** Lost Gold At The Dead Man's Mine ** A Miners Journal **

[GhostMiner]

   The fault line & gold.

[GhostMiner]

13 minutes ago, GhostMiner said:

   The fault line & gold.

Where I'm standing in the picture is at the highest point of the faultline. The ancient river would have swept me over the falls. Two steps back & I'm dropping 100 ft straight down. At the top we were sampling $150/Yard gravels. We were looking pretty happy LOL.

[GhostMiner]

   Jed's dig site was up at the northern end of the faultline where it is only partially exposed - about 1500 ft north of those pictures I previously posted. Here is Jed's site as it looks today. He & his crew did an amazing amount of digging up there - all by hand. I can't even imagine doing that kind of work. His glory hole is timbered up. It's a story that has to be told. If only I could have met him & shook his hand. I've camped up there alonne several times but won't do it anymore. Too many bears & lions & no cell service. With a crew yes. I've toasted Jed at the dig site with Irish whiskey as well. Is there still gold there? Yes. 

[GhostMiner]

   JUNE 24   1936

   After a good breakfast of bacon and beans we finished up the weigh ang had 5 ounces in the pan. We went to work and the heat was big. Over 100 degrees for the first time this afternoon. The crew hauled out 170 buckets and it was hard earned. We started getting into bigger river rock that had to be bucketed out with the winch. We clean the rock off of any material clinging to it over the bucket and that slows us down. We worked until damn near dark and when we drove the last lode down to the creek we all took a bath in cool water. 

   John is running the pump as the water is slowing pretty good. All the run off from higher up the mountain is pretty much gone now but there's still plenty of water but it's moving slow now. I am so damn tired I only ate a small supper of hash and beans, I drank a cup of whiskey with the crew and turned in when John took first watch. About early morning before sun up the temperature is at its coldest of around 45 degrees. By afternoon its back up to 90 or 100. The life of a Sierra Nevada miner I told the crew. 

   TO BE CONTINUED ....................

[DOOGY-MD]

Thank you so much GM, this journal and Jed's story is amazing and an extreme joy to read. Thanks for your hard work to bring forth this incredible journal!

Maybe this is Will's gold dance! Hehehe.... ☺️

[GhostMiner]

48 minutes ago, DOOGY-MD said:

Thank you so much GM, this journal and Jed's story is amazing and an extreme joy to read. Thanks for your hard work to bring forth this incredible journal!

Maybe this is Will's gold dance! Hehehe.... ☺️

I remember that movie!

[Gold Catcher]

2 hours ago, GhostMiner said:

3 hours ago, DOOGY-MD said:

Thank you so much GM, this journal and Jed's story is amazing and an extreme joy to read. Thanks for your hard work to bring forth this incredible journal!

Maybe this is Will's gold dance! Hehehe.... ☺️

Expand  

I remember that movie!

The fameous Walter Huston dance. I do that whenever I find and "bigger" nugget, provided nobody is looking....

 

[geof_junk]

GhostMiner you have past the 20,000 views, well done. I think this will be exceeded by a multiple, with the interest being shown.    👏

[GhostMiner]

6 hours ago, Gold Catcher said:

The fameous Walter Huston dance. I do that whenever I find and "bigger" nugget, provided nobody is looking....

 

Great movie.

[GhostMiner]

   JUNE 25   1936

   We are about six feet deep in the kettle. This morning we weighed out at 4 ounces. The bucket totals are slowing some as expected but the pay is steady or better as we go deeper. The smooth walls of the hole are disappearing except for the eastern side which remains nearly vertical. This is most likely the side of the waterfall. I think the gold deposited over the falls dropped straight downward and found a bottom in this depression and some may be dispersed or fanned to the west. The biggest question to me is how deep is the bottom? There is no way of knowing. 

   The work is slowing as the size of the river rock increases and must be brought to the surface. We are using a three foot square hard wood box to remove larger rock. So far it is manageable although tedious and exhausting. There is plenty of room in the hole for two men. My fear is the crew will wear down before the bottom is found. We can only do our best each day. No one ever complains about the work.

   Today we ended up with 155 buckets which was quite an achievement for the crew. We are drenched in sweat and all tired to the bone tonight. The cool creek felt good and revived our worn down bodies some. My whiskey and gold are my comfort. 

   TO BE CONTINUED ...................