cams_FrankLawton_b16_F005_001_003

2 oz to the single pan but this was considered the richest deposit in
California at the time I speak of it was known to very few I
went up with some Oregon men who had been on the Yuba the
year before but not so high up these men gained $500 a day
in this place for one month I supplied them with provision
it is the darn-dest place to get to men ever ventured in,
there are other deposits on the small tributaries of the Yuba in
my opinion equally rich but the working season here is very
short the mountains through which these streams find their way
are covered with snow till late in the Spring and the water
does not fall until this is all melted the first rain in the
valey [valley] in the fall is snow here and woe betide the man
that lingers, there being no food for animals he must pack
his own traps and a few pounds of gold are awfull [awful] heavy
when you carry them all day and have nothing to eat.

Large amounts of gold will be collected newt Summer
with the aid of quick silver and the use of the Binsmair
washer by those who have good claims to work on;
this machine on bars that have been worked over in
the ordinary manner has yeilded [yielded] $600 pr day 4 men working it
men can be hired by those holding claims for $8 pr day
Some men you know never will work on their own a/c
it is a responsibility they never like to take.

Dan if you had come here when we did you
could have made by your profession in San Francisco
$50,000 a year or can yet that is if you refuse
to gamble altogether that ruins the prospect of
hundreds here as well as in New York I never
think of such a thing as gaming I have made
up my mind it is the poorest business a mans
can enter in unless he does it professionally.