Volume 08 (1864) (474 pages)

114 Ghe Mining and Scientific Press, Correspondence. Calaveras Mines, BY OUR TRAVELING CORRESPONDENT. Mr. Eprror.—As yon descend the dividing ridge on the north side of the Stanislans, on your way from, Columbia to. Murphys, you pass throngh one of the prettiest mountain valleys in the State, which is now as rich in cultivation as in earlier times it was in gold. Thongh some eight miles long, it is a perfect amphitheatre, as if originally the month ofa great crater which threw ont, centuries ago, the lava of the mighty and wondrous Table Mountain. Of Murphys, the northern extremity of this vallcy, I have already spoken. The next place on my route, having pretentions to public notice, is _ DOUGLASS PLAT. This isa small village two miles sonth of Murphys, which at present has some important diggings. They are deep, apparently the bed of an old water course. The first I visited was the claim of Dickinson & Co. Their shaft is 150 feet deep with a stope of pay dirt from five to twenty-five feet thick. It averages one dollar a hucket. This claim is worked by a water-wheel twenty-five feet in. diameter, at a cost of eighteen dollars per week. They employ eight hands. Adjoining on the same lead is the ENGINE COMPANY. Their shaft is 119 feet decp, with same thickness of pay dirt. At this claiin they have a ten horsepower'steam engine, and I find the weekly expenses are abont the same as a water wheel. They have been at work two years, and still have a large amonnt of good gravel; also employ six hands day and uight. Both these companies subscribed.‘ Next is the UNION COMPANY. Their shaft is 175 feet deep, with the same amount of pay dirt, and worked by water power. The weekly amount of gold taken ont here averages from $400 to $500, and, at a rongh estimate, it is supposed some $75,000 have been realized altogether. ‘The water froin these claims is pumped about 90 feet into tunnels which carry it to the ravine; the machinery is complete and effective, and the ground, as far as I could learn, eonsidered good for years tocome. I have seen no gold mines, of late, in a better working eondition than those at Douglass. Abont two miles south is : VALLECITO. This is also quite © pretty little village, bnt the best portion of it was burnt down last Angust. The placer mines around have been very rich and extensive. 1t boasts the largest piece of pure, solid ¢old found in the State; it weighed 25 ponnds 9 oz. avoirdupois. The ground where this piece was found had not paid much before, and the man who turned it over was almost scared to death. . When he got ont of the shalt he was white as a sheet, and could only faintly articulate “gold, gold, gold.” On going helow they found this little “ ehispa.” Some one in Sen Franciseo offered $9.000 for it; it afterwards realized only $7,500 in New York. Even yet there are sume cxcellent claims here. During my visit, the Dutch Company cleaned np 60 0z., for a two month's rap with fonr men—as they’ happened to get. water ; leaving in the ground sluice, and black sand, it is snpposed, at least 40 ozs. more., This cluim has . heen worked nine years, and ts still regarded ood for two years’ work. The principal operation now going on, however, is that of our good friend Mr. Cohen, which he does not . expect to complete before next .Augnst. ‘his is a long tunnel through the limestone ledge, from a 1a. vine below the town, to drain a large extent of ground which has never yet been thoroughly worked. It is an immense and costly undertaking, but there is no doubt, that finally it will enrich the company. Besides their own claims, they of conrse have the privilege of atail-lume, which itself will be a large thing. There is, I nnderstand, another tunuel rmmnning deeper than Mr. Cohen’s, intended to drain the upper or northern portion of the flat, which his will not reach 5 work upon the lower tuunel, for tbe present, is snspended. I was sorry to hear people speak despondingly 6f its ultimate completion, for together they would infuse new life throughont the neighborhood. There is a singular lact counected with this flat. The portion which Mr. Cohen’s tunne} drains, rms its water into the Stanislaus; the other, where the chaunel is deeper, rans its water in an opposite direction, whither no one knows, nor can gness, as all the surface water, rnns south to the Stanislaus. It is evident, there is a deeper and hitherto unknown channel, muning west. at the upper end and in all probability richer than any yet worked. All this conntry abounds in natural curiosities, and the one I now speak of is hy no means the least remarkable. . ¥Valleeito also bousts some good gold and silver veins, under rapid development. The two principal are Mr. Harband’s and Mr. O’Neele’s. Onthe latter, there is @ good ten-stamp mill, worked by waterpower, with some excellent appliances of Mr. O’s own invention, on the principal of Brevoort’s and Wheeler’s, only giving a different motion tothe pulp. ‘The ¥ein is two feet thick and yields fine roek. The claim will soon be in perfect working order. Mr. O'Neele has the reputation of being a first elass amalgamator, and I found him well posted. In treating his sulphurets, he uses sal amoniac, with the other nsual common acids, somctimes in solution, and sometimes not. In the rock thronghont this section there is a vast amonnt. of plumbago, and considerable tellurium. ‘The latter, never assumes an independent form, but is found in combiuvation with both gold and silver, and J understand gives no trouble, except in the final separation of the metals. In Mr. Harband’s claim. J had the pleasure of striking the celebrated Darling tin vein, and on the following morning again upon Mr. Bettinger’s claim, so that now Ihavo been on it for the space of 12 miles. Let the miners look out abont Columbia, Sonora and Calaveritas, and they will findit there as well. From these facts yon will see Vallecito has yet a chance of enjoying days almost as bright as those of yore, when her diggings paid hy the ponud, instead of by the onnce and dollars. Might miles, southwest, is CARSON HILL. Few placcs have held a more eonspicnons name in the history of California than that now under eonsideration. Perhaps no stream, for its length, was . vicher than the littlo creek that swept its western base ; certainly no quartz richer than that which came from its very summit. Ihave not scen it sinee the time when the sheriff, with his party, and the miners with their party, some sixty strong on both sides. with rifle and revolver, went out to contest, to death, the right of the Morgan title—a‘title which our law-courts, thirtecu years afterwards, have not been able to settle. How changed, how lonely, how silent it has grown. What has become of the mad, reckless crowd of men once swarming upon it—the ‘large pack trains constantly passing up and down its tortuons paths—the ian who made $20 a day . carrying water from the river tu us on the: snmmit— . the dashing Senoritas and their lovers—the fandango and its bloody victims—the drinking dens and gamblers booming of the blasts, above, below, aronnd, . in every direction, night and day,as if the people were bombarding the inferual regions—all gone, and tbe grim old monntain left to its primeval solitude and silence. Well, hetter thus, a thousand times, than as it was in olden days, the haunt of nightly murder, drunkenness and rioting—a perfect Pandemoniun. Yet, notwithstanding this change and this desertion, old Carsou is of more importance to the State to-day than ever she was, and it is ol this importanee I have to speak. A short time since, 1 understand, there wero nearly a dozen qnarts comranies at work, but at present there are only a couple. The first of these is the fur-famed MELONES. The present condition of this celebrated mine, not its fluctnations up and down. like the barometer uncertain in bad weather, is what 1 have to deal with. ‘f‘here has been, perhaps. no period in its history more critical than the last month; hut the trouble does not arise so mnch from the inferiority of the rock as from the difficulty of amalgamation. Impressed with the importance of this subject to the State, I wish to say something upon it. It is wel known that a gentleman of reputation was sent np from the Bay, a few weeks sinee, to institute a new process ; that it signally failed, the result being almost perfect “ blue mass,” instead of amalgam, with which nothing could be done ; on this the stock fcll below $40. Another gentleman followed, and restored tho vitahty of the mercnry ; on this the stock went up to over 360. But it does not appear to me, froin the mere fact of restoring the vitality of the merenry, that the latter was more scientifie than the former, and did I want to huy or sell Melones stock, { should not be influenced by either result. Correct amalgamation of rock containing snlphurets is no doubt the great problem of the day. Much, indeed, of the progressive future of California depends npon its solution, At preseut, the problem has not been solved. So far as Melones is concerned the snlphurets are no worse and no better than at Washoe or any whero else ; nor have the recent experiments npon it elicited a solitary fact, good or bad, with which we were not perfectly familiar. Let me state the case for the benefit of your readers. On decomposing the sulphnrets there is no doubt now that magnetic iron exists, on whieh the snlphur released from the gold, in almost uative purity, rushes into the mercury and ntterly destroys its vitality—of course, then; the gold is lost. By introdueing iron filings, and other well know agents, it is quite easy to restore the vitality of the merenry, but then the sulphur re-unites with the gold, and the mercury has no power over it. This 1s precisely the trouble—in either case we lose the gold. Now what is wanted is the discovery of ‘an agcut either, independent, or in combination, which, while it decomposes the sulphurets, will not destroy the mercury ; for, without decomposition of the snlphnrets, we cannot get the gold, and without preserving the vitality of the mercury we cannot save the gold. So the re‘suit of the recent experiments at Melones stand, in my opinion, to-day; thns—oue operator by decompesing the sulphnrets no doubt lost the gold; the other by preserving the vitality of the merenry did not save it. Where is the difference? So far as the stock is coneerned, it is neither one dollar better or worse than it was before the experiments were made. Some doubt whether this great problem will ever be solved. I do not. I helieve in the compensative principle of nature. It is inipossible to eonclude this sulphnret rock was idly ereated. What a field then our California chemists have to workin! ‘Uhe man who really discovers this secret on which so much depends, will inaugurate a new era in mining, and be a, henefactor to the world. I have only to add that on the day I was at Melones, they were getting ont splendid rock, both-silver and gold. I consider tho mine in a healthy condition. A mile and a half west, down in the bed of Carson ereek, is the claim of JONES AND ORIFFITH. This eompany have got a very fine vein, and a large quantity of rock ou hand ready for their new mill-— ten stamps, water power, which will be completod in abont a fortnight from the tine I was there. It is a distinct vein, and appears to me to carry less snlphurcts than any other J have yet seen in this section. The roek is of very excellent character, with handsome sprinklings of free gold. ‘lhe works throughout are excellent. Mr. Griffith, the snperintendent, is a close observer. Je is about applying some experimental ideas of his own in amalgamating, which, so far as he explained them, I think will succeed, if not, as he somewhat apprehends, too expensive to pay. J sincerely hope they may, for the company are enthusiastic in mining and have spared no expense in fitting up their mill. . have te acknowl4dge the hospitalty of Mr. Griffith. THE CHEROKEE. Yhis mine is situated ahont a mile out of Angels and uorth-west of the Copperopolis road. At this mill—ten stumps, water power—they have recently been crushing some remarkably rich rock, realizing for the last month somewhere ahont $7,000. The vein. at present, is somewhat broken, bnt still yields good rock, and looks well. J had the pleasure of breakfasting with Mr. Lombard, the gentlemanly superintendent, and from thorough examination can bear testimony to the ability with which he is working the mince. In the main drift they havo cut a handsome copper vein. ‘The Cherokee mine, like others, has had its fluctnations; but it is now in hands capable of developing it and Iam greatly mistaken if its future is not one of prosperity and distinction. « Sach, Mr. Editor, is another portion of the testimony I have gathered of the nnineral wealth of Calaveras. Besides there are nninberless veins, undeveloped, but prospecting well, which only wait the tonal of capital to ear for themselves a high reputution. For my own part, I feel convinced that in five years hence J shall not be able to recognize the territory I lately traveled over, so greatly will it he changed for the better. Upon the principle that the magnet draws the needle, so will these mines eventnally draw capital. L. 1. Tnx Union, in. its Review of the market for the week ending Feh Istseys:—<Tradeis gradua'ly reviving and the sales duing the week have been the largest that have taken place since last season. Altbough attent‘on has been chiefly directed toward American Flat, transactions in Virginia District claims are again beginning to assume a degree of considerablo importance. Outside districts are also gradual'y attracting notice, some rieh discoveties forcirg tho conviction upon the public that th re are other localities rich in minerals beside the districts in the immediate vicinity of Virginia“and Gold Hill A large number of sales have taken pl»ce outside of the regular Washoe Stuck and Exchange Briard in irregular organizations, which bave taken to them. selves a variety of names.

114 Ghe Mining and Scientific Press, Correspondence. Calaveras Mines, BY OUR TRAVELING CORRESPONDENT. Mr. Eprror.—As yon descend the dividing ridge on the north side of the Stanislans, on your way from, Columbia to. Murphys, you pass throngh one of the prettiest mountain valleys in the State, which is now as rich in cultivation as in earlier times it was in gold. Thongh some eight miles long, it is a perfect amphitheatre, as if originally the month ofa great crater which threw ont, centuries ago, the lava of the mighty and wondrous Table Mountain. Of Murphys, the northern extremity of this vallcy, I have already spoken. The next place on my route, having pretentions to public notice, is _ DOUGLASS PLAT. This isa small village two miles sonth of Murphys, which at present has some important diggings. They are deep, apparently the bed of an old water course. The first I visited was the claim of Dickinson & Co. Their shaft is 150 feet deep with a stope of pay dirt from five to twenty-five feet thick. It averages one dollar a hucket. This claim is worked by a water-wheel twenty-five feet in. diameter, at a cost of eighteen dollars per week. They employ eight hands. Adjoining on the same lead is the ENGINE COMPANY. Their shaft is 119 feet decp, with same thickness of pay dirt. At this claiin they have a ten horsepower'steam engine, and I find the weekly expenses are abont the same as a water wheel. They have been at work two years, and still have a large amonnt of good gravel; also employ six hands day and uight. Both these companies subscribed.‘ Next is the UNION COMPANY. Their shaft is 175 feet deep, with the same amount of pay dirt, and worked by water power. The weekly amount of gold taken ont here averages from $400 to $500, and, at a rongh estimate, it is supposed some $75,000 have been realized altogether. ‘The water froin these claims is pumped about 90 feet into tunnels which carry it to the ravine; the machinery is complete and effective, and the ground, as far as I could learn, eonsidered good for years tocome. I have seen no gold mines, of late, in a better working eondition than those at Douglass. Abont two miles south is : VALLECITO. This is also quite © pretty little village, bnt the best portion of it was burnt down last Angust. The placer mines around have been very rich and extensive. 1t boasts the largest piece of pure, solid ¢old found in the State; it weighed 25 ponnds 9 oz. avoirdupois. The ground where this piece was found had not paid much before, and the man who turned it over was almost scared to death. . When he got ont of the shalt he was white as a sheet, and could only faintly articulate “gold, gold, gold.” On going helow they found this little “ ehispa.” Some one in Sen Franciseo offered $9.000 for it; it afterwards realized only $7,500 in New York. Even yet there are sume cxcellent claims here. During my visit, the Dutch Company cleaned np 60 0z., for a two month's rap with fonr men—as they’ happened to get. water ; leaving in the ground sluice, and black sand, it is snpposed, at least 40 ozs. more., This cluim has . heen worked nine years, and ts still regarded ood for two years’ work. The principal operation now going on, however, is that of our good friend Mr. Cohen, which he does not . expect to complete before next .Augnst. ‘his is a long tunnel through the limestone ledge, from a 1a. vine below the town, to drain a large extent of ground which has never yet been thoroughly worked. It is an immense and costly undertaking, but there is no doubt, that finally it will enrich the company. Besides their own claims, they of conrse have the privilege of atail-lume, which itself will be a large thing. There is, I nnderstand, another tunuel rmmnning deeper than Mr. Cohen’s, intended to drain the upper or northern portion of the flat, which his will not reach 5 work upon the lower tuunel, for tbe present, is snspended. I was sorry to hear people speak despondingly 6f its ultimate completion, for together they would infuse new life throughont the neighborhood. There is a singular lact counected with this flat. The portion which Mr. Cohen’s tunne} drains, rms its water into the Stanislaus; the other, where the chaunel is deeper, rans its water in an opposite direction, whither no one knows, nor can gness, as all the surface water, rnns south to the Stanislaus. It is evident, there is a deeper and hitherto unknown channel, muning west. at the upper end and in all probability richer than any yet worked. All this conntry abounds in natural curiosities, and the one I now speak of is hy no means the least remarkable. . ¥Valleeito also bousts some good gold and silver veins, under rapid development. The two principal are Mr. Harband’s and Mr. O’Neele’s. Onthe latter, there is @ good ten-stamp mill, worked by waterpower, with some excellent appliances of Mr. O’s own invention, on the principal of Brevoort’s and Wheeler’s, only giving a different motion tothe pulp. ‘The ¥ein is two feet thick and yields fine roek. The claim will soon be in perfect working order. Mr. O'Neele has the reputation of being a first elass amalgamator, and I found him well posted. In treating his sulphurets, he uses sal amoniac, with the other nsual common acids, somctimes in solution, and sometimes not. In the rock thronghont this section there is a vast amonnt. of plumbago, and considerable tellurium. ‘The latter, never assumes an independent form, but is found in combiuvation with both gold and silver, and J understand gives no trouble, except in the final separation of the metals. In Mr. Harband’s claim. J had the pleasure of striking the celebrated Darling tin vein, and on the following morning again upon Mr. Bettinger’s claim, so that now Ihavo been on it for the space of 12 miles. Let the miners look out abont Columbia, Sonora and Calaveritas, and they will findit there as well. From these facts yon will see Vallecito has yet a chance of enjoying days almost as bright as those of yore, when her diggings paid hy the ponud, instead of by the onnce and dollars. Might miles, southwest, is CARSON HILL. Few placcs have held a more eonspicnons name in the history of California than that now under eonsideration. Perhaps no stream, for its length, was . vicher than the littlo creek that swept its western base ; certainly no quartz richer than that which came from its very summit. Ihave not scen it sinee the time when the sheriff, with his party, and the miners with their party, some sixty strong on both sides. with rifle and revolver, went out to contest, to death, the right of the Morgan title—a‘title which our law-courts, thirtecu years afterwards, have not

been able to settle. How changed, how lonely, how silent it has grown. What has become of the mad, reckless crowd of men once swarming upon it—the ‘large pack trains constantly passing up and down its tortuons paths—the ian who made $20 a day . carrying water from the river tu us on the: snmmit— . the dashing Senoritas and their lovers—the fandango and its bloody victims—the drinking dens and gamblers booming of the blasts, above, below, aronnd, . in every direction, night and day,as if the people were bombarding the inferual regions—all gone, and tbe grim old monntain left to its primeval solitude and silence. Well, hetter thus, a thousand times, than as it was in olden days, the haunt of nightly murder, drunkenness and rioting—a perfect Pandemoniun. Yet, notwithstanding this change and this desertion, old Carsou is of more importance to the State to-day than ever she was, and it is ol this importanee I have to speak. A short time since, 1 understand, there wero nearly a dozen qnarts comranies at work, but at present there are only a couple. The first of these is the fur-famed MELONES. The present condition of this celebrated mine, not its fluctnations up and down. like the barometer uncertain in bad weather, is what 1 have to deal with. ‘f‘here has been, perhaps. no period in its history more critical than the last month; hut the trouble does not arise so mnch from the inferiority of the rock as from the difficulty of amalgamation. Impressed with the importance of this subject to the State, I wish to say something upon it. It is wel known that a gentleman of reputation was sent np from the Bay, a few weeks sinee, to institute a new process ; that it signally failed, the result being almost perfect “ blue mass,” instead of amalgam, with which nothing could be done ; on this the stock fcll below $40. Another gentleman followed, and restored tho vitahty of the mercnry ; on this the stock went up to over 360. But it does not appear to me, froin the mere fact of restoring the vitality of the merenry, that the latter was more scientifie than the former, and did I want to huy or sell Melones stock, { should not be influenced by either result. Correct amalgamation of rock containing snlphurets is no doubt the great problem of the day. Much, indeed, of the progressive future of California depends npon its solution, At preseut, the problem has not been solved. So far as Melones is concerned the snlphurets are no worse and no better than at Washoe or any whero else ; nor have the recent experiments npon it elicited a solitary fact, good or bad, with which we were not perfectly familiar. Let me state the case for the benefit of your readers. On decomposing the sulphnrets there is no doubt now that magnetic iron exists, on whieh the snlphur released from the gold, in almost uative purity, rushes into the mercury and ntterly destroys its vitality—of course, then; the gold is lost. By introdueing iron filings, and other well know agents, it is quite easy to restore the vitality of the merenry, but then the sulphur re-unites with the gold, and the mercury has no power over it. This 1s precisely the trouble—in either case we lose the gold.. Now what is wanted is the discovery of ‘an agcut either, independent, or in combination, which, while it decomposes the sulphurets, will not destroy the mercury ; for, without decomposition of the snlphnrets, we cannot get the gold, and without preserving the vitality of the mercury we cannot save the gold. So the re‘suit of the recent experiments at Melones stand, in my opinion, to-day; thns—oue operator by decompesing the sulphnrets no doubt lost the gold; the other by preserving the vitality of the merenry did not save it. Where is the difference? So far as the stock is coneerned, it is neither one dollar better or worse than it was before the experiments were made. Some doubt whether this great problem will ever be solved. I do not. I helieve in the compensative principle of nature. It is inipossible to eonclude this sulphnret rock was idly ereated. What a field then our California chemists have to workin! ‘Uhe man who really discovers this secret on which so much depends, will inaugurate a new era in mining, and be a, henefactor to the world. I have only to add that on the day I was at Melones, they were getting ont splendid rock, both-silver and gold. I consider tho mine in a healthy condition. A mile and a half west, down in the bed of Carson ereek, is the claim of JONES AND ORIFFITH. This eompany have got a very fine vein, and a large quantity of rock ou hand ready for their new mill-— ten stamps, water power, which will be completod in abont a fortnight from the tine I was there. It is a distinct vein, and appears to me to carry less snlphurcts than any other J have yet seen in this section. The roek is of very excellent character, with handsome sprinklings of free gold. ‘lhe works throughout are excellent. Mr. Griffith, the snperintendent, is a close observer. Je is about applying some experimental ideas of his own in amalgamating, which, so far as he explained them, I think will succeed, if not, as he somewhat apprehends, too expensive to pay. J sincerely hope they may, for the company are enthusiastic in mining and have spared no expense in fitting up their mill. . have te acknowl4dge the hospitalty of Mr. Griffith. THE CHEROKEE. Yhis mine is situated ahont a mile out of Angels and uorth-west of the Copperopolis road. At this mill—ten stumps, water power—they have recently been crushing some remarkably rich rock, realizing for the last month somewhere ahont $7,000. The vein. at present, is somewhat broken, bnt still yields good rock, and looks well. J had the pleasure of breakfasting with Mr. Lombard, the gentlemanly superintendent, and from thorough examination can bear testimony to the ability with which he is working the mince. In the main drift they havo cut a handsome copper vein. ‘The Cherokee mine, like others, has had its fluctnations; but it is now in hands capable of developing it and Iam greatly mistaken if its future is not one of prosperity and distinction. « Sach, Mr. Editor, is another portion of the testimony I have gathered of the nnineral wealth of Calaveras. Besides there are nninberless veins, undeveloped, but prospecting well, which only wait the tonal of capital to ear for themselves a high reputution. For my own part, I feel convinced that in five years hence J shall not be able to recognize the territory I lately traveled over, so greatly will it he changed for the better. Upon the principle that the magnet draws the needle, so will these mines eventnally draw capital. L. 1. Tnx Union, in. its Review of the market for the week ending Feh Istseys:—<Tradeis gradua'ly reviving and the sales duing the week have been the largest that have taken place since last season. Altbough attent‘on has been chiefly directed toward American Flat, transactions in Virginia District claims are again beginning to assume a degree of considerablo importance. Outside districts are also gradual'y attracting notice, some rieh discoveties forcirg tho conviction upon the public that th re are other localities rich in minerals beside the districts in the immediate vicinity of Virginia“and Gold Hill A large number of sales have taken pl»ce outside of the regular Washoe Stuck and Exchange Briard in irregular organizations, which bave taken to them. selves a variety of names.