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Historical Notes of the Early Washington, Nevada County, California Mining District (PH 15-4)(Not Dated) (169 pages)

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Page: of 169

prospectors as the now famous quartz region about the town of Washington. There
are hundreds of ledges that have never been located. Judging from discoveries he
believes it is only a matter of time when there will be as many stamps in operation
in Washington Township as there are now in Nevada City and Grass Valley’. *4,
June 4, 1884.
THE MINES OF THE WASHINGTON DISTRICT
Washington Flat and the bars all along the river were very productive. We will
speak briefly of these bars commencing at the one highest up the stream. Canal
bar at the mouth of Canyon Creek, derived its name from a canal dug for the purpose
of diverting the river from its channel. The parties doing this work sawed thousands of feet of lumber by hand, built stores and cabins, which were all abandoned
when the bar proved not to be so rich as expected.
Just below Canal Bar was Long Bar, Keno Bar and Jimmy Brown’s Bar, all above
the mouth of Scotchman’s Creek, above which point the diggings were not very rich.
el
(Note 1966).
A\ map in the Alpha Hardware Co. office, Nevada City, owned by Mr. Roy Tremoureux--‘Map Showing Principal Companies, Blue Gravel Channel’ complied from
U. S. Survey by H. S. Bradley, U. S. D. S. 1880; at a point on the South Yuba River
at Baltimore Ravine--between Scotchman and Canyon Creeks, is marked--‘No gold
found above this point’).
Below the mouth of this creek and on the north side of the river was Boulder Bar,
a short distance above Washington. This place and for a distance up and down the
river was extensively worked from 1862 for a number of years, yielding about
3100,000. The little town that sprung up was known as Rocky Bar. On the opposite
side of the river was Grissel Bar, worked by Chinese. Brass Wire Bar, opposite
the town of Washington, has yielded about $50,000, and is now in the hands of Chinese.
Washington is situated on what is called Washington Flat, and was formerly the bed
of the river. The upper end had been worked by the hydraulic process, and other
portions has been drifted to some extent, leaving a considerable quantity of ground
not yet worked. It is estimated that $340,000 has been taken out of this flat.
Below Washington, and on the same side of the river is Whiskey Flat, worked by
drifting. Brandy Flat, once quite a mining camp, with two stores, is opposite the
mouth of Poorman Creek, It has been worked by several companies and yielded
about $150,000. At present H. Kohler owns the claim and is working it by the hydraulic process. He also owns Jackass Flat, just below, a place that has yielded $75,000. Lizard Flat is opposite the mouth of Jefferson Creek and was worked by A, J.
Doolittle, who took out no less than $50,000. The little town of Jefferson stood
just opposite Lizard Flat and was a lively mining camp in the early days, but now is
a thing of the past. Virgin Flat, just below Buel Canyon, was a small place that
yielded $40,000 or more. *1.
Of the creeks and canyons that are tributary to the South Yuba, the richest was
probably Poorman Creek, on the north. In 1850, a claim on this creek was considered poor if it did not pay twenty dollars per day to the man. There were several
hundred miners scattered along this creek, two stores were doing business at different points. It is a low estimate to place the yield of this creek at $1,000,000. *1.
‘Poorman Creek was known as one of the richest gold producing streams tributary
to the South Yuba River’. *8. 1888.
(Note. 1966). According to Rev. John Steele, who mined on this creek in 1850--1851;
and left a carefully written account of his experiences at that time, this creek and
another in Plumas County, was named after a 1849 prospector--a Mr. Poorman.
99.