[Adolph Sutro, A Trip to Washoe, from the San Francisco Daily Alta California, April 11 and 14, 1860]

 

A Trip to Washoe.

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BY ADOLPH SUTRO.

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SAN FRANCISCO, April 8, 1860.

            Although many before me have laid their experience in Washoe before the public, I feel induced by the interest felt in this new El Dorado, to give also my own, hoping that it will prove acceptable to some persons who intend to take a trip thither.

            From San Francisco to Placerville, the journey is accomplished by the Sacramento boat, the cars to Folsom, and from then by stage; passengers arriving about twenty-four hours after leaving San Francisco.

FROM PLACERVILLE TO STRAWBERRY.

            We left Placerville on the morning of the 20th ult., at 3 o'clock, some three hours before daylight, in one of the Pioneer Company's stages, and arrived at Sportsman's Hall, eleven miles out, at 7 A.M., when a good breakfast was set before us. From here the road passes over hills covered with pine trees, until we reached Junction Hill, the highest point this side of the main summit of the Sierra Nevada. From here a magnificent view of the Sacramento Valley, and the Coast Range, may be had in clear weather. The road to Brockliss' Bridge is good, and we enjoyed the beautiful scenery at this spot, when the South Fork of the American River is first struck. After crossing the bridge, we had to walk up a very steep hill, for some two miles—the horses barely being able to drag up the empty stage. After being fairly seated again, we reached "Pete's," twenty miles out of Placerville.

            From here our course leads around the hills, or what is called the Grade, a narrow road cut out on the side of the hills, just about wide enough for two wagons to pass; it follows the general direction of the river, which is seen from 500 to 1,000 feet below, foaming and rushing along over rocks, the water as clear as crystal. From Pete's to Strawberry, the distance is thirty miles, and we had to keep shifting ballast by leaning out to the right or left at the command of the driver, to keep the stage from upsetting; every now and then, we had to get out and walk a mile or two, to enable the horses to get through. After being crammed in the stage all day, jostled and thrown about, we arrived at Strawberry at six P.M., almost worn out.

STRAWBERRY VALLEY.

            Strawberry Valley contains one house, kept by Berry & Crossby, who try to make travelers as comfortable as circumstances will admit. They set an excellent table and have good beds ; but the house is usually so crowded that it is difficult to get a place to sit down. The main room contains an immense fireplace, when they put on pieces of wood five feet long and sometimes two feet thick ; and the fire throws out such heat that a person cannot come within ten feet of it. I asked the landlord why he made such a tremendous fire, to which he answered that it was to prevent people from crouching close round the fire, and give all a chance to warm up, by sitting on benches around the walls of the room.

CROSSING THE SUMMIT.

            After a good night's rest we got up on our mules, which are furnished by the stage company, and continued our journey. From Strawberry to the Summit the distance is nine miles, and there is a gradual rise until the highest point is reached. The snow all along here was from two to ten feet in depth, but the road at the same time was in excellent condition, the night before having been cold and the ground all frozen. On reaching the Summit the descent commences into Lake Valley, following round the side of a very steep mountain, which point is the only dangerous one on the whole route, on account of the snow-slides which take place here very frequently, and which carry with them many tons of rocks ; and should an unfortunate traveler be caught by one, it will carry him and the animal down a dizzy height and crush him to atoms. After descending about half a mile, Lake Bigler comes in view to the northward, a beautiful sheet of water, some thirty-six miles long and fifteen miles broad. Taking a good look at it we continued our march downwards, and arrived soon in the valley, at the only house there, called the "Lake Valley House." From here we looked back, and up to the top of the mountain we had descended. Thousands of tons of rock seem to lie loose on its sides, apparently ready to come thundering down the immense height, carrying destruction to whatever they should meet on their way. It is very dangerous to meet a pack train on this descent, as the path in some places is so narrow as not to allow two to pass each other; it is therefore well to call out loud, to warn persons from a distance that somebody is coming. From the Lake Valley House the road leads up another mountain, nearly as steep as the former one, but much easier traveled. Descending this one we arrived at Hope Valley, when the snow was some five feet in depth, and soft in many places, when the mules sank and could with difficulty get through. After a weary ride of ten hours we arrived at Woodford's, distance 23 miles from Strawberry. The highest point, or the summit, is 7,500 feet above the level of the sea. Lake Bigler is nearly 6,000. The summit divides the waters of the eastern and western slope. The trail from Brockliss' Bridge to the summit follows pretty nearly the headwaters of the American River. From Lake Valley it follows down Carson River to the Virginia mines. From this it is apparent that the early immigrants followed up Carson River after striking it, and then followed down the American to the Sacramento.

CARSON VALLEY.

            Woodford's is at the head of Carson Valley; the main house was burned down some tine ago, and we had to manage the best way we could. I got hold of a bunk in a blacksmith's shop adjoining, which I shared with another, and for which privilege we had to pay two dollars. The meals furnished here were rather poor, but this was on account of all the provisions having been burned. Woodford is an excellent fellow, and excused himself a thousand times that he had no sugar, but we put molasses in our coffee instead. At the next stopping place they had no butter, and so we fell back again on molasses, and used it in the place of butter. I have always noticed that molasses is a great article in a new country, and it will take the place of almost anything. But let us continue our journey. We left Woodford's at six o'clock next morning, for Genoa, a distance of 13 miles. The road follows the side of the hills of Carson Valley, through an apparently fruitful country. Every acre seems to be taken up, to judge from the substantial fences which line the road. Genoa, is a small town, formerly a Mormon settlement ; it lies under a steep hill covered with pine trees, and the spot is rather prepossessing in appearance. Fourteen miles further along Carson Valley brought us to Carson City.

CARSON CITY.

            This place is to be the metropolis of the new Territory. It lies in a continuation of Carson Valley, called Eagle Valley; the ground is a perfect plain. Two miles back from the city rise the hills, which are partly covered with pine trees, among which the only lumber mill in the district is located. This mill was lately bought by two San Francisco gentlemen, who, in all probability, have made a very handsome speculation. Carson City contains at present about seventy-five houses, which are mostly used for hotels and restaurants, very few stores being there as yet, on account of the difficulty of bringing merchandise across the mountains. There is considerable speculation in town lots, and persons owning property will paint to you, in glowing terms, the importance of the place and its future greatness.

            That morning we left in the stage for Virginia City, and the great mining district. Two miles out of Carson, the smell of sulphur, caused by some boiling hot spring not far from the road, attracted our attention. The next place we came to is called Nick's, where the hills rise again, and we enter the mining district.

THE MINING DISTRICT.

            The hills here are all barren and rocky, covered with sage brush ; not a tree, except some dwarf pines is to be seen. Soon we entered a cañon, following up which to the northward, brought us to the first settlement called Silver City; there are some good claims here, and the leads of quartz can be seen cropping out of some of the hills. A little farther up the cañon, we arrived at the "Devil's Gate," a curious name I thought, taking the sulphur smell, and "Nick's" in addition to it. The "Devil's Gate" is a remarkable spot, the rocks are some hundreds of feet high, and are split right in two, leaving room enough for wagons to pass through. The rocks overhang the road and threaten to come tumbling down on the traveler's devoted head ; from here the cañon becomes deeper, and the hills rise steep and high on the sides of it. Another two miles to the northward brought us to Gold Hill district, where the celebrated Gold Hill claims and many other rich claims are located ; from here we had to leave the stage and walk up a high hill, from which we soon reached.

VIRGINIA CITY.

            Virginia City is located on the eastern slope of a range of hills, which run from north to south, and which contains the far famed Comstock lead. The streets run parallel with the lead, and there are three of them laid out, A, B, and C streets ; lots running from street to street, being one hundred feet in depth. No cross streets are provided for. Half a dozen stone houses, built last fall, some twenty-five wooden houses and several hundred tents, make the town. On entering the town, a motley crowd met our view, rough, hardy looking men, (their faces covered with beards) with blue or red woolen shirts; and when we came to look closely we would recognise many a San Francisco gent, who formerly sported a standing collar and twisted moustache, apparently well satisfied with the new country.

THE EXCHANGE.

            The uppermost street is called the "Exchange," for the "honest miners," and the "speculators," and the "sharpers," and everybody else meet there to trade in claims, swap them off for others, "bull and bear" mining stock, take in some greenhorn, and, after all, transact considerable bona fide business. Some days, the trade consummated on the Exchange, would well compare with the transactions on Front street ; but when there is such a mixed crowd of people, there must naturally be a good deal of humbug.

MODE OF LIVING.

            The living is somewhat of the '49 style in California. There are very fair eating houses, where everything that the market affords, is provided. I am sorry to say that the market affords but very little; beef, pork, beans, and rice are the staples, but most of them have given out by this time. The water is bad, it looks milky and contains alkali and copper ; yet people drink it, and eat what they can get with more relish than they would the greatest delicacies in the cities ; the fresh, invigorating air giving a glorious appetite.

[To be continued.]

 

A Trip to Washoe—By Adolph Sutro

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(Concluded).

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CLASSIFICATION OF CLAIMS.

            The different claims may be divided into three classes.  Firstly, those where there is a well developed vein which has been opened on top, a tunnel struck some distance down, and rich ore found throughout; this is valued at from $200 to $1,000 per foot, and more, according to the richness of the ore. Secondly, such claims which adjoin those of the first class, or which lie on the same vein, but have not been opened yet, and their value, therefore, not established for certain, are held at from $50 to $200 per foot; and thirdly, those claims which are on outside veins, about which nothing at all is known, except that the out-croppings contain the

INDICATIONS OF SILVER,

And sometimes not even that ; these are held at from 50 cents to $50 per foot, according to the locality and circumstances. " Indication" is a great word in Washoe; everybody talks about indications, dreams about them, and everything that occurs is mentioned as an indication of something. To explain the term more properly I will say, that most every prospector carries two vials, one filled with nitric acid, the other with a solution of common salt ; a quarts vein is found, a piece broken off, pounded up, boiled in acid, filtered, and now comes the test : a few drops of solution of salt poured in, and if white clouds or a white sublimate forms, there is the " indication" of silver. The claim is taken up, notices posted, recorded, and it is considered that it " might" prove valuable.

FIRST ASSESSMENT.

            The next step is to levy the first assessment, which, generally, is five cents per foot. In a company holding 2,500 feet, this gives $75, which is sufficient to buy a pick, a shovel, a wheelbarrow, and to employ two men to commence work by going down from the top. If the prospect of silver continues, it is concluded to be worth while to commence a tunnel, which is rather slow work, as only two men can be employed at it, one to pick, and the other to wheel the earth and rock out. Up to this time, some member of the company is only elected as foreman, to superintend the work, but as soon as the vein is struck and proves rich, a meeting of the stockholders is held, a President, Trustees, and Secretary are elected, by-laws for their government are made, and the company regularly organised.

THE SPECULATION IN CLAIMS

Is greatest in those of the second class; those of the first class have an established value, at least to some extent, as their richness is known, and the price only varies according to the notions of the buyer or seller; but the excitement about claims, where a tunnel is being run, and where the vein is expected to be struck from day to day, is really wonderful; it resembles the feeling a person must have, who risks a large sum on a gaming table : every now and then some person interested comes rushing along on the " exchange," with a handful of indications "which conclusively show the approach to" the veins ; out come the magnifying glasses, with one of which every Washoeite is armed, the matter is discussed, and up goes the stocks $10 or $20 per foot ; daily the interest grows until it reaches fever heat, and at last the crisis comes ; the owners will know whether they are millionaires or beggars ; a report flashes through town like lightning ; the vein has been struck in such and such a claim, and proves rich ; in a moment it is valued at from $500 to $1,000 per foot, and the proprietors consider that they have made their fortune.

SHARPERS

            Are always on the look-out to find out about claims when the tunnel has nearly reached the vein ; they visit them daily, and have persons to report to them immediately the great occurrence ; a list of all the owners in the company is made out beforehand, and as soon as the fact becomes known to them, they rush off to buy an interest wherever it can be found, and even have agents in San Francisco, to whom the news is telegraphed immediately, and who set out to see every person owning in said claims, and who are glad to sell at an advanced price, while, they are not getting one-quarter the value.

SCARCITY OF MONEY.

            Every claim may be said to have an established market value ; but somebody is sure to be "hard up," every now-and-then, and offer a share below price; he cannot help himself, for although he may own any number of "feet," he has not the ready cash to pay his assessments and his board, and has to make a "raise." Others owning in the same claim dislike to see it huckstered about, and would like to buy it up in order to get it out of the market, but since they have not the ready cash, some outsider gets the bargain. It is rather astonishing to see this great scarcity of money, when it is a well known fact that at least half a million of dollars have actually been paid already for Washoe claims ; but this can easily be explained : very little of this money has found its way to the mining country ; the amounts, when paid in San Francisco from one banker to another, by order of the buyer and seller, never leave the city.

THE PRINCIPAL TOWN

Will, in all likelihood, be Virginia, at least for the first year, as the most claims are located there, and the persons owning and working these will have to reside there. But eventually Carson will probably take the lead. It is amusing to see the jealousy existing between the two places. At Carson people will tell you that no food can be obtained at Virginia ; that the water poisons people ; that they shoot at each other just out of fun, and many more wonderful stories, which are either strictly untrue or greatly exaggerated.

THE DOWNWARD TRIP.

            I left Virginia on the morning of April 3d, on the stage, and reached Woodford's the same evening. The weather had been fine for three weeks, and all snow had disappeared in Carson Valley and the mines, with the exception of the hill-tops and in deep ravines. The next morning, April 4th, we mounted our mules to start across the mountains, but had hardly traveled a mile when it commenced to blow a gale, and

A SNOW STORM

set in ; there were eight in the party, and though we considered it venturesome, we concluded to push ahead. The storm grew fiercer and fiercer as we went on ; the flakes of snow and hail were blowing into our faces with such power that they stung like needles, and nearly blinded us. The lofty pine trees swung to and fro, and the noise of the wind breaking through their branches, creaking and howling, was truly fearful. Our poor animals instinctively knew that they had to hurry on, and on we went, as if fleeing before a terrible enemy. At last we reached Lake Valley, stopped there for a few minutes, and commenced the ascent of the summit. The storm continued unabated until we reached Strawberry Valley House, where we arrived about three o'clock in the afternoon, congratulating ourselves for having safely reached shelter. On the very summit, we met a lonely rider dashing along at a tremendous rate. We wondered what could possibly induce him to go on through that gale, and thought it must be some very important business. It was the Pony Express.

A WINTRY SCENE.

            Early on the morning of the 5th, we started in the stage. It had snowed all night : the snow was two feet deep, and it continued snowing. Soon we came to a hill, up which it was difficult to drag the stage, and we had to get out and walk. It was a wintry scene —one I had not witnessed for many years. Our hats and beards were soon covered with snow ; the horses had a white cover, and we went on, wending our way slowly along. The large pine trees were fairly loaded down, and the slightest breeze would shake snow from the top, which, falling into the next limb, soon brought down a perfect avalanche on our heads. We managed to travel this way for about eighteen miles, when the stage got stuck in a deep place. All efforts of the driver to extricate it were futile, and it last we concluded to abandon the stage. The horses were taken off, and we made our way, with sacks and packs, to the next house, called "Perrin's," where we arrived after a tiresome march. We were wet and cold, but a good fire soon made us dry and comfortable again.

FLIGHT OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS.

            We stayed at " Perrin's " over night, and managed to get hold of some pack mules and wagon horses, whose owners had abandoned their wagons in the mountains, and who intended to make with all possible haste for Placerville, as the feed on the road had entirely given out. At a seasonable hour, we commenced our journey, and a ludicrous appearance we presented ; some seated on broad pack saddles, compelled to have their knees on a horizontal line, some with no saddle at all. Everybody who could get away, was fleeting out of the mountains, and soon our caravan numbered at least one hundred animals. It was a second flight from Moscow. It had snowed again all the preceding night, and still kept on, as if it was never going to stop.

A TERRIBLE ROAD.

            In addition to all this, we had to travel a road, which could not possibly be in any worse condition ; it beggars all description. Before the snow had fallen, mud had formed some two or three feet deep in many places. Now, this was covered with from two to four feet of snow ; every step the animal would take, it would go down to the very bottom, and sometimes sink in, in such a way, that only with the greatest efforts it would extricate itself. In the efforts to get out, the animal would flounder and kick about, and we poor riders go head over heels into the snow. Well, we got through, and at last reached Placerville ; but it taxed the endurance of both man and beast pretty well.

A PARADISE.

            Coming down from Placerville to Folsom next morning, we commenced to breath free again. The beautiful green hills ; the fields covered with flowers ; the balmy air, told us that we had reached a different climate. The contrast between the icy, cold, stormy mountains and the lovely scene before us, was affecting. Many travelers have described the wonderful effects on the human heart, on entering Italy from the snowy Alps, but I dare say it cannot be more impressive than the descent from the Sierra Nevada mountains into California.