Before moving on to the next chapter, we are including a little more information on Roberts and some of the people involved with him.
All of the below photos are screenshots taken from Bullion Annual for 1880, published in 1881 in New York by The Bullion Publishing Company, apart from the map and the scenic photo of hydraulic mining which are from the lengthy prospectus published by the California Water And Mining Company in 1880. Interestingly, the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) catalogues only eight copies of the prospectus, all with what is described as “erratic pagination”, with most copies seeming to have been published in an incomplete state. Two copies have 53 pages, and another 2 have 49 pages.
(Information from: BLR – Barry Lawrence Ruderman, Antique Maps Inc.
Iron Silver Mining Company, Leadville, Colorado. George D. Roberts, President
As mentioned, Roberts was reported to have used the Robinson Mine in a stock float scam on the New York Stock Exchange in 1880. In 1881, Daly represented Roberts in the purchase of mining properties in Lake Valley (present day Sierra County). A group of 10 mines were purchased for the astronomical sum of $250,000. Daly was also General Manager of the Robinson Mine.
Here Roberts is listed as Treasurer, and Lee Shryock as President. Shryock was also associated with James B. Price of The National Mail and Transportation Company which had offices at Shakespeare.
State Line No. 3. Shryock – President, Roberts – Treasurer.
This appears to be a promotion for a stock float. Roberts is named as one of the Trustees. Thomas Findley, who is named as both Managing Director and a Trustee, will be mentioned in Chapter 21, “The Harpending Papers” (Roberts to Harpending, San Francisco September 26, 1870). Roberts and Findley had known each other since the 1860s when they owned mines both jointly and independently of each other in grass Valley, Nevada.
“Hydraulic Mining On The Georgetown Divide, El Dorado County, California”. From the California Water and Mining Company prospectus of 1880.
“Map of El Dorado County, California showing the Georgetown Divide and portions of the Placerville and Forest Hill Divide with the Ditches, Mines, and other properties of the California Water Company situated between the South Fork of the Middle Fork and South Fork of the American River”. Taken from the 1880 prospectus. The map also shows the aqueduct proposed by the Company to carry water to Sacramento, and a proposed narrow gauge railway. the proposals were never developed.
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