers to lie at. our wharf by -k�eping a large stock of wood constantly on hand for their use and contractirirr to supply them at reasonable ,tates as well as supplyine them vii th cheap water. ; - '\",,.. •' .. ) - �--- ·,. -�•:•.,.•••,·: :_h,;._ ; !" r. ,, .. ' '< .• - :·� .·!.,.,.-·· ' ':, • - - - - - - - -.... !"9'. You will see by the statement of .w.0_04 rec•�ipt.s, t�ct:t,,d·ur\Iig: the .. l�st half ·of 189.0'. our sales of wood reach.ed $3 .000 a month .and . . have aggre(ifled t o date $41. 099. 83, ?a.Ying a siaaii' nargij{,�ver expenses uesides the advantage above· mentione�ma.kii.g w:o�i-/ei. ....,. niet1 and teams1�ud helping to clear our la�d. · Duri:ng·tli1e .l�st. . ' year -however the Steamers ·on these routes have ·. ._ ·.n:ru.�J�r-��l·· in Character and are now chie,fly coal turners, so tfyat our• _w�od trade' . is rapidly and steadily decreasing. :·-.. 't· In June 1890 I thl,ought it advisable to l.owe.r. our from 50 to 25 cper ton a:nd even at those rate.s �¥,,_;��I'® considerao.lefreight by it:s b�ing taken .for le:s_s at �l. wharves on th,-e Bay. The freight coming fo by the , R ,R . also ·_···"' :._;,.,r,a.t�s \\ tr , .J �r · • . {";t derives JM some of its forllleT income and_aithough it;�used lar�:11:'.:\ S�t.:- transfer of freight for up Sow1d poi:r.1.ts. fro1:1 rail to b:.'!;�}�t::'.i1 treated in tnat respect as a R.R.ter.rn.inal d-epot and reeeii�t:• viharfage for such use. .zi�1 The accompanying stater;.ent shows the wharf receipt.s to have "'exceeded the expe�di t ures· by$5458.25. Machine Shops. ---------------••••• 0 •••. � • . 1\. ne and bl�cksmith shop..s Mac2nt enie conv Vfe have fai:r sized a._n.st. do - all our with a ·go�d assortment of tools which enable us to - · k· besides owr.1.·· repai1'ir.i.g and some co:.n.structton .of rolling stec ly• some out.side. work which -we have done .until late ing it turned all we have rJ.ow however for the purpose of encourag established here• outside wori over to a foundry w.hich has veen over, a.nd added to, Vi: h_�ve ;as menti:oned elsewhere, bui-1 t .&Jl« · · f on:=-� pass.em:�re r coach ,. 12 flats and 12 ' e, ,.:;u1· 1t one old locoB.ot±v , much mill. bridge an.d pair logging trucKS, t wo· tur.,..1. ••tables, a.nd .· }ii'. ._.,;:_:fi '"" 1 1 ,;t: ' -� � - ' · ·- ·-·-·•·-----.,-··-·····-·-·· ·--�-------.....----..,..--------------........ '- ' ------·-----(12) other work. The accompanying sta.t:ement shows a balance of /ff'. receipts over eJq>end. i tures $1951.09 besides a fa.ir a.mount of . . /l stock on hand. Town I.q,rove.ments and Real Estate ---------------------------------••••••• :00:00: •••••••• 1�.e Among the first thir1gs I saw on my .arrival here was need -o·f _ .,1 ·�-..:.,�•�·. aecOJll.O<latior� for s.uch new arrivals as -··· ···'· · be ablt. should not to provide fo:r the.m.5elves otherwise.To that endibuilt 2?- j'l.ain but neat and comfortable cottages containing • z, 4 5 ..f�-, a11.4 ·-<·::: •' . -".:' :" �- '.1·: --• . : - . ...,-: i�4g4 costing from $350 to $5-50 each which we have sinee. ., .·....�....!."::f- •.eontil1uously for $3.00� 10.00 and $12.00 per We al.so built offices, store house, stahles ar.1d a.···: ,:;ha.11, � ¢ which latter fo:r a time, and until other- and large?-- . .· .·� �<::--:.j;f{{1.:.' ·- b Ui l dir.ig s were erected1provide� �it her free or at a . charge� a much needed place for gatherings. It h9-s· outlived its usefulness and into a rovr of dwelli.ngs-� we .·; ��;�ei.aetate ,...,... ·;;;,:�::._•�/ .· ·;i$w··a15�t·· . are thfnkin.g of transform;i.ng. � · . j, · ·· ... it ' We have ?.l so leased at nol'.rainal · re-ntals a considerable number o:f lots or� which labore r-s and oth:er·s o--£ very small means- have beer;, e:n.:lblecl to ;,;uild and. live in C-a�ins, their leases-teing We have terms all of terminable at·a als-o given 5 year renta;t $ lease,.on moments notice. a good many business lots on increasing from year to year. have. today . . , in . 122 t�nant$ ·the rent paid by whom in· July 1891 aJJ;lOlm:fe.d to $753.·00\ 'the total to date being- $16.385.45. 300 We acres of We have cleared Town.site South of Whatcom Creek and 500 aeres North of it which latter we placed on the market for eomparatively cheap Residence sites in Octoier 1.889 under the name of Addition to New Whatcom •. w-e a 1st have graded 13 miles of streets of which more than one half are planked and thre·e quarters are •I I.. ◄ -· i . J· 1¢'\#-.Z s. {1:3) - . -------0--- -- sfdewalke-:d., We have kept 5 er 6 tea.ms of our own in. eom:tant us� in the several· departmerits·. besides, s_o:me we hav.e -h;ad t.o hire e.-r occ-asionaily for extra work in hauling wood, lumber &c gradirig in town f€lr . · pieces· of workall adapted to be let by eontraet ln 1890 we obtain-Ef d. from the two towns:" Whatcom -and Seheme., a street _car f:ranchis·e, but before we commenced work en. il · a . ' · Council inimical t'O; us was elect.ed for the r�ty- �lidated City of New Vit'hatcom and th-eyrefused to r�tify the iold_ .franchise excepting with restrictions to which. we would· not-�. . of the Co·s s-tock. ., , • :. • -��:: �' i<.;";·, About 2 1-2 miles have been buili�-.;- are in operatioL but. I have ..-. :•:�'!'.·. : . . . •• "X,_,·__ ,. had nothir�g to . do with eithfT:�-- <-;,/ •: ;. You will see by the accompanying statement of Real �- sales . ;_ . �: t.hat.. in 1883 ... 4 sa,les were wade by ��e Cos Agent .4��.aco-ck an1ount iL:: to $73 .137 .5·0. The .terms .of these sales were· ��r�ird ··•···,. '. ·.:. •.· cash and th!:" de·ferred payments to �e made in 6 and 12 mGn:5:s. with 7 per cent int ere st. The first sale, c.=tfter my arri:val was· in July 1888 when I sold two lots on Elk street at $20. per foot In 189()we sold some ir:. the same street and neighb-orhood at $120. The first sales on Holly Street in 1889 were at $20 per. f�ot ar.ci the la.st irl 1891 at $225. Sales .r:.ave been made. DY ethers at �uc_h hig,her prices than by us a.nd we have double· .lo-ts rese-rved {generalJ,,y l�ased ) (:m m.os·t of the �romir�er�t corners. Vfe have sold· since I came lots t q the amount of $781.531. 71 besi4es interest· o:n. deferred payments and we have collected a.11:· of t·he principal ar.Ld interest on same ( as well as deferred ·:t· ,\� . p��);1ID.ents on sa.1-es of 1883·- 4 ) excepti:r..g $3·8.343.70 over due and $31.488 050 not yet due. in These col le cti ons have been .made ·without having ,. a single instance '?.:mployed legal or other ''.i I 'j i /·:'·· .,_,\. -•. --·, ,·,·a : ·.�.-.; J�} ., • .. ... '' ... '" ., . -- \.._ ��- --..-·---- ··':t· 2:. - •' I attach· statment of sales • e.,_:lsi:<;,J;l. . " -,. ', . ,'· ·,. >..... Litigation. ---------- --- - We have had and ar.e still having sOJne lita�atior1 aris'i.� principally from uon �9mpliance in early days with all the • :.·?ci::�a:�----•:,_ :·c�:_;_1_-::, __:2�::.s ·-}. : ter_:;,_�\_;r·ial .. wh:i!bh c -t�� : "4,· � .· d_ · 1···,-, S ..!:.--, 4_ . t'.r,.z,, t OI ;_,,:,, "'-c,1 1IOTUl.�,,2. · -� . ·-· nd t�.·r.om t L.··1::j_�c-.S � ·ffe.,,_,_ _. sr-,;n. --i:,, r""'spet ."' ,, • - 7� • :i.�;,\}fkif:;,,\0r:. r · . &6 .•• c'v a1 Jlac,-ma.il ba�.d Qn :1W"rent" 11;�i? of!f�hor�l:tffetthe rnlcLJ z: 0f some deeds b? yo'-'r firs- Agent h-r,wh.��� ,"'�';�!r atte.�r- '�d t.o •;)� strengtheEed by t he,.�L�,in:ant,·.��i"°'''.' · .. , • . .. : �.'\•��; • • ,, •. �. uee:. .;'."--:.':.!.� d�J:licate·::on·;.sue�-- L��t?f}-�1fi:J.�S- h'.JW�ver not.tu�· ve�_�;rie;us . i� ar.y of t �#.,:'<µ,a�:..:S.{rrn-ni)���erit ir. ���1: r was instru2ted° .that the. no,oks w,:;.ul,�; be ·k�pt in San.�r�, ,� � tChat I snould �··· --- . • ' ..;'. ·" ... .:· · lg' -" m:�:�.: s :� tr,,, ';, • L • s erJ up t o me • t. ion of which-,Jntc diferent 2.:1J. m\:tf\\,"� I ',:;t� , ! c c . .-. r- 1•: ...,.:.:., accJunts was :rrade in the S.F .Cos office. Since then we have kept accounts here and charged to ea.ch :lepart.mer.t the disbursm.,. e1:.ts �a.de here in cash and material a.ntl. Ats" lilt.� er .:..:.oor ir.. ;;ash or J.ue for labor or material suppl_ied to other -f; I attach stat�ent o:f totals of disbursments .made .J here ( caaa and Memo ) Sir1ce March 1889. 8f' those ma.de by San Frapei:$-CO 9ffice, we ha:v:e uo rcecord. For a.11 complete records for. rece;;_Pts anc. ,J.isbursments I must refer you to th e San Fran 1;. office, wh-., 3..ll the account·s have been kept from the teginnir.g In conclusio� I would say that I consider yot:.r porperty irl i:;ood condit ionJ whatever has t:ieer.i. ctone has been done substaa.ntially I"' and. well, anc.i witt full re1:;ard� to true econom.y according to my "'-· r: . 'views and· to th.-e very best of my ability. . . --�· ....... ..... ,
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- Identifier
- wwu:29277
- Title
- M.L. Stangroom Reminiscence
- Date
- 1888~/1913~, 1888-1913
- Description
- Handwritten reminiscences of Marc La Riviere Stangroom.
- Digital Collection
- Stangroom (Marc LaRiviere) Papers
- Type of resource
- Text
- Object custodian
- Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
- Related Collection
- M.L. (Marc La Riviere) Stangroom papers
- Local Identifier
- stangroomrem1_3
- Text preview (might not show all results)
- Transcript: stangroomrem1_3 [Page 1] Dear Matthew, Reminiscences of an "Old Timer" showing, among other things, some instances of the uncertainties of mining on the Pacific Coast in the early fifties – and later! Early in 1855, I came to California, as engineer for an English company to br
- Transcript text preview (might not show all results)
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Transcript: stangroomrem1_3 [Page 1] Dear Matthew, Reminiscences of an "Old Timer" showing, among other things, some instances of the uncertainties of mining on the Pacific Coast in the earl
Show moreTranscript: stangroomrem1_3 [Page 1] Dear Matthew, Reminiscences of an "Old Timer" showing, among other things, some instances of the uncertainties of mining on the Pacific Coast in the early fifties – and later! Early in 1855, I came to California, as engineer for an English company to bring water from the South Yuba River, a large stream having its source high up on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Range of mountains, to supply the deep gravel mines of Nevada County with sufficient water to enable them to be worked on a large scale, with large quantities of water delivered under a high pressure (or head) through wrought iron pipes instead of small quantities (as supplied until then) at a low pressure through canvas hose. During that year I necessarily became personally familiar with the topography of the central portion of the Sierra Nevadas lying in the counties of Nevada, Sierra, and Placer, from the foothills in the Sacramento Valley to their summit at an elevation of 6000 to 10,000 feet, and embracing a territory of 100 miles square – or more –. Their summit was then the dividing line between the State of California and the Territory of Utah but is (now) that between California and the State (formerly Territory) of Nevada, which was cut off from Utah in 1888 soon after the discovery of the Comstock Lode, which is, with some other mining districts since discovered, within its boundaries, all of which are tributary to California. [Page 2] Being fond of exploring and "roughing it," I went, in the summer of 1856, as one of a party of 14 (10 men and 4 women, one of whom soon afterwards became my wife) on horseback and with pack mules (from our home in Nevada City) on a pleasure trip across the summit and down the eastern slope of the mountains, following the Truckee River 100 miles or so from its source at the north end of Lake Bigler (since called Truckee Lake and now Lake Tahoe), a beautiful sheet of water of great depth, 50 miles long by 20 wide, lying (at an altitude of 6000 feet) between the snowcapped summits of the range (which at that point is double) which tower 3000 to 5000 feet above it. We followed the river to the point where it sinks (as do all the streams which rise on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevadas) in the great central basin of Utah (lying between the Sierra Nevada Range on the west and the Rocky Mountains on the east) in which the Great Salt Lake and other smaller alkaline lakes or saturated deposits are caused by the water flowing in the rivers being more or less evaporated by the dry heat of the arid plains. Many of these alkaline deposits have since been, and are now being, used for commercial purposes. We were well mounted and equipped, and often found emigrant roads or Indian trails to follow, making the trip generally an easy and always a pleasant one. On our return we followed the Carson River (another large stream running down into the desert) up to the eastern base [FOOTNOTE: 1. The Piutes (Pah Utah Indians), who had been giving considerable trouble to the white immigrants passing through their territory were all round us and had to be watched to keep them from stealing stock and poking their noses into the women's tent, etc., but by treating them kindly (but firmly) and mounting guard over our stock at night, we got along very well with them.] of the mountains and crossed their eastern summit to the south end of the Lake Bigler and camped there, intending to stay and rest [Page 3] for a day or two – That evening, however, some Mormon packers (who had been to Sacramento to get provisions and were taking them to Salt Lake) reached our camp and informed us that Nevada City, a mining town of about 2500 inhabitants, had been burned to the ground a few days before and that only 4 brick buildings with iron shutters (out of 40 supposed to be fireproof) had escaped and not one of the several hundred wooden ones. We saddled up without much loss of time, rode all night and next day, and did not "draw rein" until we reached our respective piles of brickbats or burnt lumber. Some of us who had no buildings to lose had money loaned out and secured by mortgage; but, as the stone courthouse was gutted (with all the county records and its other contents), any attempt to collect such debts would have been an empty farce. So, as what can't be cured must be endured, we at once went to work to help build a new town, without anyone thinking of "crying over spilt milk"! For such was the general spirit of California in those days! In the summer of the next year (1857), two men of my acquaintance, who had "crossed the plains" in 1850, told me and some others that his party had camped on the north bank of Truckee River and had "panned out" (at the foot of a hill covered with broken quartz)"dirt which went over a dollar to the pan," but that they were too crazy to reach California to stop "en route" for any prospect, however good it might be. [Page 4] I thought I recognized from his description a hill covered with quartz on the north bank of Truckee River, which I had seen the year before but (not then knowing much about mining) had not paid any attention to. Four of us started immediately on foot with two pack mules to find and prospect the hill in question, but, notwithstanding my feeling so sure of being able to go straight to it, we were unable to find it and returned "res ineffectæ." A year later (in June 1858) the first silver-bearing lode in the United States was discovered in Utah, less than a mile from where we had camped on the Truckee River, and it soon became world widely known as "the Comstock." In returning from our "wild goose chase," we started west from the Truckee River to cross the summit of the Sierras by an Indian trail, so plain as to promise well for its continuance. After a day's travel on it, however, we reached a high altitude at which, although it was in August, there was snow several feet deep, entirely obliterating all signs of the trail, which had evidently not been used that season. The surface of the snow was so soft that we sank deep at every step and had considerable difficulty in getting our small-footed animals through it. To do so at all we had to improvise snowshoes out of a blanket for them and to carry their loads ourselves, piece by piece, several miles and making several trips in the two days it took us to [Page 5] reach bare ground on the west side of the summit. We found ourselves at the head of a deep, rough gorge or cañon, which proved to be the north fork of the American River (one of the large streams running down the west slope of the Sierras to the valley of the Sacramento River. It took us two days to get the mules over rough and precipitous ground at the head of this canyon, and at evening of the second day, we came to a very narrow backbone or ridge dividing it from the middle fork of the same river. Following this ride down a short distance, we again found the trail (which we had lost in the snow) coming to and running down it at a point (as we afterward ascertained) about 40 miles above Michigan Bluffs, at that time the highest mining camp in Placer County. Looking across the ridge down to the middle fork, we saw, about 3000 feet below us (what we afterwards found were known as the "Big Meadows"), an extensive river bottom covered with grass over knee deep. As our mules had been on very short feed of scattered bunch grass for some days, we thought we would give them a feast and a rest, so we went down into the valley to camp and turned them loose (merely dragging their ropes), taking for granted they would not stray away from the good feed. We were, however, much mistaken! On waking at sunrise the next morning, there was no sign of them in the valley, and we found their tracks and the marks of their dragging ropes following to the top of the ridge, [Page 6] those they had made in coming down the evening before. They knew better than we did how much sweeter to them was the scanty bunch grass than the coarse meadow grass – "Et hinc illa lachrymal!" Two of us started up the hill on their tracks, thinking we would soon overtake them, but we were badly fooled, as we had to climb to the top of the ridge before we found one of them that had got her rope wound round a manzanita bush so as to hold her fast. This was close to the trail running down the ridge, and while my companion took the mule we caught back to camp, I followed the track of the other down the ridge thinking I would soon overtake him; but I was again fooled, as circumstances showed that they must have started back very soon after reaching the meadows on the previous evening and have traveled all night. The brute had apparently sauntered along on the trail, leaving it occasionally on one side or the other to nibble, but always returning to it, as the sides of the backbone were very steep and rugged within a short distance. Counting on always picking up his track each time he returned to the trail, I kept along it for several hours, but finally lost all traces of him. Supposing that I might not be very far from some mining camp or mountain stock range and that he would probably work his way down into them, I kept on until about noon, when I found in a small grassy flat some butchers [Page 7] who were herding cattle to supply meat to the mining camp of Michigan Bluffs (about 20 miles farther down the ridge). They promised to catch my mule if he strayed (as was probable) into their band of cattle, and asked me to take potluck with them, which I did without much persuasion as I had left camp without breakfast. While I was taking the sharp edge off my appetite, one of their companions, who had gone down to "the Bluffs" the day before, returned with a sack of flour on his shoulder and with the news that the town had been completely burned down the day before. Although I had never been there, I had a friend there engaged in a gold dust buying and banking business, and I took a notion (Semel insanivimus omnes!) as I had only walked 20 or 25 miles since dawn and was in light marching order (trousers, flannel shirt, knife, pistol, and pipe) to walk on down to see the ashes, which I did. My friend treated us handsomely, dividing some coffee and crackers (just came in) and his blanket with me, and I slept the sleep of the just (without rocking!) The next morning I started out early for my forty-mile walk back to camp. Climbing the ridge out of town, I overtook a miner who told me of a rich strike of gravel just made, 5 or 6 miles up the ridge, which I could see by going with him along a mining ditch past it, and said that I could easily re-ascend the ridge from there. I did so and became as much exerted over the discovery [Page 8] as were the many men who were already on the ground "locating extensions" of the new discovery. Without loss of time, I got back to camp that evening, and the next day we walked down to the new discoveries and located and "staked out" claims for ourselves and some of our friends. The auriferous gravels of the Pacific Crest may be divided into two distinct classes: 1?. The shallow deposits of gravel in the beds of existing rivers or smaller streams caused by the recent erosion of the strata through which they ran in the form of quartz veins. 2?. The deep deposits of gravel formed in large rivers [over] many geological ages, often containing gold-bearing quartz, or free gold, which has by long attrition been rounded and freed from its quartz matrix. The greater part of these ancient deposits of gravel have been subsequently covered by lava or (in miners' parlance) cement, through which the recent rivers have cut their way, exposing on their banks sometimes the lava, sometimes the gravel, and sometimes the slatey or schistose formation underlying them, through which the early rivers had cut channels (which latter is called by miners "the Bed Rock"). In the present case, the gold-bearing gravels were exposed on two projecting points (about 3 miles apart) of the banks of the deep gorge and stream (called "Eldorado Canyon") several hundred feet above its bed. They proved rich and were being washed down and the gold extracted from them, but hydraulic process, i.e., by streams of water under high pressure being brought to bear on the gravel, washing it onto "sluice boxes" in which, under the action of the running water, the gold (being the heaviest) is separated from the gravel and sinks to the bottom and is "saved," [Page 9] while the lighter material passes on and is carried by the water back into the ravine or cañon. Between these two points the old channel was naturally supposed to be in the bedrock, where it could be reached by tunnels run from the exposed surface of the hill toward it, and, through the rimrock, into the channel or old river bed. According to mining regulations and customs, we located (on the supposed course of the channel) 100 feet in length on it for discovery and 100 feet for each locator or claimant, each claim extending in width as near as could be guessed at right angle to the course of the channel to the center of the river dividing Eldorado Cañon from Volcano Cañon (a deep ravine on the other side of the ridge). In this case the length of our claims was from 1000 to 1500 feet, and if the channel across our ground had been straight, a few hundred feet of tunnel would have reached and enabled us to work it to advantage by the system of underground or drift mining, which consists in taking out by pick and shovel the gravel lying a few feet above bedrock or as much of it (generally, 4 or 5 feet in depth) as should be found to pay and taking it out in cars to the mouth of the tunnel, where it is "washed" and the gold separated from the gravel and "saved." [Page 10] Having determined the best point at which to start the tunnel to be run to reach the channel supposed to be on our ground, I left my companions to begin work on it, went down to Michigan Bluffs to arrange for supplies being sent to them, and, having a presentiment that my wife in Nevada City (about 70 miles roundabout by road but only about 40 in an air line across 3 deep canyons) was ill, I shouldered my blankets and walked over there across country. Thus endeth the 1st chapter! We ran the tunnel for seven years, at a cost of several thousand dollars, until we had to stop it for want of means. This was also the case with companies on each side of us which ran their tunnels as we did a thousand or two feet or more before abandoning them. Two or three years later, some miners sank a shaft on the other side of the ridge and struck there the channel we had expected to find in our ground, and it proved as rich as we had hoped to find it. At about the same time, the channel was struck very rich on our side of the ridge a mile or so beyond our claim, so it would appear as though the channel had adopted that curved line of beauty for our especial benefit (?). My only consolation [Page 11] in the whole matter lay in the hopes that the mule, which had been the cause of it all, got fast round some bush and starved to death, as was probably the case, for we never heard of him again. "Requiescat en pace!" "Thus endeth the first chapter"! It changed, however, the entire current of my life, as to be near my claim I moved with my wife from Nevada City to Michigan Bluffs, where my oldest son was born and my wife died, and where I stayed mining and practicing my profession as an engineer and surveyor until the discovery of the Comstock in the summer of 1858. In 1857 and 8, some of the advanced guard of the prospectors – consisting, generally, of one or two miners, with pick, shovel, pan and a burro (donkey) – pushed forward from the California mines to, and across, the summit, and worked their way down to the Carson River and its tributaries. On one of the latter they found, on the eastern slope of Mt. Davidson, surface gravel which paid to carry down to some of the small creeks running into Carson River, where they panned out from it enough gold to make "good wages" (not less than $4 or $5 per day). Two of them (Aleck and Billy Henderson) were on what was then, and is still, called Gold Hill, where the ore contained free gold with little admixture of silver and were making good wages. (Later they and others became rich from the yields of the Gold Hill group of mines.) Two young men (the Froesch Brothers) had discovered during the [Page 12] previous autumn some free gold, which one of them took over the mountains to California late in the season and over deep snow. After reaching the upper part of Placer County, he lost the use of both eyes and died from frost and exposure. The other one died soon afterwards, and their discovery was not at that time traced to its source. In the spring of 1858, a man named Comstock was working on the croppings of the Ledge (to which his name was given later). He sold out his claim to some other prospectors for an old horse on which he crossed over to California and became lost to history. The prospectors on the "Comstock Lode" were much bothered with what they called "the black stuff" which, being mined with the quartz and dirt, and being very heavy, made it difficult for them (in panning out) to separate it from (and to save) the gold. A Mexican prospector named Maldonado came there and thought he recognized it as being rich silver ore carrying gold (sulphmets) such as he had seen in the mines of Mexico. He located a claim (1400 feet) on the lode and sent some of the "black stuff" over to Nevada City and Gran Valley (the two nearest mining towns, both in Nevada County, California) for assay. Assays of it made by Melville Attwood, Mining Engineer, who was superintendent of the Aqua Fria (or Gold Hill) English Mining Company in Gran Valley, and also by Julius Ott, assayer in Nevada City, gave similar results, showing values in gold and [Page 13] silver of over $1500 per ton. Attwood at once arranged to send Judge Walsh (Sec'y of the G. H. M. Co.) and Joe Woodworth (a mining surveyor connected with them) over the mountains with the least possible delay, to make locations for their joint benefit. On that day I had ridden over from Michigan Bluffs in the adjoining county (about 40 miles from Nevada) to keep an appointment to examine and report on a mining and water proposition for which report the owners had been waiting patiently 2 or 3 weeks. As I rode through the valley into Nevada City (the towns are only 4 miles apart), I met Walsh and Woodworth on horseback, getting ready to start over the mountains to the new discovery. Knowing how useful my knowledge of the mountains would be in enabling them to get there as quick as possible and ahead of the hordes of men who would be sure to rush over as soon as the facts leaked out, they strongly urged me to join them, and they were right, for within a few days every trail and road leading across the Sierras was (figuratively speaking) black with the crowds on foot or on horseback, all eager to outstrip the others in the "search for the Golden Fleece." However much I wanted to go, I could, of course, not disappoint the men who had been patiently waiting for me so long, and with much regret I had [Page 14] to decline going until after I had kept my engagement. They arrived on the ground in time to make a bargain with Maldonado and others to sell them, for $10,000 (which Walsh immediately went over to Sacramento to borrow), 200 feet at the south end, and 1000 feet at the north end of his claim (which he called the Ophir), he retaining the 200 feet between the two on which he was working. This latter proved extremely rich and became known as the Mexican claim. They located several claims on Cedar Hill extending northwards from the North Ophir, but none of them (nor the North Ophir itself) ever paid the expense of sinking on them until, many years later in 1878, a small body of good ore was found in the Sierra Nevada claim, one of the northern locations, which caused an excitement which, however, lasted but a short time, and, after declaring a few dividends, it relapsed permanently into its old habit (according to the custom, with a few exceptions, on the Comstock) of levying assessments or, as we called them, "Irish dividends," from which pernicious practice they have never since departed. Within a few months of the purchase from Maldonado, Judge Walsh sold his one half of the $10,000 purchase of the Ophir claim for $60,000 in cash, which he took down to Mexico. He lost it all there in mining speculations and died poor. His partner, [Page 15] Joe Woodworth, retained his interest in the Ophir for two or three years, during which time the claim, having been incorporated in San Francisco, and having a large body of ore (50 to 60 feet wide) between its walls and several hundred feet deep, which proved extremely rich, large dividends were declared. The number of shares in each company, which was originally one share for each lineal foot of ground on the ledge, was increased almost without limit to bring them within reach of every laborer and servant girl in the state as well as the middle classes and capitalists. Until then, the gamble of mining was exclusively in the supposed actual values of mining properties, but from that time on it consisted largely in the manipulation of the stock market. Joe Woodworth received large amounts of money, running up in the millions, from dividends declared by the Ophir Company and still larger amounts by the purchase in the market of dividends in that company in advance of their being declared. He was, for a while, a very rich man and built in San Francisco a palatial residence larger and more expensive than any on the Pacific Coast. He played, however, his favorite game of buying dividends on a very large scale in advance of their being declared or earned once too often, and he also died a poor man. The enclosed print (which please return to me) is taken from a reliable work on gold and silver mining published in New York a year or two ago. It shows in black the shafts sunk on the two and a half miles of [Page 16] the Comstock Lode, which has been worked out, and the etched lines show all of the ore bodies that have been found within that distance to the depth of 2000 feet below the surface. On the left side of the picture, the vertical lines filled in with pencil show the Midas or Sylvester Belcher claim which was [synegated to sold?] to me at the extreme southern end of the Belcher, which I knew to be a good one, and the north end of the over[man?], which has, to my knowledge, a fairly good body of ore. I never got the cost of the candles out of it though I and my partners spent more thousands on it than you would believe possible and left us with a debt that broke us all up. "And of such is the Kingdom of Heaven!" Selah! M. L. Stangroom
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