Volume 08 (1864) (474 pages)

The Mining and S Scientific Press. 7 {Written fur the Mintng and Seivaciic Mress.) Knight’s Ferry, BY OUR TRAVELING CORRESPONDENT. Mr. Epitoa :—I1 stated iv my last letter that Thad finished the copper wines of Calaveras county. 1 thought it better, however, being in this section, tu visit’ those lying in the adjoining part of ‘Tpolumne eomnty, on my way to Sonora. It is well I aid so, for I foul several pnrtics interested were expeeting me, who hao begun to think 1 intended tu slight them. I shall commence with thoso mines in the neighborhood of Knight's Ferry. This little town lies ou the banks of the Stanislans, aud was onee famons for its placer diggings. It had also hill diggings, but these have olso given out of late, with one or two exeeptions. I understand the high ridge on the north side of tho Lown. a portion of which has been worked, would pay fair wages from one end to the other, if the water ditch was large enongh and high enough. It is eontemplated I believe, to cut a new ditch for this purpose ; and if done, no doubt it would materially benefit the place. The future prosperity. however, of this pretty little village, does not depend upon that operation, by any means. .As at Campo Seco, the copper age is open: ing upon it, under prospeets which bid fair, lons before they can cut the new ditch, to give it a life, hnsiness and importance, but few of its inhabitants dream of at present. Indeed, I found those most interested in the welfare of the town, as merehants or land-owners, were precisely those least inclined to support onr ¢fforts te bring its copper dines into notice. By and bye, they will see their mistake, and act with more sagacity. Inimediately on calling upon Mr. Hill, merchant, a firm believer in copper, he ordered his buggy ; and with Mr. Fisher, post-mastcr, accompanied me round. Crossing the river Stanislans, and going out on the Sonora road, some two miles, I fonnd the nines already opened, lying pretty close together, The first we visited was the CLEA CREEK AND WEBSTEA, CONSOLIDATED. It contains 3000 feet in single foot shares. Main shaft 87 fect—opening well with gossan, and an east wall from the beginning, and now showing the west wall. The rock is pure and carries large quantities of mundie and yellow sulphurets. Aecordiug to indieations at present, 125 feet ought to give a strong, rich vein of ore. To the north-east of this claim a short distance, on another vein is the VICKSBURG. ss Tt contains 5850 fect in single foot shares. Maiu shaft 80 Feet. Work being suspended for a time, I could not go down; but the eroppings and rock are very handsome, strong and pnre. This eventually will be a valuable mine. On the north continuation of the Vicksburg is the : ANDREW JACKSON. It contains 4450 feet in single. foot shares; with two shafts, respectively 22 and 30 feet deep. The shatts both opeu well, on fine eroppings, and the reck in each shows yellow sulphurets. In the latter there is a very heavy east of nundie. On this hill, all over, the croppings are very mnch scattered, making the location to sink difficult to determine upon. J prefer the upper shatt. ‘Ou the south continuation of the Vicksburg, about a mile is the AMERICAN It contains 7800 feet in siugle foot shares. Main shaft 60 feet, with a well defined vein of 6 feet, with both walls and flneckan—making it an established fact. Like the Clear Creck, all that ts wanted here is depth. Ore may be strnck any day. ‘This isa first-class claim. South-west of this,a short walk, is the ” EAGLE. CLEAR CAT. It contains 5250 feet in17 sbares, Main shaft 35] ‘. mation. ‘. They are only backward from want of eapital. feet “showin a goud vei with boh wvitle The rock is, however, currept; and they will have to go considerably deeper than they allow, befure they strike good ore. Nevertheless, the prospect is good. Sonth-enst of these claims, hnlf a mile, ts the NELLY AND JULIA. It contains 3000 feet in single foot shares. Here they aro running a tunnel, already 60 feet ont of 150 feet, they ealenlate to run before cutting the vein. ‘The rock is a good prophcey, carrying strong sulphurets of iron and copper pyrites. The claim is named after two well known San Francisco ladies, and promises to be good. West eonsiderably of this lies the COPPFRURAD CONSOLIDATED. It contains 3750 feet in single foot shares, with three shafts ; the first, 40 feet, the two latter, cach 30 feet; the third is eonsidered the most promising. 1 did not sec this claim, and cannot therefore explain . the eause of sinking s0 many shafts. The people here hunting eopper are terribly afraid of going down ; bnt they will have to do so finally. By and by they will find one deep shaft, as 1 have already said, is worth a score of shallow ones. The next clnim is the VICTORIA. It contains 3750 feet in single foot shares. Ma‘n shift 12 feet, looking very well. This is a south-east continuation of the American Wagle, and will probably in the end be worthy the name it bears. On the uorth extensiou of the above, is the ALLY AND JULIA. It contains 3000 feet in single foot shares. Main shaft 12 feet, looking equaly well. This vein, all through, is very strong and promising. Proceeding to the extreme west of this system, in a straight line, nearly from the time, some two miles is the LIVE OAR. . It contains somewhere about 4000 feet. I believe it is incorporated. Main shalt 86 feet, but work teing suspended here, I did not go to the mine. It is the deepest shaft in the district, aud the mive genrally is spoken of favorably. OTHER MINES. Such are the mines of Knight’s Ferry, already in . operation. There are, however, a multitude of others, which at present are simply located. ‘Phe mines are on the Gopher veins, or Hog Hill, as it is more familiarly termed, which our readers may remember is the extreme western system of the Copperopolis forUnquestionably ‘the veins are strongly developed throngh this section, more so I think than at Gopher. Mr. Hill and myself took great pains to locate if possible, the Napoleon and its parailels ; but it was difficnlt to do so, from the fact that here are five distiuet veins. Wo took our lines from Hog Hill, very plainly in sight, and made two run on the western and three on the eastern side. It is difficult, . however, to decide which are on the Napoleon vein. If Mr. Collier is correct in tracing his old elaim to} this plaee, and in the location of the sbaft he has commenced, then the Andrew Jackson, the Vicksburg and American Magle are the Iueky ones. However this may be. there is no question but that the mines here look remarkably well. ‘The country around also affords good shipping facilities. Altogether they afford a good opportunity tor investment; but it must be inade immediately, before copper is‘strnek. Good cl:ances can be had at present. In a short time it will be too late to take advantage of them, and then the croaking wiseacres of Knight's Ferry and elsewhere, who know as mueh about copper mining as they do about etymology, syntax and prosidy, wil feel very cheap. IT shall uext tuke the mines vine miles above, from the Crimea House to the Tuolumne river, snpposed to be on the continuation of the Copperopolis lode proper. In the meantime, 1 beg to acknowledge the extreme politeness of Mr. Hill and family, Mr. Fisher and others, and trust Knight's Perry will never more be destrayed by large fires, or washed nway by great floods, but enjoy to the fullest measure the prosperity before it. Lu. (Written for the Mintny and Scientific Press,} Hints te Prospectors, t BY J. Il. CNUACHILE, A. M. Prospectors ! is your occupation gone? Four thonsand eompanies demanding a vast deal more capita than is invested in mining from one end of the world to the other, and more men than exist in the whole State, wonld scem to ery “Hold, enongh!?”’ But no, you say "as long as there is so much gronnd unprospected, it will pay us the best of anything.” You like it, bnt with so much eompetition for means and men; let us to the point. I. What constitutes the valne of a mine? A short time ago it was a poeket specimen, the connterpart (??) of another, said to be a marvel of richness by somcbody—a:n assayer doubtless, perhaps a ehemnst. A shurter time sinee it was“ a working trst a little larger quantity—this time a skinfull from La Paz or Mexico, a bagfnll from the interior, and this hnrried through a fire with expeditions fluxes, or what not, too costly for practical use. It had then yielded so mnch hy zzorking process. It was proved that the skins aud bags on Montgomery, , Clay, Calilornia or Washington streets, contained what? Well, a mine of wealth of course! Did it ever occur fo you, copper prospectors, that the essence of the Siounsea working process was mixing different, , kinds of ore? Are you aware that the furnace bottoms absorb an nuknown and varying amonnt of. metal 2—Do you know, prospeetors for silver, that, above alow red heat silver ores are volatile ?—that with different metals this loss varies? Do you know , that with zineblende, for instance, even in most. ex-, perienced hands* one half the silver has been lost in this way? In a tre working process much of this may be recovered in the flues. Where does yours go, , to profit or loss? Remember that these results are dependent on the: t other minerals present. What gnide have you in, . these so called working processes as to the quantity or even existence of the metals that are sublimed up , the chimney with your silver? If these losses are estimated for, perhaps. it is no eoncern of yours if. they are rated a little too high. “1t will help to bring the eompany ont.” Snch has been the case. , Mines, I should say “fect,” have been hitherto bonght by men and women relying upon some single feature, as a rich bachelor may marry at a single glance, eharined it may be by a pretty bonnet which is no part of the woman at ull. At the present time while capitalists are so much more cantious it will serve prospectors to attend , somewhat more to the details which go to, make np a inine—It will be well for them te provide themselves with particulars on such points as these.1. Jn regard to the situation, its being favorable for dressing the ore as iu case of tin—for supplying fuel, and perhaps salt, as with silyer ores—for running adits where water is to be got rid of—tor easy freight, where bulky ores are to be moved—for timber where . the veins are wide or the ground weak —a sufficiently rich neighborhood to ensure supplies, food and skilled labor. . Il. The geological character of the eonntry. On this point more attention is to be paid to the features which mark rich leads in the same district than in others. Certain bedrocks are associated generally , with certain minerals The coincidences of the same bed-rocks—thé same veinstones--the same direction or strike whether the vein be an extensiou or parallel— the same dip—may in the one case be favorable guides, at a distance they will be quite uncertain. “Malaguti and Duroeher, Paris.

The Mining and S Scientific Press. 7 {Written fur the Mintng and Seivaciic Mress.) Knight’s Ferry, BY OUR TRAVELING CORRESPONDENT. Mr. Epitoa :—I1 stated iv my last letter that Thad finished the copper wines of Calaveras county. 1 thought it better, however, being in this section, tu visit’ those lying in the adjoining part of ‘Tpolumne eomnty, on my way to Sonora. It is well I aid so, for I foul several pnrtics interested were expeeting me, who hao begun to think 1 intended tu slight them. I shall commence with thoso mines in the neighborhood of Knight's Ferry. This little town lies ou the banks of the Stanislans, aud was onee famons for its placer diggings. It had also hill diggings, but these have olso given out of late, with one or two exeeptions. I understand the high ridge on the north side of tho Lown. a portion of which has been worked, would pay fair wages from one end to the other, if the water ditch was large enongh and high enough. It is eontemplated I believe, to cut a new ditch for this purpose ; and if done, no doubt it would materially benefit the place. The future prosperity. however, of this pretty little village, does not depend upon that operation, by any means. .As at Campo Seco, the copper age is open: ing upon it, under prospeets which bid fair, lons before they can cut the new ditch, to give it a life, hnsiness and importance, but few of its inhabitants dream of at present. Indeed, I found those most interested in the welfare of the town, as merehants or land-owners, were precisely those least inclined to support onr ¢fforts te bring its copper dines into notice. By and bye, they will see their mistake, and act with more sagacity. Inimediately on calling upon Mr. Hill, merchant, a firm believer in copper, he ordered his buggy ; and with Mr. Fisher, post-mastcr, accompanied me round. Crossing the river Stanislans, and going out on the Sonora road, some two miles, I fonnd the nines already opened, lying pretty close together, The first we visited was the CLEA CREEK AND WEBSTEA, CONSOLIDATED. It contains 3000 feet in single foot shares. Main shaft 87 fect—opening well with gossan, and an east wall from the beginning, and now showing the west wall. The rock is pure and carries large quantities of mundie and yellow sulphurets. Aecordiug to indieations at present, 125 feet ought to give a strong, rich vein of ore. To the north-east of this claim a short distance, on another vein is the VICKSBURG. ss Tt contains 5850 fect in single foot shares. Maiu shaft 80 Feet. Work being suspended for a time, I could not go down; but the eroppings and rock are very handsome, strong and pnre. This eventually will be a valuable mine. On the north continuation of the Vicksburg is the : ANDREW JACKSON. It contains 4450 feet in single. foot shares; with two shafts, respectively 22 and 30 feet deep. The shatts both opeu well, on fine eroppings, and the reck in each shows yellow sulphurets. In the latter there is a very heavy east of nundie. On this hill, all over, the croppings are very mnch scattered, making the location to sink difficult to determine upon. J prefer the upper shatt. ‘Ou the south continuation of the Vicksburg, about a mile is the AMERICAN It contains 7800 feet in siugle foot shares. Main shaft 60 feet, with a well defined vein of 6 feet, with both walls and flneckan—making it an established fact. Like the Clear Creck, all that ts wanted here is depth. Ore may be strnck any day. ‘This isa first-class claim. South-west of this,a short walk, is the ” EAGLE. CLEAR CAT. It contains 5250 feet in17 sbares, Main shaft 35] ‘. mation. ‘. They are only backward from want of eapital. feet “showin a goud vei with boh wvitle The rock is, however, currept; and they will have to go considerably deeper than they allow, befure they strike good ore. Nevertheless, the prospect is good. Sonth-enst of these claims, hnlf a mile, ts the NELLY AND JULIA. It contains 3000 feet in single foot shares. Here they aro running a tunnel, already 60 feet ont of 150 feet, they ealenlate to run before cutting the vein. ‘The rock is a good prophcey, carrying strong sulphurets of iron and copper pyrites. The claim is named after two well known San Francisco ladies, and promises to be good. West eonsiderably of this lies the COPPFRURAD CONSOLIDATED. It contains 3750 feet in single foot shares, with three shafts ; the first, 40 feet, the two latter, cach 30 feet; the third is eonsidered the most promising. 1 did not sec this claim, and cannot therefore explain . the eause of sinking s0 many shafts. The people here hunting eopper are terribly afraid of going down ; bnt they will have to do so finally. By and by they will find one deep shaft, as 1 have already said, is worth a score of shallow ones. The next clnim is the VICTORIA. It contains 3750 feet in single foot shares. Ma‘n shift 12 feet, looking very well. This is a south-east continuation of the American Wagle, and will probably in the end be worthy the name it bears. On the uorth extensiou of the above, is the ALLY AND JULIA. It contains 3000 feet in single foot shares. Main shaft 12 feet, looking equaly well. This vein, all

through, is very strong and promising. Proceeding to the extreme west of this system, in a straight line, nearly from the time, some two miles is the LIVE OAR. . It contains somewhere about 4000 feet. I believe it is incorporated. Main shalt 86 feet, but work teing suspended here, I did not go to the mine. It is the deepest shaft in the district, aud the mive genrally is spoken of favorably. OTHER MINES. Such are the mines of Knight’s Ferry, already in . operation. There are, however, a multitude of others, which at present are simply located. ‘Phe mines are on the Gopher veins, or Hog Hill, as it is more familiarly termed, which our readers may remember is the extreme western system of the Copperopolis forUnquestionably ‘the veins are strongly developed throngh this section, more so I think than at Gopher. Mr. Hill and myself took great pains to locate if possible, the Napoleon and its parailels ; but it was difficnlt to do so, from the fact that here are five distiuet veins. Wo took our lines from Hog Hill, very plainly in sight, and made two run on the western and three on the eastern side. It is difficult, . however, to decide which are on the Napoleon vein. If Mr. Collier is correct in tracing his old elaim to} this plaee, and in the location of the sbaft he has commenced, then the Andrew Jackson, the Vicksburg and American Magle are the Iueky ones. However this may be. there is no question but that the mines here look remarkably well. ‘The country around also affords good shipping facilities. Altogether they afford a good opportunity tor investment; but it must be inade immediately, before copper is‘strnek. Good cl:ances can be had at present. In a short time it will be too late to take advantage of them, and then the croaking wiseacres of Knight's Ferry and elsewhere, who know as mueh about copper mining as they do about etymology, syntax and prosidy, wil feel very cheap. IT shall uext tuke the mines vine miles above, from the Crimea House to the Tuolumne river, snpposed to be on the continuation of the Copperopolis lode proper. In the meantime, 1 beg to acknowledge the extreme politeness of Mr. Hill and family, Mr. Fisher and others, and trust Knight's Perry will never more be destrayed by large fires, or washed nway by great floods, but enjoy to the fullest measure the prosperity before it. Lu. (Written for the Mintny and Scientific Press,} Hints te Prospectors, t BY J. Il. CNUACHILE, A. M. Prospectors ! is your occupation gone? Four thonsand eompanies demanding a vast deal more capita than is invested in mining from one end of the world to the other, and more men than exist in the whole State, wonld scem to ery “Hold, enongh!?”’ But no, you say "as long as there is so much gronnd unprospected, it will pay us the best of anything.” You like it, bnt with so much eompetition for means and men; let us to the point. I. What constitutes the valne of a mine? A short time ago it was a poeket specimen, the connterpart (??) of another, said to be a marvel of richness by somcbody—a:n assayer doubtless, perhaps a ehemnst. A shurter time sinee it was“ a working trst a little larger quantity—this time a skinfull from La Paz or Mexico, a bagfnll from the interior, and this hnrried through a fire with expeditions fluxes, or what not, too costly for practical use. It had then yielded so mnch hy zzorking process. It was proved that the skins aud bags on Montgomery, , Clay, Calilornia or Washington streets, contained what? Well, a mine of wealth of course! Did it ever occur fo you, copper prospectors, that the essence of the Siounsea working process was mixing different, , kinds of ore? Are you aware that the furnace bottoms absorb an nuknown and varying amonnt of. metal 2—Do you know, prospeetors for silver, that, above alow red heat silver ores are volatile ?—that with different metals this loss varies? Do you know , that with zineblende, for instance, even in most. ex-, perienced hands* one half the silver has been lost in this way? In a tre working process much of this may be recovered in the flues. Where does yours go, , to profit or loss? Remember that these results are dependent on the: t other minerals present. What gnide have you in, . these so called working processes as to the quantity or even existence of the metals that are sublimed up , the chimney with your silver? If these losses are estimated for, perhaps. it is no eoncern of yours if. they are rated a little too high. “1t will help to bring the eompany ont.” Snch has been the case. , Mines, I should say “fect,” have been hitherto bonght by men and women relying upon some single feature, as a rich bachelor may marry at a single glance, eharined it may be by a pretty bonnet which is no part of the woman at ull. At the present time while capitalists are so much more cantious it will serve prospectors to attend , somewhat more to the details which go to, make np a inine—It will be well for them te provide themselves with particulars on such points as these.1. Jn regard to the situation, its being favorable for dressing the ore as iu case of tin—for supplying fuel, and perhaps salt, as with silyer ores—for running adits where water is to be got rid of—tor easy freight, where bulky ores are to be moved—for timber where . the veins are wide or the ground weak —a sufficiently rich neighborhood to ensure supplies, food and skilled labor. . Il. The geological character of the eonntry. On this point more attention is to be paid to the features which mark rich leads in the same district than in others. Certain bedrocks are associated generally , with certain minerals The coincidences of the same bed-rocks—thé same veinstones--the same direction or strike whether the vein be an extensiou or parallel— the same dip—may in the one case be favorable guides, at a distance they will be quite uncertain. “Malaguti and Duroeher, Paris.