going, going, g....

sageadvice · Feb 18, 2014

Better put in your bid! Small gold mining community w/ acreage right on the Feather River a couple miles below Lake Almanor. Property has a old but functioning Bar and gathering area that was always pretty busy on weekends. For the guy that has time, money, and just about everything else...

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/02/1...closes-for-california-gold-mining-ghost-town/

Ghosts? Years ago, My pard and i were fishing and catching, one after the other, native pan sized trout upstream about as far as you could go without serious swimming when we came to a series of very rundown old huts scattered about a little flat area. There was old rusted metal about and the walls of the canyon were arising very close in about us. I felt major spooked and when i asked my pard, he said the hairs on his neck were standing out and why didn't we get the heck out of there? Ghosts? It felt very creepy is all i can say!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

eelgrass · Feb 19, 2014

I did a search on Google Earth, pretty nice place actually. It sounds like it's surrounded by National Forest land. I could spend all summer there, no problem.

Eel

sageadvice · Feb 19, 2014

Steve, there are a few retired guys i know who stay down there most of the year. They have places on different claims. Pretty good fishing but not great unless you hit it right or go away from the traffic. I've been down there a few times last couple years, even worked for a couple weeks, big mine down there that needed a plumber to do the gold room, hook up the big trammel, they showed me the big holding tank and i did the rest.

It's a ok place but it's dying out. Most of the old timers that frequented the place are gone now. The road from above ain't that bad as they say. Pretty much typical road but you don't want to get off it. Lots of claims there in the area, both hard rock and placermining. You never know but i don't think they are getting lots of gold, more of a hobby.

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

sageadvice · Feb 22, 2014

I got some time today so thought i continue with what i had mentioned above in the previous thread, about working at the big Gold Mine down along the Feather River above Seneca.

I got the job to plumb the place by stopping in the local water hole in Chester. There were a couple big ol dudes sitting down at the corner of the bar, they were buying rounds for the house one after another, spending money like there was no tomorrow. When i walked in, they immediately ordered me up a drink and asked me who i was. So i told them and asked who the hell that they were? Turns out they were hired welders, each had their own wielding rig, and were pulling huge day rates putting the setup together down at the new mine. We became fast buds and they, a few days later, told me i had the plumbing job if i wanted it.

Now, before i took the job, i was warned about going to work at any new mine. Seems a lot of guys had done similar to what i was going to do and had never gotten paid for their services. So when i told the wielders that i'd do the job, i asked for their guarantee that i'd be getting my money the day that the job was done. No problem they said, i'd get paid that very day.

The job was no big deal really. The huge holding tank had a 4" threaded outlet at the bottom of it, i needed to plum it down and branch it off to different areas of the mine as they requested. Was a especially beautiful place to work each day. Springtime, about two miles above the bridge that crosses the North Fork above Seneca. One of the first guys i met was from Security. He was a buff looking young man from some military base in the Carolina's. He was supposed to be Special Forces, i can't say one way or another but he loved hiking and sneaking about the hills above the mine and always had his full gear with him including a official looking black military rifle.

There came a day after a couple weeks working that i had the water plumed into a dozen different outlets in the gold room shaker table and to where else it was requested. I was done and was told to work out the day. When i went over to the "office", it was in a huge tent, plenty big enough to have space to spare even with a couple 30+' travel trailers setup inside, and asked for my pay time and materials up to date, i was refused and told it would be coming in the mail at a later date.

Now, i got pissed off and made it clear that that was not the deal i had agreed to. I was to be paid the day i finished and you can believe everybody within hearing distance heard me. I refused to go, i wanted my money then and there and even the Security guy couldn't talk me into leaving. At the time, i don't know if that Security guy could have whipped me or not but i figured that i had right on my side and if it got to that, so be it.

They finally got one of my wielder buddy's to come up and calm me down, he told me that he'd be bringing in my pay that night to the bar. He did, his word was good, all was well with the world. That was my big experience working at the big gold mine above Seneca.

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

eelgrass · Feb 22, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Feb-22-14 AT 06:15PM (MST)[p]Glad it worked out for you Joey. I'm guessing that you were probably one of the very few who made any money from that mine? Mine the miners so to speak.

I could be wrong of course, as I know nothing of that operation.

Let's put it this way, I wouldn't want to be the one to try and cheat you. I can just see it now "You can either pay me now, or wish you did."

How would you like to be the Hoffman's plumber down in South America?

Eel

sageadvice · Feb 22, 2014

Steve, you are Right. It was basically a big investor scam, very little gold was found and those who waited to get paid until after startup, never did get their money. That's what i was told anyway.

I've been very lucky thru the years being compensated for my efforts, I won't talk about the exceptions which have been extremely rare but you can see that i could get unhappy. I generally will gladly help a guy, work for free if need be, but when payday is Friday, it better be Friday. lol

Being Hoffman's plumber Dude? I don't think so! One, i can't handle the heat for very long, Two, I believe Todd is a scam artist, and three, i'd miss my mountains! ;-).

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"