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Todd (J.A.) Collection of photographs of the effects of hydraulic
mining in Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba counties
PC-RM-Todd
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
California Historical Society
Title: Photographs of the effects of hydraulic mining in Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba
counties
Creator:
Todd, J.A. (John A.)
Identifier/Call Number: PC-RM-Todd
Physical Description:
2.06 Linear Feet
1 flat box
Date (bulk): 1882-1883
Abstract: 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. Two other photographs depict waterfront and shipping scenes in unidentified
location, probably San Francisco. One photograph shows a dredge docked near an unidentified
waterfront. J.A. Todd created the photographs between 1883-1899, the bulk created 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.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
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.
J.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.
CHS is not taking appointments for research at this time. Please check the Library's website updates:
https://californiahistoricalsociety.org/collections/north-baker-research-library/
Materials in this collection, which were created in 1882-1900, are in the public domain in
the United States. Permission to publish or reproduce is not required.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials found in collection; provenance is unknown.
[Identification of item, date]; Photographs of the effects of hydraulic mining in Nevada,
Sutter, and Yuba counties, PC-RM-Todd; California Historical Society.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Environmental degradation -- California, Northern --
Photographs
Hydraulic mining -- California, Northern -- Photographs
Nevada County (Calif.)--Pictorial works
Sutter County (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
Yuba County (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
Yuba River (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
Opium -- Pictorial works
Marysville (Calif.) -- Pictorial works
Waterfronts -- Pictorial works
Photographic prints.
Albumen prints
North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Co. -- Pictorial
works