Volume 12 (1866) (428 pages)

The Mining and Scientific Press. 227 kegs, bags or bottles. or other envelopes of caoatchoue or gutta-pereha, ete. ete. This plin ulso enables quicksilver to be packed, stored, tranaported and sold in convenient furme ; sach as burs, ingota, eylinders, blocks, cubes, splieres, or pellets, of definite sizes und weights, the cunvenience of wlich for many uses, ‘nd particularly for that of miners, Is at gues ubvieus. When the quicksilver is tu be need in any of the arts ubuve specitied. it will then be alrendy in n suitatte . condition, or will merely require xdauixtare with sume Huid quicksilver; uud when to be used aa pure quicksilver, the sodium muy be removed by throwing the gold ainulgam in fragments ime het water, preferably mixed with a lite sulphurie or uertie veil. The modes af puekiny such ingo’s, for preservation und transportation, are alrendy culficiently set lurth ina precdiny paragraph. Claims.—Viie cluiins attached to this specification are twenty three in number ; ond those only are hers viven which direcly eoneero the miner and amalsamator. What Pelnim as my inventians ure :— Ist. ‘Vhe combinution with quicksilver, when used for the extraction by umalgaination of uny nietal or metals from ores, elimes, and mixtures with other materials 5 nf metallic sodium, or metallic putaz-ium, or puy other highly electro posilive inetal equivalent in its aetion thereto ; as nbuve set forth. 2d. In those amulgainators in which nmalgamated plates of eopper or othur metal ure used ; the substitution therefor of plates or surfaces of iron, coated with quicksilver eombined with sodinm, or otlier highly eleetropositive metal ; ns above sct forth. 3. ‘Vhe eoating of iron surfaces, between or unter whieh ores or other materials are ernshed, with quicksilver combined with sodiuin, or other highly eleetro-positive metal ; as nbove set forth. 4th. ‘he prevention of the granulation or flunring of quieksilver, wheu tsed in any method ol ninalgamating ores or other materials; by addition thereto of sodium, or other Inghly electro-positive metal; as above set forth. Sth. The separntiou of intermixed iron from donble amalgams of gokl and sodium, or of silver and sodium; by fusion with excess of quicksilver and skimming ; as above set forth. Gth, lhe separation of intermixed iron, platinum, osmiridinm, aud other non-amalgamable metals, from aralgnins contnining sodium or its equivalent; by sction thereupon of water or other oxsdating liquid; as above sct forth. 7th. The sepnration of intermixed iron from amalganis eontaining sodium or its equivalent. or froin any metalor metals extraeted lrom such omalyiis ; by inagnets, either permaneot ar electro-magnetic ; as above set lorth. Sth. The combination with quicksilver, when used in conjnuction with iron or other redueing metals, lor redueing to nn amalgam, silver from its chloril or other eompound. or any other metal from any saline compound or solution; of sodium, or other highly electro-positive metal; as above set forth. : * + * * * * 12th. Tn all easesin which metallie surlaces, Bneh as cupper plates, the zincs ef voltaie batteres, ete. are to be nmalgumated; the use of quieksilver combined with sodium, or other hizhly eleetro-positive metal; as ahove set forth. 13th. Tha-more rapid nnd convenient application of quicksilver to surfaces with metallic brushes; by virtwe vf its previous eombination with sodium, or other highly electro-positive metal ; as above set fortb. 14th. 'Vhe nse ol metallic brnshes, enfilmed with an amalgain of sodiuin or its equivalent; fur incorporating together partieles of qnieksilver, guld, silver, or any other metnl, seattered throughout ores, slimes, or any other materials ; as above set forth. 15th. The more convenient transportation. handling and subdivision of qaieksilver ; by conversion into solid forms; iu the maoner herem substantially deseribed. A Heavy Buast—Vhe Nevada Transcript says thnt a blast of three hundred kegs of powder wus let off in the Golden Gate eluims at North Sun Juan, one day last week. ‘I'he claims, as well as all others in that vicinity, require an immense amount of powder to blast the cement which is very hard. aud eannot be worked in any other way. ‘his blast shook the whole town, and in a house near by, a man was thrown completely out of his chair, while reading a paper, Considerable damage was done by the breaking up of pipes, hose, Aume, etc., in the diggings. Searcely a pieee of this eement ean be picked up in the Goldeo Gate claims but what is filled with gold. Tue yew trees of Surrey, England, stood io the days of Julius Cesar. There is aa apple tree ia Hartford, Cunn., 200 years old. A live oak in Louisiana 1000 years old. A eedar on Conumunications. Ix puis Derautexst we lnvite ihe reee pisccesiun of all proper CE ey educa alone belog rexpottsible for the ideas aod theorles thay advance, (Wrluen for the Mlolug and Sclentific Press] From El Dorade County, BT OCR TRAVELISO CUREKIPONDENT, Messrs. Epitors:—Having been detained in the neighborlhvod nf Georgetown mneh longer than 1 orizinully intended, in eonsequence of the equinoetial sturm that had set ia {when Plast wrote, the tew short intervals of sunshine intervening, huve been spent in an exumination of the mines and ledses lying south, embraeibg a seope of eunntry seven niles in length nnd two in width, bordering upon Empire, Maulmtton,and Johaston creeks) and extending to Kanaka Vulley. ‘Vhe plaeer inines are not yet entirely worked out, if we wny be ullawed to judge from the number of elaims thut stilluffurd a liveliliood toa population of. some 400, perhaps, within the above limits—one cluim (Mr. Rusgell’s) at Garden Volley, paying from $10 to $12 per day to the man. As to quartz elaims, “ their name is legion,” nnd all history, nncient and modern, has been runsueked for appropriate cognoinens—our late generals coming in for thvir full share, as well as soe of the lucky owners or locators of the same. More or less work had beeo done apon all, but generally “ loss”; very few claims having a shaft over twenty feet in depth; aud yet the indientions, so far as developments had been mnde. were all that could be expected or desired, such as lodes of well-defined, lively quartz; free gold io most cases being visible with irregular, auriferous sulphurets, and placer mines in the ravines below them. Indications may be good, but facts and demoostratioo are better. In soioe iustanees, even, it has been demonstrated hy sluieiug, by the haad-mortar, and by erashing a few toos of the ore, that it will pay well; yet, the work goes oot on, or if it moves at all, moves slowly. Why so? Engines for hoisting water and ore are waated, and mills for crushing, and these require eapital. The first claim visited was THE EMPIRE, One mile from town, on the trail leading to Gardea Valley, loeated a year ago by Messrs. Ingam, Woodside, Kenedy, et als., baving a shalt down eleven leet, filled by the reeceat rains with water, and giving no opportunity of seeing the lode at this point, but as it had been eut byanother eompany some few hundred feet north, I was engbled to form an opinion ns to its size, dip, and direetion. Its eourse, like all others ufterwards examined. lollowed the general direetion of our mouatain ranges. lt pitched somewhat to the east (as was the cee with the whole of those visited in this locality), with one exception, and appeared to be eneased in solid walls some two fect apart. This company are oow at work, running a tunnel to strike the lode at adepth of about eighty feet, having already made thirty feet, with, perhaps, fifty more to run. Four tons taken from the 11-foot shaft, crushed at Woodside’s mill yielded eight dollars to the ton, taking no aecouat of the gold in tbe sulphnrets, which are said to have assayed $180 per tou. THE COLLINS’ CLAIM, Three-quarters of a mile west, lies along the diviviny ridge between Himpire and Manhattan ereeks, contains 1,800 feet, and was located only a few weeks since by Messrs. Collins, Hart, and others, who have gone vigorously to work, and laid bare a ledge from four to six feet wide, showing quartz containing free gold and sulphurets, equal in appearanee to any in this vicinity at the same depth. They have levied no assessinents thus far, sluieciug out enough gold aloag the eastera portion of the lode to keep up expenses. My beau ideal of a claim is one that requires no assessments nor work--partieularly the latter. his elaim comes very nenr filling the bill. After a hint or two as to the desirableoess of being the happy owaer of a little slice, in eompany with my young eompanion and guide, W. H. Collios, the lueky discoverer, and who had honored it with bis naiae, crossing Maohattan Creek, 1 soon reached THE ROSECRANS, A beautiful little claim of 900 feet, lode two feet wide, the quartz in many respects similar to that of other claims herein described, parMount Lebanoa 2,120 years old. A sycamore . ticularly as regards tbe sinall, irregular, darkio the Bosphorus 4,000 years old. . colored sulpharet--a comiaoa charaeteristic of this seetion—-and the usuul neeompaniment of gold, A cut had been made fur some distnace ulung the ledge, and u shaft eunk on the same thirty feet. Irom torty to fifty tuns of ore, I should julge, were lying apon the duinp, showing the foot-prints of time. Suel ore ought not, ond will not, as I now have reason to believe, remain there long. After a lusty visit to Mr, Graber's lode, one mile north, didering vnly in its upparent western dip, und a greater decomposition af the quartz. where sume very rich quurtz specimens had just bven eluieed out, 1 reluctantly bade ailicu.to my joyous yourg friend, und wended my way rather weurily towards Garden Valley, two and 1 half miles senth, to tind rest for a Roseernns, found ime “a stranyer auil took me storm, for which ull thanks. mixed with considerable wall reek, produeed the full yield lrom the whole properly worked ton, proiun‘sing. others, several quartz lodes were soon reached Geuerals— GENFRAL SHEDIOAN. lode two or three feet iu thiekness, as well defined as was ever witnessed, aud, at the same time, giving good evidence of permanenee and value. Some thirty tons of as good looking quartz, possessing the usual lavorable characteristies, as had heretofore been met with, were seen piled up for reduction at the Blue Ledge mill. ‘he company are busy at work. LYONSOALE AND 1TS LEDGES. This romnatie little village, screened from view by the surrounding hills, covered with the California oak and pine, and thrilty uudergrowth, one mile soutb of Garden Valley, and six from Georgetown, possesses eharms both lor the student ol natore nnd the worshiper of Mammon. Here or in this vieinity are situated the Blue Ledge, the Isabel, the Generals Graat and Meade, and many others, some of whieh only eao be eveo briefly noticed, GENERALS MEADE AND GRANT, I basten to pay my addresses to THE BLUE LEDGE, A short distaace from the Inst deseribed. o from sixty tons of the ore. more of the same sort—mueh far better, the heavens, as seeo under a good telescope, from wall to wall, whieh is of hard, black slate describe things as they appear to a plain prospector,) while much of it in places was alinost pure quartz, has been run along ooe vein some two feet in width for 163 feet, intersectiag at that point with another shaft of some thirty feet, oa the same water level. The walls, from developmeat made at the bottom of the 85-feet shaft, are not so far apart as exhibited at the point spoken of oo the surface 130 fect sooth, while the veinstone is gradually assuming a more quartz-like character, and tbe pay veins are growing apparently larger and richer. gold aud and auriferous sulphurets being found in both quartz and quartzose saadstoue. The eompany have erected a first-class, substantially-built 20.stamp mill, with battery-bloeks for ten more stamps to be hereafter added, haviag an engire of 35-horse power, six Varney bars, aad two of Hendy’s Prater Concentrators,although without the late improvement as to self-diseharging sulphurets, as exhibited io the ent. Tbe mill has stopped ruuning uotil the manicht. Here, linding neither hotel nor.bvardinghonse, Mr, Fox, one of the owners of the in, and gave me a kindly weleoime lroin the From this gentleainn I ascertulued that some ninety tons of quartz from the lRosecrans, unselected and npwards of ten dollars per ton, not including the gold in the sulpliurets, which, trom a test ade in a small way, justified the belie! that would hnve been nt least thirty dollars to the With the facilities for working here eajoyed, who says that it will not pay? And this elaim is only one of n hundred eqnally Getting an early start next morning, piloted by Messrs. I'ox, Russell and varying 8o little in geaeral charaeter Irom each other, that adeseription of oue must suffiee for all. We will select from among the oumber of A shaft was dowu thirty feet, following a chinery for hoisting and pumping ean be placed iv working order, which will probably ocenpy two weeks, when at least 100 tons of better rock thun has yet been erushed will be put throngh the stamps. ‘hose who have seea aud haadled the ore have oo fears as to the result. ‘The company have two more lodes, both of which are considered promising, nnd one of which I saw that speaks for itself, quarter of a inile enst of the mill, 1,200 feet in leugth, ten feet wide, rich ia snlphurets, nnly partially developed—oue shaft ten feet, but giving tangible evidenee of great valne, Mr. Doran, the original locator, linving tnkea therefrom some $600 in a eommon hand-mortor. ‘The ecluiins above, briefly alluded to as the Generais Meade and Grant, ure the first two northeru extensions on the lode, and have dove u considernble amount ol prospecting with good promise—a mill-test of 1,500 pounds on the Grant giving at tbe rate of $160 per ton, Ia elose proximity to the east 1 saw also a very good copper lode, on whieh several loentious lmd been made, and work performed, yivlding sixteeu per eent. ore. CONCLUSION. Tle son, so long a straoger, is beginning to nppeur through the scattering clouds, reminding me that these rough sketches must have unend. lam glad ol it. 1 row weary of the pen, so let me now hastily und heartily return thanks to Mr, W. HH, Newell, lor favors nad important iaformation during my stay at the ‘. Blue Ledge Mill, as also to Mr. Wooster, my eompanions nmong the eliffs and lodes of Lynnsdale, and hurry forth to be again delighted with the varied and couatless wonders ol our mineral world, and the ever-growing prospects of a glorious future, of whieh more aoon, unless you grow weary of your Prospector. Lyonsdale, El Dorado County, Mareh, 1866, (Written for the Siining and Sclentlfic Press.) Sodium, Messrs. Eorrors:—I have always called your valuable paper the miner's compass, also, bis ballot-box, to deeide knotty questions, and I notice that Professor Silliman, Messrs, Mosheimer, Kustel and others, have deposited their votes oo sodium. For the first time mine goes in, open, for sodium. ably had inore praetieal experience in the use of sodium lor extracting the precious metals on a large scale thao any other man, and I have T have probSo well kaown to fame, will, therefore. pardon me for a mere passing notice, being found strongly intrenched in walls of slate, on a billside a little to the east, showing tbat they are eoinposed of a better grit, of pnrer gold and more of it, than the world ever dreamt of ; so whieh a brief aeeount appeared in your issue of Mareb 3d, stating among other things that thirty-one ounees had been recently cleaned up They have pleuty The pold is fine—not as to quality, but as to size of particles diffused through and through the rock, in little dim yellow spots aad patcbes, sometimes considerably lengthened, and spreading out oot ualike the aebular phenomeoa of At ooe point of this lode where. cut had been inade oa the surface, it was at least fifty feet particnlarly as depth is attained; and some four veins of good ore, from one to four inehes in width, the interior remaining space beiog filled with a speeies of sandstone, looking much like slate, (L am oeitber a pructical geologist nor mineralogist, remember, and ooly wisb to I climbed down a ladder eightytive feet to the foot of a shaft, whenee a drift} beea very mueh excited by its beoeficial results, I appreciate and render a vote of thanks to those who first reeommended me to experimeat with it. As Messrs. Silliman aod otbers have givea statements of several practical workings, it is unnecessary for me to make any; Lam satisfied they are correct, as they eorrespond witb my workings, both with aod without the use ol sodium. Some of my experiments would appear ridiculous to mention at the present time, and I will wait until the veil is lifted. It will probably take twelve noaths longer to roll it high enough for us all to see clearly the facts produced by its use. In treating auriferous ores, 1 tave always been able to amalgamate in a porcelain vessel, by the friction or agitation of the finger, by the aid of sodium, wheo the ordioary mereury of commerce would oot affeet it. 1 ootice my frieod, Mr. G. Kustel, has beeo making some experiments with sodium on argentiferous ores, with rather poor results. I hope he will oot discard its use without making more experiments with different proportions, If he does, 1 thiak he will agree with me. There is no o1an who stands higher in my estimatioa as a practical metallurgist thau Mr. K. In proof of this, when my scholars lcave me to take churge of works, my instructions to tbem are, “‘ take Kustel’s work for. your guide.” Ido oot consider a mill complete without a small furnace to make sodium. ‘he cost of materials is mere oothing. ‘The nen who atteod the amalgamators ean inakaull they require . without the loss of time. Any parties who . feel desirous of making it at their mills, can . reeeive all oecessary instruction for so doing . without charge, if they will take the trouble to eall at my works. All who have doubts on this subject, and wish to experiment, will always find my works and luboratory free, with this exception : those who pretend to deeompose and work sulphurets by the use of a few ounces of cheoiieals, oeed expect no Invors there, for I coosider ita bumbug ; as with all of my experimeats, I require a toa aod a half of chemieals to a ton of sulphurets, aod that will aot pay on fifty dollar ore. k I would be glad to see all who have experimeoted with sodium march up tothe Press and deposit their votes; but though I should chaoee to be witb the minority, I shall still contiaue to use it. 8. P. Kiwean., Proprietor of the Europeaa Metallurgical Works. {.

The Mining and Scientific Press. 227 kegs, bags or bottles. or other envelopes of caoatchoue or gutta-pereha, ete. ete. This plin ulso enables quicksilver to be packed, stored, tranaported and sold in convenient furme ; sach as burs, ingota, eylinders, blocks, cubes, splieres, or pellets, of definite sizes und weights, the cunvenience of wlich for many uses, ‘nd particularly for that of miners, Is at gues ubvieus. When the quicksilver is tu be need in any of the arts ubuve specitied. it will then be alrendy in n suitatte . condition, or will merely require xdauixtare with sume Huid quicksilver; uud when to be used aa pure quicksilver, the sodium muy be removed by throwing the gold ainulgam in fragments ime het water, preferably mixed with a lite sulphurie or uertie veil. The modes af puekiny such ingo’s, for preservation und transportation, are alrendy culficiently set lurth ina precdiny paragraph. Claims.—Viie cluiins attached to this specification are twenty three in number ; ond those only are hers viven which direcly eoneero the miner and amalsamator. What Pelnim as my inventians ure :— Ist. ‘Vhe combinution with quicksilver, when used for the extraction by umalgaination of uny nietal or metals from ores, elimes, and mixtures with other materials 5 nf metallic sodium, or metallic putaz-ium, or puy other highly electro posilive inetal equivalent in its aetion thereto ; as nbuve set forth. 2d. In those amulgainators in which nmalgamated plates of eopper or othur metal ure used ; the substitution therefor of plates or surfaces of iron, coated with quicksilver eombined with sodinm, or otlier highly eleetropositive metal ; ns above sct forth. 3. ‘Vhe eoating of iron surfaces, between or unter whieh ores or other materials are ernshed, with quicksilver combined with sodiuin, or other highly eleetro-positive metal ; as nbove set forth. 4th. ‘he prevention of the granulation or flunring of quieksilver, wheu tsed in any method ol ninalgamating ores or other materials; by addition thereto of sodium, or other Inghly electro-positive metal; as above set forth. Sth. The separntiou of intermixed iron from donble amalgams of gokl and sodium, or of silver and sodium; by fusion with excess of quicksilver and skimming ; as above set forth. Gth, lhe separation of intermixed iron, platinum, osmiridinm, aud other non-amalgamable metals, from aralgnins contnining sodium or its equivalent; by sction thereupon of water or other oxsdating liquid; as above sct forth. 7th. The sepnration of intermixed iron from amalganis eontaining sodium or its equivalent. or froin any metalor metals extraeted lrom such omalyiis ; by inagnets, either permaneot ar electro-magnetic ; as above set lorth. Sth. The combination with quicksilver, when used in conjnuction with iron or other redueing metals, lor redueing to nn amalgam, silver from its chloril or other eompound. or any other metal from any saline compound or solution; of sodium, or other highly electro-positive metal; as above set forth. : * + * * * * 12th. Tn all easesin which metallie surlaces, Bneh as cupper plates, the zincs ef voltaie batteres, ete. are to be nmalgumated; the use of quieksilver combined with sodium, or other hizhly eleetro-positive metal; as ahove set forth. 13th. Tha-more rapid nnd convenient application of quicksilver to surfaces with metallic brushes; by virtwe vf its previous eombination with sodium, or other highly electro-positive metal ; as above set fortb. 14th. 'Vhe nse ol metallic brnshes, enfilmed with an amalgain of sodiuin or its equivalent; fur incorporating together partieles of qnieksilver, guld, silver, or any other metnl, seattered throughout ores, slimes, or any other materials ; as above set forth. 15th. The more convenient transportation. handling and subdivision of qaieksilver ; by conversion into solid forms; iu the maoner herem substantially deseribed. A Heavy Buast—Vhe Nevada Transcript says thnt a blast of three hundred kegs of powder wus let off in the Golden Gate eluims at North Sun Juan, one day last week. ‘I'he claims, as well as all others in that vicinity, require an immense amount of powder to blast the cement which is very hard. aud eannot be worked in any other way. ‘his blast shook the whole town, and in a house near by, a man was thrown completely out of his chair, while reading a paper, Considerable damage was done by the breaking up of pipes, hose, Aume, etc., in the diggings. Searcely a pieee of this eement ean be picked up in the Goldeo Gate claims but what is filled with gold. Tue yew trees of Surrey, England, stood io the days of Julius Cesar. There is aa apple tree ia Hartford, Cunn., 200 years old. A live oak in Louisiana 1000 years old. A eedar on Conumunications. Ix puis Derautexst we lnvite ihe reee pisccesiun of all proper CE ey educa alone belog rexpottsible for the ideas aod theorles thay advance, (Wrluen for the Mlolug and Sclentific Press] From El Dorade County, BT OCR TRAVELISO CUREKIPONDENT, Messrs. Epitors:—Having been detained in the neighborlhvod nf Georgetown mneh longer than 1 orizinully intended, in eonsequence of the equinoetial sturm that had set ia {when Plast wrote, the tew short intervals of sunshine intervening, huve been spent in an exumination of the mines and ledses lying south, embraeibg a seope of eunntry seven niles in length nnd two in width, bordering upon Empire, Maulmtton,and Johaston creeks) and extending to Kanaka Vulley. ‘Vhe plaeer inines are not yet entirely worked out, if we wny be ullawed to judge from the number of elaims thut stilluffurd a liveliliood toa population of. some 400, perhaps, within the above limits—one cluim (Mr. Rusgell’s) at Garden Volley, paying from $10 to $12 per day to the man. As to quartz elaims, “ their name is legion,” nnd all history, nncient and modern, has been runsueked for appropriate cognoinens—our late generals coming in for thvir full share, as well as soe of the lucky owners or locators of the same. More or less work had beeo done apon all, but generally “ loss”; very few claims having a shaft over twenty feet in depth; aud yet the indientions, so far as developments had been mnde. were all that could be expected or desired, such as lodes of well-defined, lively quartz; free gold io most cases being visible with irregular, auriferous sulphurets, and placer mines in the ravines below them. Indications may be good, but facts and demoostratioo are better. In soioe iustanees, even, it has been demonstrated hy sluieiug, by the haad-mortar, and by erashing a few toos of the ore, that it will pay well; yet, the work goes oot on, or if it moves at all, moves slowly. Why so? Engines for hoisting water and ore are waated, and mills for crushing, and these require eapital. The first claim visited was THE EMPIRE, One mile from town, on the trail leading to Gardea Valley, loeated a year ago by Messrs. Ingam, Woodside, Kenedy, et als., baving a shalt down eleven leet, filled by the reeceat rains with water, and giving no opportunity of seeing the lode at this point, but as it had been eut byanother eompany some few hundred feet north, I was engbled to form an opinion ns to its size, dip, and direetion. Its eourse, like all others ufterwards examined. lollowed the general direetion of our mouatain ranges. lt pitched somewhat to the east (as was the cee with the whole of those visited in this locality), with one exception, and appeared to be eneased in solid walls some two fect apart. This company are oow at work, running a tunnel to strike the lode at adepth of about eighty feet, having already made thirty feet, with, perhaps, fifty more to run. Four tons taken from the 11-foot shaft, crushed at Woodside’s mill yielded eight dollars to the ton, taking no aecouat of the gold in tbe sulphnrets, which are said to have assayed $180 per tou. THE COLLINS’ CLAIM, Three-quarters of a mile west, lies along the diviviny ridge between Himpire and Manhattan ereeks, contains 1,800 feet, and was located only a few weeks since by Messrs. Collins, Hart, and others, who have gone vigorously to work, and laid bare a ledge from four to six feet wide, showing quartz containing free gold and sulphurets, equal in appearanee to any in this vicinity at the same depth. They have levied no assessinents thus far, sluieciug out enough gold aloag the eastera portion of the lode to keep up expenses. My beau ideal of a claim is one that requires no assessments nor work--partieularly the latter. his elaim comes very nenr filling the bill. After a hint or two as to the desirableoess of being the happy owaer of a little slice, in eompany with my young eompanion and guide, W. H. Collios, the lueky discoverer, and who had honored it with bis naiae, crossing Maohattan Creek, 1 soon reached THE ROSECRANS, A beautiful little claim of 900 feet, lode two feet wide, the quartz in many respects similar to that of other claims herein described, parMount Lebanoa 2,120 years old. A sycamore . ticularly as regards tbe sinall, irregular, darkio the Bosphorus 4,000 years old. . colored sulpharet--a comiaoa charaeteristic of this seetion—-and the usuul neeompaniment of gold, A cut had been made fur some distnace ulung the ledge, and u shaft eunk on the same thirty feet. Irom torty to fifty tuns of ore, I should julge, were lying apon the duinp, showing the foot-prints of time. Suel ore ought not, ond will not, as I now have reason to believe, remain there long. After a lusty visit to Mr, Graber's lode, one mile north, didering vnly in its upparent western dip, und a greater decomposition af the quartz. where sume very rich quurtz specimens had just bven eluieed out, 1 reluctantly bade

ailicu.to my joyous yourg friend, und wended my way rather weurily towards Garden Valley, two and 1 half miles senth, to tind rest for a Roseernns, found ime “a stranyer auil took me storm, for which ull thanks. mixed with considerable wall reek, produeed the full yield lrom the whole properly worked ton, proiun‘sing. others, several quartz lodes were soon reached Geuerals— GENFRAL SHEDIOAN. lode two or three feet iu thiekness, as well defined as was ever witnessed, aud, at the same time, giving good evidence of permanenee and value. Some thirty tons of as good looking quartz, possessing the usual lavorable characteristies, as had heretofore been met with, were seen piled up for reduction at the Blue Ledge mill. ‘he company are busy at work. LYONSOALE AND 1TS LEDGES. This romnatie little village, screened from view by the surrounding hills, covered with the California oak and pine, and thrilty uudergrowth, one mile soutb of Garden Valley, and six from Georgetown, possesses eharms both lor the student ol natore nnd the worshiper of Mammon. Here or in this vieinity are situated the Blue Ledge, the Isabel, the Generals Graat and Meade, and many others, some of whieh only eao be eveo briefly noticed, GENERALS MEADE AND GRANT, I basten to pay my addresses to THE BLUE LEDGE, A short distaace from the Inst deseribed. o from sixty tons of the ore. more of the same sort—mueh far better, the heavens, as seeo under a good telescope, from wall to wall, whieh is of hard, black slate describe things as they appear to a plain prospector,) while much of it in places was alinost pure quartz, has been run along ooe vein some two feet in width for 163 feet, intersectiag at that point with another shaft of some thirty feet, oa the same water level. The walls, from developmeat made at the bottom of the 85-feet shaft, are not so far apart as exhibited at the point spoken of oo the surface 130 fect sooth, while the veinstone is gradually assuming a more quartz-like character, and tbe pay veins are growing apparently larger and richer. gold aud and auriferous sulphurets being found in both quartz and quartzose saadstoue. The eompany have erected a first-class, substantially-built 20.stamp mill, with battery-bloeks for ten more stamps to be hereafter added, haviag an engire of 35-horse power, six Varney bars, aad two of Hendy’s Prater Concentrators,although without the late improvement as to self-diseharging sulphurets, as exhibited io the ent. Tbe mill has stopped ruuning uotil the manicht. Here, linding neither hotel nor.bvardinghonse, Mr, Fox, one of the owners of the in, and gave me a kindly weleoime lroin the From this gentleainn I ascertulued that some ninety tons of quartz from the lRosecrans, unselected and npwards of ten dollars per ton, not including the gold in the sulpliurets, which, trom a test ade in a small way, justified the belie! that would hnve been nt least thirty dollars to the With the facilities for working here eajoyed, who says that it will not pay? And this elaim is only one of n hundred eqnally Getting an early start next morning, piloted by Messrs. I'ox, Russell and varying 8o little in geaeral charaeter Irom each other, that adeseription of oue must suffiee for all. We will select from among the oumber of A shaft was dowu thirty feet, following a chinery for hoisting and pumping ean be placed iv working order, which will probably ocenpy two weeks, when at least 100 tons of better rock thun has yet been erushed will be put throngh the stamps. ‘hose who have seea aud haadled the ore have oo fears as to the result. ‘The company have two more lodes, both of which are considered promising, nnd one of which I saw that speaks for itself, quarter of a inile enst of the mill, 1,200 feet in leugth, ten feet wide, rich ia snlphurets, nnly partially developed—oue shaft ten feet, but giving tangible evidenee of great valne, Mr. Doran, the original locator, linving tnkea therefrom some $600 in a eommon hand-mortor. ‘The ecluiins above, briefly alluded to as the Generais Meade and Grant, ure the first two northeru extensions on the lode, and have dove u considernble amount ol prospecting with good promise—a mill-test of 1,500 pounds on the Grant giving at tbe rate of $160 per ton, Ia elose proximity to the east 1 saw also a very good copper lode, on whieh several loentious lmd been made, and work performed, yivlding sixteeu per eent. ore. CONCLUSION. Tle son, so long a straoger, is beginning to nppeur through the scattering clouds, reminding me that these rough sketches must have unend. lam glad ol it. 1 row weary of the pen, so let me now hastily und heartily return thanks to Mr, W. HH, Newell, lor favors nad important iaformation during my stay at the ‘. Blue Ledge Mill, as also to Mr. Wooster, my eompanions nmong the eliffs and lodes of Lynnsdale, and hurry forth to be again delighted with the varied and couatless wonders ol our mineral world, and the ever-growing prospects of a glorious future, of whieh more aoon, unless you grow weary of your Prospector. Lyonsdale, El Dorado County, Mareh, 1866, (Written for the Siining and Sclentlfic Press.) Sodium, Messrs. Eorrors:—I have always called your valuable paper the miner's compass, also, bis ballot-box, to deeide knotty questions, and I notice that Professor Silliman, Messrs, Mosheimer, Kustel and others, have deposited their votes oo sodium. For the first time mine goes in, open, for sodium. ably had inore praetieal experience in the use of sodium lor extracting the precious metals on a large scale thao any other man, and I have T have probSo well kaown to fame, will, therefore. pardon me for a mere passing notice, being found strongly intrenched in walls of slate, on a billside a little to the east, showing tbat they are eoinposed of a better grit, of pnrer gold and more of it, than the world ever dreamt of ; so whieh a brief aeeount appeared in your issue of Mareb 3d, stating among other things that thirty-one ounees had been recently cleaned up They have pleuty The pold is fine—not as to quality, but as to size of particles diffused through and through the rock, in little dim yellow spots aad patcbes, sometimes considerably lengthened, and spreading out oot ualike the aebular phenomeoa of At ooe point of this lode where. cut had been inade oa the surface, it was at least fifty feet particnlarly as depth is attained; and some four veins of good ore, from one to four inehes in width, the interior remaining space beiog filled with a speeies of sandstone, looking much like slate, (L am oeitber a pructical geologist nor mineralogist, remember, and ooly wisb to I climbed down a ladder eightytive feet to the foot of a shaft, whenee a drift} beea very mueh excited by its beoeficial results, I appreciate and render a vote of thanks to those who first reeommended me to experimeat with it. As Messrs. Silliman aod otbers have givea statements of several practical workings, it is unnecessary for me to make any; Lam satisfied they are correct, as they eorrespond witb my workings, both with aod without the use ol sodium. Some of my experiments would appear ridiculous to mention at the present time, and I will wait until the veil is lifted. It will probably take twelve noaths longer to roll it high enough for us all to see clearly the facts produced by its use. In treating auriferous ores, 1 tave always been able to amalgamate in a porcelain vessel, by the friction or agitation of the finger, by the aid of sodium, wheo the ordioary mereury of commerce would oot affeet it. 1 ootice my frieod, Mr. G. Kustel, has beeo making some experiments with sodium on argentiferous ores, with rather poor results. I hope he will oot discard its use without making more experiments with different proportions, If he does, 1 thiak he will agree with me. There is no o1an who stands higher in my estimatioa as a practical metallurgist thau Mr. K. In proof of this, when my scholars lcave me to take churge of works, my instructions to tbem are, “‘ take Kustel’s work for. your guide.” Ido oot consider a mill complete without a small furnace to make sodium. ‘he cost of materials is mere oothing. ‘The nen who atteod the amalgamators ean inakaull they require . without the loss of time. Any parties who . feel desirous of making it at their mills, can . reeeive all oecessary instruction for so doing . without charge, if they will take the trouble to eall at my works. All who have doubts on this subject, and wish to experiment, will always find my works and luboratory free, with this exception : those who pretend to deeompose and work sulphurets by the use of a few ounces of cheoiieals, oeed expect no Invors there, for I coosider ita bumbug ; as with all of my experimeats, I require a toa aod a half of chemieals to a ton of sulphurets, aod that will aot pay on fifty dollar ore. k I would be glad to see all who have experimeoted with sodium march up tothe Press and deposit their votes; but though I should chaoee to be witb the minority, I shall still contiaue to use it. 8. P. Kiwean., Proprietor of the Europeaa Metallurgical Works. {.