Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1896 — WOMEN WASH FOR GOLD. [ARTICLE]

WOMEN WASH FOR GOLD.

North Carolina Dames Bear Their Part in the Mining Operations. Among the inhabitants of the southern mountains, among those strange left-over people whose have little changed from what'they were 200 years ago, women bear a large share of the burdens of existence, and they don’t call themselves new women. In the South’ mountains of North Carolina, lying to the south of the old town of Morganton, the poorer residents obtain a small amount of money by panning gold ijHhe “branches,” as the little streams are called. It was told that by far the greater part of this work was done by women, and I was invited to make a journey through the mountains with one of these women to act as guide and preceptor. As we stood the next mornjng before a log hut the door opened and a woman stood before us. She was introduced by my friend •'S “Tine” Hank. About 80 years old. rather small, slight, dressed In a coarse gown of nondescript color and material, her eyes were of the most beautiful brown, while her glossy biack hair was done into a simple knot at the back of her head. Her feet were bare and brown as. the soil which formed the floor of the cabin.

“Tine” had been forewarned of our coming and was ready to start at once with her gold-pfth- under her arm. In a commanding tone she called to a man who sat by the fireplace, telling him to get a shovel and follow. We took our way down a crooked, trail which ran alongside one of the “branches.” If It had been a pleasure to see the grace and beauty of this woman in repose It was a marvel to observe her gliding aiong the fores* path, with every muscle In play, every motion adjusted to the needs of the moment, now stepping deftly from one stone to another, now grasping the small limb of a tree to aid her in a steep part of the path. When we reached a place where heaps of gravel and sand showed that panning had been done, “Tine” assured us she could obtain a “color.” Taking the- shovel from the mountaineer, she drove It into the bed of the shallow stream, pushing it down by placing her naked foot on the edge of the blade. Having carefully chosen , a panful of gravel, she crouched down and commenced the operation of “panning.” I have seen this delicate task performed many times, but never before with such rapidity and dexterity. In an incredibly short time she gave the final twist to the iron pan, and exhibited it to us with the small remaining amount of gravel.collected in its lower edge, while tiie tiny yellow scales, the “colors,” were arranged in a sort of line in the upper part. Then she jumped to the opposite side of the branch, digging witli her hands at some loosened pieces of- quartz in. the opposite bank. She returned, carrying three or four pieces in her hands. One of the fragments she held out triumphantly, saying, “It’ll carry riglit smart gold,” while her bright eyes shone with pleasure. Placing her trophies on a flat stone, She proceeded to beat the quartz to a fine powder. Scraping the crushed material into the pan, she proceeded to a small pool in the stream and went to work as deftly as before. A pretty picture it was and a novel one, this delicate featured, barefooted woman, bending over the edge of the stream, whih rushed along among the gray rocks, taking its path down the slope of the mountain under the big pine trees. When the pan was presented for inspection there, indeed, was “right smart gold.” Instead of a few flakes a yellow streak showed on the black surface pf the pan—“almost a pennyweight,” as the mountaineers informed us. This being placed in a sharpened quill, brought along for the purpose, we left the "branch” and starte for other profitable ■workings. During the day we encountered several women, Usually in small parties, engaged either in panning or in beating up the loose vein rock after the primitive method which “Tine” had employed. They told us they averaged about $1 a day when they worked hard, and there was, of course, always the chance of striking a “pocket,” which might gi.ye them ?20 or S3O in a lump. They were able to turn their winnings gt once into cash by selling the gold to the local storekeepers.—New York Herald.