Volume 11 (1865) (424 pages)

The Mining and Scientific Press. 243 pose of keeping the coantry free from Indiaos, and giving assistance to emigrants; hat the conimandant pays no attention to either party, az wo ascertained from travelers ond from oar own observations. ‘The soldiers nre building ndabe houses, and they will soon lave quite n respectable settlement. ‘Ths next day we reached THE CAVES. This locality obtained its name froin its being u deep vorge, the earthy sides of which are pierced by ianamernble caves. A ride through by moonlight affords fine scenery; it dves nut require a very sreut stretch of the imagination to wee magnificent cathedrals, eastles, and, in fact, architecture of every descriptiua. Tiere cominencod our tronbles; for the weather being very warm, our thirst was greatly incrensed, aud we cunld find no water to quench it, nll being strongly alkaline. If we attompted to sleep we conld not, for n fly, nbout three-quarters of an inch in length, kept up a continnal buzzing nround us, und when an opportunity offered, would bite nmmercifully. Our stay there wns not long, und we truveled all night to reach Salt Lake. LACK OF WATER. In the rond we dug up some water which the driver had casked some weeks befure. ‘I'he tonmsters are obliged to fill casks with good woter, and hide it in the sand, for their return trip between the lake nnd tho caves. ‘Thongh that which we exhumed tasted very strong of sulphur, (hnviug been putrid, and then bocoming sweet.) we drank it with a relish, We could quench our thirst ut Soda Lake, for we found a soda spring, the water of which, though not so good as wo could wish for, wns very palatable, ant had it heen cold, with a littlo syrup, would have tasted well. Our enemies, the llies, still troubled ns hero. A bath in the spring was delightiul, the water being very soft. SODA LAKE Ts about five miles in width and twenty in length—is but a valley covered with soda; to ng it looked as though a light snow had fallen through the night. Had there not been heavy rains, we should hnve obtained some fine erystals of soda. On acconnt of the rains we had to go around instead of across it, as it waa vory miry, some teams having been mirsd in the attempt to cross. Our next station after passing over a desert was Morrel Springs, the water of which is strongly impregnated with irou; but we contented ourselves witb it, for we wers told thnt we should find pnre spring water at Rock Springs, and on tasting it pronounced it the best we had ever drank. If any one knew how to appreciate it, we did. THE MINES. Since reaching the summit of ths Sierra Nevada, the roads have been through a heavy saud, which is very hard on loaded teams. It was at this point, Rock Springs, that we came upon the first mioing locality to be met with on this route. It lies near the Providence Mountains, and is ahout 4,800 feet ahove the level of the sea. We examined the first lead— “ Donna Corolina "—which was opened in this vicinity. It is quite narrow, not very rich in silver, and was soon abandoned. Tad it been worked deeper, there night have been found enough of the precious metal to pay. Passing over to tho Macedonian district, which lies in a spur of the same mountaios, better signs of silver presented themselves. The topograpby was made up of high ragged mouataina, almost devoid of trecs, thougb more thau in many mining regions. The trees corsist of the shrub, cedar, and pifion pine—the latter large enough to be used for timbering in the mines. Upon the adjacent plaios the yucca grows in great abundance, and will furnish sufficient fuel for years. ‘Tuft-grass grows nearly all the year, and in large quantities, fornishiog lodder for such animals as might be required in opening the mines. Woter can bt obtained by digging two or three feet, wherever a weed called water-weed is found, and by blasting it might be obtained in abundance. I saw many fiue croppings of mineral, which are said to aseay from $20 to $120 in silver to the ton, and from $15 to $20 in gold. Some of tbe ore that is rich in silver will assay from eight to twenty per cent. of copper. ‘The leads run in a nertherly direction, dipping to the east, some of them lying betweon granite and marble wnlls. None of these have been worked to nny extent, but short tunnels have heen run, which give good prospects. There are other districts in the vicinity, the leads of which are well spoken of, but I did not visit thei. Silver Mountain contains some ‘very rieh leads, but they have not beon opened. It is thought that tbe cereals and vegetables can be ratsed on tbe plains, FORT MOHAVE. Forty-six miles of horseback travel fonnd us at Fort Mohave, in Arizona. ‘bs road leading there is very good, with tbe exception of thatover Piuto Hill, which is in o miserable condiThe hill is very steep, und full of imniense houlders. A hetler road might be boilt around the hill at a small cast. ‘Whe Colorada river, nt Fort Mohnve, looks like the river at Saeramente, and is erussed by n hand ferry, Fort Mohave is garrisoned by one company of Ninety soldiers. ‘They live in wlobe honses, jest back from tle river bank. ‘Uhe town in whieli the citizens live lias a dozen houses, nit adobe. We found it very hot, the thermometer stunding in the shade nt 114%. They told n3 that was cobl, compared with some of their weather! The Lodians ure the Mehaves, and ura qnite praceable, doing nothing worse than stealing, ‘They are never tronblesome to the miners, either here or in the districts visited in Lower California, Our destination was the San Francisco district, which lies ahout twelve miles in the interior, and contains some very fine leads, of which we visited three—the Moss, Dayton, and Bella Union. Here, as in the Providencs Mountnins, we found nothing but rugged, barren scenery. There are no trees to be seen, the absence of which is one grent disadvnntage of the district. Good timber, it is said,can be ohtnined high. up the river. Water, we wero informed, is easily obtained. tion. THE MOSS LEAD Jing heen worked more than any other, nnd is very rich in gold. Short tnnnels havo been run into it, from which they are taking good ore; nahalt some seventy feet in depth has been sunk, but at the time of our visit work wns entirely snspended. Mr. Hnrdee, tho fonnder of the town of Hnurdeeville, we understood, had a smolt mill, nnd was negotiating for some ol the ore to work in his mill. Could the mine be controlled bya few persons it would pay handsomely to work it. ‘he “ Dayton ” is n silver lesd, upon which a shaft, nbout fifty feet in depth, has been sunk. Fine specimens of ore are talken from it. nnd it mnst prove a valuable mine. No work was being done on it. The “ Bella Uniou” has not had nny shaft snnk npon it. The croppings show good indications. ‘The ores consist mostly of sulphurets of silver. In tho “ Dayton " nine in Arizona, the chloride, in the form of horn silver, has bseu found in some quantities. TRANSPOATATION, Freight to Fort Mohave, by the way of Los Angeles, lrom San Francisco, will be about twelve cents per pound. Very soon there is to be a regular line of vessels and steaming from San Francisco, leaving there the first of every month, making the conaection at the month of the river. Freight to the fort will be from $65 to $75 per ton. Nnuvigation is not impeded at any time during the year by low wnter. ‘l'hey have barges that will carry from 120 to 140 tons to the fort, and 100 tons to the head of navigation. Some vegetables are heing raised on the low lands, and much more might be raised if the people were not so lazy. With plenty of capital in the several districts which J visited, the mines must prove remunerative. OUR RETUNN Yo Los Angeles was much quicker than the trip out. We hoped to be able to reach there so as to take the steamer Pacific to San Francisco ; but we could not, and lelt ou a Friday morning, at half-past three, in the Overland stage, reaching San Francisco on the following Monday, traveling nll tbe tine, but Saturday night passing on onr way through Santa Barhara, San Benventura, San Luis Obispo, the Warin Springs, and San Jose. ‘The ride along the coast was quite pleasant; but the most of the journey was very hard, the stage being erowded, having three on aseat the most of the time. We would advise persons going to or rsturniag from Los Angeles, to taks the steamer and enjoy themselves. ‘To be sure, a great extent of conntry is seen by the Overland route, but it hardly pays. ‘Thongh life in the mountains has its pleasures, it seemed like living to get back to the city again. Lrox T. Harvey, M.D. A Catcutatinae Hen—The Canton, Mo., Press is responsible for the lollowing, which ia certainly different from any hen performances in thess parts. Onr hens are ambitious to sit as extensively as possible : ‘A fow days ago, a hen was found on a neighboriog farm, incnbating upon a nest of five egys. Coasidering that too small an undertaking for a full-grown heu, the owner removed these and placed thirteen fresh eggs in tbe nest. On examination soon aftor, it was discovered that the old biddy had deliberately rolled out eight, thus refusing td cover more than the original number. Four times tbe experiment was repeated, with a similar result, and the obstinate hen was finally left to her select nnmber, thus furaishing evidence not only of her reasoning . powers, but of true feminine spunk.” Ren cuasat has been discovered in Kausas. Some workinen were excavatiug for a huilding nt Leavenworth, and struck a strata of this mineral. jars dumb—they cannot bark.” Oil Items. 3 The vertical bitumen lode, at Cniro, still otfmets erent ottention. ‘This lode is sitmated on MeFarland’s Rno. o sinall tribntary of the South fork of Hingles River, about vight miles from Cairo Station, und twenty miles east of Parkershure. "Phe mineral lus been troeel one and p lulf miles in w line rmnning somh, 75 degrees east. ‘The lode ig five feet wide, hs Crowell Petrolenm compnny, of New York, are pumping the finest lnbricuting oil from their new well in Frederick, ‘rambull county, tt sells in the neighborhood for $40 per barrel. A Ti Ou, Srmik ix Resrvesy.—The Lonisville Democrat of Augnst 13th, says thot one of tho greatest oil strikes in the United Stntes, is that which ocenrred n few days ngo in Cumberland econnty, Kentucky. in which the New Fork nnd Kentucky Oil company strock oil at the mouth of Crocus Creek, and tlint tho well, on the 8th (tho day oil was struck) was flowing ut least 1,000 harrels per day; thut some persons who saw it estimated it even as high ns 3.000 barrels per day. Some idea can be formed when he says it was flowing a strenm sometimes from five to six leet high, through an eight incl square, and flowing pure oil. Titres to On Lanns.—In consequenco of the loose manner in which bnsiness wns transacted pertnining to the transfer of renl estate in Venango connty, Penn., where the lands were of little value, there has, now that the oil rezion has become so valuable, arisen great enibarrassmeot as to the’ validity of titles. Real estate litigation is rapidly increasing, and millions of property are in dispute. ‘his should prove a useful hint to California oilseekers, and lead them to perfect their titles ere expending mnch inoney in the development of other claims. It is generally considered prohahle that neither coal nor petrolenm wag produced the one from the other; hut tbat both ars ths products of organic decomposition, the differcuco in the results being due to the different conditions under which the decomposition took place. Tor Loss or tHe ALEXANDRIAN Lignaay 4 Brurssino.—Scholars and artists have mourned for ages over the alinost nniversal destruction of the works of ancient genius. The Alexandrinn library is believed to have contained a greater treasure of intcllectual riches than has ever since been hoarded in asinglecity. These, we know, lave all vanished trom the earth. lt furnished fuel for years for the haths of illiterute Moslems. I used myself frequently to wonder why it pleased God to hlot out of existence these products of ancicnt genius. But the solution of this mystery is found, I think, in the remains of Herculanenm and Pompeii. We there discover that every work of nan was so penetrated by corruption, evcry producticu of genius so defiled with nncleanness, that God, in introducing a better dispensatiou, determined to cleanse the world from the pollution of preceding ages. As, when all flesh had corrupted His way, He purified the world by the waters of a flood, so, when genius had covered the earth with images ol sins, He overwhelmed the works of ancient civilization with a deluge of barbarisin, and consigned tle most splendid monuinents of literature and art to ulmost universal oblivion. It wns too bad to exist, and He swept it awny with the besom of destruction —Dr. Waylund. A. Suntme ‘l'nurm——A late number of the New York Methodist contains a full report of an admirnble address made by Bishop James, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, befors the English Wesleyan Conference, at its recent session at Birmingham. In tho course of his address, which was a brief review of the bistory of American Methodism, tbe Bishop paid this tribune to the institutions of his country : “Tn the United States, both in Church and State, we have learned to trust the people, nnd neitlicr in Chnreh nor State have the people proved themselves unworthy of any great trust committed to them. Laying responsibilities on intelligent masses has the same effect as putting them upon iudividuals—it makes them conservative.” Banxine or Doos.—Dogs in a state of nature never bark ; they simply whiue, howl and growl; this explosive noise is only fonnd among thoso whicb are domesticnted. Soanini speaks of the shepherds’ dogs in the wilds of iigypt as not having this facnity ; and Columbns found tho dogs which he had proviously carried to America to hnve lost their propensity for barking. ‘The ancients were aware of this circumstance. Isaiah compares the blind watchmen of Israel to these animals: “ They But on the contrary, Dayid compares the noise of his enemies to ths “ dogs round the city.” Heucs the barking of a doe is an acquired faculty, an effort to spcak which be derives from his associating with man. Narcne's Procrrss Linrrrn.—It is often remarked how few of the distinguished men of earth leave heirs to their nnine nnd fame. This istrue ; not only of those who have become distinguished as warriors nnd stntesmen, hut is equally common, if not moro so, among thosn who havo attained purely literary fame. Every refleetive render will readily call to mind nu. merous instonees in our own country. But, ‘ perhaps, the most noticenble facts in this connection muy be found in tle consideration of how few of the poets ol the last two centuries have bequeathed their name through decendants. Cowley, Butler, Otwny, Prior, Congreve, Gay, Vhillips. Snvage, Collins, Thompson, Shenstone, Akenside, Goldsmith, ond Gray, died childless. I'ope, Swift, Watts, and Cooper Were nonnted, and Johnson was cliildless. The descendants of Dryden, Addison, and Paruell did not pass to the second generation ; those of Shakspeare and Milton became extinct in the second and third. Ilngh Miller regards this portion of literary history ag aa illustration of Donbleday's curious theory of population. ‘The human mind nttained in these remarkable men is full of development, as the rose or cornation under a long course of culture, nt length suddenly sfocks, and donbles and widens its gorgeous hlossoos of a thonsand petals; and when in its greatest perfection, transmission ceases, and there is no further production of the variety thns amplified and expanded to the fnll. Nature does her utmost, and then stopping short—does no more. Jists azovr Hratra.—tIntense thirst is satisfied by wading in water, or by keeping the clothing satnrated with water, even if it is taken from the sea. Water cannot satisfy tho thirst which attends cholera, dysentery diarrhoea, and some other forms of disease ; in fnet, drinking cold water seems to increase the thirst, and induce other disagreeable sensations ; but this thirst will be perfectly and pleasantly suhducd by eating a comparatively small amount of ice, swallowing it in as large pieces as practicable, and as much asis wanted. Joflasimations are more safely and far more agrecably subdued by the application of warnt water than of cold. No man can possibly sink if the head is thrust entirely under water, and in this position a novice can swim as easily as walk, aod get to shore readily by lifting the head at intervals for breath. Hartshorn—the common sgpirits—is a good and convenicot remedy lor common hites. Always take it witb you in traveliog.—Heall's Journal. Inrronstino CrrmicaL Facrs—A_platina crucible is made and niaintained red hot over a large spirit lamp. Some sulphurous acid is poured into it. ‘The acid, thongh at common temperature one of the most volatile of known bodies, possesscs the singular property of remaining fixed in the red-hot crucible, and not @ drop of it evaporates ; in fact it is not in contact with the crucible, hut has an atmosphere of its own interposed. A few drops of water are now added to the snlpburous acid in the red-hot crucible. Tho diluted acid gets into immediate contact with the heated metal, instantly flashes off, and snch is the rapidity aad energy of the evaporation that the water remains bohind and is frozen into a lump of ice in a hot crucible from which, scizing the moment belore it again inclts, it may be thrown out before the eyes of the astonished observer. Tbis is indeed “ piece of naturnl magic” and as much like a miracle as any opcration of tbe forces of nature could produco. It is certainly one of the most singularly heautiful experiments imaginable. It was devised by a French savan to illustrate the repellant power of heat radiating from bodies at a high tempsrature, and of the rapid abstraction of heat produced by evaporatioa, CanirorntA Minerat Yreun.—The Virginia Enterprise truly says, California yields gold from Yuba, Butte, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity, Sierrn, Plumas, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Merced and Mariposa ; silver abouadsin Alpine and Mono; copper in Calaveras, Santa Clara, Plumas, Amador, Mariposa and Stanislaus; coal in Contra Costa ; quicksilver in Santa Clara and Napa; borax in Lake; petroleum in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Humholdt, Colusa and Tulare. And now the long felt void is filled by the discovery of well defiaed ledges of iron in Sierra. Buast Furnace Exriroppn.—On the 2d iost., the blast furnace at Fort Edward blew up with a terrifie explosion, destroying nearly everything pertaining to the furnace except the tall brick cbimncy. Although workmen were ‘present when the explosion took place, none of tbsm were injured. ‘The loss will reach . $15,000. ‘The furnace was ownsd by Jolin A. Griswold aud otbers, of Troy, New York.

The Mining and Scientific Press. 243 pose of keeping the coantry free from Indiaos, and giving assistance to emigrants; hat the conimandant pays no attention to either party, az wo ascertained from travelers ond from oar own observations. ‘The soldiers nre building ndabe houses, and they will soon lave quite n respectable settlement. ‘Ths next day we reached THE CAVES. This locality obtained its name froin its being u deep vorge, the earthy sides of which are pierced by ianamernble caves. A ride through by moonlight affords fine scenery; it dves nut require a very sreut stretch of the imagination to wee magnificent cathedrals, eastles, and, in fact, architecture of every descriptiua. Tiere cominencod our tronbles; for the weather being very warm, our thirst was greatly incrensed, aud we cunld find no water to quench it, nll being strongly alkaline. If we attompted to sleep we conld not, for n fly, nbout three-quarters of an inch in length, kept up a continnal buzzing nround us, und when an opportunity offered, would bite nmmercifully. Our stay there wns not long, und we truveled all night to reach Salt Lake. LACK OF WATER. In the rond we dug up some water which the driver had casked some weeks befure. ‘I'he tonmsters are obliged to fill casks with good woter, and hide it in the sand, for their return trip between the lake nnd tho caves. ‘Thongh that which we exhumed tasted very strong of sulphur, (hnviug been putrid, and then bocoming sweet.) we drank it with a relish, We could quench our thirst ut Soda Lake, for we found a soda spring, the water of which, though not so good as wo could wish for, wns very palatable, ant had it heen cold, with a littlo syrup, would have tasted well. Our enemies, the llies, still troubled ns hero. A bath in the spring was delightiul, the water being very soft. SODA LAKE Ts about five miles in width and twenty in length—is but a valley covered with soda; to ng it looked as though a light snow had fallen through the night. Had there not been heavy rains, we should hnve obtained some fine erystals of soda. On acconnt of the rains we had to go around instead of across it, as it waa vory miry, some teams having been mirsd in the attempt to cross. Our next station after passing over a desert was Morrel Springs, the water of which is strongly impregnated with irou; but we contented ourselves witb it, for we wers told thnt we should find pnre spring water at Rock Springs, and on tasting it pronounced it the best we had ever drank. If any one knew how to appreciate it, we did. THE MINES. Since reaching the summit of ths Sierra Nevada, the roads have been through a heavy saud, which is very hard on loaded teams. It was at this point, Rock Springs, that we came upon the first mioing locality to be met with on this route. It lies near the Providence Mountains, and is ahout 4,800 feet ahove the level of the sea. We examined the first lead— “ Donna Corolina "—which was opened in this vicinity. It is quite narrow, not very rich in silver, and was soon abandoned. Tad it been worked deeper, there night have been found enough of the precious metal to pay. Passing over to tho Macedonian district, which lies in a spur of the same mountaios, better signs of silver presented themselves. The topograpby was made up of high ragged mouataina, almost devoid of trecs, thougb more thau in many mining regions. The trees corsist of the shrub, cedar, and pifion pine—the latter large enough to be used for timbering in the mines. Upon the adjacent plaios the yucca grows in great abundance, and will furnish sufficient fuel for years. ‘Tuft-grass grows nearly all the year, and in large quantities, fornishiog lodder for such animals as might be required in opening the mines. Woter can bt obtained by digging two or three feet, wherever a weed called water-weed is found, and by blasting it might be obtained in abundance. I saw many fiue croppings of mineral, which are said to aseay from $20 to $120 in silver to the ton, and from $15 to $20 in gold. Some of tbe ore that is rich in silver will assay from eight to twenty per cent. of copper. ‘The leads run in a nertherly direction, dipping to the east, some of them lying betweon granite and marble wnlls. None of these have been worked to nny extent, but short tunnels have heen run, which give good prospects. There are other districts in the vicinity, the leads of which are well spoken of, but I did not visit thei. Silver Mountain contains some ‘very rieh leads, but they have not beon opened. It is thought that tbe cereals and vegetables can be ratsed on tbe plains, FORT MOHAVE. Forty-six miles of horseback travel fonnd us at Fort Mohave, in Arizona. ‘bs road leading there is very good, with tbe exception of thatover Piuto Hill, which is in o miserable condiThe hill is very steep, und full of imniense houlders. A hetler road might be boilt around the hill at a small cast. ‘Whe Colorada river, nt Fort Mohnve, looks like the river at Saeramente, and is erussed by n hand ferry, Fort Mohave is garrisoned by one company of Ninety soldiers. ‘They live in wlobe honses, jest back from tle river bank. ‘Uhe town in whieli the citizens live lias a dozen houses, nit adobe. We found it very hot, the thermometer stunding in the shade nt 114%. They told n3 that was cobl, compared with some of their weather! The Lodians ure the Mehaves, and ura qnite praceable, doing nothing worse than stealing, ‘They are never tronblesome to the miners, either here or in the districts visited in Lower California, Our destination was the San Francisco district, which lies ahout twelve miles in the interior, and contains some very fine leads, of which we visited three—the Moss, Dayton, and Bella Union. Here, as in the Providencs Mountnins, we found nothing but rugged, barren scenery. There are no trees to be seen, the absence of which is one grent disadvnntage of the district. Good timber, it is said,can be ohtnined high. up the river. Water, we wero informed, is easily obtained. tion. THE MOSS LEAD Jing heen worked more than any other, nnd is very rich in gold. Short tnnnels havo been run into it, from which they are taking good ore; nahalt some seventy feet in depth has been sunk, but at the time of our visit work wns entirely snspended. Mr. Hnrdee, tho fonnder of the town of Hnurdeeville, we understood, had a smolt mill, nnd was negotiating for some ol the ore to work in his mill. Could the mine be controlled bya few persons it would pay handsomely to work it. ‘he “ Dayton ” is n silver lesd, upon which a shaft, nbout fifty feet in depth, has been sunk. Fine specimens of ore are talken from it. nnd it mnst prove a valuable mine. No work was being done on it. The “ Bella Uniou” has not had nny shaft snnk npon it. The croppings show good indications. ‘The ores consist mostly of sulphurets of silver. In tho “ Dayton " nine in Arizona, the chloride, in the form of horn silver, has bseu found in some quantities. TRANSPOATATION, Freight to Fort Mohave, by the way of Los Angeles, lrom San Francisco, will be about twelve cents per pound. Very soon there is to be a regular line of vessels and steaming from San Francisco, leaving there the first of every month, making the conaection at the month of the river. Freight to the fort will be from $65 to $75 per ton. Nnuvigation is not impeded at any time during the year by low wnter. ‘l'hey have barges that will carry from 120 to 140 tons to the fort, and 100 tons to the head of navigation. Some vegetables are heing raised on the low lands, and much more might be raised if the people were not so lazy. With plenty of capital in the several districts which J visited, the mines must prove remunerative. OUR RETUNN Yo Los Angeles was much quicker than the trip out. We hoped to be able to reach there so as to take the steamer Pacific to San Francisco ; but we could not, and lelt ou a Friday morning, at half-past three, in the Overland stage, reaching San Francisco on the following Monday, traveling nll tbe tine, but Saturday night passing on onr way through Santa Barhara, San Benventura, San Luis Obispo, the Warin Springs, and San Jose. ‘The ride along the coast was quite pleasant; but the most of the journey was very hard, the stage being erowded, having three on aseat the most of the time. We would advise persons going to or rsturniag from Los Angeles, to taks the steamer and enjoy themselves. ‘To be sure, a great extent of conntry is seen by the Overland route, but it hardly pays. ‘Thongh life in the mountains has its pleasures, it seemed like living to get back to the city again. Lrox T. Harvey, M.D. A Catcutatinae Hen—The Canton, Mo., Press is responsible for the lollowing, which ia certainly different from any hen performances in thess parts. Onr hens are ambitious to sit as extensively as possible : ‘A fow days ago, a hen was found on a neighboriog farm, incnbating upon a nest of five egys. Coasidering that too small an undertaking for a full-grown heu, the owner removed these and placed thirteen fresh eggs in tbe nest. On examination soon aftor, it was discovered that the old biddy had deliberately rolled out eight, thus refusing td cover more than the original number. Four times tbe experiment was repeated, with a similar result, and the obstinate hen was finally left to her select nnmber, thus furaishing evidence not only of her reasoning . powers, but of true feminine spunk.”

Ren cuasat has been discovered in Kausas. Some workinen were excavatiug for a huilding nt Leavenworth, and struck a strata of this mineral. jars dumb—they cannot bark.” Oil Items. 3 The vertical bitumen lode, at Cniro, still otfmets erent ottention. ‘This lode is sitmated on MeFarland’s Rno. o sinall tribntary of the South fork of Hingles River, about vight miles from Cairo Station, und twenty miles east of Parkershure. "Phe mineral lus been troeel one and p lulf miles in w line rmnning somh, 75 degrees east. ‘The lode ig five feet wide, hs Crowell Petrolenm compnny, of New York, are pumping the finest lnbricuting oil from their new well in Frederick, ‘rambull county, tt sells in the neighborhood for $40 per barrel. A Ti Ou, Srmik ix Resrvesy.—The Lonisville Democrat of Augnst 13th, says thot one of tho greatest oil strikes in the United Stntes, is that which ocenrred n few days ngo in Cumberland econnty, Kentucky. in which the New Fork nnd Kentucky Oil company strock oil at the mouth of Crocus Creek, and tlint tho well, on the 8th (tho day oil was struck) was flowing ut least 1,000 harrels per day; thut some persons who saw it estimated it even as high ns 3.000 barrels per day. Some idea can be formed when he says it was flowing a strenm sometimes from five to six leet high, through an eight incl square, and flowing pure oil. Titres to On Lanns.—In consequenco of the loose manner in which bnsiness wns transacted pertnining to the transfer of renl estate in Venango connty, Penn., where the lands were of little value, there has, now that the oil rezion has become so valuable, arisen great enibarrassmeot as to the’ validity of titles. Real estate litigation is rapidly increasing, and millions of property are in dispute. ‘his should prove a useful hint to California oilseekers, and lead them to perfect their titles ere expending mnch inoney in the development of other claims. It is generally considered prohahle that neither coal nor petrolenm wag produced the one from the other; hut tbat both ars ths products of organic decomposition, the differcuco in the results being due to the different conditions under which the decomposition took place. Tor Loss or tHe ALEXANDRIAN Lignaay 4 Brurssino.—Scholars and artists have mourned for ages over the alinost nniversal destruction of the works of ancient genius. The Alexandrinn library is believed to have contained a greater treasure of intcllectual riches than has ever since been hoarded in asinglecity. These, we know, lave all vanished trom the earth. lt furnished fuel for years for the haths of illiterute Moslems. I used myself frequently to wonder why it pleased God to hlot out of existence these products of ancicnt genius. But the solution of this mystery is found, I think, in the remains of Herculanenm and Pompeii. We there discover that every work of nan was so penetrated by corruption, evcry producticu of genius so defiled with nncleanness, that God, in introducing a better dispensatiou, determined to cleanse the world from the pollution of preceding ages. As, when all flesh had corrupted His way, He purified the world by the waters of a flood, so, when genius had covered the earth with images ol sins, He overwhelmed the works of ancient civilization with a deluge of barbarisin, and consigned tle most splendid monuinents of literature and art to ulmost universal oblivion. It wns too bad to exist, and He swept it awny with the besom of destruction —Dr. Waylund. A. Suntme ‘l'nurm——A late number of the New York Methodist contains a full report of an admirnble address made by Bishop James, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, befors the English Wesleyan Conference, at its recent session at Birmingham. In tho course of his address, which was a brief review of the bistory of American Methodism, tbe Bishop paid this tribune to the institutions of his country : “Tn the United States, both in Church and State, we have learned to trust the people, nnd neitlicr in Chnreh nor State have the people proved themselves unworthy of any great trust committed to them. Laying responsibilities on intelligent masses has the same effect as putting them upon iudividuals—it makes them conservative.” Banxine or Doos.—Dogs in a state of nature never bark ; they simply whiue, howl and growl; this explosive noise is only fonnd among thoso whicb are domesticnted. Soanini speaks of the shepherds’ dogs in the wilds of iigypt as not having this facnity ; and Columbns found tho dogs which he had proviously carried to America to hnve lost their propensity for barking. ‘The ancients were aware of this circumstance. Isaiah compares the blind watchmen of Israel to these animals: “ They But on the contrary, Dayid compares the noise of his enemies to ths “ dogs round the city.” Heucs the barking of a doe is an acquired faculty, an effort to spcak which be derives from his associating with man. Narcne's Procrrss Linrrrn.—It is often remarked how few of the distinguished men of earth leave heirs to their nnine nnd fame. This istrue ; not only of those who have become distinguished as warriors nnd stntesmen, hut is equally common, if not moro so, among thosn who havo attained purely literary fame. Every refleetive render will readily call to mind nu. merous instonees in our own country. But, ‘ perhaps, the most noticenble facts in this connection muy be found in tle consideration of how few of the poets ol the last two centuries have bequeathed their name through decendants. Cowley, Butler, Otwny, Prior, Congreve, Gay, Vhillips. Snvage, Collins, Thompson, Shenstone, Akenside, Goldsmith, ond Gray, died childless. I'ope, Swift, Watts, and Cooper Were nonnted, and Johnson was cliildless. The descendants of Dryden, Addison, and Paruell did not pass to the second generation ; those of Shakspeare and Milton became extinct in the second and third. Ilngh Miller regards this portion of literary history ag aa illustration of Donbleday's curious theory of population. ‘The human mind nttained in these remarkable men is full of development, as the rose or cornation under a long course of culture, nt length suddenly sfocks, and donbles and widens its gorgeous hlossoos of a thonsand petals; and when in its greatest perfection, transmission ceases, and there is no further production of the variety thns amplified and expanded to the fnll. Nature does her utmost, and then stopping short—does no more. Jists azovr Hratra.—tIntense thirst is satisfied by wading in water, or by keeping the clothing satnrated with water, even if it is taken from the sea. Water cannot satisfy tho thirst which attends cholera, dysentery diarrhoea, and some other forms of disease ; in fnet, drinking cold water seems to increase the thirst, and induce other disagreeable sensations ; but this thirst will be perfectly and pleasantly suhducd by eating a comparatively small amount of ice, swallowing it in as large pieces as practicable, and as much asis wanted. Joflasimations are more safely and far more agrecably subdued by the application of warnt water than of cold. No man can possibly sink if the head is thrust entirely under water, and in this position a novice can swim as easily as walk, aod get to shore readily by lifting the head at intervals for breath. Hartshorn—the common sgpirits—is a good and convenicot remedy lor common hites. Always take it witb you in traveliog.—Heall's Journal. Inrronstino CrrmicaL Facrs—A_platina crucible is made and niaintained red hot over a large spirit lamp. Some sulphurous acid is poured into it. ‘The acid, thongh at common temperature one of the most volatile of known bodies, possesscs the singular property of remaining fixed in the red-hot crucible, and not @ drop of it evaporates ; in fact it is not in contact with the crucible, hut has an atmosphere of its own interposed. A few drops of water are now added to the snlpburous acid in the red-hot crucible. Tho diluted acid gets into immediate contact with the heated metal, instantly flashes off, and snch is the rapidity aad energy of the evaporation that the water remains bohind and is frozen into a lump of ice in a hot crucible from which, scizing the moment belore it again inclts, it may be thrown out before the eyes of the astonished observer. Tbis is indeed “ piece of naturnl magic” and as much like a miracle as any opcration of tbe forces of nature could produco. It is certainly one of the most singularly heautiful experiments imaginable. It was devised by a French savan to illustrate the repellant power of heat radiating from bodies at a high tempsrature, and of the rapid abstraction of heat produced by evaporatioa, CanirorntA Minerat Yreun.—The Virginia Enterprise truly says, California yields gold from Yuba, Butte, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity, Sierrn, Plumas, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Merced and Mariposa ; silver abouadsin Alpine and Mono; copper in Calaveras, Santa Clara, Plumas, Amador, Mariposa and Stanislaus; coal in Contra Costa ; quicksilver in Santa Clara and Napa; borax in Lake; petroleum in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Humholdt, Colusa and Tulare. And now the long felt void is filled by the discovery of well defiaed ledges of iron in Sierra. Buast Furnace Exriroppn.—On the 2d iost., the blast furnace at Fort Edward blew up with a terrifie explosion, destroying nearly everything pertaining to the furnace except the tall brick cbimncy. Although workmen were ‘present when the explosion took place, none of tbsm were injured. ‘The loss will reach . $15,000. ‘The furnace was ownsd by Jolin A. Griswold aud otbers, of Troy, New York.