THE GRAVEL CLAIMS AT GOLD RUN. 147 
It was of course impossible to tell what the depth of bank had been at all points over this extent 
of ground, but relying upon the statement that the slope of the country had been pretty gradual 
from west to east, and upon my measurements and estimates of heights at a great number of points, 
I obtained the results given below. On the Cafion Creek side and near the ravines the banks were 
seldom more than thirty or forty feet high on the average for any considerable distance, while on 
the western and northwestern sides of the diggings we find as a rule banks of from ninety to 120 
feet or more in height. At the Cedar No. 2 Claim, where the highest bank of all is to be seen, it is 
as much as 240 feet from the bottom of the flume to the top of the bank, but this depth is reached 
only over a comparatively small area. It will hardly be necessary to give in detail all my notes 
concerning the heights of banks, the results obtained from their use being all included in what 
follows. The three prominent ravines crossing the Gold Run deposit of gravel and emptying into 
Cafion Creek furnish such good lines of division that it is most convenient to subdivide the whole 
mass into four portions, measuring and calculating each one by itself. It is not claimed that abso- 
lute accuracy is attained in this way, but I think as good and trustworthy a result is here offered 
as could be expected from the small amount of time available for making the measurements. I am 
convinced that I am not far out of the way, and really cannot tell whether any of my figures are 
too low — probably — or too high. My endeavor was to strike as near a mean value as possible 
in all cases. ; 
My estimate of the average thickness of gravel which has been removed between the railroad 
and Goosling Ravine is sixty feet, — based upon observations of height of bank every few rods 
around the whole region. One or two small ravines had their heads within this region, but I have 
made such allowances as seemed to me most nearly correct. The same estimate I made for the 
portion between Goosling Ravine and Gold Run Ravine. Between Gold Run Ravine and Potato 
Ravine the average is a little lower, —say fifty-seven feet. But to the south of Potato Ravine 
(even without the deep part of the excavation at Cedar No. 2) the average would be notably higher. 
For this portion I adopted seventy feet as the average thickness. My calculations to determine 
the number of cubic yards of gravel washed away gave the following results : — 
Between the railroad and Goosling Ravine. : : ; . 439,084,800 cubic feet. 
Between Goosling Ravine and Gold Run Ravine : : ‘ 202,554,000 “«§ «| 
Between Gold Run Ravine and Potato Ravine ‘ 5 ‘ a) -9E868/040) «ss 
South of Potato Ravine (excepting a part of Cedar No. 2) . “ 440,609,400 “ « 
Add for deep part for Cedar No. 2, say . : : : : - 50,000,000 “ « 
Total : : pe 22 TG 2A! os = 6 
These calculations are made on the supposition that the bottom of the old workings is always 
smooth and level, which is far from being the case. In many places there are sluices of consider- 
able size which have been cut deeper than the surrounding gravel, —and in many other cases 
considerable masses of gravel have been left standing. This is particularly the case where different 
claims have been worked from opposite directions, and a wedge or pyramidal shaped mass has been 
left as a landmark. To allow for what has been left in this way I estimated that a deduction of 
about five per cent from the grand total would be nearly correct. Making this deduction, I get 
1,162,910,428 cubic feet as the amount of gravel which has been removed since the commencement 
of the washings between the railroad and the Cement Mill. Or, in round numbers, 43,000,000 
cubic yards. This number I shall refer to again. 
It is pretty safe to say that there remains within the limits referred to in the above calcula- 
tion an average depth of as much as a hundred or a hundred and twenty feet more of gravel before 
bed-rock will be reached. On this supposition, then, we can calculate upon as much as 86,000,000 
cubic yards, left to be washed, to say nothing about the outside claims which have not yet been 
touched to any great extent. These will add considerably more to the grand total, and make in 
all, say, 125,000,000 cubic yards ; much of this will undoubtedly prove richer than the portions 
already worked out, though some, with equal certainty, will be poorer. 
