Volume 12 (1866) (428 pages)

Mining ual Scentific Press. W. B. EWER,..00csse00s AaSotouceniencanes Senror Bpiror. Cc. W. M. SMITH. W. B. EWER. A. T. DEWEY. DEWEY & CO., Publishers. ———— Frior—No. 605 Clay street, corer of Sansome, 2d floor. ———— Terms of Subscription: per annum, if advanee,. six mouths, in advanee, apes For sale by Carriers and News +185 00 300 One copy, One copy. aa in Imiposalble for editors to know At tho terils Ant demerits of their eorrespondenee, consequently the reader must not reeclve the opinions of our eontributors as our own. Intelllgent discnssion is Invited upon all sldes and the evidence ol any error which may appear will be re ceived in friendship and treated with respect. American and Forel Pntents.—Letters Patent for Invehiors can be secured in tbe United Stales and forelgn countrles through the Muvinc ana Screntiric Press PATENT Acency. We offer applicants reasonable terms, and they can rest assured of a strict compllanee with our obligations, and afailhful performance of allcontracts. For reference, we will lurnish the names of numerons parties for Whom we have obtained patents during the past two years. Pavorable to Inventors.—Persons holding new Inventions of machinery and important improvements, can have the same illustrated and explained In the Mixing anp Screntiric Press, free of charge, if in our judgment the discovery Is one of real merit, and of suificlent iulerest to our readcrs to warrant publication. Payment in Adv:nce.---This paper will not be sent tosubserlbers beyond tbe term paid for. The publishers well know that a good journal caunot be sustalned on the ereditsystem. eG Mr. Wm. E, Bradshnw, is our Special Correspondent and Traveling Agent. Al favorsor assistance rendered him in his progress throngh the copntry in behalf of our journal, will be duly acknowledged. San Francisco, Jan Ist, 1866. Mr. A. C. Knox, is our fully authorized Traveling Agent, and all subseriptions, or other favors extended to him, will be duly acknowledged at thls officc. San Francisco, Jan ilth, 1866. SS Mr, Elwin Davis, is authorized to sollclt subseriptions, advertising, etc., for Ibe Minine ann Scientiric PRESS, in San Franelseo, and to receipt tor the same. nc San Francisco: Saturday Morning, Mar. 31,1866. Endorsement by the Miners’ State Convention. The following resolntion was adopted by the Caltfornla Miners’ Slate Convention, held at Sacramenio, Jan. 17th, 1866: Resolved, That we regard a mtnme paper or journal of great Importance to the mining interest of Califoraia, and Wwerccoinmend the Mining aNp Scrzntirie Press, of San Francisco, to the consideration and support of the miners of the Pacltice coast. OUR FOUNDRIES. Since our last issue, we have visited hut one foundry, viz., the Fulton, where we found the proprietors really too husy to give us any lencthy description of the work in progress. We learned, huwever, that the worksare pow building the machinery for a eteamboat for Messrs. Nelson, Anderson & Runyon, the hull of which is being constructed at the ehipyard of John North. The Fniton is also turning out the machiaery for a bout for Col. Bulkley, for the Russian Telegraph Expedition. Ordere are on hand at this foundry for four eawmills, nne qaartz mill, one stationary engine, besides a great deal of general work, which forces the establishment to rua day and night. The lively aepect of business among the fonndries of onr city, is a stroug indication of improving times over the State. Concentrators.—We are glad to notice that more attention is heing given to this economical class of machinery. Messrs. Bigelow Brothers, of this city, who have given much consideration and practice to the operation of conecntratore ia gold and sulphuret. eaving, have just ordered the third Hendy’e Improved Patent Prater Concentrator for the Cony mill, in Amador county: Within a short period, there have been several more of these machines ordered in that connty. Messrs. Bigelow Brothers are working euccessfully, and we hope they will reap a rich fortune through their active and liheral enterprise. Smoxy Cuimyexe are morally and socially unhealthy, if not physically so ; consequently, every well regulated institution should guard against them. One of the most successful remedies for smoky ciimneys with which we have yet become conversant, is the pateut chimney top of B. A. Henriksen, advertised ia another portion of this paper. It is an article woithy of examinatioa. Patent rights are offered for sale. We uuderstand the inventor has also a very ingenious pump, which is at tracting much attention, The Mining wid Sricutifie Brees. QUARTZ MILLS. Ja crushing ore, the first poiut is to pulverize it to the desired fineness with the least possible power, then to avoid waste of power, and then economy of construction and maintaining in order. As combining these principles we have always contended, as have the ahlest miners of the world generally, that the etamp did it with as near an approach to perfectiou as possible, and it had demonstrated ite adaptability to the purpose by many centuries of faithful trial. We had looked for improved methods of operating stamps, but doubted the possihility of their displacement. A stamp is lifted, is then loosened, and falls upon the ore tobe crashed. If the die holding the ore solid, clean, and contains just the amount of ore the stamp can crnsh, for this blow it appears to make use of all the power expended in lifting it; but to keep up the full effective power, these conditions of a solid, clean and true die, or mortar, and the maximum of ore that can be crushed, must all he continuous. These conditions will not result from the operations of aset of stamps, and are therefore impossible. A stamp, particularly in dry crushing, may often strike upon a body of ore already crushed. or mixed with that which is fine enough and thus waste a hlow, or it may strike upon the naked die, and there are many other conditions well known to millmen where the effectiveuess of stamps is lost. Some men are much more skillful feeders than others, simple as it may appear to shovel rock into a battery, and those with taste for music are preferred as they can judge hest hy the sound how the stamps are working, and therefore “the music of the stamps” is a truthful as well as poetic expression. Such are the defects of the plain, effective, and venerable stamp. In operating with stanips, the lifting and dropping of such heavy hodies of iron, necessitates the construction of a very costly frame work and hed, the aim of which is solidity, and from the nature of the operation, the jarring of loose iron, it is almost impossible to maintain solidity forany great length of time. A hattery of stamps is cumbrous, noisy, and disagreeable in managing, of very costly construction, and expensive to operate ond maintain, but with all the defects we have ohserved, they are to this day the tavorite with the great majority of miners, and are in almost universal use wherever mining operations are carried on. * * * We have examined the operation of a new invention called ‘ Gardiner’s Thunderbolt Crusher,” which ohviates the defects we have msntioned of the stumps. ‘The one to which we refer is ia operation at the Coraland As pinwall mill at Amador, a few miles north of this city, and which was inaugurated with the hoaors on Satarday last. The machine is an improvement on stamps as the nut cracker is an improvement on the hammer aad anvil at table. The invention cunsists in a pair of moveahle, nearly upright jaws, with crushing surfaces of about two feet square having arms which rise about three feet and are coanected with a crank shaft having two short cranks reaching opposite ways, so that ia the revolution of the shaft the two crashing plates move from and towards each other simultaneously. One of the peculiar featurcs of the iavention is the relative axes of the two ernshing plates. One of these ie from the syncliaal axis, or place of contact of the two plates, six inches, and the plateis cast witha curve of sixiach radius, and the other is eighteen inchee from the same line aud is cast with a curve of a radius of eighteen inches. The plates are flat with the exception of the narrow strip at the lower portion of closest contact, where they are of the curves mcntioned, und being of white, chilled iron will not he worn out in many month’s use. Strong steel bars pass through the block on which the crushers rest, and hold serews by which the crushers are adjusted, or gauged to any fineness or drawn together in case of wear. The wholeis iu a strong cast iron frume, ahove five feet iu hight, four feet in width, and about eight feet in length. ‘This is bolted to a well anchored floor aad occupies a space of about eight by ten feet. Through the floor is au aperture where the crushed ore passes into movenble screeus or seives which, iu this ease, have twelve hundred holes to ihe square inch. ‘The screeu is moved by an arm attached to one of the jaws of the crusher. In the operation we witucssed, ouc ton of ore, generally in pieces of several pounds’ weight, was crashed with apparent ease, without noise, jar, or dust, and very effectually in just forty-six minutes, the power used being a small Little Giant engine and boiler of 25-horse power, running with sixty-five pounds of steam. The boiler and engine are a latc invention, and constitute a very compact, cconomical, aud effective ma. chine, occupying abont the same space as the crusher, and all look as if they could be taken np and carried away as easily as the stove, and the butter churn one would find iu a former's kitchen ; but we never carried away a hot stove, and do not know how casily it could be done. The crusher appears to do its work « without waste of power, and withont destruction to the machinery. It takes a piece of rock in its jaws and comiug together with the regnlar power of the engine and the accumulated power tite driving wheel has gathered iu opening them, crushes the rock, part of which is fine enough to fall through, and is not in the way again; the balance falls to where it will he crushed finer the next time the jaws come together, or to where the abrading motion’ takes place given hy the unequal distances of center of movenient of the two plates. ‘That at the trial the machine did so much work so easily, quietly and effectually ; that it occupies So little room; ie not lable to get out of order, and withal can he constructed so cheaply shows a inanifest superiority over stamps and promises to supersede them.—Reese River Revielle. Remarks.—From the ahove description of the machine in question, it will be seen that its main principle is closely allied to that of “ Biake’s Crusher,” though the mechanism is somewhat different, and it involves in addition to this the atteaipt (of doubtful utility) to combine, in the manner described, a grinding with @ ernshing motion. We have heard something of this' machine already, and, if we are correctly informed, the history of its development and experimental trials in New York city. has heen hy no means as satislactory as might have been desired. The impression conveyed by the preceding notice, is certainly a very flattering one. But there are one or two important points in the ‘operation witnessed,” which the writer has neglected to state, and which require elucidation, viz: How hard was the ore, of which one ton was crushed “in just forty-six minutes’—aud what was the degree of fineness of the crushing? Wow much of the crushed ore would pass through aseive having “ twelve hundred holes to the square inch”—or, through what size of mesh would the whole of it have passed? Another question of no less practical importance relates to the durahility of the machine. How long will it last, and how often and to what exteut will it need repairs and adjustments in order to secure the requisite quality and uniformity of work uader conditions similar to those above? Itis idle to suppose that“ white chilled,” or any other iron, can resist for “ many months " the action to which it must he subjected ia a machine like this, in order to crush hard quartz to the degree of fiueness requisite for amalgamating pnrposes, at the rate of a toa in forty-six minutes. Quartz is hard, and in such a machiae, with fine and rapid crushing, {if the thing can accomplish this at all), the wear of the jaws must be correspondingly rapid, and the machine need frequcut adjustment. Moreover, any iuequalitics in hardness ia the iron of the jaws would produce inequalities in thcir rate of wear, aud these in turn, iu spite of any possihle adjustments, would produce inequalities in the fineness of the crushing. While, then, we are by no means inclined to consider stamps as the xe plus ultra of crushing apparatus, and while we heartily wish success to those who try to devise a better ineaus, we are nevertheless unacquainted as yet with anything that, ou the whole, can supply their place, and we certainly do not think, judging from the foregoing description, that the yavention in question is destincd to revolutionize the quartz mills of the Pacific Coast. — Lecisuative.—The bill regulating miners? Measuremeut of water was indefinitely postponed in the Seaate on Friday. Act to establish a Mining, Agricultural aad Mcchanic Arts’ College had its final passage ia the Senate, by 29 to 5. The sessiou expires by limitation on Monday nest, April 2d. A large nuniber of bills are still on file. Mr. Singleton’s Assembly bill concerning mining copartnerships, we helieve, has finally passed. It is an important Act, and if it becomes a law, will create a sweeping revolution in the operations of unincorporated mining companics. Leoisnative Favors.—We are under obligations to the Hon. i. L. Smith, Chairman of the Committee on Miues and Mining in the. Assembly, for copies of many valoable public documents. Presipexr Jounson is 57 years old. NEW BOOKS, New Boox.—We have been presented b the Pacific Publishing Company, No. 305 Montgomery street, with a copy of the © Trinl of the Couspiratorts in the Assass.nation of the Late President Lincoln,” which contains a fine steel engraving of the portraits of the assas-— sins, the pursuit and captnre of Booth and Harrold, together with ull the evidence and testamony concerning the same ; the celehrated Lon Letters, Ben. Wood Dratt, Introduction of Pestilenne, as well as all the minute incidents of the trials and execntions, together with the verbatim report of the masterly argumeuts of the counsel fur and against the. conspirators, including that of the Honorahle Reverdy Johnson. ‘Ihe whole work presents” a hook of over 400 pages, neutly hound, and is sold only by subscription, and mast afford a good ready reference as well as present reading. VatuaBie Metatiuroics, Work.—We acknowledge the receipt of a catalogue of practical and scientific hooks, with a copy of Makin’s Manuai of Metallurgy, from Henry Carey Baird, Industrial Publisher, No. 406 Walnut street, Philadelohia, which contaius the general properties of metals, their specific gravity, malleability, ductility, and tenacity, as well as their alloys. It also treats of nonmetallic elements, metallic salts, giving sure tules for tests in a clear, simple, and succinet manner, with many illustrations; also, of me. tallurgical operatious, lornaces for smelting and redaciug ores, and of the fuels and heat applicable thereto, together with the priociples of electro-metallurgy. This book contains over four hundred pages, 8vo., and seems to us to he a valuable one to the miner, whether engaged in the mill or prospecting in the mountains. Srrarman’s ALMANAC, ror 1866.—We acknowledge the receipt of a copy of the LeslieStratman Almanac, with many fine illustrations of scenes and incidents. It containsa portrait of President Johnson, and a sketch of the house “where he made good clothes ” in early life. The book contains sixty four pages, with a fiuc and life-like portrait of the handsome Major himself. Sxow Bounp, by Jobn Greenleaf Whittier ; 56 pp., 12mo. ; Ticknor & Fields, Publishers, Boston. Messrs. H. H. Bancroft & Co., No. 609 Montgomery street, have received the above work. Its truthlul and graceful picture of New Eagland rnral wiater life ie unmatched. Without exaggeration, with simple language, every page gleams with elegant pocsy and sentiments of frankness and goodness. ‘The book is richly printed, and will prove a little gem aad keepsake to those who obtaia it. A Gunnrat Directory AnD Business Guipe of the Principal Towns Inthe Upper Country, ombracing a portion of California ; together with Mining and Slatistical Intormation concerning Idabo Territory, and a Map of ldaho and 3fontana,” We have received a copy of the ahove work, whose general character is sufficiently indicated hy its title, forms a ncat volume of ahout 160 puges. The “ Business Directory” contains the address of firms in all the more important towns of Oregon, and of Washington and Idaho Territories, as well as in those places of California whose situation and husiness relations connect them with the “Upper Country.” The map is well executed, and besides Idaho and Montana, it represents in ontline, Oregon, and Washington Territory, together with the northern portions of California, Nevada and Wyoming, and shows the priacipal routes to the new iiniug regions. The part devoted to mining and statistical information is quite full, giving brief descriplions of the quartz mills, »nd more important mines in each district, lists of locations already recorded, with the nnmiber of feet they contain, data respecting population, table of distances, ete., cte. We recommend the hook to those having business relations with the “ Upper Couutry.” The hook is published by A. Gensoul, 511 Moutgomery street, a fact which we omitted to mention last weck. Tue San Jose Courier says that the people of that town frequently hear the firing of cannon in San Franeisco, forty miles distant.

Mining ual Scentific Press. W. B. EWER,...00csse00s AaSotouceniencanes Senror Bpiror. Cc. W. M. SMITH. W. B. EWER. A. T. DEWEY. DEWEY & CO., Publishers. ———— Frior—No. 605 Clay street, corer of Sansome, 2d floor. ———— Terms of Subscription: per annum, if advanee,. six mouths, in advanee, apes For sale by Carriers and News +185 00 300 One copy, One copy. aa in Imiposalble for editors to know At tho terils Ant demerits of their eorrespondenee, consequently the reader must not reeclve the opinions of our eontributors as our own. Intelllgent discnssion is Invited upon all sldes and the evidence ol any error which may appear will be re ceived in friendship and treated with respect. American and Forel Pntents.—Letters Patent for Invehiors can be secured in tbe United Stales and forelgn countrles through the Muvinc ana Screntiric Press PATENT Acency. We offer applicants reasonable terms, and they can rest assured of a strict compllanee with our obligations, and afailhful performance of allcontracts. For reference, we will lurnish the names of numerons parties for Whom we have obtained patents during the past two years. Pavorable to Inventors.—Persons holding new Inventions of machinery and important improvements, can have the same illustrated and explained In the Mixing anp Screntiric Press, free of charge, if in our judgment the discovery Is one of real merit, and of suificlent iulerest to our readcrs to warrant publication. Payment in Adv:nce.---This paper will not be sent tosubserlbers beyond tbe term paid for. The publishers well know that a good journal caunot be sustalned on the ereditsystem. eG Mr. Wm. E, Bradshnw, is our Special Correspondent and Traveling Agent. Al favorsor assistance rendered him in his progress throngh the copntry in behalf of our journal, will be duly acknowledged. San Francisco, Jan Ist, 1866. Mr. A. C. Knox, is our fully authorized Traveling Agent, and all subseriptions, or other favors extended to him, will be duly acknowledged at thls officc. San Francisco, Jan ilth, 1866. SS Mr, Elwin Davis, is authorized to sollclt subseriptions, advertising, etc., for Ibe Minine ann Scientiric PRESS, in San Franelseo, and to receipt tor the same. nc San Francisco: Saturday Morning, Mar. 31,1866. Endorsement by the Miners’ State Convention. The following resolntion was adopted by the Caltfornla Miners’ Slate Convention, held at Sacramenio, Jan. 17th, 1866: Resolved, That we regard a mtnme paper or journal of great Importance to the mining interest of Califoraia, and Wwerccoinmend the Mining aNp Scrzntirie Press, of San Francisco, to the consideration and support of the miners of the Pacltice coast. OUR FOUNDRIES. Since our last issue, we have visited hut one foundry, viz., the Fulton, where we found the proprietors really too husy to give us any lencthy description of the work in progress. We learned, huwever, that the worksare pow building the machinery for a eteamboat for Messrs. Nelson, Anderson & Runyon, the hull of which is being constructed at the ehipyard of John North. The Fniton is also turning out the machiaery for a bout for Col. Bulkley, for the Russian Telegraph Expedition. Ordere are on hand at this foundry for four eawmills, nne qaartz mill, one stationary engine, besides a great deal of general work, which forces the establishment to rua day and night. The lively aepect of business among the fonndries of onr city, is a stroug indication of improving times over the State. Concentrators.—We are glad to notice that more attention is heing given to this economical class of machinery. Messrs. Bigelow Brothers, of this city, who have given much consideration and practice to the operation of conecntratore ia gold and sulphuret. eaving, have just ordered the third Hendy’e Improved Patent Prater Concentrator for the Cony mill, in Amador county: Within a short period, there have been several more of these machines ordered in that connty. Messrs. Bigelow Brothers are working euccessfully, and we hope they will reap a rich fortune through their active and liheral enterprise. Smoxy Cuimyexe are morally and socially unhealthy, if not physically so ; consequently, every well regulated institution should guard against them. One of the most successful remedies for smoky ciimneys with which we have yet become conversant, is the pateut chimney top of B. A. Henriksen, advertised ia another portion of this paper. It is an article woithy of examinatioa. Patent rights are offered for sale. We uuderstand the inventor has also a very ingenious pump, which is at tracting much attention, The Mining wid Sricutifie Brees. QUARTZ MILLS. Ja crushing ore, the first poiut is to pulverize it to the desired fineness with the least possible power, then to avoid waste of power, and then economy of construction and maintaining in order. As combining these principles we have always contended, as have the ahlest miners of the world generally, that the etamp did it with as near an approach to perfectiou as possible, and it had demonstrated ite adaptability to the purpose by many centuries of faithful trial. We had looked for improved methods of operating stamps, but doubted the possihility of their displacement. A stamp is lifted, is then loosened, and falls upon the ore tobe crashed. If the die holding the ore solid, clean, and contains just the amount of ore the stamp can crnsh, for this blow it appears to make use of all the power expended in lifting it; but to keep up the full effective power, these conditions of a solid, clean and true die, or mortar, and the maximum of ore that can be crushed, must all he continuous. These conditions will not result from the operations of aset of stamps, and are therefore impossible. A stamp, particularly in dry crushing, may often strike upon a body of ore already crushed. or mixed with that which is fine enough and thus waste a hlow, or it may strike upon the naked die, and there are many other conditions well known to millmen where the effectiveuess of stamps is lost. Some men are much more skillful feeders than others, simple as it may appear to shovel rock into a battery, and those with taste for music are preferred as they can judge hest hy the sound how the stamps are working, and therefore “the music of the stamps” is a truthful as well as poetic expression. Such are the defects of the plain, effective, and venerable stamp. In operating with stanips, the lifting and dropping of such heavy hodies of iron, necessitates the construction of a very costly frame work and hed, the aim of which is solidity, and from the nature of the operation, the jarring of loose iron, it is almost impossible to maintain solidity forany great length of time. A hattery of stamps is cumbrous, noisy, and disagreeable in managing, of very costly construction, and expensive to operate ond maintain, but with all the defects we have ohserved, they are to this day the tavorite with the great majority of miners, and are in almost universal use wherever mining operations are carried on. * * * We have examined the operation of a new invention called ‘ Gardiner’s Thunderbolt Crusher,” which ohviates the defects we have msntioned of the stumps. ‘The one to which we refer is ia operation at the Coraland As pinwall mill at Amador, a few miles north of this city, and which was inaugurated with the hoaors on Satarday last. The machine is an improvement on stamps as the nut cracker is an improvement on the hammer aad anvil at table. The invention cunsists in a pair of moveahle, nearly upright jaws, with crushing surfaces of about two feet square having arms which rise about three feet and are coanected with a crank shaft having two short cranks reaching opposite ways, so that ia the revolution of the shaft the two crashing plates move from and towards each other simultaneously. One of the peculiar featurcs of the iavention is the relative axes of the two ernshing plates. One of these ie from the syncliaal axis, or place of contact of the two plates, six inches, and the plateis cast witha curve of sixiach radius, and the other is eighteen inchee from the same line aud is cast with a curve of a radius of eighteen inches. The plates are flat with the exception of the narrow strip at the lower portion of closest contact, where they are of the curves mcntioned, und being of white, chilled iron will not he worn out in many month’s use. Strong steel bars pass through the block on which the crushers rest, and hold serews by which the crushers are adjusted, or gauged to any fineness or drawn together in case of wear. The wholeis iu a strong cast iron frume, ahove five feet iu hight, four feet in width, and about eight feet in

length. ‘This is bolted to a well anchored floor aad occupies a space of about eight by ten feet. Through the floor is au aperture where the crushed ore passes into movenble screeus or seives which, iu this ease, have twelve hundred holes to ihe square inch. ‘The screeu is moved by an arm attached to one of the jaws of the crusher. In the operation we witucssed, ouc ton of ore, generally in pieces of several pounds’ weight, was crashed with apparent ease, without noise, jar, or dust, and very effectually in just forty-six minutes, the power used being a small Little Giant engine and boiler of 25-horse power, running with sixty-five pounds of steam. The boiler and engine are a latc invention, and constitute a very compact, cconomical, aud effective ma. chine, occupying abont the same space as the crusher, and all look as if they could be taken np and carried away as easily as the stove, and the butter churn one would find iu a former's kitchen ; but we never carried away a hot stove, and do not know how casily it could be done. The crusher appears to do its work « without waste of power, and withont destruction to the machinery. It takes a piece of rock in its jaws and comiug together with the regnlar power of the engine and the accumulated power tite driving wheel has gathered iu opening them, crushes the rock, part of which is fine enough to fall through, and is not in the way again; the balance falls to where it will he crushed finer the next time the jaws come together, or to where the abrading motion’ takes place given hy the unequal distances of center of movenient of the two plates. ‘That at the trial the machine did so much work so easily, quietly and effectually ; that it occupies So little room; ie not lable to get out of order, and withal can he constructed so cheaply shows a inanifest superiority over stamps and promises to supersede them.—Reese River Revielle. Remarks.—From the ahove description of the machine in question, it will be seen that its main principle is closely allied to that of “ Biake’s Crusher,” though the mechanism is somewhat different, and it involves in addition to this the atteaipt (of doubtful utility) to combine, in the manner described, a grinding with @ ernshing motion. We have heard something of this' machine already, and, if we are correctly informed, the history of its development and experimental trials in New York city. has heen hy no means as satislactory as might have been desired. The impression conveyed by the preceding notice, is certainly a very flattering one. But there are one or two important points in the ‘operation witnessed,” which the writer has neglected to state, and which require elucidation, viz: How hard was the ore, of which one ton was crushed “in just forty-six minutes’—aud what was the degree of fineness of the crushing? Wow much of the crushed ore would pass through aseive having “ twelve hundred holes to the square inch”—or, through what size of mesh would the whole of it have passed? Another question of no less practical importance relates to the durahility of the machine. How long will it last, and how often and to what exteut will it need repairs and adjustments in order to secure the requisite quality and uniformity of work uader conditions similar to those above? Itis idle to suppose that“ white chilled,” or any other iron, can resist for “ many months " the action to which it must he subjected ia a machine like this, in order to crush hard quartz to the degree of fiueness requisite for amalgamating pnrposes, at the rate of a toa in forty-six minutes. Quartz is hard, and in such a machiae, with fine and rapid crushing, {if the thing can accomplish this at all), the wear of the jaws must be correspondingly rapid, and the machine need frequcut adjustment. Moreover, any iuequalitics in hardness ia the iron of the jaws would produce inequalities in thcir rate of wear, aud these in turn, iu spite of any possihle adjustments, would produce inequalities in the fineness of the crushing. While, then, we are by no means inclined to consider stamps as the xe plus ultra of crushing apparatus, and while we heartily wish success to those who try to devise a better ineaus, we are nevertheless unacquainted as yet with anything that, ou the whole, can supply their place, and we certainly do not think, judging from the foregoing description, that the yavention in question is destincd to revolutionize the quartz mills of the Pacific Coast. — Lecisuative.—The bill regulating miners? Measuremeut of water was indefinitely postponed in the Seaate on Friday. Act to establish a Mining, Agricultural aad Mcchanic Arts’ College had its final passage ia the Senate, by 29 to 5. The sessiou expires by limitation on Monday nest, April 2d. A large nuniber of bills are still on file. Mr. Singleton’s Assembly bill concerning mining copartnerships, we helieve, has finally passed. It is an important Act, and if it becomes a law, will create a sweeping revolution in the operations of unincorporated mining companics. Leoisnative Favors.—We are under obligations to the Hon. i. L. Smith, Chairman of the Committee on Miues and Mining in the. Assembly, for copies of many valoable public documents. Presipexr Jounson is 57 years old. NEW BOOKS, New Boox.—We have been presented b the Pacific Publishing Company, No. 305 Montgomery street, with a copy of the © Trinl of the Couspiratorts in the Assass.nation of the Late President Lincoln,” which contains a fine steel engraving of the portraits of the assas-— sins, the pursuit and captnre of Booth and Harrold, together with ull the evidence and testamony concerning the same ; the celehrated Lon Letters, Ben. Wood Dratt, Introduction of Pestilenne, as well as all the minute incidents of the trials and execntions, together with the verbatim report of the masterly argumeuts of the counsel fur and against the. conspirators, including that of the Honorahle Reverdy Johnson. ‘Ihe whole work presents” a hook of over 400 pages, neutly hound, and is sold only by subscription, and mast afford a good ready reference as well as present reading. VatuaBie Metatiuroics, Work.—We acknowledge the receipt of a catalogue of practical and scientific hooks, with a copy of Makin’s Manuai of Metallurgy, from Henry Carey Baird, Industrial Publisher, No. 406 Walnut street, Philadelohia, which contaius the general properties of metals, their specific gravity, malleability, ductility, and tenacity, as well as their alloys. It also treats of nonmetallic elements, metallic salts, giving sure tules for tests in a clear, simple, and succinet manner, with many illustrations; also, of me. tallurgical operatious, lornaces for smelting and redaciug ores, and of the fuels and heat applicable thereto, together with the priociples of electro-metallurgy. This book contains over four hundred pages, 8vo., and seems to us to he a valuable one to the miner, whether engaged in the mill or prospecting in the mountains. Srrarman’s ALMANAC, ror 1866.—We acknowledge the receipt of a copy of the LeslieStratman Almanac, with many fine illustrations of scenes and incidents. It containsa portrait of President Johnson, and a sketch of the house “where he made good clothes ” in early life. The book contains sixty four pages, with a fiuc and life-like portrait of the handsome Major himself. Sxow Bounp, by Jobn Greenleaf Whittier ; 56 pp., 12mo. ; Ticknor & Fields, Publishers, Boston. Messrs. H. H. Bancroft & Co., No. 609 Montgomery street, have received the above work. Its truthlul and graceful picture of New Eagland rnral wiater life ie unmatched. Without exaggeration, with simple language, every page gleams with elegant pocsy and sentiments of frankness and goodness. ‘The book is richly printed, and will prove a little gem aad keepsake to those who obtaia it. A Gunnrat Directory AnD Business Guipe of the Principal Towns Inthe Upper Country, ombracing a portion of California ; together with Mining and Slatistical Intormation concerning Idabo Territory, and a Map of ldaho and 3fontana,” We have received a copy of the ahove work, whose general character is sufficiently indicated hy its title, forms a ncat volume of ahout 160 puges. The “ Business Directory” contains the address of firms in all the more important towns of Oregon, and of Washington and Idaho Territories, as well as in those places of California whose situation and husiness relations connect them with the “Upper Country.” The map is well executed, and besides Idaho and Montana, it represents in ontline, Oregon, and Washington Territory, together with the northern portions of California, Nevada and Wyoming, and shows the priacipal routes to the new iiniug regions. The part devoted to mining and statistical information is quite full, giving brief descriplions of the quartz mills, »nd more important mines in each district, lists of locations already recorded, with the nnmiber of feet they contain, data respecting population, table of distances, ete., cte. We recommend the hook to those having business relations with the “ Upper Couutry.” The hook is published by A. Gensoul, 511 Moutgomery street, a fact which we omitted to mention last weck. Tue San Jose Courier says that the people of that town frequently hear the firing of cannon in San Franeisco, forty miles distant.