December 15, 1971 (12 pages)

G The Nevada County ‘Nu soba iW eyees an income of over a thousand dollars aday, geet, We es December 15 1971 roy -.§ (Continued from last week) PART XXXIV It was nightfall when the little party reached its destination, and its members met with a most hospitable welcome from the landlady of the hotel, for whom the town was named. Mike's friend Hanchett was also on hand to add his welcome, he having been forewarned of the expected visit. The town was in marked contrast to their own quiet hamlet. The mines were rich and extensive, and some two thousand miners were busy along the. mountain-side, burrowing like so many gophers in the old channel. One would judge by the first glance at the business section, comprised in one long street, that withal it was a thirsty population. The principal and only thoroughfare was as usual named Main Street, ninety-nine out of a hundred of the mining towns so dubbing the highway along which the stores, hotels, etc., were strung, displaying a poverty of invention in marked contrast to the picturesque nomenclature of the towns themselves. Cross streets were impossible, as the camp, clung precariously to the steep mountainside and the first impression was that it would require but'a slight momentum to send it all sliding down into the river. However, its location had not been chosen for the advantage it offered as a town site,the yellow metal was there in seemingly inexhaustible quantities, and the town itself was but a secondary consideration. Given the hotel, the express office, and the merchandise stores as a center, there stretched away on either side drinking and gambling saloons by the score, all thronged after nightfall and crowded by a motley multitude, seeking the only distraction offered, convivial libations to Bacchus or the more fascinating wooing of the Goddess of Chance, who spread her nets in many different guises, from the more aristocratic faro and monte games to the boisterous rondo and keno, If: business was: somewhat slack during the weekdays there was’ an: ddded impetus on ‘Saturday nights and Sundays when the miners knocked off ‘work and plunged into rollicking participation in the pleasurable attractions, Usually they were a good-natured lot, and quarrels were infrequent except among the gambling fraternity themselves, but the peace and quiet was occasionally broken by some assertive and quarrelsome desperado, who in his cups sought, in the slang of the day, to clean out a fandango house, or appease his fighting instinct by the sacrifice of a rival rough. These encounters were too frequent to produce more than a ripple of interest beyond the comment that some sport had "died'with his boots on." Sitting ori the porch of the hotel, Rance was reminded of his .adventure with the dog and his encounter with the "bad" element, and incidentally wondered what had become of Brant’ whom it will be recalled, he had met on that occasion. Hanchett, who insisted upon being the host of the party in his role of Mi‘:e's friend and the leading citizen, grew enthusiastic as to the fu.ure of the place and reminiscent over its history. It was amusing to listen to this beardless boy, just reaching the age of manhood, dilate upon the discovery, growth, and importance of the town, of which by right of his luck or enterprise he was the chief factor. Scarcely a year had passed since, abandoning a worked-out claim over on Kanaka Creek, he had started ona prospecting trip, stumbled on these rich deposits, and was now the recipient of with every indication that the Paradise claims, as he had named them, would hold out indefinitely. These, however, were commonplaces and were “matched by hundreds of equally fortunate finds along the old stream. "The boys have decided upon having a week's holiday,"’ he informed the listeners, -"horse races, foot races, jackass fights, a turkey shoot, etc; and to round it all, a theatrical company will give nightly performances in the town hall, They have billed for production tragedy, comedy, and farce, "The Favorite of the Foothills," Sue Robinson, is the leading woman, and the miners all swear by ber. She paid the boys a visit in their claims yesterday, and they taught her how to wash a pan of dirt. You can bet that they fixed it for her to get a good prospect and I reckon she had four or five ounces when she got through making her rounds. The joke of it is that she plays that little game in every camp that the troupe shows in, and they do say that. she ———— TT te ee ———— _ I errs cere ene ee ee has more of an income from that source than from her salary. What difference does it make? They don't begrudge it and are willing to pay the price for the pleasure the visit gives them, "Yes, but about racing," interjected Rance, "To run a race there has to be a track, and where can you make one anywhere about here? There is not a level spot in sight of the place." "Oh, we've got a track up on the ridge going to Snow Point. To be sure, there are a few humps in it, but it's straight away wo, UT for a .quarter of a. mile and that is needed," replied Hanchett.’ "Don't worry, the boys are thoroughbreds if the horses are not, and you will see good sport before the week is over." "That is all right, we will all enjoy it; but the race horses, where do they come from?" queried Rance. "Iheard that Moore's Flat was noted for its fast stock." "That is easy," Hanchett informed him. "We have got one horse here that is hard to beat, and he belongs to me. He's called ‘Honest John Wagner,’ and I bought him at Nevada City after he had fooled aJl the gamblers in that section. If you want to rile a Nevada sport, mention that horse to him and you can have a fight on your hands in a minute. As for our racing stock, we were a little puzzled at first; but I happened to remember old man Hennessy who keeps the stables at San Juan. No better judge of horse flesh in the state than that same Hennessy, who quit the seat of a New York cab'to try his fortune here and naturally fell into the livery business, Our roads are all trails, so his stock are saddle animals principally, and he has picked up from emigrants from Kentucky, Missouri, and other Western States a lot of horses of superior breed, pedigree, and endurance. We made a bargain with him to bring a dozen to the Flat and we would match them to suit ourselves, guaranteeing him a handsome percentage of the stakes and putting him on his honor not to reveal to any one his knowledge of their speed. He brought them up two or three days ago and there isn't a shoe-string gambler in the camp that has not tried to bribe him to give a line on their respective qualities; but he has scorned their dirty money. To all he has said, 'I will not spile sport. I may have me own opinion, but it's to mesilf I'll kape it until after the race is run'; and I believe the old fellow will stick to his word," “Talking about these gamblers, did you hear how they were all cleaned out a couple of months ago at the-county seat? No? It happened this way, A rough old cattleman from the plains drove a bunch of steers into Nevada City, which he disposed of to the local butchers for cash, He rode a goodlooking mare, putting it up in the livery stable, and after the . sale he proceeded to fill up on tanglefoot, becoming quite boastful as to the ability of his riding animal to beat anything on four legs in the county, and offering to wager a thousand dollars to back his opinion. Like all the foothill mining camps, ee ee eee EE ES igh 's

G The Nevada County ‘Nu soba iW eyees an income of over a thousand dollars aday, geet, We es December 15 1971 roy -.§ (Continued from last week) PART XXXIV It was nightfall when the little party reached its destination, and its members met with a most hospitable welcome from the landlady of the hotel, for whom the town was named. Mike's friend Hanchett was also on hand to add his welcome, he having been forewarned of the expected visit. The town was in marked contrast to their own quiet hamlet. The mines were rich and extensive, and some two thousand miners were busy along the. mountain-side, burrowing like so many gophers in the old channel. One would judge by the first glance at the business section, comprised in one long street, that withal it was a thirsty population. The principal and only thoroughfare was as usual named Main Street, ninety-nine out of a hundred of the mining towns so dubbing the highway along which the stores, hotels, etc., were strung, displaying a poverty of invention in marked contrast to the picturesque nomenclature of the towns themselves. Cross streets were impossible, as the camp, clung precariously to the steep mountainside and the first impression was that it would require but'a slight momentum to send it all sliding down into the river. However, its location had not been chosen for the advantage it offered as a town site,the yellow metal was there in seemingly inexhaustible quantities, and the town itself was but a secondary consideration. Given the hotel, the express office, and the merchandise stores as a center, there stretched away on either side drinking and gambling saloons by the score, all thronged after nightfall and crowded by a motley multitude, seeking the only distraction offered, convivial libations to Bacchus or the more fascinating wooing of the Goddess of Chance, who spread her nets in many different guises, from the more aristocratic faro and monte games to the boisterous rondo and keno, If: business was: somewhat slack during the weekdays there was’ an: ddded impetus on ‘Saturday nights and Sundays when the miners knocked off ‘work and plunged into rollicking participation in the pleasurable attractions, Usually they were a good-natured lot, and quarrels were infrequent except among the gambling fraternity themselves, but the peace and quiet was occasionally broken by some assertive and quarrelsome desperado, who in his cups sought, in the slang of the day, to clean out a fandango house, or appease his fighting instinct by the sacrifice of a rival rough. These encounters were too frequent to produce more than a ripple of interest beyond the comment that some sport had "died'with his boots on." Sitting ori the porch of the hotel, Rance was reminded of his .adventure with the dog and his encounter with the "bad" element, and incidentally wondered what had become of Brant’ whom it will be recalled, he had met on that occasion. Hanchett, who insisted upon being the host of the party in his role of Mi‘:e's friend and the leading citizen, grew enthusiastic as to the fu.ure of the place and reminiscent over its history. It was amusing to listen to this beardless boy, just reaching the age of manhood, dilate upon the discovery, growth, and importance of the town, of which by right of his luck or enterprise he was the chief factor. Scarcely a year had passed since, abandoning a worked-out claim over on Kanaka Creek, he had started ona prospecting trip, stumbled on these rich deposits, and was now the recipient of with every indication that the Paradise claims, as he had named them, would hold out indefinitely. These, however, were commonplaces and were “matched by hundreds of equally fortunate finds along the old stream.

"The boys have decided upon having a week's holiday,"’ he informed the listeners, -"horse races, foot races, jackass fights, a turkey shoot, etc; and to round it all, a theatrical company will give nightly performances in the town hall, They have billed for production tragedy, comedy, and farce, "The Favorite of the Foothills," Sue Robinson, is the leading woman, and the miners all swear by ber. She paid the boys a visit in their claims yesterday, and they taught her how to wash a pan of dirt. You can bet that they fixed it for her to get a good prospect and I reckon she had four or five ounces when she got through making her rounds. The joke of it is that she plays that little game in every camp that the troupe shows in, and they do say that. she ———— TT te ee ———— _ I errs cere ene ee ee has more of an income from that source than from her salary. What difference does it make? They don't begrudge it and are willing to pay the price for the pleasure the visit gives them, "Yes, but about racing," interjected Rance, "To run a race there has to be a track, and where can you make one anywhere about here? There is not a level spot in sight of the place." "Oh, we've got a track up on the ridge going to Snow Point. To be sure, there are a few humps in it, but it's straight away wo, UT for a .quarter of a. mile and that is needed," replied Hanchett..’ "Don't worry, the boys are thoroughbreds if the horses are not, and you will see good sport before the week is over." "That is all right, we will all enjoy it; but the race horses, where do they come from?" queried Rance. "Iheard that Moore's Flat was noted for its fast stock." "That is easy," Hanchett informed him. "We have got one horse here that is hard to beat, and he belongs to me. He's called ‘Honest John Wagner,’ and I bought him at Nevada City after he had fooled aJl the gamblers in that section. If you want to rile a Nevada sport, mention that horse to him and you can have a fight on your hands in a minute. As for our racing stock, we were a little puzzled at first; but I happened to remember old man Hennessy who keeps the stables at San Juan. No better judge of horse flesh in the state than that same Hennessy, who quit the seat of a New York cab'to try his fortune here and naturally fell into the livery business, Our roads are all trails, so his stock are saddle animals principally, and he has picked up from emigrants from Kentucky, Missouri, and other Western States a lot of horses of superior breed, pedigree, and endurance. We made a bargain with him to bring a dozen to the Flat and we would match them to suit ourselves, guaranteeing him a handsome percentage of the stakes and putting him on his honor not to reveal to any one his knowledge of their speed. He brought them up two or three days ago and there isn't a shoe-string gambler in the camp that has not tried to bribe him to give a line on their respective qualities; but he has scorned their dirty money. To all he has said, 'I will not spile sport. I may have me own opinion, but it's to mesilf I'll kape it until after the race is run'; and I believe the old fellow will stick to his word," “Talking about these gamblers, did you hear how they were all cleaned out a couple of months ago at the-county seat? No? It happened this way, A rough old cattleman from the plains drove a bunch of steers into Nevada City, which he disposed of to the local butchers for cash, He rode a goodlooking mare, putting it up in the livery stable, and after the . sale he proceeded to fill up on tanglefoot, becoming quite boastful as to the ability of his riding animal to beat anything on four legs in the county, and offering to wager a thousand dollars to back his opinion. Like all the foothill mining camps, ee ee eee EE ES igh 's