Log book shows:July 12, 1929
Had to bust rocks and roll them today, to work like hell, to make the flume. Madden (our old timer) was sweeping the bedrock with the giant scooper. He knows how to use it better than anyone else on the job.
July 13, 1929
Blew up this afternoon on the job. Told the Boss to give me my time. I cannot stand having a man make an ass of me before a crowd of fellow workers. I must say that I learned a great deal while working here and really hate to leave because I now must forgo the privilege of pocket prospecting with Gus.
July 14, 1929
Today being Sunday it certainly was idle setting around doing nothing. Not working, I took my new camera and walked up to the diggings and took a series of pictures of the place. Spent the rest of the day setting around the town talking to some old loafers. One old German is really interesting. He had a very unusual (sapphire) and a moss agate at least two and a half inches long. I enjoyed doing nothing at that for a change.
July 15, 1929
It being Monday, I must look for something to do. Landed a job today stacking hay. Although I have never been on the top of a haystack. I must try to do the work. It can be no harder than rolling rock.
July 16, 1929
Got up and ready to go to work at 5:30 AM, went down to breakfast and was
told there would be no work to do until the afternoon. Wrote during the morning to kill the time. Had an excellent dinner of chicken at a small boarding house. After going to the field in the afternoon, I was set to moving.
It was quite an experience having never been on a mover before. Moved all afternoon until 5:30 PM, returning to the ranch house we put the horses away. Then went to supper. After eating, we returned to the barn to care for the horses. Each man cared for his own team. Then we had to grind the scythe bar for the mowing machine. In other words - finish work at 9PM.
The wage for putting in so many hours of one’s time is $3.00 per day. I cannot afford to put so much time in on a job and get so little sleep. I earned enough money anyway to keep me until payday.
The place I had gone to work at is run by a family of sisters. The Rayman Family. In the olden days they had a vast amount of wealth but since the death of the father, who had accumulated all the money, it had slipped away. The sisters now try to manage affairs doing a fair job for women, but the money slips away.
July 17, 1929
Received specimen of gold in quartz from a garage mechanic. Walter M. Hill the Specimen Mr. Hill gave me came from Noblesville Mining district 8 miles north of Sheridan up Wisconsin Creek. Just received mail from home it certainly does grip one to reestablish contact with loved ones. Am glad everything is all right as I was quite worried. I went through the Buckeye Mine: Lead, copper, silver and gold. Picked up some specimens. Walked through the Buckeye (Vigilante) mine this morning, climbed over the hills looking for specimens.
No comments:
Post a Comment