Reprinted with permission by the Sierra County Historical Society from The Sierran of August 1970, Vol 2., No.2

At the conclusion of last week's article, Wm. Pickie-Pocke, after "word go out about that 'old Cap. Sears' had struck diggings" and his neighbors followed him, Sears and his party turned around and "forbade them further progress."

The others not being willing to be thus thwarted, answered that the hills were as free for them to prospect in, as they were for him; and there was every appearance of a dispute of some consequence; when Sears’ party, finding that it was useless to strive against such numbers, came to the compromise, that the others were not to divulge what they saw, and they, on the other hand, would show them the diggings; only bargaining that the Sears’ party should be paid $100 per head, and be entitled to a double claim, in virtue of the discovery. The other party was headed by a man of the name Gibson. A spirit of rivalry grew up between these two leaders, as to prospecting, which caused some of the most important discoveries of this section of country.

Sears' diggings being mostly of the order denominated surface, Gibson took his clue from this, and having crossed the Slate Creek--then only commenced to be worked at– or nearly where St. Louis is now situated, soon found that his ridge was as rich, if not richer than Sears'.

Establishing a camp at what is now called Gibsonville, he proceeded to mine on a large scale, employing a number of men--half partners, half hirelings--who were to work the ground whilst he prospected with a small chosen party of enterprising and determined boys. He soon struck diggings at "Secret Ravine" when, if report speaks truth, he took out thousands of dollars before the rest of his party suspected him of anything foul. Upon the discovery that Gibson had made a successful prospect, great dissatisfaction was manifested by those left behind in Gibson's camp, and his claims were immediately jumped. This brought about a row, when Gibson returned; but they told him pretty plainly that as he had played them false, they intended to work the claims, and if he did not like their proceedings to help himself. Gibson talked of shooting and using force, but they told him that if he killed but the smallest boy in the crowd, they would certainly hang him. Gibson, finding them resolute, abandoned his claims at once, and contented himself with reserving his rich claims in "Secret Diggings." He had the tact, for quite a long time, to deceive them as to their locality; and although they were but a short distance from his camp, to make them believe that they were located several days journey off. Accordingly whilst men were out in search of him toward the head waters of Feather river, he was quietly, with his party, making a large fortune.

Sears, in the meantime, was not idle. Setting his party to work, he drew up the rules and regulations of a grand joint stock company, the great features of which were that the company would divide equally, both miners and prospectors. Unity of feeling, however, as in all very large companies, did not long last, and a division took place in a short time; but not before the foundation was laid of quite a large number of camps. “Pine Grove," St. Louis," "Chandlerville,” “Port Wine,” “Poverty Hill,” “Brandy City,” etc., were successfully struck in the space of three or four years. This split in the company took place in the summer of 1850; and although it materially lessened the profits of Sears, was of some consequence to the public; for as fast as each party separated, they spread out through the different divides, striking diggings in all directions. Indeed I am not sure that any section of the country, in the same scope, has ever been so rich as this has proved. “Port Wine” was, however, struck unexpectedly by some packers accidentally leaving a keg of port wine in the bushes. Some prospectors coming after, found it, after having broached it, went in search of water. As they found the ravine to have good gravel, they washed a few pans, and finding a good prospect located there, named the diggings "Port Wine." All these diggings were first called surface diggings; but as time grew on, they were worked down lower, the hll1s were tried, and after repeated failures, found to be rich.

In the years 1854 and 1855 I believe the first tunnel was run into the Saddle Mountain; but at first too high, and they had to return and commence again several times, until the deposit in the basin was struck. Others followed soon after in the same mountain, as well as in the Fir Cap Mountain, Manzanita Hill, American Hill, and, indeed, in almost all the hills as far as Pilot Peak and Blue Nose; the first at the head of Poormans Creek, and the other beetling over Hopkins Creek. It was in 1852, that the first tunnel was run in these two last peaks. In the same year also, an excessively rich quartz vein was struck by a Frenchman and a Spaniard in a very curious way. Being out hunting, the Frenchman fired at a bird on the divide, directly above the Slate Creek House, and missed it; but struck a piece of quartz, which rolled down the hill. The Spaniard picked it up and found it to be richly studded with gold. This made them both hunt about, until a vein was found dividing the Slate Creek, immediately on the creek of the divide, which showed on the out-cropping, extremely rich. One piece, about as big as an ordinary bar-room pitcher, was broken off and carried to Pine Grove. It was about two-thirds gold

In next week's issue readers will learn how the Frenchman lost his interest in the rich out-cropping.