xt7prr1pj83d https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7prr1pj83d/data/mets.xml Newcomb, Robinson, 1901- 1940 Other contributors: Merrill, Charles White; Kiessling, R. L.; National Research Project on Reemployment Opportunities and Recent Changes in Industrial Techniques (U.S.); United States. Bureau of Mines. xiv, 142 p. ill., 1 map ; 26 cm. Mineral technology and output per man studies ; report no. E-14. UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program libraries. Call number FW 4.7:E-14. books English Philadelphia, Pa. : Work Projects Administration, National Research Project in cooperation with Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Mines This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Maryland Works Progress Administration Publications Employment and Income from Gold Placering by Hand Methods, 1935-37 by Robinson Newcomb, Charles White Merrill, and R. L. Kiessling text Employment and Income from Gold Placering by Hand Methods, 1935-37 by Robinson Newcomb, Charles White Merrill, and R. L. Kiessling 1940 1940 2015 true xt7prr1pj83d section xt7prr1pj83d I I III IIUIIIIIIIIYIOIIIINIICIIIIIIIIII
2 was samsak. 2
I u.s.c0v.
VI I PUBLICATIONS
· COLLECTION
A A EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME
I A FROM GOLD PLACERING
BY HAND METHODS
I 1935--37
if __USA__ Univ- cf Ky. LIDI’3rjgS
I YI’§2.!?!§ A A
I WPA
I WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT mo
I DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
I -7 BUREAU OF MINES
WPA NATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT
Reports issued to date
General
G-1 Unemployment and Increasing Productivity (out of print}
6-2 The Research Program of the National Research Project F· C-
G-5 Summary of Findings to Date, March 1938 Comm
‘ G-4 Effects of Current and Prospective Technological Developments
Upon Capital Formation
G-5 Industrial Change and Employment opportunity-——-A Selected Bibliography
(Author index available) _
G-6 Survey of Economic Theory on Technological Change and Employment
G-7 Unemployment and Technological Change
A—3 Selected References on Practices and Use of Labor on Farms (out of print)
Studles in Types and Rates of Technological Change
Manufacture Q
M-1 Industrial Instruments and Changing Technology
M—2 Mechanlzatlon in the Brick Industry
M-3 Mechanization in the Cement Industry
M—4 Industrial Research and Changlng Technology
M-5 Mechanlzation in the Lumber Industry f
B-2 Mechanical Changes In the Cotton-Textile Industry, 1910 to 1936 (Summary)
B—5 Mechanical Changes In the woolen BHG worsted Industries, 1910to 1956 (Summary)
‘ B—5 Systems of Shop Management in the Cotton—Garment Industry (out of print}
Mining
E-1 Technology and the Mineral Industries (out of print)
E—3 Mechanization Trends in Metal and Nonmetal Mining as Indicated by Sales of
Underground Loading Equipment
E-5 Fuel Efficiency In Cement Manufacture, 1909-1955 (out of print}
Mineral Technology and Output per Man Studies:
E-6 Grade of Ore (out of print}
E-11 Rock Drilling
Agriculture
Changes In Farm Power and Equipment:
A—2 Mechanical Cotton Picker
A-9 Tractors, Trucks, and Automobiles (out of print)
A•11 Field Implements
Studies 1n Production, Productivity, and Employment
Manufacture `
S-1 Production, Employment,and Productivltyln 59 Manufacturing Industries, 1919—36
Productivity and Employment in Selected Industries:
N-1 Beet Sugar ;
N-2 Brick and Tile
B-1 Labor Productivity in the Leather Industry (Sunsary) ·
B—4 Effects of Mechanization in Cigar Manufacture (Sunnary)
B—6 Labor Productivity 1n the Boot and Shoe Industry (Sumsary)
* Mechanization and Productivity of Labor in the Cigar Manufacturing Industry
T Productivity of Labor in the Cotton-Garment IHGUSCPY
(List continued on inside back cover}
` *Pub11shed as Bull. Nc. 680 of the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
*`Published as Bull. No. d62 of the U. S. Bureau of labor Statistics. `
E: . W M ll-
5
V
Q P
§
FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY
WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION
F. C. HARRINGTON CORRINGTON GILL
Commissioner Assistant Commissioner
V
mt)
i
{ NATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT
fw )— on
)’ll·7IM»GT
U y ' Reemployment Opportunities and Recent Changes
in Industrial Techniques
A DAVID WEINTRAUB
5 of Director
In cooperation with
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF MINES
R. R. Sayers, Director
1919-56
e
6
$
sary
Mineral Technology and Output Per Man Studies
O. E. Kiessling, Economist in Charge
§.
4*
?=
· 4- . · · _ _ _ _.;;._A_. .,... V.-» rr W3
u‘_ ‘¤
. T-,} :V
@...1
" zfyrli
» A » ~·•* "
_V — ' — . . ·e
.2,; " V; 4 V . V ‘ V W
»%_. ‘ ` J »~
w 1 . V $`.=4 »5’ ~.z ,
` ‘ · H _ __I ; V! Q V' .V` M r' _ ,.V
; ’ . q _. . I {J ‘__ r *•
` N ;'<.' ‘ U `lalw
` ‘ *2 l »~..} ··¢U>.·
`V *4 -. ’—’ 2%% . · rz. ’ ' ‘*`
* “`*;;;$;$?7*é{` ·»‘· ` { —·-·· »V»» 4 .;,
· __ _;;;»" _* ‘1?a,." . `q_ ' x:§zV*•‘ , · ,.
L ._Vv€ “;i _'Vv {__ V · 4, ,. V ·_d'VV_V R
‘ 1;. ?. ._ · ` .`· ·v~ T . ·
vi _».·— ‘; . .V‘V; '.’% —,·»PY /»—”’ N
, V · . -. ` . ‘‘‘' Q-;} · V.
'· V K . { · V =·. 6*
" ~` ` %V ·· ‘ .. VV·‘ · » *·‘V' V .. We? 2
‘ · ~¤»....· 4 · · uw - q ,
l g 1 °’*·· ‘ 5
»=¤ · ; i ,— »-
Z '. 'I ` ., gi,. V1 WG ' .- ~ " { /Y { V
‘ iyw M ·” ·'V f; .i¤` . _ A
' .· • N » ` . _ » ¥’ . . ‘ `“ ”*
' r 3+*+ , , ‘ V . .· ·V,..,» V ··.., md; , V
V —V ·>¤ V_,V%§_): ;_V,V-.eV .V { , —·»~ ·;&V;g=. V V. . at ___
‘ ’ 4 . V; ' { .1-**§1‘:‘*=”·??%;.{ ‘§i%,’·e-}r?i¢¤‘;.;:;:' ` ' I V;· ’» · '‘°‘‘
A *‘>~*¢’ ,V.r;t’ m$ .w·<¥ -" .5 V· . >¤·* ‘ ¤
_ '· -z [EQ/V > Vdyf} ~ Q V ’‘'‘ V ·,' ·· @4; W
. V **‘”*#-·»··•y ’ ’ ” . W, V · " * ·»
V ; V . V.V . · * ’ MY E.;
_V V V! V_VV’_V~ u ‘ _ , , ”‘ VY ;g·`
' U lg "‘ 1 ’ V » A; V
1 V ” ’. / ,·V~c§.a· 2- V. V % V. . Q;
fr ·~ _,;·= ` V»?*i§`*"¥?¤’¥§‘·· · 2 ° " ’”‘” V
;. l M *€j _ - { _»`· V Va" 1
"= J ~· *’·'$m*‘- '~·‘ V ‘;:,·: .. . ~~ ·. ".V..-· V. * W “
p E ..5 ·’7'f°%é 4¢f?E"`@Vi*’ ’ "‘ ‘ - ,».¥ * g? WOR
· ’”’*,* ;= VQiF£?‘>»éL¥—’A · *· ~£$ '— ?»‘- . tl V·‘VV *4
e . #’*° ~V · ..·iY .` ·¢* ·. ‘* ·.*"" ~ ·..4**.= `Ti».,» V “ `V » V .. >¢,<:,V,
f ·.~,;,¥ _ g g? V “‘{i K VV, V ,)· ir}? , · < V; A- K" V V
¤ < ’'’' ®Y»·:€“" *Y""·.. r ·¤ v.....; *· V#‘3"·<.»#"’£; ~" ~*
_ ; ‘ ~ , ‘ ·%’*·{·;¤-g: f ,,,"_;· .“,{s$_’f··¥·> 3 .. V ' A {gf ,*2 gg » ~ ‘*;··_`m ww
Y = 2 · ·· *°?’?C?* —.··T · “ ·*`¤~ · V #
` ‘ ~ fg 5?»;";.V.·iE§.% ~ " W éf- !*;·*”*•¤‘f`f
} if " ’’‘“
V . · ·>s- . s ·•— V ¢ =·¤"· ·:*· ·y~¤ . ·.,·..,®*";’., 5 ‘ V ·‘ . / r:V"‘··*wVr ,5/=·~ » V *4 g’ M-
1 "3 J:·"?{ * V ;,» V 2 ,.4. yi. 4'¤»<*¤:.V:°} .'·~V¤?§·>!¢=-?§¥·=·” · June 1940
. . . . . .. .I , _ Y? 9
S} TH WPA NATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT
if ON REEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND RECENT CHANGES
. P fi IN IN USTRIAL TECHNIQUES
3* F. c. HAR!
» ,1 Under the authority grantedby the President ln the Execu- COMWSSIONER OF
tive Order whlch created the works Progress Administration,
Q Administrator Harry L. Hopkins authorized the establishment
of a research program for the purpose of collecting and ana-
_``p.·» lyzing data bearing on problems of employment, unemployment.
‘‘‘, and relief. Accordingly, the National Research Program was
established in October 1935 under the supervision of Corrington Colon;
Gill. Assistant Administrator of the HPA, who appointed the Commis
’ directors of the lndlvldual studies or projects.
Sit:
The Project on Reemployment Opportunities andRecent Changes
in Industrial Techniques was organized in December 1955 to 7
T 1nqu1re,w1th the cooperation of lndustry, labor, and govern- Enola
-3 mentaland private agencies, Into the extent of recent changes Metho.
= in Industrial techniques and to evaluate the effects of these
_ , changes on the volume of employment and unemployment. David I
Yeintraub and Irving Kaplan, members of the research staff G Von
_ of the D1v1s1onof Research, Statistics, and Flnancewere ap- UQXY
n pointed, respectively, Director and Associate Director of the Thé d
t Project. The task set for them was to assemble and organize their
- · the existing data which bear on the problem and to augment ¤ sou
; these data by field surveys and analyses.- fhg I-
? foili
To this end, many governmental agencies whichare the col-
" lectors and repositories of pertinent lnformatlonwere invited numbgl
j to cooperate. The cooperating agencies of the United States G1? Cm
Government Include the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau Slonm
of Mines of the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of least
Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor, the Railroad dgpar
Retirement Board, the Social Security Board, the Bureau of BY 19
Internal Revenue of the Department of the Treasury, the De- PT0Xii
partment of Commerce, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Gt C11
Ti Tariff Commission. gener
The following private agencies joined with the National ggmih
Research Project ln conducting special studies: the Indus-
trial Research Department of the University of Pennsylvania, $21:;;
‘ Q the National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., the Employ-
ment Stabilization Research Institute of the University of the W
I Minnesota, and the Agricultural Economics Departments ln the dusty
_¤» Agricultural Experiment Stations of Californla, Illinois, HTG C
Iowa, and New York. w°Ik€’
Since September 1, 1939, the Project has been sponsored
iZ° by the National Resources Planning Board, Executive Office fO\1¤€
2* of the President, washington, D. C. pl¤C@
H
..1
El
-03
.
_ FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY
WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION
, I734 New Yc>m< Avenue Nw.
I WASMNGTONJlC.
F. C. HARRINGTON
- COMMZSSIONER OF WORK PROJECTS
t
, June 15, 1940
n Colonel P. C. Harrington
a Commissioner of Work Projects
Sir:
O There is transmitted herewith the report entitled
· Ssbloynent and Incose fron Gold Placering by Hand
s Methods, 1935-37.
; This report shows that hand placering for gold is
{ a vanishing frontier enterprise from which it is now
- next to impossible to extract a living. Soon after
B the depression set in thousands of unemployed with
e their families attempted small-scale placer mining as
t a source of livelihood. During the early years of
the rush to the creeks the number of would-be miners
_ failing to find gold was 20 times greater than the
d number of miners who had been successful in recovering
S an amount sufficient for even one sale. Disillu~
U sionment was rapid, and by 1933, a year in which at
I least 100,000 men tried their hand at placer mining,
d departures greatly exceeded arrivals at the diggings.
I By 1937 the number seeking gold had dropped to ap—
- proximately 22,000, of whom a fifth recovered no gold
e at all. Moreover, small-scale placer mining has
generally offered employment only for a very short
1 time even to those who had some success. About half
Q of those who found any gold gave up the effort within
a month, and three-quarters within 2 months. Be-
; cause climate and stream conditions frequently limit
M the work-year, and because seasonal jobs in other in-
m dustries sometimes are available at higher wages, even
H the comparatively small number of full-time miners
worked only B months out of the year.
,d The average gross earnings for the miners who
;€ found gold in California, where most of the hand
placering is carried on, were $6.02 per week for the
i
_*, sl-lMW-.ll Y.»... ..w-.lllll ?
.€ 5 years 1955-57, and the weekly income of nearly a
y third of the placer operators did not exceed $5.50.
I These figures represent gross earnings for a full
{Q week's work; returns per calendar week are lower mmpm
- i because of broken working time; net returns are still
` { smaller because of commissions paid to bullion buyers
. and necessary expenses incidental to mining. L
pi When the low level of weekly earnings and the
W short periods of work are known it is not surprising
A that yearly returns from gold placering by hand meth-
vi ods are found to be pitifully small. Gross average
i annual earnings per miner for California ranged from
‘i $44 to $59 in the years 1955-57.
— The survey did reveal one small group of miners
; to whom placering is important. These are the men to IL
whom placering offers an opportunity for work in off
T seasons and to earn something between jobs. When
i lumber camps are idle, when no harvests are offering
i work, when shops are closed for repairs or waiting for
. y orders, placering provides something to do even though
the returns are small. In certain limited areas, rip
~ - therefore, placering may yield enough to men with IV
° irregular jobs to be of marked aid to them even though `
it does not yield enough for support in the absence
of other sources of income.
I If placering is thus looked upon only as a sup-
plemental source of income for residents of the areas
, with placer deposits, it can be made to fill a defi~
._ nite but very minor place in the economy of the few
communities in which gold-bearing gravels are found
and to help a few hundred men at most.
tp Respectfully yours,
'“;
`= Corrington Gill
` Assistant Commissioner
` V.
E
ly o
'• 50.
full C O N T E N T S
OWGI Chapter Page
t `ll .. ,
L 1 PREFACE ...................... xiii
LYQIS
I. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY OF FINDINGS ....... 1
Romantic publicity ......... . ..... 1
the _
_ Number of miners ................ 4
SIIIQ
mth This study in relation to earlier report .... '7
{age Sources ..................... B
fro Location of small-scale placer miners ..... 9
m Reliability of questionnaire data ....... 9
Reliability of interview data ......... 12
nets Summary of findings ............... 13
rn to II. ATTRACTIONS OF SMALL—SCALE PLACER MINING ..... 16
i Off Minimum training requirements .......... 16
whgn Small capital requirements ........... 18
Ting
No employer needed ............... 20
[ for _
lough The gambling element .............. 21
QGSJ III. UNSATISFACTORY RECOVERIES ............. 23
' th
wlgh IV. TYPES OF SMALL-SCALE MINERS AND THEIR INCOMES. . . 29
LOU.
Unsuccessful miners ............... 29
GHCQ
Casual miners .................. 30
Description .................. 30
Sup_ Gold recovery ................. 31
LTQQS Intermittent miners ............... 33
9fi_ Description .................. 33
few Gold recovery ................. 34 '
Ound Full-time miners ................ 36
Description .................. 36
Gold recovery ................. 3’7
Net and gross output .............. 39
Commissions .................. 39
Automobiles .................. 41
Pumps ..................... 41
Miscellaneous ................. 41
Erratic incomes ................. 44
Reason for low earnings - hand working of poor
gravels .................. 44
V. SOME PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FULL—TIME
MINERS .... . ............... 46
Many maladjusted men .............. 46
Planless workers ............ . . . . 4'7
Age ....................... 49
Miners unfit in industr-y ............ 50
vii
§
F1
X viii CONTENTS
A Chapter Page Append
Q Lack of dependents ............... 50
— Q Good health ................... 52
Q Knowledge of use of tools ............ 52
i Intermittent miners more representative of
, industrial workers ............. 53
N VI. WHY AND HOW THE MEN ADAPT THEMSELVES TO THEIR WORK
g AND THEIR LOW INCOME .......... ». . . 54
1
{ Why miners adapt themselves to the creeks .... 54
N How miners adapt themselves to the work ..... 55
E Finding a place to mine ............ 55
` Finding transportation .......... . . 56
y Deciding how long to work ........... 58 B
I How the miners adapt themselves to the low
. earnings .................. 59 C-
N The casual miner ............... 59 D
I The intermittent miner ............ 59 `
E Men with outside incomes,such as pensioners. . 59
4 l The full-time miner .............. GO
Net income to which living expenses must be
Q ' adapted ................ 60
_ ` j Shelter ................... 62 I
‘ ~ Fuel and water .... . .... - ...... 62 Flgure
p Medical facilities ............. 62
Cultural and other values .......... 63
Food .................... as l·
· Clothing .................. 63
g Relief ..................... as 2·
J Family life ................... 64
’ 3.
~ Community life ................. 65
4.
° Miners as viewed by the mining counties ..... 66
Possibilities for the future .......... 67
VII. THE PLACER MINERS TELL ABOUT THEMSELVES ...... 69 5‘
i Casual miners .................. 69
6.
` Intermittent miners ............... 72 7
{ Full-time miners ................ 78 ·
V Appendix B'
J
5 A. SMALL—SCALE PLACER-MINING METHODS ......... 92
1 Types of placer deposits ............ 92 9.
Minerals associated with placer gold ...... 94
i Size of gold particles ............. 95 10
i Prospecting ................... 95
’ Panning .................... 97
j Small—scale placer-mining methods ........ 99 ll_
i Panning .................... 99 12
A Rocking .................... 99 ‘
zi
F
%i
A
3
§
4
CONTENTS ix
Page Appendix Page
50 Operation of the rocker ........... 99
52 Clean—up .................. 101
52 Dip box ................... 101
Long tom ................... 102
Operation of the long tom. ......... 103
53 Surf washers ................ 103
Ground sluicing ................ 103
54 Clean-up .................. 105
Variations of shoveling-in ......... 105
54 Rirried ................... 106
2; Amalgam and sponge ............... 107
56 Dry placers ........... . ....... 108
58 B. sTAT1sT1cAL TABLES ................ 109
59 C. FORMS FROM WHICH SOURCE DATA WERE SECURED ..... 134
gg D. NOTES 0N THE PREPARATION OF DATA ......... 133
59 Construction of figure 2 .... . ....... 133
60 Procedure used in computing table 2 ....... 139
60
62 MAP, CHARTS, AND ILLUSTRATIONS
62 Figure
62 Small-scale placer miner panning ...... Frmwispwce
63
63 1. Widely circulated accounts of new gold discoveries
63 stimulated the depression gold rush ....... 2
63 2. Number of small-scale placer miners seeking
and finding gold, 1929-37 ............ 5
64
3. Where miners crowded one another in 1932-33 .... 5 .
65
4. Location of principal small—scale placer-mining
66 operations and number of miners reported
67 working in 1935 ................. 10
69 5. An experienced miner carrying on a special type
69 of placering ................. . 17
6. Pump tom in operation ............... 19
72
7. Miners examining riffles to see if any gold has
78 been deposited ................. 22
S. Percentage distribution of earnings of small-
scale placer miners in California, by dollars
gg earned per year, 1935-37 ............ 24
gg 9. Percentage distribution of small—scale placer
94 miners in California, by number of days
in working year, 1935-37 ............ 30
95 10. Percentage distribution of small-scale placer
96 miners in California, by type of miner and
97 actual weekly earnings, 1935-37 ......... 32
99 11. A good day's work ................. 35
gg 12. The bullion buyer is paymaster to the small—scale
placer miner .................. 40
5
2
. . . i
if ·,$, ~_
x CONTENTS
·;5i. MAP, CHARTS, AND ILLUSTRATIONS-Continued
'QQQ- Figure Page Table
, Aijbl 13. A lightweight engine-and-pump outfit ....... 42 B—4.
MD i 14. About one-half of the men placering regularly
,’_ are over 5O years old .............. 49 B-5.
{Ei 15. Miners and their wives .............. 51
gpl 16. Old—model automobiles have replaced the burro as B_5a`
.i .._· the miner's source of transportation ...... 57
`ll B-B.
v 17. Housing at practically no expense is part of the
.u . income of placer miners ............. 61
.~", B-7.
rl . 18. Miners and their families ............. 65
·p ` 19. A placer miner sometimes combines resources with
if 4‘.' his neighbor .................. B2 B_8.
L_, 20. Miners frequently begin work where others are also
V yin; digging .................... . 86 B_9.
· Q“ 21. Itinerant gold-miners' camp on the Yuba River,
"V between Marysville and Grass Valley, California B9
l H' A-1. Bench and stream placers ............. 93 B—10.
[ A-2. Typical gold pan ................. 97
“ ,T` A—3. Knock-down rocker ................. 100 B`ll‘
7 ‘ A-4. Section of a sluice ................ 101
A B-12.
A A—5- Typical long tom ................. 103
i A-5. Dry washer .................... 106 B_l3_
`·v A-7. Mexican dry washer ................ 107
V J B—14 .
’ TEXT TABLES
js Table B'l5·
TJ. 1. Distribution of output, by actual weekly earnings
and type of miner, 1935-37 ........... 25
gg 2. Distribution of output, by estimated full—time
QQ; weekly earnings and type of miner, 1935-37 . . . 27
fb, 3. Distribution of net output, by actual weekly
;T· earnings and type of miner, 1935-37 ....... 43
Xp 4. Distribution of net output, by estimated full-time
Z`· weekly earnings and type of miner, 1935-37 . . . 43
APPEND IX TABLES
i~ B-1. Small-scale placer operations in the United States
?%* in 1935, by State ................ 109
TV? B-2. Output of small-scale placer miners in California,
ff} 1929-37 ..................... 109
{TQ B-3. Number of calendar days reported spent at the
{1+ creeks in California and Oregon, 1935-37 .... 110
.;:
2
§
é
CONTENTS xi
APPENDIX TABLES-Continued
Page Table Page
42 B-4. Small-scale placer gold production in California,
by county and stream, 1935-37 .......... 111
49 B-5. Small-scale placer gold production in Oregon,
5l by county and stream, 1935-37 .......... 123
B-5a. Number of creeks in Oregon at which small-scale
57 placer mining was reported, 1935-37 ....... 127
B-B. Annual per-capita production in California,
61 by county, 1935-37 .......... . .... 128
65 B-7. Average number of small-scale placer miners in
California and percent of total interviewed,
by length of working year, 1935-37 ....... 129
B2 B-8. Distribution of small-scale placer miners in
California, by annual earnings, 1935-37 ..... 129
86 B-9. Percentage distribution of small-scale placer
miners in California, by earnings per calendar
B9 week and by number of days worked, 1935-37 . . . 130
93 B-10. Length of working day of small-scale placer
97 miners interviewed ............... 130
100 B-11. Length of working week of small-scale placer
miners interviewed ............... 131
101
B-12. Length of working year of small-scale placer
103 miners interviewed ............... 131
106 B-13. Average daily income of small-scale placer miners
107 interviewed ................... 132
E—14. Annual income of small-scale placer miners
interviewed ................... 132
B-15. Age of small-scale placer miners interviewed . . . 133
25
27
43
43
109
109
110
x
,g;,
jr,
§$] An ea
` . product
l niques
_; - workers
_ V tions b
`—'. develop
_ · the ear
r`_i · and for
Y This -
_t conside
i i ing met
Q ·n—. I scale pl
»r i Mint re
·‘ t and dis
l V the bas;
t~; fornial
_ ‘ and 365-
n This:
. Researcl
` umkrt}
A liminar
pervisi
-Vl in colL
·_ Regiona
"· pared t
V of chapi
p?_ chapter
5}· Peter J.
· cisco, z
made ave
i Bureau c
p ‘ State Mi
_;_ for the
p, 1C.W.I¥
— 4 Source 0}
t in co0pe1
· i_l; E-2, Yay
·! are reprl
?&*—,i
tgerki
i
¥
13*
g W
`
a
PREFACE
An earlier study of small-scale placer—gold mining presented data on
production and employment in the industry and information on the tech-
niques used in the hand mining of gold and on the characteristics of the
- workers who sought a livelihood in this manner. In addition, tabula-
tions based on a sample of United States Mint purchase records were
developed to show yearly earnings from small-scale placer mining and
the earnings per day spent on the creeks, both for the casual workers
and for those who spent more time in the industry.1
This report brings the statistical record down through 1937 and adds
considerable information, obtained through field trips, on the work-
ing methods, the backgrounds, and the living conditions of the small-
scale placer miners. Moreover, additional and complete tabulations fron
Mint records have been analyzed to throw further light on the amount
and distribution of incomes received by those who work at placering;
the basic tabulations of these data were prepared by the Northern Cali-
fornia Work Projects Administration, Official Project Nos. 265-3-7009
and 365-03-3—1.
This report is one of a series of studies conducted by the National
Research Project in cooperation with the United States Bureau of Mines
under the direction of O. E. Kiessling. All of the field work and pre-
liminary assembly of material was done by Charles White Merrill, Su-
pervising Engineer of the Bureau's San Francisco statistical office,
in collaboration with David M. Maynard, Work Projects Administration
Regional Research Supervisor at San Francisco. Robinson Newcomb pre-
pared the analysis of the data as presented, wrote the final drafts
of chapters III, IV, and VI, collaborated with Mr. Merrill in writing
chapter VII, and prepared chapters I, II, and V with R. L. Kiessling.
Peter J. Haggerty, Superintendent of the United States Mint at San Fran-
cisco, and G. L. Swarva, Assayer—in-Charge of the Seattle Assay Office,
made available the records of gold buyers who sold their product to the
Bureau of the Mint through those offices. Walter W. Bradley, California
State Mineralogist, furnished the record of gold sales for California
for the period prior to the Mint record that became available follow-
1C. W. Merrill, C, W. Henderson, and O. E. Kiessling, Small-Scale Placer Hines as a
Source of Gold, Employment, and Liuelihood in 1935 (NPA National Research Project
in cooperation with U. S. Department of the Inter1or, Bureau of Mines, Report No,
E-P, Hay 1937). The report 1s now out of print; however, many of the basic data
are reprinted fn the present study-
xiii
Y . t .. , - ., . . .
gf;
xiv PREFACE
ing the Gold Reserve Act of 193n, and gave generous aid in other ways.
Helpful suggestions and assistance were also given by the following
` employees of the United States Bureau of Mines: Chas. W. Henderson,
V C. N. Gerry, J. P. Dunlop, and Helen M. Gaylord. The manuscript was
prepared for publication under the direction of Edmund J. Stone. The m
’ grasp a‘
- . DAVID Wnxmnnun . .
T it migh
y PHILADELPHIA yet mc,
June 11, 1940 Of help
it At th
the une1
eagerly
- ~ more fai
( acted u]
“ to the s
gasoline
T Headli
and mage
`_ Gold Set
for Golc
Valley Ii
W "Unempl
T $3,000 (
M and "Twc
The ae
J the heat
J instance
date lin
i of gold
. their hc
$275 in
_‘ operatic
. shovel,
U crank wi
ji frequent
"° Note.- S;
j Field Off
‘ Mines, ur
'· suggestio
Fit!
i- .
CHAPTER I
ways.
lowing
INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
erson,
pt was _
The needs of the unemployed in the early 1930lS caused many persons to
grasp at any possible source of incone, no matter how small or temporary
RAUB it might be. Moreover, perplexed local relief officials, who were as
yet receiving no aid from Federal sources, welcomed any possible source
of help for the long lines of unemployed that gathered at their offices.
At that critical time fabulous tales of rich gold strikes came to
the unemployed and the relief officials. The reports were listened to
eagerly by many, and the farther from the gold streams they spread, the
more fantastic they became and the more readily they were believed and
acted upon. The greater the distance, the greater was the urge to get
to the streams. Many local relief officials even "staked" families to
gasoline and food for a one—way trip to the new Eldorados.
ROMANTIC PUBLICITY
Headlines like the following appeared at frequent intervals in papers
and nmgazines throughout the countryi "Diggings of 'no Again Alive With
Gold Seekers"; "Old Prospectors and Jobless Men in Cities Renew Quest
for Gold in Streams"; "Children Strike Gold in Back Yard Mining"; "Grass
Valley Miners Find Cavern of Gold"; "$14OO Gold Nugget Found in Sierra";
"Unemployed Are Panning Georgia Creeks"; "Amateur Prospectors Wrest
$3,000 Gold Fro Idaho Creek"; "Jackass Hill Yields New Gold Pockets";
and "Two Brothers, Sister Make $1200 Digging Gold."
The accompanying newspaper accounts were not always so romantic as
the headlines, but nevertheless they told many a bizarre tale. For
instance, the Son Francisco Chronicle of July 3o, 1932, under a Stockton
date line, told how even children were finding gold: "Striking a pocket
of gold at an 8—foot level in a shaft they sank in the back yard of
their ho e in Sonora, Alice Roderick, 13, and her brother John, 8, have
$275 in the bank today. The youngsters, accustomed to watching mining
operations in the Sonora district, were equipped with an old pick and
shovel, a stew pan for a shaft bucket, a windlass nude of an automobile
crank wired to an old fence pole, and 2O feet of rope." The same paper
frequently reported promising finds in other parts of the State. For
Note.- Special acknowledgment is made to Chas. w. Henderson, Supervising Engineer,
Fléld Offices Section, Mineral Production and Economics Sivision, U. S. Bureau of
géggéséZp§rdSer&r¥jho:sre1cst;pi;*%y*ision the field work was conducted and who gave helpful
1
Q
g.
‘L ·=vA.:2,;;· · · · ·D · — » · · D D —·-——-—-—-— ,___ P
. Rig
'iéi
A
»
iii?
2 GOLD PLACERING BY HAND
nn
’ """' · ¤ ~"’*"*'“"' 1'¤¤"·’i*""“"` _V" T " 7 ' "" `T" ""`Y ·
3; _A§;_éiuiv1u1r.ou>Lun1ilI,;;,;·_.;e.r,-;1L_._ 1 Av»D. =» Rabb.-
_ . PROS 3mSTEAD»wTmjs,AWN@§E$ §=jEARLY GOLD RUSH A Scene
RIDE CARSNT BUER()§"5_ ;-,-;;;’°g'—::.·:,-D ..- #:-3 DAYS REVI V ED IN
A an or AN@q.,..»~i-MA, Q .= CLEAMLEK AREA "°’S“
Umdc Repmcos (¥‘§`:`m“°s\ UQ ZM H W 'éflhirty Ore Mills Now Operating in Region Where` mobile
· j. Lm_;_W“ Dam; at N\%“.\ Rcguyany. ·¢*.§&_,; · _ _ —— Only Two Were Working Two Years Ago, Car-
ff-ii *::1::2 S\¤¤V°9;/'_;__ ~» ‘.i _“;,,,§ Gold Mming lh DGHVCF Inadmgs Jump 50 Per Gent During 1935, It d
ir MD ..;w.::t¤ 1 r_‘*-···~»·——·· . .
ig .,.»······:;,...D···~·¢1:‘?....»-·····*‘A“ ~.§Z'i."..',{Z."1......,A....’... ....¤ .. ...., "·;;A¤;;*·":@;I,:·:·····"··**·* ··*··=··
.6 ;§r:i.»-;;,f"12~ ···~ ; ;:::‘2LDD~···~,5·:*...D»·¤_$€‘;i;`.J;.,,...i _ ‘ 1, _..CLt:...W..,‘i‘t.:.. A" ‘‘"‘’’ "A‘""" ‘'"· “· ‘‘‘‘*·‘·‘ baftel
. ”"‘ »-·q»·§E:rT»i<¤·-;:·A:¢:22¢F·¥7 »—·;.§>'¤‘-·*E»—.; ;.¢—.;m:.·-.:—..~ -~ =·S;¢¢m*?A=:D:#? `
~ ‘___. .42;-; :A1;;§__·;-;;iy:r·§‘*,..,_ g ..—:·..·:.··-..:;..—;—·.i.z·...*·;:·'LT;' _;jj~‘·":::5D·,g,5:q;&TD;je€_·§¤y ``‘‘‘ A assays
’¥f=Ti:r·.:‘¤~’*"’z -· --**3** ,,4rF ‘.-EE · wr-- ·:.·-:·.;·n:* ~ ¤¢·;€?~>·;·£¤¢.m; .DFf¤:·:~¤“‘&2ADx’¤D2:e;’»
~··’*·As¤~--e;;x::=;;; :·:"¤¥i¤·&*5:··;s.‘¤;c..·-~E"—:r;§-T.·`·¤1.":;—-·..:..:~:.r··~· '3:‘··¤1*z.·;,·2.; ·’·· *¤AA····:.&·‘·:w*J..·:;¤A¤:·i-¤1.:···“¢r · D
D €€?`$Z:F="¤`~·”&ZZ%`.“%·'¤Z-EFA"-’..·:E.%'·i:·Z?W$`“"‘““’·“*‘“‘ JST. Di;-ifi:--T£'_“°"*%iL’;%i’:?'F Sm:
§,i?:.;_r·j_€rT:.·=D=¤"‘ ·.?~+‘_;E;F.¤_3§$:T £·E`::·· “ $_·:E$;$¥35 LY?
if , V) QU YE / :·=>i¤¤?‘e:;§%iz§€?’* well A
AE 1 ?"”"()\? G0 me 1
-1 · · me °‘ Gnhlgcg , C\`0\\i\liDZ»€1}Lf12§ T£",.;'{?';7£Z£2';;¥l1’§§;§':I.:·;:LI;i;2::: q;;··;;;_
A3 r:i·r:A.r;:A1. . / ‘ M `w,"`{-,i.··gsf‘:"\¤s· F gym<"’%LQ';£Q.Qy”Q,%fZ_iiH,éj§,;;§?é·i*‘¤~x;F*·Ai
F }*i&’§i?¥€EZ. .. . .D vi ¤h¤' * ""L/ KD D ` "` ··· ···" vr 07 {FEE} .
{ éieemi .2:- ic ¤iN°Y ,_,...»¤_·-;,°·?_·;; gg; ,·<,:·:i.;:;J,,;§g:,e,·;§”A¤ cusp-‘¤·¢D· 5-
_ :·..~¤:·:·D:D¤ ·‘‘·‘· {EA E sl °L»uc¤¤°“. -»~_z.:.D;;·,;‘r;y: *‘·,.i..¤·r: ==s=i5:z;.;n;y:;5:;,;;·...1.:.-;;;-..., O
,D A A -~¤~ .. ’.... ... ,Aj?$;;·;·qy_»;.,;”::;Tori·:;_iD:;··¢i`;··:·¤:LA;;:r;·
>. es D·.£‘£f’£JLf‘.‘i‘.AEi.€€;’..@E,t*.,.~·.;;;?¥"--‘i~·'f7r·—7¤f·~'·?·~>Y sr ’··’· V.
.. ·-Q um Z“.$.T.Z‘Z,".;;‘:;;;‘;,_"" “·=· ¤¤="?¤r L.
=A D. `'’' "‘f·~;1i.;;_;·;j*·jL3 4
. ••-• i.;_;·.,,~·_..... ............,
z : kg af ;¢»· 4.o. / ·-·· · ‘‘’‘‘* From ADAe2D<;;,;¥;¢ conmnio Is { P
1, l ''` VA 0 TURFYL 'n iv]-'§.'.L" AI43HdFlIll S
. :.» · QER \\\ -—· 00 . ct