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good wages from $5 to $50 a day; but never paid ex- near enough to result fatal. Returning from Sacraceedingly rich. In 1854 a large company took hold mento with a big load of goods drawn by a four horse of this mining property and worked it with bed rock team, Mr. Sudson wished to be home before night, flumes, up to 1858 or '59, as we were assured, they and when coming up to Weber Creek, in the dusk, he took out a good amount of gold but it never yielded | found it running with a big flood, which seemed to too rich. Diggings in the different gulches paid check his desire. He hesitated a moment, but trusting hardly as good as those on the flat. Here on the flat, his strong team and the heavy load he was driving, about three quarters of a mile below town in a west- and underestimating the flood, he thought he would erly direction, a German by the name of Stakemeyer, be able to cross the creek, and once on the other side who was killed afterward near Grizzly Flat, was he would be almost at home. So he drove on, but he working a claim out of which he produced quite an had hardly reached the middle of the roaring stream amount of loose quartz mixed in between the gravel, when his wagon was upset and carried down by the which he threw out of his long tom having no better flood; his horses were drowned and though he held on use for. Judge Kenfield, passing by, inspected this to the wagon, on account of being unable to swim, the quartz pile found it full of gold and took up a quartz force of the water made him give up his hold and he claim. A company was formed to work it, shafts was swept down with the swift current for more than a were sunk and a mill was erected, but it never paid quarter of a mile, until he got a hold on some willows, for the amount invested in the construction of from where he was rescued by a party that had been mill, etc. alarmed.

As stated already, this was a very peaceful camp, Cold Springs in early times of the golden era, was only a few excitements happened and they were of one of the liveliest mining camps of the country, which minor character. A gambler generally known by the had a population of about two thousand souls, with name of Crowbar, in 1852, had swindled a number of a direct stage connection to Sacramento, running a miners out of considerable money, and quite a little four horse coach daily, besides stage connections to excitement arose the next day, when he tried to get out Coloma and Placerville, but as it is now it stands as a of town with his booty; the difficulty, however, was proof for the unsteadiness of a mining camp more quietly settled under assistance of some brethren of than any of them. The mines began to slack off, new the gambling fraternity, from Hangtown; a few of the diggings had not been discovered, and the miners left miners got their loss restituted. Another excitement one after another to hunt for richer mining ground; turned up some time later, when a man who had been the population soon shrunk together, stores and other a mason of the higher grades, disappeared in a house business places, on account of a want of custom had of ill-fame, and some spots of blood suspiciously to shut down, the stage took another route and left were connected with his disappearance. By thoroughly the lonesome little village isolated on an unfrequented investigating the case, however, nothing could be found road. and the bloodstains were said to have been poured out from a neighboring butcher shop.

DIAMOND SPRINGS

Took its name from a group of springs with beautiful clear water, which were located on that now mined out ground on the north side of Main street, in the center of town, opposite the livery stable, or Mr. Car

This also is the place where in 1851 or '52 some crooked industry was commenced, one Moffatt, an early store keeper, went in with Darling, an old steamship engineer, to fabricate gold dust out of lead, coat-penter's residence. The old emigrant road, coming ing it with gold by the way of galvanizing. The down across the summit, passing Silver Lake, Sly scheme worked remarkably well, Moffatt bought goods Park and Pleasant valley, went through here to Sacat Sacramento for which he paid with the dust, and ramento and the plains; or joining off to the north smaller quantities were disposed of at the home trade; towards Coloma, Placerville, Georgetown and all the but finally it was discovered by running the dust into mining camps in the northern part of El Dorado bars, or by coining money out of it, either. The re- county, as well as across the American river in Placer sult was that Moffatt lost everything he had, his part-county; and the emigrants passing over this (Carson) ner Darling, the instigator, skipped the country in road from the earliest times made this a favorite time to escape punishment; he took the steamer for stopping or camping place, to take a short rest after Central America. Samples of this industry came to the hardship and trial of the mountain passage. Νο light still years after, they had been dug away under-attempt, however, had been made towards permanent ground. settlement on this point, though it is said that one log cabin had been built up here in 1849, near some of the many springs; but the owner of it did not

An accident happened to the senior partner of the firm of Sudson & Goodenough, early in 1852, that came

succeed in drawing followers to the place; they were all bound for Coloma, and none t ok time enough to test the ground. This went on till the latter part of the summer of 1850, when a party of emigrants from the State of Missouri, numbering about two hundred, under the leadership of one McPike, now of Santa Clara county, came down this way and took a fancy to stop here for a few days; but being satisfied with the location, as they found beautiful and plenty of water and pasture, and after they had learned to mine, discovered that the mining here was paying well, they concluded to make this a permanent camp and went on to build clap board houses. Thus becoming the founders of Diamond Springs. The springs, however, belong to those things that only can be talked about.

N. C. Boswell, S. W.; J. H. Watson, J. W.; J. R.
Cobb, Treasurer; G. W. McKean, Secretary; Chas.
C. McLean, S. D.; D. W. Strohn, J. D.; Wm. Knox,
Marshal; E. King and J. S. Jacks, Stewards; R. S.
Johnson, Tyler; meetings were held on Friday of, or
preceding the full moon.

The Odd Fellows instituted their first lodge in this county and one of the first in the State, at Diamond Springs, it was called Diamond Springs Lodge, No. 9, of Diamond Springs, their day of meeting is Wednesday. Sometime in 1854, Zeta Encampment of I.O. O. F. was instituted here also, but was transferred from here to Placerville, in January, 1857. The Odd Fellows of Diamond Springs are in possession of a fine commodious hall in the two-story frame building on the hill, visible far away.

In 1854, when Placerville had started the agitation. for the removal of the county court seat from Coloma, of the five aspirants that finally became voted for, Diamond Springs came out third best, which could

given for this place was very limited, being injured on both sides by the concurrence of Placerville on one and Mud Springs on the other side.

Diamond Springs is situated about forty-seven miles east of Sacramento, three miles from Placerville, on the junction of the roads to the latter city and to Pleasant valley. A place so much favored by location and other conditions could not help to accumu- be considered pretty good, as the district of votes late fast after the first start was made; particularly after the discovery of the richest placer mines all around town, it commenced growing as a worthy rival of the neighboring "Hangtown," concerning numerical strength, business and society life. In 1854, when the star of Coloma began to go downward, Diamond Springs was the rising star, that promised to take the place of the former as the county center. The proprietor of the Miner's Advocate sold out at Coloma only to publish his paper at Diamond Springs; and of the size of the trade the town commanded, the many stores and other business places, that all were doing a flush business, gave sufficient proof. A good many of the denizens of Diamond Springs have made themselves prominent so that their names deserve to be recalled in history: There were, M. K. Shearer, the most obliging Postmaster; C. B. Patterson, G. M. Waugh, Samuel Haskett, J. H. Haynes, Dr. Samuel F. Hamm, Mathew Arnold, S. Smith, S Sims, Dr. S. F. Marquis, H. H. West, F. S. Davenport and Henry Larkin.

On August 5, 1856, about 9 o'clock A. M. flames were discovered to issue out of the Howard House, a large building in the heart of the town of Diamond Springs, built of the most combustible material, a strong breeze helped the flames to spread with fearful rapidity, sweeping everything before them. Scott's brick house, and the office of Wells, Fargo & Co., on Main street, escaped uninjured. Mr. Shearer, the Postmaster, saved the greatest portion of the books, furniture, etc., of the office, but lost the letters and his law library. Citizens of Placerville and other places came to the assistance and worked with commendable zeal to check the flames. The fire was supposed to be the work of an incendiary, and it was presumed that there was some connection between the three big fires destroying the largest towns of the Empire county. Placerville, Georgetown and Diamond Springs-inside of about a month. The total loss on property destroyed by fire in those three places was estimated at $1,500,000.

The Masonic fraternity is represented at Diamond Springs with the Diamond Lodge, No. 29, F. and A. M., which was installed in 1855, holding their meet- The losses at Diamond Springs, after a rough estiings on Saturday preceding the full moon. Mr. L. E. mate, were as follows. Brooke is the Secretary; and El Dorado Chapter No. G. P. Morrill, druggist.. 4, Royal Arch Masonry, holding their meetings at W. P. Scott, buildings.. Union Hall on the evenings of 1st and 3d Friday of Mrs. Walk, house and furniture.. each month; A. D. Parks, M. E. H. P. ; L. E. Brooke, F. Caufman, carpenter.. Secretary. Mount Zion Lodge, No. 114, F. and A. P. Strelitz, jeweler...

M., was constituted and the following officers installed Golden Exchange Building. by A. D. Parks, of Diamond Springs, R. W. S. G. W. | Peter Gile, livery stable... on Friday, May 22d, 1857; Wm. McKean, W. M.; Church....

$ 2,500 2,000

1,000

600

3,000

1,500

2,000

4.000

George Fryer, saloon....
George Thoonan, house.

F. McCoy, saloon and furniture.
T. Boyle, store and goods..
J. P. Steele, livery stable.
Thos. Davidson, dwelling..
C. Irving, dwelling...

N. A. Chipman, dwelling..
E. N. Strout, dwelling..
James Wylie, dwelling..
Mrs. Holland, house.
N. Lepper, bookstore...

W. S. Day, store and goods....
N. Rhine, goods and building.
R. Fouke, crystal saloon...
T. H. and W. L. Cunningham..
J. R. Fuller, market...

J. Ullman, store...
Kaufmann, store..
Wm. Harris, store..

Thos. Fa heringham, store..
John Moss... ..

M. K. Shearer, dwelling..
Young & Allen, hotel..
Bradberry, dwelling. . . .
Carpenter, temperance house.
Isaiah Hull, building.

C. B. Patterson, law library.

L. Bradley, dwelling...

George Lander. furniture..

J. Oliver, dwelling...

John S. Welton, Nebraska saloon..
Mary A. Thomas, building..

3.000 occupied some ten hours, and ran into the late hours 600 of the night. It was a wild, wierd, sickening, stinking 1,500 operation. Hundreds of Diggers had collected from 1,000 everywhere (they were more plentiful then than now), 1,000 the bucks dressed in all manner of attire, with painted 1,000 faces, the women and female children with tarred 1,000 heads. The dead body of their chief was placed 400 naked on the ground, then covered with pine splints 1,500 and fired, when bucks and squaws set up as unearthly, 1,500 maniacal a howl as ever came from mortal throats. 2,500 Round and round they danced until there was nothing 800 left of the corpse of poor "Digger Jim." At a late 3,000 hour of the night the spectacle was a scene for an ar 10,000 tist. Hundreds of rough dressed, uncouth, unshaven 2,500 miners, storekeepers, visitors, etc., had collected and 25,000 almost surrounded the Indians. The stench from the 25,000 burning body was almost intolerable, the burning 35,000 fagots kept up a bright light, but no one interfered 3,000 with the ceremonies, for there were n› hoodlums in 3,000 those days. Some one notified Coroner Tommy 2,500 Daugherty that he was wanted, and away he went 300 without asking any questions, on a bucking mustang, 2,000 to hold an inquest on a dead "Injun," followed by 1,000 many notables of the county. There were present, as 1,000 near as can be recollected: Ben. Post, Ballard, Billy 1,500 Carr, Jim Plummer, Bob Graham, Bob Carson, 1,000 (Kit's brother), Tom Davidson, Church A. 400 C. Waldron, Uncle Billy Rodgers, Dave Buell, 1,000 the Brace brothers, E. B. Carson, Old Weth800 erwax, Fred Chamberlain, Carey of the Carey House, 750 John Fountain, Miss Puss Williams with her pleasant 5,000 face and laughing curls: now the wife of J. Q. Brown, 2,000 and the prattling children of the Titus Hotel, Tom Springer, Ned McCabe, Al Merrill, Pete Schram, Bill Donahue, Theron Foster, Net Wilton, John O'Donnell, Jack McDougal, Pat Lynch, Mike Borowsky, Cockeyed Johnson Johnson's Pass,

Another destructive fire visited Diamond Springs on the 23d of September, 1859, which had swept away a great many buildings in the central portion of town before its ravages could be checked. The loss on property after a rough estimate amounted to between $50,000 and $60,000.

Geo.

of

Coddington, Geo. Fryer, Bob Bell, and the handsome face of Mrs. George Thomas, the blonde, and Mike and "Mommy" Shearer were there; Bart Richardson, Bill Connell, (doublefoot), Chauncey Noteware, Alfred Briggs, and sturdy John Conness, Chase and Elias Willow, Joe Simmons and the Davis brothers, Jim Hume, Jack Moses, Capt. Billy Smith, Sam and Jim Grantham, Ross Sargent, John Bell, A. C. St. Denver, Major Bee, Dick Savage, "Boomerang Bill," Bill January and Roush, Dan Gelwicks, and Sam Seabough, and Col. Ned Baker, the

Probably but few know that the Digger Indians burned their dead and will do so up to this day if no law officer interferes with their habits. Immediately in the rear of Ham Hawley's and Bob Shirley's stables, at Diamond Springs, was the consecrated ground on which they paid the last funeral rites to their deceased warriors, wives, brothers, sisters, sweethearts and children by cremation. For hundreds of miles around were the dead transported on litters to this sacred spot, where it was supposed that the spirits of the departed, in the flames of the pine fagots, took their departure to the happy hunting ground beyond the sky. was incorporated in virtue of an act that for the proof We witnessed one burning in 1852, of a chief, who of having passed State Senate as well as Assembly had been brought from Georgetown. The ceremonies bears the signatures of Charles S. Fairfax, Speaker of

editor and orator.

PLACERVILLE

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