June 21, 1949 (8 pages)

ENGLISH CHANNEL NEXT SOMERSET, MASS. — Shirley May Frances, 16, will attempt to swim the English Channel next month. Shirley now holds the women’s professional 5, 10, 12-mile swimming records. .Volume 22—No. 32 Tuesday, June 21, 1949 TRUMAN SIGNS ASSESSMENT MORATORIU antly. The bill suspends the requireleast $100 in labor or improvePLACER SUPERVISORS CRITICIZED BY GRAND JURY ON-ROAD WORK Placer county board of supervisors and the county road commissioner were criticized last week by the county grand jury on charges of failure to obtain approximately $82,000 in state matching road funds. The grand jury charged the failure to obtain the funds was apparently the result of carelessness, ignorance of: procedure and _ inadequate accounting. Foreman Hanford Crockard, Roseville, declared the board of supervisors and the county road commissioner were not sufficiently aware of what each other were doing. The situation was uncovered as the result of an audit of the books of the county road commissioner’s office, undertaken at the request of the grand jury. One of the recommendations of the auditor was a new and more adequate bookkeeping system be established in the road ‘commissioner’s office. Among the points brought out in the audit the county’s expenditure of $66,811.19 for truck rentals over a period of nine months. Crockard criticized this figure as too high, and pointed out nine~Warrants for truck rentals, amounting to approximately $35,000, had been paid without being signed by the purchasing agent. He recommended supervisors should not sign any warrents until they had been properly pre< pared and signed. The grand jury began an investigation into county road expenditures several months ago, following a report the road funds were largely exhausted. When asked whether the blame for the situation lay with the road commissioner or the supervisors, Crockard replied that all acts of the road commis-. sioner are done with the approval of the supervisors. The foreman declared the grand jury would continue to probe the matter until it was cleared up and rectified. He stated some of the money which the county could have collected was now uncollectible. because ‘of the time element but expressed the belief that a good percentage would be collected if the proper procedure was folments on all mining claims on public lands. An act of May 3, 1943, made the first suspension just for the period of hostilities. Continued suspensions have been voted since then. “While I have reluctantly approved another one year extension,” President Truman said in a statement, “I believe that any further extension of the suspension of the assessment work requirement would be detrimental to the public interest.” He stated the requirement has appeared in public domain: mining laws since 1872 and was designed to “prevent persons from hindering the development of the minerals in the public lands then performing no work to develop them or to produce the minerals.” He said it is certainly in the public interest, in view of the present shortage of minerals, that idleness on mineral claims be allowed no ionger than is necessary. The president noted the senate committee on interior and_insular affairs is planning a study looking to general revision and unification of mining. laws. GEORGE HUDSON SENT TO SAN QUENTIN FOR CATTLE RUSTLING George A. Hudson, who was found guilty of cattle rustling in Nevada county superior court was sentenced to San Quentin Friday by Judge James Snell. George follows his_ brother, Frank, to prison for stealing and butchering of a 1,000-pound steer belonging to Guy N. Robinson of Indian Springs April 8. Frank entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced to San Quentin las month. George, the older of the two, pleaded not guilty and askéd for a trial. Robert C. Schiffner, Nevada City attorney, was appointed defense counsel. Motion for a new trial was denied by Judge Snell. District Attorney Vernon Stoll prosecuted the trial. HERE FROM CULVER CITY Mr. and Mrs. V. J. Nugent, who recently sold their cabinet shop in Culver City, are visiting here with her father, Al Huson. He served in the air force as a lowed. President Harry S. Truman Friday signed a bill extending for another year beyond July 1 the wartime suspension of annual assessment work on minihg claims. He said he did so reluctment for an expenditure of at by making mining claims andcock, 18, Oakboro, N.C. (center) NEVADA CITY (Nevada County) CALIFORNIA ESSAY WINNERS MEET PRESIDENT TRUMAN WASHINGTON, D.C.—President Truman greets Blevyn Hathford, Ala., winners of an essay contest sponsored by a Southern Agriculture Magazine. The president discussed farming with them. and Buster McLain, 18, of CrawB, ROBINSON BUYS RICHFIELD AGENCY IN GY. Beryl Robinson, Richfield station distributor for a period of 15 years, announced his purchase of the MHooper-Richfield plant and business in Grass Valley together with the Richfield franchise that covers western Nevada county and portions of Sierra and Yuba counties. Robinson has been in charge of operations since the first of the month, but date of sale was last Thursday. Purchase of the Hooper-Richfield tanks, warehouse, offices and equipment on South Auburn street was made from Frank Hooper of Grass Valley, who has been identified with Richfield products. distribution in this area for about 20 years. Robinson has sold his Sacramento street service station in Nevada City to Charles Thomas, who had been with him as station assistant for 10 years. At the Grass Vaiiey territory Richfield offices, the staff will include Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, the latter the bookkeeper and a tank truck driver. Otis Briley Suffers Severe Injuries In Automobile Accident Otis Briley, 18, North San Juan, suffered a fractured leg and severe head injuries Sunday evening when he was struck by a car driven by Hubert Francis Jackson, Grass Valley. Jackson was not held. Briley is reported in fair condition at Miner’s hospital. Planning Commission Will Meet Tonight Nevada County Planning Commission will meet tonight at 7:30 o’clock in county courthouse, according to John Fortier, chaircaptain during the war. 2 PER CENT OF VALUE OF NATIONAL FOREST A bill to pay counties annually two per cent of the “fair value” of national forests in their boundaries is being considered by the senate public lands committee. A hearing. on the measure by Senator Cordon, Republican of Oregon, has been completed by a subcommittee headed by Senator Anderson, Democrat of New Mexico. The subcommittee’s recommendation will not be made public until the full committee has acted. Senator Cordon, however, indicated during the hearing that he would be satisfied with a one per cent payment. The agriculture department considers three fourths cf one per cent enough. Chief Forestér Lyle Watts told the committee that would approximate the 25 per cent of gross forest revenues now turned back to the counties. The senate last year passed Cordon’s bill to provide a one per cent fixed payment. The House Public Lands Committee approved it. but. Congress adjourned before the measure came up for a vote. Two Fires Do Little Damage Here Sunday Half an acre of timber land was destroyed by fire Sunday at Scott’s Flat dam, before it was brought under control by crews from state forestry office and Tahoe national forest headquarters. A second fire later in the day at Squirrel Creek dump was controlled before it had done any damage. TO MEXICO CITY Miss Eileen Mair, for the past three years an office employe at headquarters of Tahoe National Forest, left Sunday with friends for a month of holidaying in Mexico City. She plans to locate in the bay area when she MAY BE PAID COUNTIES COUNTY GAINS 1.3 PER CENT OF BOND QUOTA Nevada county will reach its goal in the current U. S. savings bonds “Opportunity Drive” if those who have not signed up for bonds do so before July 16, it was predicted today by C. R. Clinch, chairman in this county for the U. S. treasury department. “The national drive officially ends on June 30,” Clinch said,, ‘but we have been advised by Washington that all Series E Savings Bonds purchased before July 16. will count toward our quota. “This gives us an opportunity, not only to meet our county’s quota, but to go over with a bang . . just as we did in every bond drive during the war years.” To date Nevada county has 91.8 per cent of its $49,000 quota. The series E savings bonds, of which Americans today hold a total of over $33 billion, can be purchased regularly through the payroll savings plan maintained by many companies, through the automatic bond-a-month plan at any bank, or from any post office or bank when neither of’ these plans is available. AIRLINE TO NEVADA CITY DENIED BY FEDERAL COMISSION Civil aeronautics commission n Washington, D.C., refused application of Southwest Airlines Grass Valley. The proposed line had been routed from Oakland to Reno via Concord, Auburn. Nevada City-Grass Valley and Portola. Highway Commission Apportions Federal Funds for Counties California highway commission apportioned $4,595,138 in federal road funds in compliance with a senate concurrent. resolution directing 87% per cent of the funds be spent on county roads. Funds were made available by the commission for grading and surfacing state route 20 and constructing a culvert at Squirrel creek, near Rough and Ready. The amount was $12,210. ENLISTS IN NAVY Norman E. Hoskins, son of John Charles Hoskins, 420 Commercial street, Nevada City, last week enlisted in the U. S. Navy at San Francisco. Hoskins, who was graduated from Nevada City high school this month, has been sent to the naval training center in San Diego for 12 weeks’ recruit trainman. returns from mananaland. ing. WAITKUS’ ASSAILANT CHICAGO, ILL.—Ruth Steinhagen, 19-year-old Chicago typist, arraigned on a charge of assault with attempt to commit murder, is shown in felony court talking to deputy bailiff Jennie DuBray (right). She shot and wounded Eddie Waitkus, star first baseman of the Philadelphia National League team. FIRE CONTROL TRAINING AT MILLER RANCH The Tahoe National Forest started 1949 fire control training yesterday at Miller Ranch ‘i the for a feeder line to Nevada City; Camptonville ranger district under the direction of Kieth Macdonald, fire control officer of the forest. Members of the Tahoe staff and other personel are participating in the important fire training. Ranger Hal Turner and Fire Control Assistant Nelson Stone are in charge of the training program. According to the program outlined by Macdonald, the following subjects will be covered during the four-day period: setting up fire camp; fire camp conduct and procedure; orientation: safety; radio policy and procedure; HT radio operation; fire line construction;: fire prevention; and large fire organization. Macdonald: announced tomorrow evening visitors will be »ex1 1 . mitted to view the work o fighting and control projects. House Resolution Is Help to State Parks Newton B. Drury, director of National Parks, Department of the Interior, replying to a Ietter from Mr. and Mrs. Val Baima, Nevada City, concerning study by the California Division of Beaches and Parks of the proposed Banner Mountain State Park, stated the national park service does not receive funds with which to participate in the development of state parks, Drury pledged the national park service’s cooperation in any way open to them, and added H. R. 1655, if enacted would authorize federal grants-in-aid to states for acquisition and development of systems of state. parks, FOREST SERVICE AGENT William F. Murray, regional fiscal agent of the forest service, made a routine visit to the headquarters of the Tahoe National Forest. ( Nevada County Write-Up in San Francisco News Nevada City, Nevada county, Grass Valley and the gold coun-’ try received about a page of publicity in Sunday’s edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. The article, slightly facetious and with an occasional patronizing tone, was written by Vance Bourjaily of the Chrnicle staff. Excerpts of the article: There’s still plenty of gold in Nevada county’s hills, and sometimes people pan for it, like the figure on the oat package in your grocery store. Gold mining is’ still the center of attraction there; the history of gold’s discovery is only a _ sideshow, a Chronicle motorlog reporter and photographer found. Gold panning might not work out for the week-end seeker; most gold comes from the established mines. There are certain quiet fields throughout Nevada county where busy communities once stood; but a ghost would find no silence to haunt in Grass Valley or Nevada City, the bustling twin towns where commercial life is centered. We left San Francisco just after 10:30 a.m. and found Sacramento hot and still. Beyond Roseville the road started rising. And as we approached Auburn, the air was cooler. At Auburn we turned left on Route 49; and Grass Valley was only 24 miles away. The road is splendidly paved and rises through pine-covered hills to the central towns. We checked in with the Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce and were provided with literature, a map of the town, and an introduction by phone to a gold mine. We drove out to the IdahoMaryland Mines to find that work had stopped at 3:30, but made _a date with Ernie Hammond of the office staff to be shown around the following morning. We learned in _ the course of our first chat with him that there is no arrangement for handling visitors; gold mines are ? Mill streets we found the house which the great goldfield trouper, Lola Montez, jbuilt for herself dangerous places if you don’t know what to watch out for, and the slim budgets on which they operate don’t provide for guides. The government-fixed price of gold hasn’t gone up along with labor and equipment costs, and as a further economy measure, the mine owners generally operate on a complex lease arrangement. Your best chance of seeing a gold mine is to dress the family up in miners’ hats and maintain you want to work the’ crew at 3100 feet. Back in Grass Valley we stopped in at the mansion that Captain John Kidder, founder of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad, built in 1883. The railroad made its last trip in 1942, the rails and equipment were converted to war use, and the house, which had become considerably run down, was broken up into apartments. On the corner of Walsh and in 1852; next door, in those days, o discovered, and proceeded to Nelived the Crabtree family; who sent their little daughter, Lotta, across the backyard to take dancing. lessons from the famous lady. At Lola’s, which is nearly hidden by untidy trees, an effort is made to get what value there is out of its historical interest. The old house is sagging, now,,. and only the large sign identifying it shows any evidence of recent paint. We rang the doorbell, over which was a notice to the effect visitors would be shown the house for a quarter. Eventually a thin, cheerful old lady came to the door: “Did you want to see Lola?” she said. We must have looked puzzled, “Some people think I’m Lola,” she explained. “And you never know, I might be.” We inspected the several old churches in Grass Valley, found the marker which shows where the first gold-bearing quartz was vada City, four miles away. Again we saw frequent motels and small lodgings, and in’ Nevada City are two fine old hotels: The National and the Deer Creek Inn. Beard and sideburn culture is a leading pursuit in the twin cities now as the inhabitants prepare for a centennial celebration to be held July 2, 3 and 4. The morning of the second day of our motorlog was spent at the Idaho-Maryland mines with Mr. Hammond, seeing the flotation mill, the elaborate hoist system, the offices and the saw mill where mine timbers are cut. We went off through Grass Valley, picking up Route 20 towards Marysville. We got off into the back country in search of a covered bridge, which we didn’t find; the country was pleasantly wooded in second-growth timber. Seven miles from Grass Valley stands the little town of Rough and Ready which once seceded from the union. Here Pat Shannon, who is virtual owner of the paper = tractive. roadside store, products of an art colony and weaving school are on sale along with curios and other sorts of to Nevada county from all over northern California to study. with *~ Axel Gravander who has set up his loom under Shannon’s roof, at Rough and Ready. : “We’re not so rough any more; Shannon said. “But we’re always. ready.” : The rest of the trip to Marysville was enlivened by a crosscountry jog to get some picture of gold dredging which is going on now along the Yuba river. You can see the dredgers from the highway in a number of places. A look at Timbucioo— if only to hold to the minimum requirement of one ghost town — per motorlog—where an. old brick store still stands, was our last’ side trip. Then back through the incred_ ibly hot valle town, has great plans for its fuy we came, by Route 24, to San Francisco. participants in the various fire . ture; he has established an at: where”: local handicraft. Weavers come

ENGLISH CHANNEL NEXT SOMERSET, MASS. — Shirley May Frances, 16, will attempt to swim the English Channel next month. Shirley now holds the women’s professional 5, 10, 12-mile swimming records. .Volume 22—No. 32 Tuesday, June 21, 1949 TRUMAN SIGNS ASSESSMENT MORATORIU antly. The bill suspends the requireleast $100 in labor or improvePLACER SUPERVISORS CRITICIZED BY GRAND JURY ON-ROAD WORK Placer county board of supervisors and the county road commissioner were criticized last week by the county grand jury on charges of failure to obtain approximately $82,000 in state matching road funds. The grand jury charged the failure to obtain the funds was apparently the result of carelessness, ignorance of: procedure and _ inadequate accounting. Foreman Hanford Crockard, Roseville, declared the board of supervisors and the county road commissioner were not sufficiently aware of what each other were doing. The situation was uncovered as the result of an audit of the books of the county road commissioner’s office, undertaken at the request of the grand jury. One of the recommendations of the auditor was a new and more adequate bookkeeping system be established in the road ‘commissioner’s office. Among the points brought out in the audit the county’s expenditure of $66,811.19 for truck rentals over a period of nine months. Crockard criticized this figure as too high, and pointed out nine~Warrants for truck rentals, amounting to approximately $35,000, had been paid without being signed by the purchasing agent. He recommended supervisors should not sign any warrents until they had been properly pre< pared and signed. The grand jury began an investigation into county road expenditures several months ago, following a report the road funds were largely exhausted. When asked whether the blame for the situation lay with the road commissioner or the supervisors, Crockard replied that all acts of the road commis-. sioner are done with the approval of the supervisors. The foreman declared the grand jury would continue to probe the matter until it was cleared up and rectified. He stated some of the money which the county could have collected was now uncollectible. because ‘of the time element but expressed the belief that a good percentage would be collected if the proper procedure was folments on all mining claims on public lands. An act of May 3, 1943, made the first suspension just for the period of hostilities. Continued suspensions have been voted since then. “While I have reluctantly approved another one year extension,” President Truman said in a statement, “I believe that any further extension of the suspension of the assessment work requirement would be detrimental to the public interest.” He stated the requirement has appeared in public domain: mining laws since 1872 and was designed to “prevent persons from hindering the development of the minerals in the public lands then performing no work to develop them or to produce the minerals.” He said it is certainly in the public interest, in view of the present shortage of minerals, that idleness on mineral claims be allowed no ionger than is necessary. The president noted the senate committee on interior and_insular affairs is planning a study looking to general revision and unification of mining. laws. GEORGE HUDSON SENT TO SAN QUENTIN FOR CATTLE RUSTLING George A. Hudson, who was found guilty of cattle rustling in Nevada county superior court was sentenced to San Quentin Friday by Judge James Snell. George follows his_ brother, Frank, to prison for stealing and butchering of a 1,000-pound steer belonging to Guy N. Robinson of Indian Springs April 8. Frank entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced to San Quentin las month. George, the older of the two, pleaded not guilty and askéd for a trial. Robert C. Schiffner, Nevada City attorney, was appointed defense counsel. Motion for a new trial was denied by Judge Snell. District Attorney Vernon Stoll prosecuted the trial. HERE FROM CULVER CITY Mr. and Mrs. V. J. Nugent, who recently sold their cabinet shop in Culver City, are visiting here with her father, Al Huson. He served in the air force as a lowed. President Harry S. Truman Friday signed a bill extending for another year beyond July 1 the wartime suspension of annual assessment work on minihg claims. He said he did so reluctment for an expenditure of at by making mining claims andcock, 18, Oakboro, N.C. (center) NEVADA CITY (Nevada County) CALIFORNIA ESSAY WINNERS MEET PRESIDENT TRUMAN WASHINGTON, D.C.—President Truman greets Blevyn Hathford, Ala., winners of an essay contest sponsored by a Southern Agriculture Magazine. The president discussed farming with them. and Buster McLain, 18, of CrawB, ROBINSON BUYS RICHFIELD AGENCY IN GY. Beryl Robinson, Richfield station distributor for a period of 15 years, announced his purchase of the MHooper-Richfield plant and business in Grass Valley together with the Richfield franchise that covers western Nevada county and portions of Sierra and Yuba counties. Robinson has been in charge of operations since the first of the month, but date of sale was last Thursday. Purchase of the Hooper-Richfield tanks, warehouse, offices and equipment on South Auburn street was made from Frank Hooper of Grass Valley, who has been identified with Richfield products. distribution in this area for about 20 years. Robinson has sold his Sacramento street service station in Nevada City to Charles Thomas, who had been with him as station assistant for 10 years. At the Grass Vaiiey territory Richfield offices, the staff will include Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, the latter the bookkeeper and a tank truck driver. Otis Briley Suffers Severe Injuries In Automobile Accident Otis Briley, 18, North San Juan, suffered a fractured leg and severe head injuries Sunday evening when he was struck by a car driven by Hubert Francis Jackson, Grass Valley. Jackson was not held. Briley is reported in fair condition at Miner’s hospital. Planning Commission Will Meet Tonight Nevada County Planning Commission will meet tonight at 7:30 o’clock in county courthouse, according to John Fortier, chaircaptain during the war. 2 PER CENT OF VALUE OF NATIONAL FOREST A bill to pay counties annually two per cent of the “fair value” of national forests in their boundaries is being considered by the senate public lands committee. A hearing. on the measure by Senator Cordon, Republican of Oregon, has been completed by a subcommittee headed by Senator Anderson, Democrat of New Mexico. The subcommittee’s recommendation will not be made public until the full committee has acted. Senator Cordon, however, indicated during the hearing that he would be satisfied with a one per cent payment. The agriculture department considers three fourths cf one per cent enough. Chief Forestér Lyle Watts told the committee that would approximate the 25 per cent of gross forest revenues now turned back to the counties. The senate last year passed Cordon’s bill to provide a one per cent fixed payment. The House Public Lands Committee approved it. but. Congress adjourned before the measure came up for a vote. Two Fires Do Little Damage Here Sunday Half an acre of timber land was destroyed by fire Sunday at Scott’s Flat dam, before it was brought under control by crews from state forestry office and Tahoe national forest headquarters. A second fire later in the day at Squirrel Creek dump was controlled before it had done any damage. TO MEXICO CITY Miss Eileen Mair, for the past three years an office employe at headquarters of Tahoe National Forest, left Sunday with friends for a month of holidaying in Mexico City. She plans to locate in the bay area when she MAY BE PAID COUNTIES COUNTY GAINS 1.3 PER CENT OF BOND QUOTA Nevada county will reach its goal in the current U. S. savings bonds “Opportunity Drive” if those who have not signed up for bonds do so before July 16, it was predicted today by C. R. Clinch, chairman in this county for the U. S. treasury department. “The national drive officially ends on June 30,” Clinch said,, ‘but we have been advised by Washington that all Series E Savings Bonds purchased before July 16. will count toward our quota. “This gives us an opportunity, not only to meet our county’s quota, but to go over with a bang . . just as we did in every bond drive during the war years.” To date Nevada county has 91.8 per cent of its $49,000 quota. The series E savings bonds, of which Americans today hold a total of over $33 billion, can be purchased regularly through the payroll savings plan maintained by many companies, through the automatic bond-a-month plan at any bank, or from any post office or bank when neither of’ these

plans is available. AIRLINE TO NEVADA CITY DENIED BY FEDERAL COMISSION Civil aeronautics commission n Washington, D.C., refused application of Southwest Airlines Grass Valley. The proposed line had been routed from Oakland to Reno via Concord, Auburn. Nevada City-Grass Valley and Portola. Highway Commission Apportions Federal Funds for Counties California highway commission apportioned $4,595,138 in federal road funds in compliance with a senate concurrent. resolution directing 87% per cent of the funds be spent on county roads. Funds were made available by the commission for grading and surfacing state route 20 and constructing a culvert at Squirrel creek, near Rough and Ready. The amount was $12,210. ENLISTS IN NAVY Norman E. Hoskins, son of John Charles Hoskins, 420 Commercial street, Nevada City, last week enlisted in the U. S. Navy at San Francisco. Hoskins, who was graduated from Nevada City high school this month, has been sent to the naval training center in San Diego for 12 weeks’ recruit trainman. returns from mananaland. ing. WAITKUS’ ASSAILANT CHICAGO, ILL.—Ruth Steinhagen, 19-year-old Chicago typist, arraigned on a charge of assault with attempt to commit murder, is shown in felony court talking to deputy bailiff Jennie DuBray (right). She shot and wounded Eddie Waitkus, star first baseman of the Philadelphia National League team. FIRE CONTROL TRAINING AT MILLER RANCH The Tahoe National Forest started 1949 fire control training yesterday at Miller Ranch ‘i the for a feeder line to Nevada City; Camptonville ranger district under the direction of Kieth Macdonald, fire control officer of the forest. Members of the Tahoe staff and other personel are participating in the important fire training. Ranger Hal Turner and Fire Control Assistant Nelson Stone are in charge of the training program. According to the program outlined by Macdonald, the following subjects will be covered during the four-day period: setting up fire camp; fire camp conduct and procedure; orientation: safety; radio policy and procedure; HT radio operation; fire line construction;: fire prevention; and large fire organization. Macdonald: announced tomorrow evening visitors will be »ex1 1 . mitted to view the work o fighting and control projects. House Resolution Is Help to State Parks Newton B. Drury, director of National Parks, Department of the Interior, replying to a Ietter from Mr. and Mrs. Val Baima, Nevada City, concerning study by the California Division of Beaches and Parks of the proposed Banner Mountain State Park, stated the national park service does not receive funds with which to participate in the development of state parks, Drury pledged the national park service’s cooperation in any way open to them, and added H. R. 1655, if enacted would authorize federal grants-in-aid to states for acquisition and development of systems of state. parks, FOREST SERVICE AGENT William F. Murray, regional fiscal agent of the forest service, made a routine visit to the headquarters of the Tahoe National Forest. ( Nevada County Write-Up in San Francisco News Nevada City, Nevada county, Grass Valley and the gold coun-’ try received about a page of publicity in Sunday’s edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. The article, slightly facetious and with an occasional patronizing tone, was written by Vance Bourjaily of the Chrnicle staff. Excerpts of the article: There’s still plenty of gold in Nevada county’s hills, and sometimes people pan for it, like the figure on the oat package in your grocery store. Gold mining is’ still the center of attraction there; the history of gold’s discovery is only a _ sideshow, a Chronicle motorlog reporter and photographer found. Gold panning might not work out for the week-end seeker; most gold comes from the established mines. There are certain quiet fields throughout Nevada county where busy communities once stood; but a ghost would find no silence to haunt in Grass Valley or Nevada City, the bustling twin towns where commercial life is centered. We left San Francisco just after 10:30 a.m. and found Sacramento hot and still. Beyond Roseville the road started rising. And as we approached Auburn, the air was cooler. At Auburn we turned left on Route 49; and Grass Valley was only 24 miles away. The road is splendidly paved and rises through pine-covered hills to the central towns. We checked in with the Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce and were provided with literature, a map of the town, and an introduction by phone to a gold mine. We drove out to the IdahoMaryland Mines to find that work had stopped at 3:30, but made _a date with Ernie Hammond of the office staff to be shown around the following morning. We learned in _ the course of our first chat with him that there is no arrangement for handling visitors; gold mines are ? Mill streets we found the house which the great goldfield trouper, Lola Montez, jbuilt for herself dangerous places if you don’t know what to watch out for, and the slim budgets on which they operate don’t provide for guides. The government-fixed price of gold hasn’t gone up along with labor and equipment costs, and as a further economy measure, the mine owners generally operate on a complex lease arrangement. Your best chance of seeing a gold mine is to dress the family up in miners’ hats and maintain you want to work the’ crew at 3100 feet. Back in Grass Valley we stopped in at the mansion that Captain John Kidder, founder of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad, built in 1883. The railroad made its last trip in 1942, the rails and equipment were converted to war use, and the house, which had become considerably run down, was broken up into apartments. On the corner of Walsh and in 1852; next door, in those days, o discovered, and proceeded to Nelived the Crabtree family; who sent their little daughter, Lotta, across the backyard to take dancing. lessons from the famous lady. At Lola’s, which is nearly hidden by untidy trees, an effort is made to get what value there is out of its historical interest. The old house is sagging, now,,. and only the large sign identifying it shows any evidence of recent paint. We rang the doorbell, over which was a notice to the effect visitors would be shown the house for a quarter. Eventually a thin, cheerful old lady came to the door: “Did you want to see Lola?” she said. We must have looked puzzled, “Some people think I’m Lola,” she explained. “And you never know, I might be.” We inspected the several old churches in Grass Valley, found the marker which shows where the first gold-bearing quartz was vada City, four miles away. Again we saw frequent motels and small lodgings, and in’ Nevada City are two fine old hotels: The National and the Deer Creek Inn. Beard and sideburn culture is a leading pursuit in the twin cities now as the inhabitants prepare for a centennial celebration to be held July 2, 3 and 4. The morning of the second day of our motorlog was spent at the Idaho-Maryland mines with Mr. Hammond, seeing the flotation mill, the elaborate hoist system, the offices and the saw mill where mine timbers are cut. We went off through Grass Valley, picking up Route 20 towards Marysville. We got off into the back country in search of a covered bridge, which we didn’t find; the country was pleasantly wooded in second-growth timber. Seven miles from Grass Valley stands the little town of Rough and Ready which once seceded from the union. Here Pat Shannon, who is virtual owner of the paper = tractive. roadside store, products of an art colony and weaving school are on sale along with curios and other sorts of to Nevada county from all over northern California to study. with *~ Axel Gravander who has set up his loom under Shannon’s roof, at Rough and Ready. : “We’re not so rough any more; Shannon said. “But we’re always. ready.” : The rest of the trip to Marysville was enlivened by a crosscountry jog to get some picture of gold dredging which is going on now along the Yuba river. You can see the dredgers from the highway in a number of places. A look at Timbucioo— if only to hold to the minimum requirement of one ghost town — per motorlog—where an. old brick store still stands, was our last’ side trip. Then back through the incred_ ibly hot valle town, has great plans for its fuy we came, by Route 24, to San Francisco. participants in the various fire . ture; he has established an at: where”: local handicraft. Weavers come