Yuba River Diversion Project for Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields Report, 1914

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Summary

Title:
Yuba River Diversion Project for Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields Report
Dates:
1914
Creators:
Hammon Engineering Company.
Abstract:
The collection consists of a report from H.R. Edwards, Chief Engineer of Hammon Engineering Company to W.P. Hammon, managing director of the Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields. Included in the report are sections on railroad possibilities and an irrigation scheme. Appendices include a history and appraisal of the debris situation, a geologist's report, a report on hydraulic development, and a copy of the Caminetti Act.
Extent:
1.0 Linear feet 1 Box with 5 Folders, 233 Leaves including maps and photos
Language:
and English
Preferred citation:

Yuba River Diversion Project for Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields, MSS 197, Special Collections, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of a February 18, 1914 report titled, “Report on Yuba River Diversion Project for Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields” from H.R. Edwards, Chief Engineer of Hammon Engineering Company to W.P. Hammon, managing director of the Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields. The report covers the estimated costs of the construction work necessary to accomplish the un-watering of the river bed above Hammonton and to generate adequate Hydro-electric power to supply the needs of the Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields. Included in the report are sections on railroad possibilities and an irrigation scheme. Appendices include a history and appraisal of the debris situation, a geologist's report, a report on hydraulic development, and a copy of the Caminetti Act. Additional accompanying materials include a variety of maps, plans and photos that help to illustrate the project and support the findings of the report.

Biographical / historical:

Gold dredging in California began in 1850 when a small river boat was fitted out as a dredge and gravel mining was attempted above Marysville, California on the Yuba River. The first successful gold dredge in California was built in 1898 by Biggs, Butte County resident Wendell P. Hammon, the "Dredger King," and his partner, Thomas Couch, a Montana mining businessman. This first model and those that followed consisted of a floating hull, a digging ladder, an endless chain of buckets, screening apparatus, gold-saving devices, pumps, and a stacker. The California dredge was developed from models used earlier in New Zealand and in Montana, proving to be much more efficient than earlier one-bucket attempts.

Hammon was instrumental in founding the Yuba Construction Company in 1906, by purchasing the Western Engineering Company and merging it with his own steel from a casting foundry in Marysville. Four large machine shops were built near Oroville to maintain and build the dredgers. Hammon founded the Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields on the Yuba River in 1904. This company became a large, profitable placer operation, a proving ground for new dredge designs and a training ground for dredge operators and others in this global industry. As many as 50 dredgers worked in the Feather River/Yuba River drainage at one time.

The Yuba Construction Company changed its name to the Yuba Manufacturing Company and later became a subsidiary of the Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields. In 1957 these companies merged into Yuba Consolidated Industries. Yuba dredges have been built and shipped from California to worldwide markets during the first half of the 20th century. These "gold boats" were shipped in pieces and assembled where the mining would take place. Locations included the countries of Malaya, the Philippines, Bolivia, Columbia, China, and Russia.

Acquisition information:
Source unknown.
Arrangement:

Arranged numerically by report page numbers.

Material specific details:
No other forms of material.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Leilani Silver, Pamela Nett Kruger
Date Prepared:
7/8/2010
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2011-09-09T15:14-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research without restriction.

Terms of access:

No restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Yuba River Diversion Project for Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields, MSS 197, Special Collections, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico.

Location of this collection:
California State University, Chico, Special Collections Meriam Library
400 West First Street
Chico, CA 95929-0295, US
Contact:
(530) 898-6603
SpecialCollections@csuchico.edu
Website