Volume 11 (1865) (424 pages)

The lining and Scientific Press, 67 ——— A Trip to the Mountains, NOTES FROM THR JUUNNAL OF A. 8. N. From San Andreas we jeurneyed eastword. On the way from the litths towu ot FE] Dorado, we saw cunsiderable placer mining, mostly by Chinomen. El Dorady isu wining town, but there is little work being dune there at this season of the yeur, on account of the searcity: of water, [a pussing from KL Dorado to Duinving’s saw-nilla, we enw a great variety of country —goiue parts quite level und finely tin bered, and other parts monntainons nud barren Near the wills are extensive clifls of argitla cevus rocks, worn into deep gulehes by the action of water. Winding down a steep gride over these rocks for more than a mile. gave us a fine opportunity to examine its character. From Dunning’s to Dunhar’s mills we had a high mountain to climbover. For the distance of two iniles the ascent is very steep, and our tenm wus over two honrs in ascending it. The forest trees by the wuy are large aud handeomo, consisting of pine, fir, andeedar. In fuct, the trees tnereased in size and beauty tilt they reached the climax in the “Big 'l'ree rove. ‘fhe Big ‘Trees hnve been described by mony who hnve visited them, but to gain a correct idea of their greatness, onc must visit them. ‘This isa delightful pluce for visitors— benutiful valley, fine atmosphere, brook of cool, running water from the melting snows of the Sierras, excellent Rotel aceommodstions, with a gentlemanly host. We do not wonder atthe rapid growth of these trees, when we consider the richness of the sotl in tho valley, the decomposing surface rock of the surrounding hills coutinually furnishing nutriment for them. About three miles south of the Big Tree Grove, nre the “cliffs” on the banks of the Stauislaus. ‘Tho perpendieulur rock is not very high—not so high as we had anticipated from the descriptions given ns—hut the seenery, standing on the sainmit of these eliffs nnd looking dowu into the deep gorge and beholding the river rushing and foaming along down its narrow windings, aad over rugged rocks, thonsands of feet below. is snblime. Not even Yo-Senite gnve as sueh an idea of vastness, as this valley. The rock of the cliffs wna formerly a crystafine formation, now auch changed. We obtained from it some fiue speciniens of serpentine. Several bundred feet below the suanit of the eliffs is nn aqueduet, which eonducts the water from the Stanislaus, takeu frown the river some fifteen or twenty miles above, to Murphy's, aud the country below. At Murphy's, hydraulic miaing is carried on quite extensively. -On the sonth side of the village, and adjoining it, there is an ancient channel filled with diluvium, which is worked in some pluces to a depth of uearly one hundred feet from the snrfaee. he bed-rock of the channef is limestone. The drift is rnised by water-power with derricks. ‘Ihe water which is used for washing the drift‘is supplied by an aqueduct, situated on an adjoining hill about seventy-five feet above the works, and is conducted through pipes bve or six ineles ia diameter, and fureed through a smaller pipe upon the gravel. Mueh gold is obtained by this process, and miners find it 2 very profitable employment. ‘Three miles northwest of Murphy's, at the village of San Antonio, is located the Noble Copper Mine. ‘This compnny has n fine steam engine for working their shaft. which has been suok tothe depth of 113 feet. he thicknéss of the yein at that depth, whieh is found widening as it desceuds, is three feet. Work at the mine has been suspeaded for some time, owing to the death of the president; but it ts to be regumed pretty sooa. ‘lhe specimens of ore we eaw were of a good quality. ; A short distance from the Noble is the San Jose Copper Mine. A shn{t has been sunk for a short distanee into the vein from the surface, but tho compaay are now running a tunnel into the base ol the hill to strike the vein. From this tunnel wo obtained some fine specimeas of sponge-like asbestos—the finest we ever saw. Ths Saa Josc elaim promises well, and we believe will eventually prove a valuable aine. Thereis also eonsiderable placer miniag ia this vicinity. [To be continued. J Cause or Dawatza Livrrs.—Speaking of . beer drawa through lead pipes, a eorrespondent of the Chicago Mfedical Examiner says: “It is a ead commentary oa this beverage that it is largely chargeable with the.dnmaged livera met with in almost every subject examined in the dead-houses connected with these bospitals.” a a a [Weltteu for the Nilvlug and Sclenilic Hreas } The North Almaden Quicksilver Mine. This recently discovered quicksilver mince is , loented in Santa Clara cowry, about vight . niles sontheast of Sau Juse,on the Farns-_ worth ranch, and ning miles uorth of the New Almaden, ‘lhe lvcation is beautifully situated,ond wefl udapted tu mining parposes. At the fuut of the mountain, und in close proximity 10 the nine, silver creck is to be fannd, nbunduntly supplied with a never. failing streau of pure witer, aud shaded from the sun's riys by the . female lnurel eutwined with the “bmve old oak.” The mountain, from summit to base, is promiseiously covered with cinnabar rock, prodneing from two and a-hulf to thirty per cent. metal, und iudientions show this kind of rock to exist in almost au unlimited quantity. Enough has already heen discuvered to guarantee the erection of furnaces und a spirited development of the mino. ‘here are twelve hands now employed, with a practicnl miner to superintend operations. Iiverything apPpeurs to bo working in the right direction, and the pruspects of the mine are daily improving. At the eastern part of the mine a shallow tunnel is being run through the ledge. ‘I'he object of this tunnel is to reach the hanging wall of the lode nud ascertuin its underlie before commeucing their permanent tunnels and shafts. ‘This is as it should be, us there is no doubt it wifl be the means of saviug time and expenditure, ‘he tunnel has been driven some twenty feet, and the cutting through of the ledge looks truly enconraging. ‘hough seureely over twelve fect from the surfaee, the miners are, nevertheless, taking out u large quantity of good average metal. Prom this point of operation some distance, to the west, there is a party employed in an open cutting. Here is a point for the study of geologists, In this cutting there is at least eight feet of blaek elay lying on the ledge. Out of curiosity, I had a wheelbarrow full taken to the brook and washed, when, not a little to my surprise, I found it eontnined fromsix to seven per cent. metal [mincrals?] How is it that smull stones of metal [mineral 2] became so promiscuously diffused through this black earthy matter? “Can it be what is too frequently termed floa! metal ? or is it possible that they were thrown up into it by voleanic action? I would be glad to see the views of some of your able correspondent: on the subject. This clay I spenk of is as nature forined ‘it, and is@ most excellent material to make adobes with. The ledge in this place has a somewhat different character from that of the portion drivea through in the tunnel. Theroek in the tunnel is of » dark brown color, coated with lime, and, f would Suppose, fumes of quieksilver; whilst the ledge rock iu the open cutting possesses every attribute to be found in the roek at the New Almaden mine, to a eertain depth. In fact, I find indications here precisely the same as I have seen them in other quicksilver mines, and with mueh greater facilities for taking out the metal. The miae is as yct in its infauey ; nevertheless they are taking out large quantities of quicksilver, and I predict that in six months from this tiine quicksilver will be made for less than one-half the cost of any other quicksilver mine in the State of Culifornia. Remarxs.—Accompanying the above, we reeeived a very fine specitaen of the ore taken from the “East Tunnel.” We do uot fully uaderstaad onr correspondent’s deseription of the “black clay” deposit, and its accompanying “metal.” By “stones of metal,” we are led to infer that the aetalliferous substance may be a sulphuret of mercary, whieh, by their superior resistance to abrasion, have remained entire, while the more softer material which has surrounded them has been reduced to clay, colored, perhaps, by manganese, or by soms vegetable substnnee. However that may be, the clay must be a secondary deposit, aud not an original formation, ns our correspondent appears to intimats. Perhaps at some future time we mny have the pleasure of visiting the locality, and onswering, more definitely, tbe questions of our correspondeut. A New York artist lns painted a picture entitled “Eece Homo Honestus.” It is Abraham Lineola, with Diogeaes, represented us dropping his famous lantern, ia the background—the object of his loag search of twenty eenturics aceomplished. Forry-rares Post Offices in New York are engineered by females. . IT wish simply to impress npon your mind that , (Writren for the Mining and Scientific Press.) Jottings from the Mountains, BY AN OCCASIONAL CORAQESPONG@ENT. Byron says there is nothing so difficult as finding a beginning for u story, unless it be the ending; and it now ocenrs to me, that one rarely reads n letter af earrespondenec, these modern duys, that does not open or close with ; reinurks touching the vicissitudes of climo aud climate. But I shull not bore you on this head. this is July, with a sky of hrass aver head and the notmosphere permented with fine dust. Moving nbout the country by public conveyance, under such circuinstances, is by no means pleasant, even when journeying holds_out the inducements of profit. IDRANATEA, For the reasons nssigned, since I came into the mountoins—althongh it wns my full deter: minntion to makea thorough exploration of ths mines, particnlarly of this loenlity—I have remained,as the coon said, “treed, and kept my hole.” These contemplated explanations wers not to he undertaken with any expectation of enlighteuing the world, but only to gratify the curiosity of a greenhorn in mining matters, who holds to the axiom that nll knowledgs is profitable, and that there is special pertinency in becoming familinr with sueh objects of interest as are paramount in the section of country where one sojourns, whether it bo for a protracted or bricf period. A GENERAL LAMENTATION. “ Yard times” ig in every mouth,and discouragement pervades all’ coinmunities. And why? Because the harvest is abundant, but the reapers are few. The mines are numerous and teeming with the wealth of hidden millions ; yet there is no capital to develop them. Californin is no longer hyperion in the mining constellation. Not that her mines are giving out; on the eontrary, the country has not as yet been half prospected. But the honors ore shared with her by regions in which aew diseoveries have been made. Her population, with that love of excitement which has always rendered the early explorers of the State uneasy, even while their prospects were the most encouraging, have repuired to Idaho, Reese River, Washoe, Esmeralda, Colorado, and other remote regions, and earried with them a great deal of the capital whieh otherwise might have been used here towards the development of the State’s resources, and the euriching of those who possessed it. CASES IN POINT. Placerville, it is well known, is in the very eenter of the richest quartz mining region of California, if not of the world. ‘The gold-bearing belt eomes down from tbe region of Grass Valley, in Nevadu eounty, and embraeing El Dorado county, sweeps as far south as Tulare, and contains mines whieh linve already yielded amounts of the preeious metals that would be deemed fabulous. if we did not have our yearly shipments to point to in proof; most of tbe gold from which. since the placer diggings are almost a thing of the past, has been exhumed from the deep bowels of our motber earth. MINES WITH REPUTATION. If the reader knows anything xbout El Dorado eounty. he: has heard of the Manning, Harmon, Haywards, Hinchman, Union, New York. Pacific, KE) Dorado. and other nlmost equally fumous ledges, which have given eharneter to the county, and must hereafter prove tbe soaree of its permanent wealth. TAKE ONE OF THESE AS A SAMPLE. One of these mines, aad only one, thns far, T have visited, explored, and inquired about. Indulge me, therefore, while I speak of it. I allude to the Harmon. ‘I'his mine is located on the west side of “ Quartz Mountain.” about a mile nortb of Plocervilfe, nearly on the line of the Pacific Raiload. It has been opened for several years, although I am iulurmed only worked with success two yenors of that time. A tunnel has been put in 350 feet, and a shaft sunk eighty feet. A fifteen-stamp mill, with an eagine of tweaty-horse power, all in eomplete working order, aro oa the ground. There is also a large aad well built hoarding house for the workmeu. Between $15,000 and $16,000 have been expended on these improvemeats, and $29,000 have been taken ont of the mine, sufficient to justify the trustees in deelaring two differeat divideads. The ledge is twelve}: feet wide. nnd the rock whieh is Taken froin it has thus far averaged nbout $40 to the ton. 1 have several pieces befure me, with numerons particles of gold visible to the naked eye. The stock of the Hurmon has been quoted in the market as high as $50 per foot, and is perhaps worth five times that mueh to-day. wuy Not? Why will ths stock of such a mine not biting a price in some degree commensurato with its value? “‘Vhe nuswer involves just such a state of affairsas Lhavespuk nof. There is not eopital enough tn the cour try te meet tho demands of one-tenth part of the mills ond ledgea. ‘This mine, umong others, must lie idfe notil there is mouey inthe country to work it. ITS PRESENT connITION. The rock of the mine grew richer as the shaft went down. The water line wos struck nta depth of forty fect. The vulnine inereased ns the shaft descended, until it was found impossible to clear the mine withont steam-power. ‘The company had, besides, managed the afairs of the mifl and mine bodly, Mr. J. W. Epley, who was a large owner, seeing how things was gotng, and knowing the mine to be immensely valuable, in self-defense purchased a chief part of its stock; but by doing sv, expended so much of his avaifuble means as ta be nuable tu proceed with the work at the present time. LET US NAYE CaPIrAaL. If this mine—and I name it only because it serves as an example—with its splendid goldstudded rock, is compelled to remain anworked for the want of a few thousand dollars, what show is there for thoss ledges which possess no such advantages ns mills, in good working order, boarding houses, fine reuds, nor lie in proximity to populous towns aud cities ? We must have more eapital. Mr. Editor, appeal to the millionaires of the East who have realized sueh vast fortunes in oil, and see if you cannot induee them to come up into this rich mineral regioa and invest. Homen, Placerville, July 28th, 1865. NEW PROCESSES, The latest new “ process” which we have noticed, is termed the “ Wilson Process.” It is described ia the New York Stockholder as follows: ‘The process consists of a scries of fire-clay retorts, eylindrieal in shape, and arrunged one above the other, and all iaclosed and made to revolve in a large furnace, the fire beiug applied below, the heat and flame passing up and arouud the cylinders. These cylinders are heated to a cherry red, when the sulphurets nre introdueed into the top one, which is so constructed as to automatically discharge into the one next below, and so on through ths series, the last discharging into a water-batn. During the process a current of air and steam combined is cnused to eonstantly intermiugle with the ore, causing a more perfect oxydation. The construction and operation are such that no loss caa ensue from vaporizatioa or currents of air, as in the ordinary reverberatoryhearth. The whole arrangement is compaet, and not very expensive. Crushing and triturating machines aceompany desalphurizing machiues when required. Another method, brought forward by an experimenler in Newark, pulverizes the ore aad submits it directly to nitric and muriatic acids, as being the solveats of gold. All the gold thnt is touched by them, and nll the other base metals, nore readily dissolved. ‘The solutioa is thea poured off, and the yariougs metals in it are precipitated by different, chemical substanecs. A portioa of the process is kept secret by the discoverer; but the aain poiat is the dissolving the gold in aqua regia. The proeess has the merit of dispensing with quicksilver, but at the expense of large quantities of costly ncids. Torumen oF Yankee Grexivs.—At a recent trial of breach loading gaus at St. Petersburg, Russia, in presenee of a deputatioa of high officials, after the rejection of the English made guns of Clay, Whitworth and Armstroag patterns, aad a trial between Prussia and Berlin guns, aad one invented by an American ‘named Broadwell, the latter was adopted as preferable and more perfeet than nny of the others. The London Mechanics Magazine urges the English Government to alter the ) Armstroag gun to Broadwell’s patteru. Tre cessation of hostilitics allows Government to save thirty-five millions of dollars per aaaum in the single item of coal. Soucar rrom Aspen.—At Soult Lake, sugar is made from boifing tbs sap of the quaking asp. ‘The process is similar to that ot makiag sugar from the sap of tho maple.

The lining and Scientific Press, 67 ——— A Trip to the Mountains, NOTES FROM THR JUUNNAL OF A. 8. N. From San Andreas we jeurneyed eastword. On the way from the litths towu ot FE] Dorado, we saw cunsiderable placer mining, mostly by Chinomen. El Dorady isu wining town, but there is little work being dune there at this season of the yeur, on account of the searcity: of water, [a pussing from KL Dorado to Duinving’s saw-nilla, we enw a great variety of country —goiue parts quite level und finely tin bered, and other parts monntainons nud barren Near the wills are extensive clifls of argitla cevus rocks, worn into deep gulehes by the action of water. Winding down a steep gride over these rocks for more than a mile. gave us a fine opportunity to examine its character. From Dunning’s to Dunhar’s mills we had a high mountain to climbover. For the distance of two iniles the ascent is very steep, and our tenm wus over two honrs in ascending it. The forest trees by the wuy are large aud handeomo, consisting of pine, fir, andeedar. In fuct, the trees tnereased in size and beauty tilt they reached the climax in the “Big 'l'ree rove. ‘fhe Big ‘Trees hnve been described by mony who hnve visited them, but to gain a correct idea of their greatness, onc must visit them. ‘This isa delightful pluce for visitors— benutiful valley, fine atmosphere, brook of cool, running water from the melting snows of the Sierras, excellent Rotel aceommodstions, with a gentlemanly host. We do not wonder atthe rapid growth of these trees, when we consider the richness of the sotl in tho valley, the decomposing surface rock of the surrounding hills coutinually furnishing nutriment for them. About three miles south of the Big Tree Grove, nre the “cliffs” on the banks of the Stauislaus. ‘Tho perpendieulur rock is not very high—not so high as we had anticipated from the descriptions given ns—hut the seenery, standing on the sainmit of these eliffs nnd looking dowu into the deep gorge and beholding the river rushing and foaming along down its narrow windings, aad over rugged rocks, thonsands of feet below. is snblime. Not even Yo-Senite gnve as sueh an idea of vastness, as this valley. The rock of the cliffs wna formerly a crystafine formation, now auch changed. We obtained from it some fiue speciniens of serpentine. Several bundred feet below the suanit of the eliffs is nn aqueduet, which eonducts the water from the Stanislaus, takeu frown the river some fifteen or twenty miles above, to Murphy's, aud the country below. At Murphy's, hydraulic miaing is carried on quite extensively. -On the sonth side of the village, and adjoining it, there is an ancient channel filled with diluvium, which is worked in some pluces to a depth of uearly one hundred feet from the snrfaee. he bed-rock of the channef is limestone. The drift is rnised by water-power with derricks. ‘Ihe water which is used for washing the drift‘is supplied by an aqueduct, situated on an adjoining hill about seventy-five feet above the works, and is conducted through pipes bve or six ineles ia diameter, and fureed through a smaller pipe upon the gravel. Mueh gold is obtained by this process, and miners find it 2 very profitable employment. ‘Three miles northwest of Murphy's, at the village of San Antonio, is located the Noble Copper Mine. ‘This compnny has n fine steam engine for working their shaft. which has been suok tothe depth of 113 feet. he thicknéss of the yein at that depth, whieh is found widening as it desceuds, is three feet. Work at the mine has been suspeaded for some time, owing to the death of the president; but it ts to be regumed pretty sooa. ‘lhe specimens of ore we eaw were of a good quality. ; A short distance from the Noble is the San Jose Copper Mine. A shn{t has been sunk for a short distanee into the vein from the surface, but tho compaay are now running a tunnel into the base ol the hill to strike the vein. From this tunnel wo obtained some fine specimeas of sponge-like asbestos—the finest we ever saw. Ths Saa Josc elaim promises well, and we believe will eventually prove a valuable aine. Thereis also eonsiderable placer miniag ia this vicinity. [To be continued. J Cause or Dawatza Livrrs.—Speaking of . beer drawa through lead pipes, a eorrespondent of the Chicago Mfedical Examiner says: “It is a ead commentary oa this beverage that it is largely chargeable with the.dnmaged livera met with in almost every subject examined in the dead-houses connected with these bospitals.” a a a [Weltteu for the Nilvlug and Sclenilic Hreas } The North Almaden Quicksilver Mine. This recently discovered quicksilver mince is , loented in Santa Clara cowry, about vight . niles sontheast of Sau Juse,on the Farns-_ worth ranch, and ning miles uorth of the New Almaden, ‘lhe lvcation is beautifully situated,ond wefl udapted tu mining parposes. At the fuut of the mountain, und in close proximity 10 the nine, silver creck is to be fannd, nbunduntly supplied with a never. failing streau of pure witer, aud shaded from the sun's riys by the . female lnurel eutwined with the “bmve old oak.” The mountain, from summit to base, is promiseiously covered with cinnabar rock, prodneing from two and a-hulf to thirty per cent. metal, und iudientions show this kind of rock to exist in almost au unlimited quantity. Enough has already heen discuvered to guarantee the erection of furnaces und a spirited development of the mino. ‘here are twelve hands now employed, with a practicnl miner to superintend operations. Iiverything apPpeurs to bo working in the right direction, and the pruspects of the mine are daily improving. At the eastern part of the mine a shallow tunnel is being run through the ledge. ‘I'he object of this tunnel is to reach the hanging wall of the lode nud ascertuin its underlie before commeucing their permanent tunnels and shafts. ‘This is as it should be, us there is no doubt it wifl be the means of saviug time and expenditure, ‘he tunnel has been driven some twenty feet, and the cutting through of the ledge looks truly enconraging. ‘hough seureely over twelve fect from the surfaee, the miners are, nevertheless, taking out u large quantity of good average metal. Prom this point of operation some distance, to the west, there is a party employed in an open cutting. Here is a point for the study of geologists, In this cutting there is at least eight feet of blaek elay lying on the ledge. Out of curiosity, I had a wheelbarrow full taken to the brook and washed, when, not a little to my surprise, I found it eontnined fromsix to seven per cent. metal [mincrals?] How is it that smull stones of metal [mineral 2] became so promiscuously diffused through this black earthy matter? “Can it be what is too frequently termed floa! metal ? or is it possible that they were thrown up into it by voleanic action? I would be glad to see the views of some of your able correspondent: on the subject. This clay I spenk of is as nature forined ‘it, and is@ most excellent material to make adobes with. The ledge in this place has a somewhat different character from that of the portion drivea through in the tunnel. Theroek in the tunnel is of » dark brown color, coated with lime, and, f would Suppose, fumes of quieksilver; whilst the ledge rock iu the open cutting possesses every attribute to be found in the roek at the New Almaden mine, to a eertain depth. In fact, I find indications here precisely the same as I have seen them in other quicksilver mines, and with mueh greater facilities for taking out the metal. The miae is as yct in its infauey ; nevertheless they are taking out large quantities of quicksilver, and I predict that in six months from this tiine quicksilver will be made for less than one-half the cost of any other quicksilver mine in the State of Culifornia. Remarxs.—Accompanying the above, we reeeived a very fine specitaen of the ore taken from the “East Tunnel.” We do uot fully uaderstaad onr correspondent’s deseription of the “black clay” deposit, and its accompanying “metal.” By “stones of metal,” we are led to infer that the aetalliferous substance may be a sulphuret of mercary, whieh, by their superior resistance to abrasion, have remained entire, while the more softer material which has surrounded them has been reduced to clay, colored, perhaps, by manganese, or by soms vegetable substnnee. However that may be, the clay must be a secondary deposit, aud not an original formation, ns our correspondent appears to intimats. Perhaps at some future time we mny have the pleasure of visiting the locality, and onswering, more definitely, tbe questions of our correspondeut. A New York artist lns painted a picture entitled “Eece Homo Honestus.” It is Abraham Lineola, with Diogeaes, represented us dropping his famous lantern, ia the background—the object of his loag search of twenty eenturics aceomplished. Forry-rares Post Offices in New York are engineered by females. . IT wish simply to impress npon your mind that ,

(Writren for the Mining and Scientific Press.) Jottings from the Mountains, BY AN OCCASIONAL CORAQESPONG@ENT. Byron says there is nothing so difficult as finding a beginning for u story, unless it be the ending; and it now ocenrs to me, that one rarely reads n letter af earrespondenec, these modern duys, that does not open or close with ; reinurks touching the vicissitudes of climo aud climate. But I shull not bore you on this head. this is July, with a sky of hrass aver head and the notmosphere permented with fine dust. Moving nbout the country by public conveyance, under such circuinstances, is by no means pleasant, even when journeying holds_out the inducements of profit. IDRANATEA, For the reasons nssigned, since I came into the mountoins—althongh it wns my full deter: minntion to makea thorough exploration of ths mines, particnlarly of this loenlity—I have remained,as the coon said, “treed, and kept my hole.” These contemplated explanations wers not to he undertaken with any expectation of enlighteuing the world, but only to gratify the curiosity of a greenhorn in mining matters, who holds to the axiom that nll knowledgs is profitable, and that there is special pertinency in becoming familinr with sueh objects of interest as are paramount in the section of country where one sojourns, whether it bo for a protracted or bricf period. A GENERAL LAMENTATION. “ Yard times” ig in every mouth,and discouragement pervades all’ coinmunities. And why? Because the harvest is abundant, but the reapers are few. The mines are numerous and teeming with the wealth of hidden millions ; yet there is no capital to develop them. Californin is no longer hyperion in the mining constellation. Not that her mines are giving out; on the eontrary, the country has not as yet been half prospected. But the honors ore shared with her by regions in which aew diseoveries have been made. Her population, with that love of excitement which has always rendered the early explorers of the State uneasy, even while their prospects were the most encouraging, have repuired to Idaho, Reese River, Washoe, Esmeralda, Colorado, and other remote regions, and earried with them a great deal of the capital whieh otherwise might have been used here towards the development of the State’s resources, and the euriching of those who possessed it. CASES IN POINT. Placerville, it is well known, is in the very eenter of the richest quartz mining region of California, if not of the world. ‘The gold-bearing belt eomes down from tbe region of Grass Valley, in Nevadu eounty, and embraeing El Dorado county, sweeps as far south as Tulare, and contains mines whieh linve already yielded amounts of the preeious metals that would be deemed fabulous. if we did not have our yearly shipments to point to in proof; most of tbe gold from which. since the placer diggings are almost a thing of the past, has been exhumed from the deep bowels of our motber earth. MINES WITH REPUTATION. If the reader knows anything xbout El Dorado eounty. he: has heard of the Manning, Harmon, Haywards, Hinchman, Union, New York. Pacific, KE) Dorado. and other nlmost equally fumous ledges, which have given eharneter to the county, and must hereafter prove tbe soaree of its permanent wealth. TAKE ONE OF THESE AS A SAMPLE. One of these mines, aad only one, thns far, T have visited, explored, and inquired about. Indulge me, therefore, while I speak of it. I allude to the Harmon. ‘I'his mine is located on the west side of “ Quartz Mountain.” about a mile nortb of Plocervilfe, nearly on the line of the Pacific Raiload. It has been opened for several years, although I am iulurmed only worked with success two yenors of that time. A tunnel has been put in 350 feet, and a shaft sunk eighty feet. A fifteen-stamp mill, with an eagine of tweaty-horse power, all in eomplete working order, aro oa the ground. There is also a large aad well built hoarding house for the workmeu. Between $15,000 and $16,000 have been expended on these improvemeats, and $29,000 have been taken ont of the mine, sufficient to justify the trustees in deelaring two differeat divideads. The ledge is twelve}: feet wide. nnd the rock whieh is Taken froin it has thus far averaged nbout $40 to the ton. 1 have several pieces befure me, with numerons particles of gold visible to the naked eye. The stock of the Hurmon has been quoted in the market as high as $50 per foot, and is perhaps worth five times that mueh to-day. wuy Not? Why will ths stock of such a mine not biting a price in some degree commensurato with its value? “‘Vhe nuswer involves just such a state of affairsas Lhavespuk nof. There is not eopital enough tn the cour try te meet tho demands of one-tenth part of the mills ond ledgea. ‘This mine, umong others, must lie idfe notil there is mouey inthe country to work it. ITS PRESENT connITION. The rock of the mine grew richer as the shaft went down. The water line wos struck nta depth of forty fect. The vulnine inereased ns the shaft descended, until it was found impossible to clear the mine withont steam-power. ‘The company had, besides, managed the afairs of the mifl and mine bodly, Mr. J. W. Epley, who was a large owner, seeing how things was gotng, and knowing the mine to be immensely valuable, in self-defense purchased a chief part of its stock; but by doing sv, expended so much of his avaifuble means as ta be nuable tu proceed with the work at the present time. LET US NAYE CaPIrAaL. If this mine—and I name it only because it serves as an example—with its splendid goldstudded rock, is compelled to remain anworked for the want of a few thousand dollars, what show is there for thoss ledges which possess no such advantages ns mills, in good working order, boarding houses, fine reuds, nor lie in proximity to populous towns aud cities ? We must have more eapital. Mr. Editor, appeal to the millionaires of the East who have realized sueh vast fortunes in oil, and see if you cannot induee them to come up into this rich mineral regioa and invest. Homen, Placerville, July 28th, 1865. NEW PROCESSES, The latest new “ process” which we have noticed, is termed the “ Wilson Process.” It is described ia the New York Stockholder as follows: ‘The process consists of a scries of fire-clay retorts, eylindrieal in shape, and arrunged one above the other, and all iaclosed and made to revolve in a large furnace, the fire beiug applied below, the heat and flame passing up and arouud the cylinders. These cylinders are heated to a cherry red, when the sulphurets nre introdueed into the top one, which is so constructed as to automatically discharge into the one next below, and so on through ths series, the last discharging into a water-batn. During the process a current of air and steam combined is cnused to eonstantly intermiugle with the ore, causing a more perfect oxydation. The construction and operation are such that no loss caa ensue from vaporizatioa or currents of air, as in the ordinary reverberatoryhearth. The whole arrangement is compaet, and not very expensive. Crushing and triturating machines aceompany desalphurizing machiues when required. Another method, brought forward by an experimenler in Newark, pulverizes the ore aad submits it directly to nitric and muriatic acids, as being the solveats of gold. All the gold thnt is touched by them, and nll the other base metals, nore readily dissolved. ‘The solutioa is thea poured off, and the yariougs metals in it are precipitated by different, chemical substanecs. A portioa of the process is kept secret by the discoverer; but the aain poiat is the dissolving the gold in aqua regia. The proeess has the merit of dispensing with quicksilver, but at the expense of large quantities of costly ncids. Torumen oF Yankee Grexivs.—At a recent trial of breach loading gaus at St. Petersburg, Russia, in presenee of a deputatioa of high officials, after the rejection of the English made guns of Clay, Whitworth and Armstroag patterns, aad a trial between Prussia and Berlin guns, aad one invented by an American ‘named Broadwell, the latter was adopted as preferable and more perfeet than nny of the others. The London Mechanics Magazine urges the English Government to alter the ) Armstroag gun to Broadwell’s patteru. Tre cessation of hostilitics allows Government to save thirty-five millions of dollars per aaaum in the single item of coal. Soucar rrom Aspen.—At Soult Lake, sugar is made from boifing tbs sap of the quaking asp. ‘The process is similar to that ot makiag sugar from the sap of tho maple.