The "Gold Hill" Community in Newcastle, California
Below is a tidbit of history on Gold Hill (link opens a close-up image of monument) that I really wanted to share with others that may be interested in the area. The second section below tells about the mining history of the area where our property is located, and the surrounding Gold Hill area, which may give us some clues as to how the flume on our property may have gotten there. It's not exactly pretty, but we're keeping it for historical reasons.
Written in 1882
Chapter XLV From Thompson & West's History of Placer County,Gold Hill
In the early history of Placer County Gold Hill was quite a conspicuous point, but as a village its glory has departed. It is situated in Auburn Ravine, seven and one-half miles west of the county seat. Here are the lower foot-hills of the Sierra, slight undulations distinguish it from the great valley that a few miles west stretches off a level plain, and at the present time orchards, fields, gardens, and vineyards occupy the places once devoted to mining. The first attempt at mining was in 1851, and in April, 1852, the village was organized and received its name. J. M. Bedford was Justice of the Peace; T. Taylor was Constable, and C. Langdon was Recorder of mining claims. The busy population of its early days may be estimated from the votes given. In 1852, Presidential election, the vote at Gold Hill numbered 444; in 1853 it was 304, and in 1854, 294. The diggings were in the surface, and almost everywhere, where water could be obtained, a miner could get some gold, and in some spots rich deposits were found. Gradually the village declined, until at present it is not distinguished as a voting precinct.
I was especially excited to find some colorful history on Gold Hill. Gold Hill is now just considered a community located between Lincoln and Newcastle, California, but it was once a bustling little gold miners village. Our property is located within a block distance of what would be considered the heart of Gold Hill, the references the book makes most certainly would include our piece of land as part of the stomping ground they speak of. Below is the Forward from the Placer County Historical Society and an Excerpt from the Placer County Directory written in 1861 Thank you so much PCHS!
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Placer County Directory of 1861
The Placer County Historical Society is proud to present this reprint of the Placer County Directory of 1861. Except for the cover and this page, the Directory is reprinted as it originally appeared in 1861. A copy of the original cover has been included at the end of this booklet.
The original 1861 Directory was published by R.J. Steele, James P. Ball, and F.I. Houston. According to the County records, both Steele and Ball were involved in additional publishing activities in Placer County during the 1850's and 1860's. No other mention of Houston's name has been found.
In the preface of the Directory, the publishers state that the book will be “valuable as an auxiliary to the future historian.” It is our hope that we have helped preserve a unique and picturesque glimpse into Placer County's past and that the Directory can continue to be of value “to the future historian.”
The Placer County Historical Society is indebted to Mrs. Victor Simpson who graciously loaned us her late husband's original copy of the 1861 Directory for this project.
Published by the Placer County Historical Society, P.O. Box 5643 Auburn, California 95604. 1989. Printed by Auburn Letter House Printers.
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Among the prominent towns built on the banks of the Auburn Ravine, is that known as Gold Hill. As the name indicates, it is a mining village; although it receives considerable support and trade from the agriculturalists who reside below and contiguous.
The town received its name from the fact that gold was discovered on the hill, which rises in a conical shape a few yards west of the main street. In the spring of 1851, about simultaneous with the discovery of gold on various hills of the State, a party of Georgia miners set out from the town of Ophir, four and a half miles above the place now known as Gold Hill, on a prospecting expedition. They passed down the Auburn Ravine from bar to bar, looking for some place where they might make a “rich strike,” as others had before on the bars above and below Ophir.
Our party of prospectors little dreamed of finding “hill diggings,” but were anxious to discover some locality in the bed of this rich stream, where the sands had not buried the bed rock beneath the hope of a prospect in the dry season. As this party reached a low point making off a hill in the Auburn Ravine, just below an extensive flat, gold was discovered in the rich and dark alluvial soil. This lead or deposit was traced by the usual mode of pan prospecting, until it was decided that the hill “would pay.” The spot or elevation of ground at once was, as a matter of necessity, designated “Gold Hill,” and by common consent it has been since known by this name.
Two large mining companies were soon after organized, their claims staked off, and preparations made for bringing water from the ravine, about one mile and half above, to the top of the hill. These companies were respectively known as the “Georgia” and the “Ohio,” and the members of each immediately commenced the survey of the ditches, which were, and are still known by the same names, and which were completed and conducted water upon the hill early in 1852.
The Georgia ditch was first completed, and the company commenced the work of “ground sluicing” on the southeast point of the hill, which is now marked and covered by the building belonging to Hill and Devane (keep in mind that this article is taken from an 1861 directory). About the same time, the point opposite, on the south side of the ravine, distinguished at this time as “Gardner's Hill,” was discovered and minded by the Castle & Co.; also, a point of land of less altitude, off the northwest section of Gold Hill. Both these localities afforded the richest yields of gold ever discovered in the town.
A small blind ravine winds and turns immediately north of the base of Gold Hill, and which has been known since 1853 as “Humbug.” This was prospected in pits, later in 1852, by Dr. J. A. Bond and Charles Sprague; but in the year following, A.S. Smith made further discoveries, and staked off the ravine for a quarter of a mile, dividing the ground into one hundred feet claims among the miners. These claims proved quite rich, and Dr. O. K. Levings, Spruance Brothers, and Mariner, Willard & Co., during the summer of 1853, took from the same a large amount of gold dust. This mining led to further and later discoveries, and to the final opening up of “Humbug Flat,” into which this little stream of water emptied and lost itself; and which is finally being worked out by Chinese miners.
During the same year, rich gold deposits were discovered in the vicinity of Gold Hill, which all contributed to build up rapidly the town. Half a mile north of the town of Doty's Ravine makes its way towards the plains. Bars were opened along this little stream, which proved to be very productive. Peters Brothers, in the year 1853, with the use of common rocker, took out over ten thousand dollars, in coarse gold, on the stream. Their successors, in the latter part of the same year, also re-worked the same claim with a “tom,” and made another fortune. Dutch Ravine, which also runs parallel with the Auburn Ravine, and empties into it immediately below Gold Hill, was partially opened by miners the same year, and is yet yielding up the precious metal.
The site of this town being among the foot hills, the topography of the vicinity is one of continuous succession of hills and ravines – one day, perhaps, an extensive table of land, but by the action of water at the annual floods, during a period of generations, the face of the country was cut up into ravines and hills. The locality is also thickly interspersed with quartz ledges, which generally follow the northeast and southwest points of the compass, and crop-out on many of the highest hills. Some of these ledges have been prospected, but they have been found to be “spotted,” and generally their working has not proven remunerative. A small quartz-mill was erected on Shipley's Ravine, in 1857, by Stewart & Co., but the rock failed to prove remunerative. The same mill was subsequently worked by J.W. Spann & Co., but after a more thorough trial, again abandoned.
Soon after the discovery of gold on Gold Hill and the surrounding hills, parties of miners began to agitate the feasibility of working the Auburn Ravine, in the vicinity. Although that which was denominated “pay dirt” was deeply buried in sand and gravel, washed by the floods from the debris of the miners, then and before laboring for miles above, it was determined by the enterprising people who settled at this camp, that the ravine might be opened by long drains, and the worthless dirt removed by the shovel or wheelbarrow.
Consequently, in the year 1853, the Auburn Ravine for miles was located, and a company opened a frail and shallow ditch through the sand. But from inexperience and want of perseverance, little effectual mining was done, though several of the companies “got down,” and found good prospects. However, at the upper end of the flat, opposite Gold Hill, one company (Bedford & Co.), worked successfully for two or three months, and made fine wages, until driven out by the winter rains; since which time the Auburn has been opened up annually by mining companies; and from year to year the mining has been retired down the stream, until the same has been opened for a distance of five or six miles. At this time, the best general paying claims in the county, estimating comparative expense of opening, and found on the Auburn Ravine, between Virginia and Walkup and Wyman's old ranches.
While all these mineral discoveries were being made, another class of people were attracted to the new El Dorado. The merchant and mechanic were assured a field for trade and labor was being developed; and during the first years of this new mining furor, a town of no small pretensions was laid out and quickly built over. The pioneer merchants were Messrs. Hill & Devane, and the pioneer “mine host” was Augustus Foost. Both of these structures were originally cloth houses, and Hill & Devane's was erected nearly opposite their present location, The hotel occupied the ground now covered by Hill & Devane's building.
Subsequently other merchants located in the town, and other hotels were ereced. Flagg, of Ophir, opened a branch in 1853, the successors of whom are Crocker & Co. Morgan Bros. also opened a store next door east of Decker's Bakery, (then Marshall's); but the boys failing to have a “California sense” of doing business, they closed out after about one year's hard struggle. May their shadows always be less! They were succeeded by Douglas & Pendleton, who opened in the old wooden building, the only one in the town. Other improvements, however, have been made in all parts of the town, and but a few remnants of 1852 now remain to mar the general appearance. (again, remember this article is being written in 1861).
Perhaps the writer of this brief sketch ought not pass by unnoticed the first case of “secession” which occurred in this town in the year 1852. It is an incident of importance, from the fact that Oro City owes it's birth to the “rebellious movement.”
The good people of Gold Hill, like all other communities at an early day, entertained jealousies, resulting from prospective trade and difference about which direction the streets should run. Two formidable parties arose, and they very nearly equally balanced in numbers, and “prospective” wealth. The first party was anxious the main street should run east and west, and the second party stubbornly in favor of a street running north and south. They could not agree, and the result was that the east and west-streeters lost their temper, and “seceded” down the ravine about half a mile, among those romantic native oaks, and to that beautiful flat, and builded up “Oro City.” This is a brief history of the rise of this city, now unfortunately in the hands of the Celestials.
The prosperous and healthy growth of Gold Hill was greatly retarded in 1852, from the want of water for mining purposes. The two small canals, Georgia and Ohio, afforded only a small quantity of water, during the rainy season, and the town, in the summer of 1852, was almost entirely deserted for the want of this element.
Several other important canals were consequently surveyed in 1852-'53. The McMartin ditch was commenced in 1853, and conducted water from Sailor's Ravine to Gold Hill in the latter part of this year. O.K. Levings, also surveyed and constructed a canal leading to this section on a higher grade, taking water from the Auburn Ravine half a mile above the other canal privileges. This new and valuable canal was finished in 1853, and lay idle from pecuniary embarrassments and opposition brought to bear by the Auburn and Bear River Water and Mining Company – by which company it was finally bought. A flume from this canal is the only one now running water upon the brow of the old Gold Hill, all other canals having withdrawn through the force of competition.
Marie's Mom and the Old Miner's FlumeThe first canal of importance brought into Gold Hill and its vicinity was the Gold Hill and Bear River canal. This work was also finished in 1853, and on the introduction of its waters, a large mining population was attracted to Gold Hill, Virginia, and contiguous mining localities. Old ravines were then reworked during the dry season, when they could be mined with greater advantage and profit, and other ravines where “natural” water could not be obtained before, were opened to the labor of the miner. From this period to 1856, the prosperity of this mining community was at it's zenith; and the mining population was larger than during any former or subsequent years.
A lively competition in water springing up between the Auburn and Gold Hill canals through the purchase of the Levings canal, water was offered to the miners at low prices, to the advantage of the consumers, but seriously to the detriment of the Gold Hill Company. The price of water was not only reduced, but the finances of the Gold Hill Company were seriously affected. Other causes, beyond the control of the managers of this canal, conspiring, this enterprise failed to remunerate its stockholders, though the community in general have reaped a rich reward therefrom.
This town organized a civil government in the spring of 1852, by the election of James Bedford to the office of Justice of the Peace, and a Mr. Waggoner, Constable. These gentlemen were the first judicial officers of the town. Mr. Bedford resigned after about one month's service, and a Mr. Green, resident of Oro City, was elected to fill the vacancy. Mr. Waggoner served as constable for two years.
The limits of this publication would not permit the writer to give as full a description of this town as he desired. He would have alluded to its former normal and healthy condition from its settlement to the year 1856, and to other prominent physical changes, and the causes of the same. Thus much has been written without notes or memoranda, and from bare recollection; and which though mainly correct, cannot be free from errors in facts, and perhaps conclusions.
More Local Information:
Article about Mt. Verson
Mt. Vernon, Millertown Article in the Auburn Journal
Placer Grown
Becki Carlson
Executive Director
11477 E Avenue
Auburn, California 95603
Phone: 530-889-7398
Fax: 530-889-7397
Website: www.placergrown.org
Local Wineries and Vinyards
Placer County Wine and Grape Association
Placer Hills Winery Tours
Secret Ravine Winery (Loomis)
Pescatore Winery (Newcastle)
Dono dal Cielo Vineyard (Newcastle)
Green Family Winery (Auburn)
Hyatt-Baumbach Wines (Auburn)
Rancho Roble Winery (Lincoln)
Ophir Wines (Newcastle)
Viña Castellano Winery (Auburn)
Fawnridge Winery (Auburn)
A gold crush fermenting in Placer?
By Niesha Lofing -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Monday, May 9, 2005
It's on the map for being a premier producer of persimmons, mandarins and some really expensive homes. But local growers are hoping Placer County will soon gain popularity for something that, before Prohibition, used to be its most famous commodity: wine grapes.
Three Placer wineries are hosting the Placer Hills Winery Tour on Saturday, part of an effort to reawaken interest in the county's burgeoning wine movement.
You can read the entire article in the Monday, May 9th, 2005 Sacramento Bee or online at SacBee.com (free registration required)
Placer County Historical Organizations
(Please let me know if any information has changed)
Historical Advisory Board
Sandra Elder, (916) 663-1088
101 Maple St. Rm. 104
Auburn, CA 95603
Roseville Historical Society
Dean Moore, (916) 773-3003
557 Lincoln St.
Roseville, CA 95678
www.rosevillehistorical.org
Forest Hill Divide Historical Society
Steve & Donna Coffman,
(530) 367-3437
5606 Maywood Dr.
Foresthill, CA 95631
www.foresthillhistory.org
Lincoln Highway Association
Mary Salazar, (530) 367-2747
PO Box 492
Foresthill, CA 95631
www.lincolnhighwayassoc.com
Placer County Genealogical Society
Joyce House, (530) 887-2646 PO
Box 7385
Auburn, CA 95604
www.pcgenes.com
Colfax Area Historical Society
Helen Wayland, (530) 346-7040
PO Box 185
Colfax, CA 95713-0185
www.foothill.net/colfax/history
Maidu Interpretive Center
Kristie Stevens Bungard,
(916) 772-4242
1960 Johnson Ranch Drive
Roseville, CA 95661
www.roseville.ca.us/indianmuseun
Placer County Historical Society
George Lay, (530) 878-1927
PO Box 5643
Auburn, CA 95604
www.placercountyhistoricalsociety.org
Golden Drift Historical Society
Doug Ferrier, (530) 389-2617
PO Box 20
Dutch Flat, CA 95714-0020
Rocklin Historical Society
Gaynor Morgan (916) 624-2355
History Museum (916) 624-3464
PO Box 752
Rocklin, CA 95677-0752
www.rocklinhistory.org
Loomis Basin Historical Society
Alice Barnes, (916) 652-7844
PO Box 2195
Loomis, CA 95659-2195
www.ppgn.com
Friends of Griffith Quarry
Shirley Patocka, (916) 663-3681
PO Box 326
Penryn, CA 95663-0326
Joss House Museum and Chinese History Center
Arlean Towne
PO Box 9126
Auburn, CA 95603
(530) 885-4850
oldcoyote@foothill.net
Newcastle Portuguese Hall Association
Aileen Gage, (530) 885-9113
PO Box 993, 690 Taylor Rd.
Newcastle, CA 95658
More Tidbits of History of Places on the Auburn Ravine
CHAPTER XLV. TOWNS, LOCALITIES & PEOPLE [Placer County].
Frytown (just up the creek from us)
Was located on the Auburn Ravine, about two miles below Ophir. It was first settled in 18:19. Only a few houses were built, but the miners were in the habit of using the place as supply head-quarters. There was a general merchandise store, kept by Messrs. Fry & Bruce, which supplied the miners in the immediate vicinity with the necessaries of life. The town received its name from the senior partner in the firm. It was one of those mushroom towns which sprang into existence and soon died. But " 'twas lively while it lasted."
Fort Trojan
This peculiarly-named town was located on the Auburn Ravine, about three miles from the present town of Lincoln. It does not date back in its history to the days of '49, but reaches only to the year 1858. It was lively until the starting of the town of Lincoln, when the business was transferred to that place. There was a hotel kept by Jerry Henderson, who was also postmaster for the town; Mills & Evans had a general merchandise store; Gray & Philipps had a meat market, and Peter Fritchard had a blacksmith shop. There were two saloons, one owned by Honeycut & Hoffman, and the other by E. A. Gibson. James Beck was Justice of the Peace, and James Berg was Constable. There is nothing left to denote the existence of this town, except the memories of the men who were familiar with the facts. The common appellation given the place by the miners was" Fort Trojan."
Newcastle
The present village of Newcastle is on the line of the Central Pacific Railroad, five miles southeast of Auburn, in Township No.2, having an elevation of 956 feet above the sea. Here was a mining town of the early days, but now it is the center of one of the most important fruit-growing districts of the State.
Ophir
The name of Ophir was a favorite one with the pioneer gold-hunters, and it was given to numerous localities and claims which were supposed to be of extraordinary richness. Here was supposed to be the land of Ophir spoken of in the Bible, whence came the gold to adorn the temple of Solomon. The Ophir of Placer County is situated on Auburn Ravine, about three miles west of the Court House, and is still an important and pleasant village. Its history as a village dates from 1850. In 1852, it was the most populous town in the county, polling in that year 500 votes. In recent years it has been distinguished for the number and wealth of its quartz veins and the fruitfulness of its orchards and vineyards. Oranges, figs, olives, almonds, and other semi-tropical fruits grow luxuriantly. The present population is about 600.
Penryn
The busy town of Penryn bases its prosperity upon the enduring granite, and a more solid and lasting foundation could not be found or desired. The site is on the line of the Central Pacific Railroad, eight miles southeast of Auburn, twenty-eight miles- from Sacramento, and at an elevation of 610 feet above the sea. The population, as given by the census of 1880, was 238; but the vote of the precinct in the same year being 91, a larger population is indicated. The town is a growth of the granite quarries in the neighborhood, which were opened in 1864. This was not at once made a station, and passengers to and from Penhryn-as it was then spelled, after its patronym in Wales-were obliged to go to some other station. Later a station was established, and the spelling of the name changed by Judge Crocker to suit the modern method of simplicity. Penryn owes its existence and prosperity as a town to...
Griffith Griffith (Griffith Quarry)
The proprietor of the celebrated Penryn granite quarries. This gentleman is a native of Great Britain; was born December 8, 1823, at Ty Gwyn, Llanllyfni, Carnarvonshire, North Wales. His parents were David and Mary (Roberts) Griffith, the father being superintendent of a large slate quarry in that country. The elder Griffith died when the subject of our sketch was but fourteen years of age, leaving a family of seven children, the youngest being but one year old. Hard labor on the farm, to aid the mother, burdened by heavy taxes and high rents/added to the support of the large family, occupied the next five years of his life. At the age of nineteen, he went to work in the slate quarry, and soon became foreman over a gang of thirty men.
In June, 1847, Mr. Griffith came to the United States, taking a sailing vessel via Quebec, and making his way to the granite quarries of Quincy, Massachusetts. There he obtained employment of Wright, Barker & Co., first as a quarryman, and then as a stone-cutter. For this firm he wrought some years, at Quincy, Milford, and Lynnfield, in Massachusetts, and at Millstone Point, in Connecticut, for Barker & Hoxie, of Philadelphia.
In 1853 he removed to California, arriving in San Francisco on the 14th of April, of that year. His first effort in this State was in mining at Coloma, and afterwards at Mormon Island and Negro Hill, in EI Dorado County. There the bed-rock was granite, and along the river banks were immense bowlders and projections of this rock, glistening with the polish of the waters, and as hard as adamant. The experienced quarryman viewed these as his familiar companions of past years, and here was promised a vocation more to his taste than the precarious search for gold. But of Mr. Griffith's experience in this new line of business for California, we will relate in our notice of the Placer County granite.
Mr. Griffith is fond of society, and is a genial companion. His wife is a native of North Prospect, Maine, her maiden name being Julia Ann Partridge. He is a member of the Masonic Order, a Knight Templar, Thirty-second Scottish Rite, Knight Defender of the Shield and Star, and a life member of the Cambrian Mutual Aid Society. In politics he is a Republican since the Charleston Convention of 1860, but never has held or aspired to office.
Placer County Granite
While fruit-growing, the product of gold, raisin manufacturing, the grain interest, wool-growing, lime-burning, pottery manufacture, smelting of iron ore, the production of wines and brandies, and other industrial interests in which multitudes are engaged, are noted in their proper order in this work, there is another important industry, which, though even at this time may be considered large, is yet in comparative primacy. This is the quarrying, dressing, and preparing of granite for builders' use. This primitive rock occurs in a zone which, upon the eastern side, reaches well up in the foot-bills-to an elevation, approximately, of 800 feet--and crops out as far to the westerly as a height above the tide level of about 150 feet, at which point the abrasions of centuries have washed down and hidden it under the undulating surface of the higher plain lands, where it is no longer seen. This granite zone extends across the entire county from north to south, and is visible in width, from east to west, a distance of at least twelve miles. In traveling through the granite region, one is impressed favorably by the peculiar aspect of the landscape; with the smooth roads, which are without dust in summer and mud in winter, the white-oak, with its hanging mosses; the first appearance of the silver leafed pine; the live-oak with deep verdure; the chapparral and the buckeye, with an occasional bush of holly; while not infrequently will be seen monumental nodules of the solid granite itself rising to a height of twenty or more feet, that have been left as the erosion of thousands of years of frost and sunshine has worn away its surroundings, leaving it unscaleable without the aid of ladders -- a reminder that once the overhanging cliffs of granite looked down upon a deep, yawning chasm, now occupied by the fair valley of the Sacramento.
The pioneer worker of granite in California for building purposes is Mr. G. Griffith, whose works are illustrated in this book. His experience was brought into requisition in the year 1853, by the Meredith Brothers, at Folsom, Sacramento County, in testing the quality of some large granite bowlders, which were then lying near the American River, at Negro Bar, to determine the worth of the material for constructing large buildings. The granite proving to be of fair quality, Mr. Griffith soon had large contracts at Sacramento, and opened his first quarry of importance near Mormon Island. While established in that locality, he furnished the granite used for all buildings of importance in the State, such as the Adams & Co.'s Express, Sacramento; for the fortifications at Alcatraz, Fort Point, and other costly structures.
As the demand for cut granite steadily increased with the progress of the State, in 1864 Mr. Griffith located a quarry at Wildwood, on the line of the Sacramento, Placer & Nevada Railroad, and when this road was destroyed he moved to the Penryn Quarry, upon the line of the Central Pacific Railroad -- thus securing most advantageous shipping facilities. This location being nearly in the center of the granite belt, the stone is here found to be of a superior quality to that lying nearer either the eastern or western edges of the zone, in that it is entirely free of iron, and, therefore, never changes color from atmospheric effects, nor, where polished and placed in position in buildings, or as monuments, can Time's corroding tooth mar the beauty of its glassy and faultless surface. In appearance, the Penryn granite is beautifully mottled in white and black, equally proportioned, and in larger spots than that of the granite from quarries nearer the edges of the zone, while occasional dark-gray" knots" of varying sizes and form occur to relieve the block or column of monotonous color.
Besides the mottled granite principally wrought, there are several other kinds at the Penryn works equally susceptible to finish, and quite as durable. One of these is a beautiful black granite, polished columns and ornaments of which can be seen in most of the important business buildings and private mansions of the State.
Samples of the several kinds of granite were sent to the Centennial Exhibition, as a part of the Central Pacific Railroad Company's cabinet exhibit, and were pronounced to be the best in the world with reference to freedom from iron, and liability to stain or abrade. This fact brought it to the notice of the officials of the Interior Department, at Washington, whose duty it was to report upon the building materials of the United States, who wrote to Mr. Griffith for samples, which were sent.
And yet, with such quarries as these in Placer County, to the derricks of which are laid the rails of a commercial highway; where there is no difficulty in procuring all the building material necessary for the wants of the whole Pacific Coast, in as large blocks as any contract ever called for; when the present United States mint at San Francisco was built, the architect saw fit, for some reason the outside looker-on cannot divine, to only procure a portion of the rock used therein from the California quarries, obtaining the rest from British Columbia, a sort of sandstone in which there is iron, and which being laid above the California granite, Bends down upon it, from its own discolored surface, unsightly stains which nothing but the chisel and hammer can efface.
In 1874 Mr. Griffith erected at the Penryn quarry a large polishing mill, the first and only one of the kind in the State. This building is 200 feet long by 40 feet wide, with a polishing capacity of 100 feet per day. A fifty-horse power engine is the motor. There are two stone-polishing carriages for flat surface work, 26 feet long by 6 feet wide, worked by a spring wheel driven by two belts. A block of stone weighing upward of ten tons can be polished with ease upon these carriages. There are also two polishing pendulums in the mill, as well as eight vertical polishers, so arranged that the operator can readily handle them for the smallest and most intricate portions of his work, either upon flat surfaces or moldings. Two large and powerful lathes occupy space in the building, upon which are placed, and turned, and polished, granite columns of ten tons weight. Railroad tracks are laid in the building, and car8 run immediately under each of these polishing and turning machines to deliver the rough granite, and again receive the polished block or column.
The granite of Placer County is steadily gaining favor, and this industry must increase as the years go by, as a feeling of permanency obtains among the population, and those of other generations appear upon the scene, who know no other home but California. Then will wood be discarded as the principal material for building, and the eternal granite, so easily obtained, more generally substituted.
Other extensive granite quarries besides those at Penryn are also in operation in Placer County. Mr. Griffith has one at Rocklin, also; and A. D. Hathaway and J. N. and J. W. Taylor have large, fine quarries there, with steam hoisting apparatus, and many men constantly employed. At Pino there is also a good quarry opened.
California Gold Rush History
Fun Facts about the California Gold Rush
Historical Notes about Gold Mining in California
