Todd (John A.) photographs of the effects of hydraulic mining in Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba counties, 1882-1889, bulk 1882-1883

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Summary

Title:
Photographs of the effects of hydraulic mining in Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba Counties
Dates:
1882-1889, bulk 1882-1883
Abstract:
Consists of seventeen photographs by John A. Todd documenting the destructive effects of hydraulic mining. Includes images of washed-over roads, ruined orchards, broken dams, riverbank gravel deposits, and working hydraulic hoses. Photos were taken in Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba counties and feature the Yuba and Feather Rivers. Two other photographs depict waterfront and shipping scenes in unidentified location, probably San Francisco. One photograph shows a dredge docked near an unidentified waterfront. Todd created the photographs between 1883-1899, with the bulk between 1882-1883. Each photograph was created for use as evidence in United States court cases. Each photograph is labeled with the court case it was used as evidence in and many include a brief description of what is depicted.
Extent:
2.06 Linear Feet (1 oversize flat box)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item, date]; John A. Todd photographs of the effects of hydraulic mining in Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba counties (PC RM Todd); California Historical Society Collection at Stanford, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Background

Scope and content:

Consists of seventeen photographs documenting the destructive effects of hydraulic mining. Includes images of washed-over roads, ruined orchards, broken dams,riverbank gravel deposits, and working hydraulic hoses. Photos were taken in Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba counties and feature the Yuba and Feather Rivers. Some images contain a few men and one photo shows two boys. All mounts have handwritten notations that consist of the photograph's number from 1 to 17 (several are written as "Complainants Exhibit" numbers) and description of court case details. All mounts include the following (with slight variations): No. 2900 U.S. Circuit Court District of Cal., Edwards Woodruff vs. North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Co. et al. Each photo has a file date, either Nov. 16, 1882; Dec. 11, 1882; or Sept. 12, 1883. All mount notes indicate that L.S.B. Sawyer was clerk (court records show a Lorenzo Sawyer as judge) and several show J.F. O'Beime as deputy clerk. Most of the mounts contain handwritten captions describing the images, including locations. Six of the mounts have notes that read: "Photographed by J.A. Todd. June 18th, 1883." Four of the mounts read: "Photographed by J.A. Todd. June 19th, 1883." Includes three unnumbered photographs also used as evidence in U.S. Court cases. Two depict waterfront and shipping scenes and are labeled U.S. Circuit Court, Cal. 3880 Boxes Opium V. U.S.A., U.S.Exhibits No. 26 O'Beime." One photograph shows a dredge docked near an unidentified waterfront. It is labeled "vs. SF Bridge Co., Depts. Exhibit no. 3 on [illegible] to show cause for contempt. Filed April 23, 1900 South and Hoffman, [illegible], Byron B. Braizley, Deputy Clerk.

Biographical / historical:

John A. Todd was active as a photographer in California between 1863-1897. "In 1882, Todd was commissioned to take a series of photographs illustrating the deleterious effects of hydraulic mining for presentation in the case of Edwards Woodruff v. the North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Company. He photographed a debris dam in Sucker Flat Ravine at Smartsville, Yuba County. A month later he traveled to North Bloomfield Mine in Nevada County to photograph general views of the hydraulic monitors at work. Todd was called into the Ninth Circuit Court in Sacramento on June 4, 1883, to testify to seven of his photographs which were introduced as evidence in the Woodruff case"--Pioneer Photographers of the West / Peter E. Palmquist and Thomas R. Kailbourn.

Acquisition information:
Provenance unknown. Transferred to Stanford University Libraries in 2025.
Physical location:
Special Collections and University Archives materials are stored offsite and must be paged three business days in advance. For more information on paging collections, see the department's website: https://library.stanford.edu/libraries/special-collections.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Jaime Henderson, 2018
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-02-12 15:44:26 -0800 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Curator permission is required for access to the physical collection because the materials are fragile. Digital versions are available. If access to the physical collection is needed please contact specialcollections@stanford.edu.

Terms of access:

Material in the public domain does not have any restrictions on use.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item, date]; John A. Todd photographs of the effects of hydraulic mining in Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba counties (PC RM Todd); California Historical Society Collection at Stanford, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Location of this collection:
Department of Special Collections, Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6004, US
Contact:
(650) 725-1022
chscollection@stanford.edu
Website