Fair and James Flood, major owners of Comstock’s properties. Ramsdell was offered to “ride the flume” which he accepted on the condition his hosts join him. These logs came down at incredible speed to the mill pond at Huffaker’s in the valley below Mt. He was well entertained and escorted in style through mines and the 15-mile long V-shaped flume where the massive logs came from the Sierras. Ramsdell west to research the new found wealth in the Comstock. One of the best, and most horrific stories of flume riding comes from the Tales of the Golden West’s article “Journalist Would Never Forget Ride Down Comstock Flume” by Joe Smith. Some of the more interesting rides would have the ‘logger boat’ flying off the flume endpoint at an exorbitant height and speed where the passengers needed to make sure they ejected from the log before the log hit the water and they were safe and far from where the log would land. “The Go-Devils were used to carry tools, supplies, and construction materials, and it has been well established that the men often used them for fast transportation.” “The men of the Banner Mill on Prosser Creek rode the Go-Devils on payday nights in their eagerness to be out of the pine forests and down to the railroad, which they rode up to Truckee and its exciting bright lights and night-life.” The V-flumes in Verdi, Crystal Peak, Dog Creek and Prosser Creek areas were V-shaped “Go-Devils” constructed by lumbermen. V-Flumes ran for miles, winding down canyons and often shooting straight down steep slopes. No one knows where flume riding started – probably in ancient Roman aquaducts – which more closely resembled the box flumes with large volumes of water moving at slow speeds. This daring sport gained popularity in 1865 – 1895 starting out as log-riding and then becoming the more ‘refined’ sport of flume riding. And Truckee provided lots of entertainment (a plethora of bars, numerous brothels and one jail… all on Jibboom Street… in the late 1870’s).īut for the early loggers the most fun was the sport of flume riding. (Remember – many logging towns did not allow drinking.) The loggers would build small boats to fit the flume with which they could ride down to town. Loggers liked the flumes since it got them to town much faster for one of their few nights off. Including lunch or dinner only made the date that much more special. It was the fastest way to get them help.Ī very ‘trendy’ date night would include asking your date to walk with you along the flumes, especially at 100 feet above ground at the highest trestle points (which have no railing…but you are in a shallow flume), to show how much you cared for her and how bold and courageous you were. V-flumes were used to transport logs, lumber, working material and supplies but they were also used to transport people and for entertainment.Ī sick or injured person from the mountains would many times be placed in a “flume boat” and sent to the valley, sometimes alone and sometimes with family or friends in attendance, for medical treatment.
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