MINERS & BUSINESS MENS
DIRECTORY 1856
SAW MILL FLAT.
Is situated at the juncture of the forks of Wood’s Creek, one mile and a half from Columbia, and about the same distance from Yankee Hill. It was the great resort of Mexicans, Chilenos, and Peruvians at its first settlement. The notorious robber and murderer, Joaquin, had his head quarters here, and was well known to many of our citizens as a desperate and dangerous man. At this time, (1852) he had not commenced his career of wholesale murder and robbery, but was a “monte dealer” and had a number of villainous scamps connected with him in fleecing his less informed countrymen and others out of their daily earnings. On a hot and sultry day in the summer of ’52 a report reached Columbia, that Joaquin and his gang of gamblers had thrown poison in the spring, and that several persons had been poisoned; also that on that night he contemplated making an attack on Mr. Ira McCrea, the principal merchant and dust buyer of the Camp. This intelligence as might be expected at that period of the history of this country, caused an intense excitement and particularly among McCrea’s friends (and they were many, for Mac was one of the b’hoys) all of which, with one accord exclaimed “lets go and clean out the greaser population,” and the work of cleaning and loading revolvers commenced, the little brass canon (16 inch cylinder and 2 inch bore) was mounted on a pair of wheels. A patriotic lady cocked the soldiers hats and put feathers in them urging the braves on to deeds of valor. The little army after much preparation made a start for the scene of war, at which place they arrived at quite a late hour, as much time had to be occupied in making the necessary recoinoisance (sic) in order to ascertain the position of the enemy. McCrea surprised at seeing so great a display of military said, “Boys what the thunder is up, and what are you doing here.” The Commander replied that an invasion of his premises would be made that night, and that they had come to protect his life and property. Mac gave one of his dry laughs and a slight hem, and said, “Boys come in and take something to drink, and then go home, the Greasers or no one else is going to trouble me.” A portion of the army accepted the invitation; and the balance made an attack on his bakery, and devoured some three dozen pies. Thus ended what is familiarly known as the “Saw Mill War” of 1852. Asside (sic) from this occurrence we have nothing to chronicle that would be of interest to our readers, more than, that it has a great deal of good mining ground yet, and many of the claims being worked are paying exceedingly well. New and extensive diggings have been struck on the hills and mountains in the vicinity, which will give employment to a large number of miners.
MINING LAWS OF SAW MILL FLAT.
Whereas, this precinct is deficient in Mining Laws and Regulations, and disputes arise there-from. Therefore, resolved, that we the miners, of Saw Mill Flat in Convention assembled, do pledge, ourselves to adopt, support, and abide by the following Laws:
ARTICLE I.
SEC. 1. The precinct known as Saw Mill Flat, shall be bounded as follows: Commencing at a point on the hill west of the flume on Wood’s Creek; running northerly on the dividing ridge to Knickerbocker Flat, thence east two miles, thence south to a point due east of said flume, thence west to place of beginning.
SEC. 2. No miner shall be entitled to more than one hundred feet square, except as herein provided.
SEC. 3. No miner shall be allowed to hold more than one claim in wet diggings, and one in dry diggings except by purchase, and all claims shall be worked when workable, either by person or by proxy.
SEC. 4. All claims must be distinctly defined by one or more notices containing the names of those holding the same.
SEC. 5. If any claim which can be advantageously worked, but not worked one day in five by each claimant, it shall be considered forfeited except in case of sickness.
SEC. 6. Any person or persons who, by prospecting, shall discover new diggings, shall be allowed to hold twice the amount as prescribed in section 2.
SEC. 7. Any claims that cannot be worked to the advantage of the owners on account of the scarcity of water, or the expense of getting water on the claim; the same shall not be considered forfeited until water can be procured from the Fall rains.
ARTICLE II.
SEC. 1. Whenever any dispute shall arise respecting claims or water privileges, each party shall choose two disinterected (sic) persons, the four thus selected shall choose the fifth, and the five thus selected shall hear evidence, and decide according to the laws of this precinct.
ARTICLE III.
SEC. 1. A committee of three shall be appointed to call meetings of the Miners of this precinct, to enforce these laws, or whenever the committee shall consider a meeting necessary.
SEC. 2. These laws shall go into force on Monday, August 7th, 1854.
Passed at Saw Mill Flat, August 1st., 1854.
E. M. PAGE, Pres’t.
Wm. H. SMITH, Sec’y.
SAW MILL FLAT DIRECTORY.
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Transcribed by Sue
Wood.
Proofread by Betty
Vickroy.
© 2008 Sue Wood.
MINERS & BUSINESS MEN'S DIRECTORY
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