

"Ruthlessly...they tore down mountains, ruined land, wrecked lives! Eternally...their mighty story will stand ...the miracle of the screen!"
Colonel Ferris, a wealthy farmer in northern California, is strongly opposed to hydraulic mining, a new method developed during the gold rush of the 1870's, which is flooding the area's prosperous farmlands. Despite Ferris' political stance, Jared Whitney, a mining engineer from the East, becomes friends with the colonel's son Lance and falls in love with his daughter Serena. Family tensions deepen when the colonel's brother Ralph gives up farming to go to San Francisco to work for his wife Rosanna's father, Harrison McCooey, a leader in the mining venture. When Lance follows Ralph, the colonel, focusing his anger on Jared, forbids him to see Serena.
Jared Whitney

Serena Ferris

Colonel Ferris

Rosanne

Ralph Ferris

Molly Featherstone

Slag Martin

Lance Ferris

Harrison McCooey

Judge

Joshua

Mr. Crouch

Enoch

MacKenzie

Dr. Parsons

Senator Walsh

Senator Hearst

Lawyer Cryden (uncredited)

Farmer (uncredited)

Ramon - Ferris' Servant (uncredited)

Farmer in Meeting (uncredited)

Farmer (uncredited)
Miner (uncredited)

Man in Telegraph Office Door (uncredited)

Clerk (uncredited)
Party Guest (uncredited)

Miner (uncredited)

Wong - McCooey's Servant (uncredited)

Clerk (uncredited)

Turner (uncredited)

Farmer (uncredited)
Miner Grogan (uncredited)

San Francisco Bar Patron (uncredited)

Kingan (uncredited)

Miner (uncredited)

Party Guest (uncredited)

Moy - Rosanne's Chinese Maid (uncredited)
Farmer in Courtroom (uncredited)

Farmer in Courtroom (uncredited)

Man at Stock Exchange (uncredited)
Party Guest (uncredited)
Bartender (uncredited)

Miner (uncredited)

San Francisco Bar Patron (uncredited)

Butler at Party (uncredited)

Farmer (uncredited)

Farmer (uncredited)
General Ulysses S. Grant (uncredited)

Miner (uncredited)

Process Serving Deputy (uncredited)
Farmer (uncredited)

Vocal Farmer (uncredited)

Butler Announcing Party Guests (uncredited)
Judge H.B. Clayburn (uncredited)
