Gold Fever !!!           

 Tomah Wisconsin GPAA Chapter – January, 2015

Welcome

Welcome to the 2014 GOLD FEVER Newsletter.  Another year, another gold prospecting opportunity.   

Do not forget the Newsletter and pictures can always be found at:

 www.huntforgems.com/gpaatomahwi/

President’s Message

 I would like to thank all of you that make it to the meetings and share your ideas and experience with all those who do not get around or are just starting out prospecting. The December meeting was a rehash of every ones trips thou out the year. There were a lot of different kinds of prospecting spanning dry washing in Arizona to dredging in Alaska and panning in Lake Superior. Sharing your stories with us all made for an interesting afternoon.

  It was decided that since we are going to S. Dakota in early June 5-7, that going to Nugget Lake in the middle of June was too soon after the other trip. It was decided to hold off on Nugget Lake until August 15. The June meeting will either be at the Town of Lagrange hall or a metal detecting outing not all the outings have been finalized yet.

     Hope you have a happy new year Mike Fait

Upcoming Events

 Jan 3, 2015 – Wausau Prospector Meeting – Program: Finding diamonds in the Midwest.

Jan 17, 2015 - Tomah Club Meeting at Town of LaGrange Town Hall – at 1:00 pm

Feb 7, 2015 – Wausau Prospector Meeting – Program:  Gold Prospecting in Alaska.

Feb 21, 2015 - Tomah Club Meeting at Town of LaGrange Town Hall – at 1:00 pm – Program: Gold Prospecting in Alaska

Mar 7, 2015 – Wausau Prospector Meeting – NO MEETING – Klondike Days in Eagle River, Wi.

Mar 21, 2015 - Tomah Club Meeting at Town of LaGrange Town Hall – at 1:00 pm

April 4, 2015 – Wausau Prospector Meeting – Program:  Gold Panning & Rock Collecting in South Dakota

April/May???– Tomah Club Spring Outing – Metal Detecting – Goose Island, Fishing Camp.

Officers  

 

President – Michael Fait (mgfait@charter.net) 715-384-9265

Vice-President – Gary Morrison 715-316-2160

Secretary – Jeanne Morrison 715-316-2160

Newsletter Editor - Diane North (dbnorth@centurytel.net) 608-635-7031

Treasure – Gayle Fait (mgfait@charter.net) 715-384-9265

Outing Chairman – Richard Niemyjski (richnski@frontiernet.net) 608-637-3295

Claims Director – Richard Niemyjski (richnski@frontiernet.net) 608-637-3295

State Director – Open

Tomah Wisconsin GPAA Chapter Minutes December, 2014

Old Business:                                                                                                                                                              

The December meeting was held at the Town Hall at the Town of Lagrange, 22731 Flint Ave. on Route #21 west of Tomah Wisconsin on December 20th,, 24 members and guests attended the December meeting.

Thank you to everyone that shared their summer trip stories.  There were stories about California, Alaska, Wisconsin, Colorado, and South Dakota.  We really get around the country.

One of the important messages that was brought forward by a couple of members, is to contact members of the local Gold Clubs in the area that you are going to visit.  Many times they will help you find the best places to do you prospecting and make new friends.

The joint prospecting trip to South Dakota being planned for June 5, 6, & 7, 2015 with the Wausau chapter, was discussed.

 New Business:

January’s meeting will be on the 3rd Saturday of January on the 17th at 1:00 pm at the Town Hall at the Town of Lagrange, 22731 Flint Ave. on Route #21 west of Tomah Wisconsin.   Please bring a dish to pass for lunch.    

Planning for this summer’s outings will be discussed.

Raffles: 

Donations to the raffle were from:   Larry Bender, Rita Dreier, Diane & Bill North, Robert Wysocky, Wayne Ellison, Diane Collins, Steve Miller, and Val Thompson - hope I didn't miss anyone.

Raffles: 

50/50 raffle winner – Merlyn Meyer

Gold raffle winners: Gold nugget David Ambrose, Pay Dirt – Kim Mickelson, Sapphire - John Schwingle

Door Prizes:  Hams – Earl Thompson & Ron Rick

 Gold Price on 12/28/14 was $1,195.80                Silver Price on 12/28/14 was $16.19

 Respectfully submitted by Diane North – Newsletter Editor

 MAY THERE BE GOLD IN EVERY PAN !!!!       0511-1001-1705-4846_Old_Prospector_Panning_for_Gold_clipart_image

Diary of a 49er, Part I: July 4th, 1849, Salmon Falls, South Fork of the     American River

July 4th: Here we are, at length, in the gold diggings. Seated around us, upon the ground, beneath a large oak, are a group of wild Indians, from the tribe called the "Diggers," so named from their living chiefly upon roots. These Indians are of medium size, seldom more than five feet and eight or ten inches high; of a dark complexion, with long black hair which comes down over the face. They weave a basket of willow so closely as to hold water, in which they boil their mush, made of acorns dried and pounded to a powder, or their flour, purchased at some trading tent. They have brought us in some salmon, one of which weighs twenty-nine pounds. These they spear with great dexterity, and exchange for provisions, or clothing, and ornaments of bright colors. 

We are surrounded on all sides by high, steep mountains, over which are scattered the evergreen and white oak, and which are inhabited by the wolf and bear. This will always be to us a memorable Fourth of July, as being our first day at the California gold mines. We have spent the day in prospecting. This term, as it designates a very important part of the business of mining, requires explanation. I should first, however, give some description of the bar upon which we are to labor. This lies on both sides the river, and is covered with smooth, brassy-looking rocks, some of which weigh many tons. It is a little higher than the water-level; but we find, as we dig down, that the water soon begins to flow in, and must be "bailed out." This bar, or rather a succession of bars, extends a distance of some miles up and down the river, over which the water runs with surprising rapidity in the freshets, which are common during the rainy reason, and break up and reduce the gold-bearing quartz, tearing it away from its primitive bed, robbing it, in its course, of its virgin gold, and breaking it down until it is at length deposited, in greater or less abundance, within some crevice or some water-worn hollow, or beneath some rock so formed as to receive it. These bars vary from a few feet to several hundred yards in width. In order to find the deposits, the ground must be "prospected."

A spot is first selected, in the choice of which science has little and chance everything to do. The stones and loose upper soil, as also the subsoil, almost down to the primitive rock, are removed. Upon or near this rock most of the gold is found ; and it is the object, in every mining operation, to reach this, however great the labor, and even if it lies forty, eighty, or a hundred feet beneath the surface. If, when this strata-belt of rock is attained, it is found to present a smooth surface, it may as well be abandoned at once; if soft and friable, or if seamed with crevices, running at angles with the river, the prospect of the miner is favorable. Some of the dirt is then put into a pan, and taken to the water, and washed out with great care. The miner stoops down by the stream, choosing a place where there is the least current, and, dipping a quantity of water into the pan with the dirt, stirs it about with his hands, washing and throwing out the large pebbles, till the dirt is thoroughly wet. More water is then taken into the pan, and the whole mass is well stirred and shaken, and the top gravel thrown off with the fingers, while the gold, being heavier, sinks deeper into the pan. It is then shaken about, more water being continually added, and thrown off with a sideway motion, which carries with it the dirt at the top, while the gold settles yet lower down. It must be often stirred with the hands to prevent "baking," as the hardening of the mud at the bottom is called. When the dirt is nearly washed out, great care is requisite to prevent the lighter scales of gold from being washed out with the magnetic sand, which is best done by pushing back the gold, and cleaning the sand from the edge of the pan with the thumb. At length a ridge of gold scales, mixed with a little sand, remains in the pan, from the quantity of which some estimate may be formed of the richness of the place.

If there are five to eight grains, it is considered that "it will pay." If less gold is found, the miner digs deeper or opens a new hole, till he finds a place affording a good prospect. When this is done, he sets his cradle by the side of the stream, in some convenient place, and proceeds to wash all the dirt. This is aptly named prospecting and is the hardest part of a miner's business. Thus have we been employed the whole of this day, digging one hole after another — washing out many test-pans — hoping, at every new attempt, to find that which would reward our toil, and we have made ten cents each.

TO BE CONTINUED:

 

Wisconsin Area Clubs

Greenbush Wisconsin GPAA Chapter – holds their meetings on the 2nd Saturday of each month at 3:00 pm in the Greenbush Town Hall, N644 Sugarbush Rd, Greenbush Wi. – Contact: Ron Smith 920-207-4092

Midstate Metal Detecting Club – meets every 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 pm at Shooters Bar and Restaurant at the intersection of Hwy 39 and 54, next to the Shell Station.  Contact: Steve Miller 715-572-1845

Wausau Prospectors – meets the 1st Saturday of the month at 11:00 am in the community room at Cedar Creek Mall next to I-39 just north of Gander Mountain.  Take I-39 exit 185.  Contact:  Kurt Bublitz 715-340-2831 or e-mail lizzy101@charter.net

Wisconsin Northwoods Adventures GPAA Chapter – holds their meetings on the 2nd Saturday of every month at 11:00 am, at Rice Lake Regional Airport located west of Cameron and west of hwy53 on 19th St., Rice Lake, Wi.  Contact: Mike Wiersma 715-833-7603