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8vo. [108 pp (unpaginated).], on blue & red ruled paper throughout, printed headings for each double-page, none with "Agent" blank filled-in, with half the pages filled in w/ neatly written pencil MS, w/ hash marks, numbers, and inches of flow rates, and pricing. Contemporary speckled sheep, stamped in black on front cover, pencil holder at fore-edge present, unfilled (minor scuffing, edgewear, some toning), still a VG exemplar w/ bookseller stationer's label for the Le Count Bros. & Mansur, 417 & 419 Montgomery, San Francisco, Blank Book Manufacturers, General Importing Stationers, w/ ink MS No. 245 indicating the order number. This rather drab and unassuming ledger documenting water sales vital to the profitability of the famed Keystone Mine provided the essential ingredient for extracting $ 40,000 per month in gold ore from the famed quartz mine in Amador County. The Amador Canal was originally begun at Tanner's Reservoir under the Sutter Canal & Mining Co., organized by Boarman. By 1874, the water from the canal was first applied in quart mining, and the main ditch of the North Fork of the Mokelumne River was 45 miles long, 6.5 feet wide, and 9 feet at the top with velocity of the water 2 miles per hour. The Amador Canal & Mining Co. incorporated in July, 1873 offered water to gold mines and stamping mills which greatly reduced their operating costs. Ross Raymond, U.S. Mineral Commissioner wrote in 1874 that this company was one of the most important of the region as "this canal is intended to supply with motive power the hoisting works and mills of the various mines on the Mother Lode in this country." This "Water Book" ledger documents the day-by-day usage of the Keystone Mine, beginning the week of June 5, 1875, and measuring the number of inches used in water volume per amount of days -- thereby tracking the power needs of the Keystone Mind. Ending June 12th, 1875 there was a total of 3 days, or 70 hours, and 70 inches of water which ran through the canal. By July 10, the Keystone had used water for 4 days or 36 hours, and usage continues through 1875 with infches per week flow rates running between 160-200 inches. By 1877, the flow rates demonstrate the Keystone Mine drawing water 24 hours a day, and paying at a rate of $ 60 per 20-24 hour period, averaging 36-60 inches in those hours. By 1877, the Keystone Mine hoisting by water power through Knight's Patent Reversible Wheel and Power Gates working perfectly, and the essential water power from the AC&M Co. was a third of the power cost of steam engines powering the same systems. By the end of the manuscript ledger on Nov. 18th, 1877, flow rates over 12-24 hours, were running 19-30 inches. The AC&M Co. would later become known as the Blue Lakes Water Co., and now the PG&E Company utility. Doble (1829-1904) was a pioneering California blacksmith, sailor, and lumberman, who became partners in Nelson & Doble Co. of San Francisco during the Gold Rush, and quickly became one of the largest manufacturers of mining and blacksmithing tools and equipment on the West Coast, especially well-known for developing and manufacturing water wheel turbines for mining applications. The Doble Co. would later maie drays and street cars in San Francisco after the partnership ended with Nelson in 1877. His grandson and namesake Abner Doble is remembered for his phenomenal Model E Steam Car. Frank Mason Brown (1845-1889) was a California State Senator during the time of the formation of the Company, and served as General Manager from 1873-1879, before heading to Colorado. Joseph Stickney Emery (1820-1909) purchased the Vicente Peralta Rancho in 1859, founded Emeryville, was builder of the Telegraph Avenue Streetcar Line, and later organizer of the combine that built the California & Nevada Railroad. This cataloguer could find no similar Gold Rush era water usage record, and the few items related to the Amador Canal & Mining Co. are primarily printed material from 1873-1880; See: Mason, Histo.
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