The Deposit Entry of Sierra Butte Assay House

≈ 6 min

Sierra Butte Assay House is required to submit its weekly ore assay and deposit book to the Sierra County Mining Recorder each Friday, so that refining fees and royalty credits can be allocated to the correct claim-holders on the correct dates. Clerk Hiram P. Colcord has filed the entry schedule for the week ending 14 August 1852. The Mining Recorder's office has received conflicting information about one of the deposit dates from an outside party and has asked an auditor to compare the filed entries against available corroborating records. Determine which line, if any, carries a date that contradicts the record evidence, and which record reveals the contradiction.

The scene

Sierra Butte Assay House, Sierra County, California, 1852

Source documents

Sierra Butte Road Agent's Way-Bill, Week of 9–14 August 1852
Letter from Sung Wei to his agent, Mok Fong, dated 12 August 1852
Sierra County Mining Recorder's Claim Register, 1852
Sierra Butte Assay House Supply Invoice, August 1852

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