Volume 12 (1866) (428 pages)

The Mining and Scientific Press, 19 der thom crystullino; otherwise, the cnrbonic acid uf the limestone would have heen driven off or volatilized. ‘The volume of water must have greatly increased during the period of the formution of the primary rocks, by the combin:tion of hydrochlorie acid with soda; thna, Na O+]T Cl=Na CI+100., the latter elements nniting to form water. Chlorine, during this period, entered inte the formation of chloritic slate. Before water rested upon the earth, the surface-rock was the matrix of the ulkuline metuls, aud the period of the formntion of the primary rocks inay truly be eaid to be the ulkaline nge. We will now pass on to tliat period in the oarth’s history when the nobler metils, those having less nftinity fur oxygen, formed a distinetive feature of the intrnsive ond eruptive rocks. Vhe crust of the cnrth now seems to huve cvoled down to the stratum from which the useful metals were derived. ‘The period in which the intrnsive and eruptive rocks brought the useful metuls to the surface seems to huve begun with the old red Sandstone period, and to have ended with the Liassic. Metal-hearing veine will he found intersecting sueh portions of tho enrth’s crust as were upheaved during this period. Tron enters into the stratified rocks, in giving color to tho old rel sandstone, and it occurs in extensive beds of ore in the coal formation, from which the iron of commerce is mostly ohtuined—the carboniferons cra being also the iron nge. The iron which enters so Inrgely into the formations of this era must have arrived“at the surface as sulphuret of iron, which, decomposing, prodneed sulphate of iron. This soluble componnd being subject to farther decomposition, tho sutphuric acid umited witb the alkatics, forming gypsum, heavy spar, celestine, ete., leaving the iron ns an oxide, or fres to enter into combinntion witb carbon. As the crnst of the earth cooled to n greater depth, the strntuin contnining these metals tbnt coimnhine with the largest proportion of sulphur, secms to have heen reached first. ‘Thus, iron combines with 53.3 parts of sulphur in 100, and is found ahundantly in tho carboniferous sulphur n3 2 carbouate. Silver comhines with only 12.96 parts of sulphar in 100, and the silver-bearing strntum wns evidently not reached untila period more recent than the saliferous system. Now, if silver and copperhearing veins are found iutersecting formations as recent as the saliferous period or liassic group, it is evident that tbey must intersect all earlier formations. The fellowing quotationa will show thot metallic veins are found interseeting all formntions from gneiss up to the lingsic group: _ ’ In California gold ores are found in veins intersecting gneiss, micn, and clny slates. In Cumherland, England, galena and otber lead ores, hlende, copper ores, calamine, affording largely zine nnd three-fifths of the lead of Great Britain, oceur in carboniferous or mountnin limestone. ‘here is also n rich vein of’ calamine, hlende, and getena in Somersetshire, occurring in magnesian limestone. At Landsburg, in the Bavarian or upper Rhine (Pala-. tinute), there occurs cinnabar, native mercury, horn quicksilver, gray copper ore, and copper pyrites, in the coal formution. Northwest of Saxony, at Hisliben, there occurs gray copper ore, somewhat argentiferous, und variegated copper ore, affording copper, in a nearly hituntinous shist, more recent than the coal formation. In Connectient and New Jersey copper ore is fonnd in red sondstone, which is shown by Redfield, Rogers, and Hall, to be as recent as the Liassic period. Prof. Dana says tbe formation of gold-bearing quattz along our Eastern consts appear to have been after the coal period.” Tbe eruptive and volcanic rocks of this era must alzo have heen metol-bearing, as the immense lends of iron ore in the carhoniferous system, and the numerous quantities of goldbearing quartz, gravel, and free gold in the pincers of California indicate. An iminense hody of eruptive gold-hearing quartz still remains at Boulder Hill, Monitor Disirict, California. Tbe hill is about three-fourths, of a ole long, and averages half a mile in widtb. It is completely covered with gold-bearing . quartz in the shape of boulders, two of whicb are estimated to weigh seven hundred tons. Another example is found in Plumas county, the side of a mountain being covered with goldhenring quartz. Blow-outs (as miners term them) of gold-bearing qnartz are frequently to be met with on the wostern slope of the Sierra Nevada—some of them acres in extent, and eome covering hut a few square rods. From the period of the Liassic group up to tbe latest tertiary accumulations, the intrusive and eruptive rocks seem to be non-metallic, if we except alluminum, whicb ie a metal of the earth preper. ‘Trap-dykes interseet the latest tertiary formation. and of course they must intersect all underlying formations. Immense bede of basaltic rock are found overlying tertiary accumulations of gravel, clay, etc., and in} some instances gold-hearing sauds. ‘hese! later igneous rocks nre unlike the rocks of enrlicr periods, in that they appeur to he more nenrly indestractible. ‘Ihe trapenn aud bagaltic rock, unlike the metnl-bearing rocks, nppear to resist the action of heat uud moisture, and preserve their shurp outlines through nges of exposnre, and only yield to mechanical nction. If the molten interior of the cnrth were of n wetullic nature, whnt marvelous mineral wealtb ouglit the more recent intrusive nnd ernptive rocks to disclose. Yet. it is notorious fact that they are destituto of metals, nnd ure the most refractory of ull rocks. The prescnce of metal in rocks tends to render it fusible. friable, ond soluble. ‘The earlier granitic rocks, contuining the alkaline metals, were possessed of this choracter in the nest remarkable degree, und gold-bearing quartz, free trom sulplirets, is probably tho least destructible of all the nietal-bearing rocks. The enrlier granitic rocks were soluhlo to such an extent as to niford the cement, hy which the debris of subsequent ages has heen converted into solid rock. It is by this means that the etory of the invertebrate life of the silurinn, tbe ichthyic life of the old red sandstone, the wonderfully gignntic and ahundant vegetntion of the enrbonifcrous, the monstrous reptile of the ovlitie and cretneeous, and the gigantic mommals of the eoceno aud miocene periods, is traced on pages of stoue iu the great volume of Nature. The foregoing facte seem to warrant the conclusion thut the intrusive and eruptivo rock ceased to be metal-benring during tbe Liussic periud ; tho crust of tbe earth having becoine solid by toss of heat toa grentor depth than the lowest metal-bearing stratum. There are two methods by which the order of the formation of all igneous rocks mny be determined. First, it is a well-known fact that rocks and metals do not expand equally with an incrense of tempernture. When the earth was ina molten condition, from center to circumference, matter must have been arranged, stratum above strotum, according to its specific grnvity, subject, however, to such modification as an inoreased tempernture will produce. ‘I'he mechanical force arising from the crust of the earth adapting itself to the over-shrinking mass it contains, produced fissures that filled with molten matter—the matter in each fissure heing identical in composition with the strntuin of which it is a part or chimney. As the earth continued to cool, at each successive upheaval, the molten matter to fill euch fissures, would come from a greater depth. By carefully ascertaining the exact composition, specific gravity, and ratio of expaasion at an inereased tempernture of such intrusive matter, the age of all intrusive rocks may he determined, and by the same niteans tle order of the formation of tbe igneous rocks may also he determined to the entire thickness of tbe earth’s crust. Second, ascertnin in bow late a formation gold-bearing quartz (for instance) can be found. Ifit ennnot be found interseeting the rocks of a later period than the Liassic group, it would be fair to-infer that the crust of the eartb hnd solidified toa greater deptb than tho gold-hearing stratum. And so of all -other intrusive rocks, the Intest stratified formation in which any given ore or rock can be found, indicating the deptb of tbe stratum from which it was derived. Trap-dykes are found intersecting all etratified formations up to the tertiary period ; bence, we must infer that they are of Inter formation than the metal-bearing veins, nud that they indicate the character. of the enrth’s crust below the metal-bearing strntum. ‘The later intrusive and eruptive rocks being non-metallic, indicate that the molten interior of the earth is also non-metallic. F. A. H. Snipments oF Copper Ore From tae Union Mine Durino tne Yeaa 1865.—From March 7th to April 30th, 1,786,815 pounds; May, 4,034,370; June, 7,287,820; July, 6,974,485 ; August, 7,165,355 ; September, 6,752,885 ; October, 6,477,420; Novemher, 3,355,370 ; December, 3,250,245. ‘Total sbipments for the year 1865, 47,084,765 pounds, equal to 23,542 tons 765 pounds. The freight on the ahove from Copperopolis to Stockton, paid at the rate of eight dollars per ton, amounts to $188,339. Rares of fare to New York on the Golden City, which sniled on the 10th, were as follows « First cabin, outside and ladies’ rooms, $210; do. do. inside rooms, $157 25; second cabin, $84 50; steerage, $52 25. TxE amount of bullion ehipped from Austin by the Natioual Bank during the month of December was $15,800. ‘bis sum, added to that sbipped hy Wells, Fargo & Co., makes the total shipment for thnt month $50,784 17. Or Sbakspeare, it is said by Richard Grant White, that he never re-touched or amended one line of all his works; he wrote fur money, and having got his pay, he lelt his words to take care of themselves. He never wrote anybody a letter, and when he died, left but four signatures behind. {Written for the Mining and Scientlfic Press.) Lstter from Grass Valley. Enirors Mixing ann Screstinic Press :— After nn nbsence of four days, enjoying New Yenr’s, Tagain return to this place,nnd as I snw much during the few duys spent here last week that wight interest your readers, I proceed to give thio following rough notes of the scenes and inecideuts of that visit: The weather throughout was clear and cool, jnst the kind for plensunt traveling, except that the alternate freezing and thawing kept the roads in an unplensnntly muddy stnte. The scenery around Grass Vniley has heen so often described, that it would bea waste nf time and ink to say anvthing nhout it here, except that it is very much like every other towu of like altitude on the western elope of the Sierra Nevada, differing only in tho cireumstance that for several miles around tbe city the hills have been dennded of their heavy growth of pine and oak timber, and iu its place a thick forest of young pine treee, from ten to thirty feet in height, hns sprung up: giving to the hills in the immediate vicinity of the town a fresh greenness of appearance, which ie noticeable nowhere elso in the State: THE MINES. Thad heard much of the number and importance of the quartz miues of Gross Valley ; hut T bad no just conception of tbem until lhad scen, as I did last week, the extent of that intcrest. The citizen of Grass Valley is nwakened in the morning hy the whistles of a hundred steam-engines, employed in hoisting and crushing?quartz, reads his morning paper to see if there bave been any new quartz discoveries, spends the day speculating and trading in quartz mines and the macbinery for their development, and goes to sleep at night ouly to drenm of the fortunes he is going to make in “ quartz.” But while the people here have “quartz on tbe brain” to the extent descrihed, it must he recorded to their credit that they are free from the swindling spirit which has so disgraced the miuing (?) operations of Washve. The people of Grass Valley nsk no outsider to invest in anything on which they are unwilling to risk their own funds, when they have any. Neither does every mine have a horde of idle aud useless hangers-on, who do nothing but spend tbe sharebolders’ money, and embarrass tbe operatious of the miners who are willing to work. THE EUREKA MINE. Ou Wednesday morning I rode out witb the Watt Brothers to visit their mine, the Eureka, formerly owned by Mons. Julius Fricot, familiarly known in Grass Valley as “the Hmperor,” and for which tbey are said to have paid the nice little sum of $400,000. This mine is situated one and a bnif miles nortbeast from town, Mr, W. went with me through the mill, wbicb is a very good one, consisting of four hatterics, of five stampe each, each stamp weighing 860 pounds, with three and one-fourth inch stem. No amnigamating is done inthe hntteries, hut the pulp is passed over blankets tbat retain all the heavier portion, which is passed through amalgamators, of aform common in this neighhorhood, hut which I have seen nowhere else in the State. They consist of a box, in the bottom of whicb are set two troughs, of a semi-cylindrical form, filled witb quicksilver, over wluch the pulp is slowly washed hy a stream of woter; and is Stirred in its passage hy spikes of irou ina roller revolving at such distnnce above them that the ends of tbe spikes touch but slightly the surface of the quicksilver. {Tbe machine here described by our correspondent ie a Grass Valley invention, made some years since by Mr. M. Attwood, a well-known mining expert of tbis city, but for many years extensively engnged in quartz miniug in Grass Valley. Mr. Attwood, we belicve, never took out a } patent for the invention, but hns given it freely to the public. lt appears to answer a most useful purpose.—Kps. Mirino Press.] Tho tailings after being concentrated are now ground in arastras, but the owner contemplates replacing these with Hephurn & Peterson's pans. ‘The sulphurets are concentrated by means of rockers, and nore sold for working at the cbemical works situated near by, or for shipment to Swansea. A lot of severnl tone wae sold lately for exportntion at $220 per ton. As the mill produces‘about one-half ton of tbese sulphurets per day, we may judge of the importauce of this department of their gold-saving operations. After looking at the mill 1 went throngh tbe mine. The strike of tbe ledge is east nnd west, the dip nenrly vertical. ‘Tho brendth varies from tour feet near the surface to six feet, at a depth of 317 feet, the greatcet depth yet attained. The quartz is of quite uniform character, pnying on an everage about $40 per ton, though that they were working nt the time of my visit wos much ticher. Tle walls of tbe vein are of greenstone. very smootb and regnlar, the general formation of the neighborbood being slate. Everything obout the mine and mill ie being made in the most thorougb and practical manner, nnd oll the modern improvements are being introduced as Inst as possible. THE UNION HILL MINE. Leaving the Eureka about noon, I visited the Union Hili company’s mine, situated two niles east of Gross Valley, of which Mr. Thoe. Findley ie superintendent. This company have an iucline down ahout 150 feet, following the dip of the ledge, whicb is fifty feet to the south, the strike of theledge heing east and west. This company are simply prospecting, hnving crushed no rock except a little for the purpose of testing it, the returns from whicb were said to be quite favorable. THE ALLISON RANCH MINES. On Thursday I accepted the invitation of Dr. J. P. Blanks to go with him in lus buggy to visit the celebrated Allison Ranch mine, of which Mr, M. Colbert is resident proprietor, the other ownere living either at Grass Valley ov at other places away from the mine. This mine, said to be the richest in Nevada county, is situated some three miles eouth of Grass Valley, and has been worked for eleven yeare. The present workings extend to a depth, meaeuring along the dip of the ledge, of 500 feet. The working of this mine ie very expensive, on account of the excess of water—that from the new shaft requiring a ten-inch pipe for its diechorge. On our return from the Allison Ranch we visited several other mines, of which I shall spenk more fully hereafter. THE OPHIR HILL COMPANY, On Friday morning, just hefore leaving, I was invited hy Capt. S. W. Lee to visit the Ophir Hill mine, of which he is snperintendent and one-tbird owner. This mine is situated one Inile southeast of Grass Valley, and is incorporated under the name of the Empire Co., the stock heing nearly all held by Messrs. Lee, Houston, Morrison, and Pierre, owners of tbe celebrated blue-gravel diggings of Smartville. The strike of the ledge ie north and south, with a dip to the westward of 35 degrees. The walle of the vein are of greenstone, in a slnte formation. In widtb tbe vein varies from one to six feet, while the rock is the ricbest that I have ever seen. Capt. Lee showed me specimens valued at $15,000, whicb bad been collected in four days’ time, while $21,000 had been cleaned up from a week’s run of five wooden stamps. Tbe proprietors are erecting anew mill and boisting works, which Capt. Lee says are the finest in the State,and which, when completed, will cost about $80,000. The hoisting engine ie now at work. It was built by Goss & Lambard, of Sacramento, and is a Corliss engine of 50-horse power. Capt. Lee asserts that it saves 30 per cent. of fuel over any clide valve engine in use. The mill is heing built at the Vulcan Iron Works in San Francisco, and is to bave thirty etamps. It is to he furniehed with all the modern improvements, including Hunter’e Concentrators, one of which is now in use in the old mill, and gives very satiefactory reeults. Baux & Guiod’s pans have been tried, hoth in this and in the mill of the Allieon Ranch company, and have given good eatisfaction in both places. Yo Mr. Poyzer, your local agent at this place, to Mr. Spencer and Mr. Dixon, stationerg and newsmen, and to Dr. J. P. Blanks, lam under obligations for personal favors, while the pleasure of my visit wae not a little enhanced by the polite attentions of mine host of the Excbange Hotel. + Yours, wanderingly, D. Grass Valley, Jan, 3. 1866. Yistp or tue Mines.—Tbe yield of the Gould & Curry mine for the quarter ending November 27th, 1865, was 12,948 tons, valued at $3814 perton, and amounting to $493,836 72. he yield of the Cbollnr-Potoei mine for the same period wae 12,5091¢ tone of ore, valued at $3075 3-5 per ton, amounting te $384,742 10. Tbe Savnge yielded 8,036 tons, valued at $39 per ton, and amounting to $313,404. The Ophir yielded 3,000 tone, valued at $18 332g perton, and amounting to $55,000. The Mexican yielded 1,792 tons, valued at $17 922-5 per ton, amaunting to $32,119 81. ‘otal number of tons extracted, 38,2851¢, amounting to $1,279,101 63, from those five mines, Tbat’s not so bad; but jnst wait till they get to taking out ore from the big ehalts now sinking, and then we can talk about a yieid.

The Mining and Scientific Press, 19 der thom crystullino; otherwise, the cnrbonic acid uf the limestone would have heen driven off or volatilized. ‘The volume of water must have greatly increased during the period of the formution of the primary rocks, by the combin:tion of hydrochlorie acid with soda; thna, Na O+]T Cl=Na CI+100., the latter elements nniting to form water. Chlorine, during this period, entered inte the formation of chloritic slate. Before water rested upon the earth, the surface-rock was the matrix of the ulkuline metuls, aud the period of the formntion of the primary rocks inay truly be eaid to be the ulkaline nge. We will now pass on to tliat period in the oarth’s history when the nobler metils, those having less nftinity fur oxygen, formed a distinetive feature of the intrnsive ond eruptive rocks. Vhe crust of the cnrth now seems to huve cvoled down to the stratum from which the useful metals were derived. ‘The period in which the intrnsive and eruptive rocks brought the useful metuls to the surface seems to huve begun with the old red Sandstone period, and to have ended with the Liassic. Metal-hearing veine will he found intersecting sueh portions of tho enrth’s crust as were upheaved during this period. Tron enters into the stratified rocks, in giving color to tho old rel sandstone, and it occurs in extensive beds of ore in the coal formation, from which the iron of commerce is mostly ohtuined—the carboniferons cra being also the iron nge. The iron which enters so Inrgely into the formations of this era must have arrived“at the surface as sulphuret of iron, which, decomposing, prodneed sulphate of iron. This soluble componnd being subject to farther decomposition, tho sutphuric acid umited witb the alkatics, forming gypsum, heavy spar, celestine, ete., leaving the iron ns an oxide, or fres to enter into combinntion witb carbon. As the crnst of the earth cooled to n greater depth, the strntuin contnining these metals tbnt coimnhine with the largest proportion of sulphur, secms to have heen reached first. ‘Thus, iron combines with 53.3 parts of sulphur in 100, and is found ahundantly in tho carboniferous sulphur n3 2 carbouate. Silver comhines with only 12.96 parts of sulphar in 100, and the silver-bearing strntum wns evidently not reached untila period more recent than the saliferous system. Now, if silver and copperhearing veins are found iutersecting formations as recent as the saliferous period or liassic group, it is evident that tbey must intersect all earlier formations. The fellowing quotationa will show thot metallic veins are found interseeting all formntions from gneiss up to the lingsic group: _ ’ In California gold ores are found in veins intersecting gneiss, micn, and clny slates. In Cumherland, England, galena and otber lead ores, hlende, copper ores, calamine, affording largely zine nnd three-fifths of the lead of Great Britain, oceur in carboniferous or mountnin limestone. ‘here is also n rich vein of’ calamine, hlende, and getena in Somersetshire, occurring in magnesian limestone. At Landsburg, in the Bavarian or upper Rhine (Pala-. tinute), there occurs cinnabar, native mercury, horn quicksilver, gray copper ore, and copper pyrites, in the coal formution. Northwest of Saxony, at Hisliben, there occurs gray copper ore, somewhat argentiferous, und variegated copper ore, affording copper, in a nearly hituntinous shist, more recent than the coal formation. In Connectient and New Jersey copper ore is fonnd in red sondstone, which is shown by Redfield, Rogers, and Hall, to be as recent as the Liassic period. Prof. Dana says tbe formation of gold-bearing quattz along our Eastern consts appear to have been after the coal period.” Tbe eruptive and volcanic rocks of this era must alzo have heen metol-bearing, as the immense lends of iron ore in the carhoniferous system, and the numerous quantities of goldbearing quartz, gravel, and free gold in the pincers of California indicate. An iminense hody of eruptive gold-hearing quartz still remains at Boulder Hill, Monitor Disirict, California. Tbe hill is about three-fourths, of a ole long, and averages half a mile in widtb. It is completely covered with gold-bearing . quartz in the shape of boulders, two of whicb are estimated to weigh seven hundred tons. Another example is found in Plumas county, the side of a mountain being covered with goldhenring quartz. Blow-outs (as miners term them) of gold-bearing qnartz are frequently to be met with on the wostern slope of the Sierra Nevada—some of them acres in extent, and eome covering hut a few square rods. From the period of the Liassic group up to tbe latest tertiary accumulations, the intrusive and eruptive rocks seem to be non-metallic, if we except alluminum, whicb ie a metal of the earth preper. ‘Trap-dykes interseet the latest tertiary formation. and of course they must intersect all underlying formations. Immense bede of basaltic rock are found overlying tertiary accumulations of gravel, clay, etc., and in} some instances gold-hearing sauds. ‘hese! later igneous rocks nre unlike the rocks of enrlicr periods, in that they appeur to he more nenrly indestractible. ‘Ihe trapenn aud bagaltic rock, unlike the metnl-bearing rocks, nppear to resist the action of heat uud moisture, and preserve their shurp outlines through nges of exposnre, and only yield to mechanical nction. If the molten interior of the cnrth were of n wetullic nature, whnt marvelous mineral wealtb ouglit the more recent intrusive nnd ernptive rocks to disclose. Yet. it is notorious fact that they are destituto of metals, nnd ure the most refractory of ull rocks. The prescnce of metal in rocks tends to render it fusible. friable, ond soluble. ‘The earlier granitic rocks, contuining the alkaline metals, were possessed of this choracter in the nest remarkable degree, und gold-bearing quartz, free trom sulplirets, is probably tho least destructible of all the nietal-bearing rocks. The enrlier granitic rocks were soluhlo to such an extent as to niford the cement, hy which the debris of subsequent ages has heen converted into solid rock. It is by this means that the etory of the invertebrate life of the silurinn, tbe ichthyic life of the old red sandstone, the wonderfully gignntic and ahundant vegetntion of the enrbonifcrous, the monstrous reptile of the ovlitie and cretneeous, and the gigantic mommals of the eoceno aud miocene periods, is traced on pages of stoue iu the great volume of Nature. The foregoing facte seem to warrant the conclusion thut the intrusive and eruptivo rock ceased to be metal-benring during tbe Liussic periud ; tho crust of tbe earth having becoine solid by toss of heat toa grentor depth than the lowest metal-bearing stratum. There are two methods by which the order of the formation of all igneous rocks mny be determined. First, it is a well-known fact that rocks and metals do not expand equally with an incrense of tempernture. When the earth was ina molten condition, from center to circumference, matter must have been arranged, stratum above strotum, according to its specific grnvity, subject, however, to such modification as an inoreased tempernture will produce. ‘I'he mechanical force arising from the crust of the earth adapting itself to the over-shrinking mass it contains, produced fissures that filled with molten matter—the matter in each fissure heing identical in composition with the strntuin of which it is a part or chimney. As the earth continued to cool, at each successive upheaval, the molten matter to fill euch fissures, would come from a greater depth. By carefully ascertaining the exact composition, specific gravity, and ratio of expaasion at an inereased tempernture of such intrusive matter, the age of all intrusive rocks may he determined, and by the same niteans tle order of the formation of tbe igneous rocks may also he determined to the entire thickness of tbe earth’s crust. Second, ascertnin in bow late a formation gold-bearing quartz (for instance) can be found. Ifit ennnot be found interseeting the rocks of a later period than the Liassic group, it would be fair to-infer that the crust of the eartb hnd solidified toa greater deptb than tho gold-hearing stratum. And so of all -other intrusive rocks, the Intest stratified formation in which any given ore or rock can be found, indicating the deptb of tbe stratum from which it was derived. Trap-dykes are found intersecting all etratified formations up to the tertiary period ; bence, we must infer that they are of Inter formation than the metal-bearing veins, nud that they indicate the character. of the enrth’s crust below the metal-bearing strntum. ‘The later intrusive and eruptive rocks being non-metallic, indicate that the molten interior of the earth is also non-metallic. F. A. H. Snipments oF Copper Ore From tae Union Mine Durino tne Yeaa 1865.—From March 7th to April 30th, 1,786,815 pounds; May, 4,034,370; June, 7,287,820; July, 6,974,485 ; August, 7,165,355 ; September, 6,752,885 ; October, 6,477,420; Novemher, 3,355,370 ; December, 3,250,245. ‘Total sbipments for the year 1865, 47,084,765 pounds, equal to 23,542 tons 765 pounds. The freight on the ahove from Copperopolis to Stockton, paid at the rate of eight dollars per ton, amounts to $188,339. Rares of fare to New York on the Golden City, which sniled on the 10th, were as follows « First cabin, outside and ladies’ rooms, $210; do. do. inside rooms, $157 25; second cabin, $84 50; steerage, $52 25. TxE amount of bullion ehipped from Austin by the Natioual Bank during the month of December was $15,800. ‘bis sum, added to that sbipped hy Wells, Fargo & Co., makes the total shipment for thnt month $50,784 17. Or Sbakspeare, it is said by Richard Grant White, that he never re-touched or amended one line of all his works; he wrote fur money, and having got his pay, he lelt his words to take care of themselves. He never wrote anybody a letter, and when he died, left but four

signatures behind. {Written for the Mining and Scientlfic Press.) Lstter from Grass Valley. Enirors Mixing ann Screstinic Press :— After nn nbsence of four days, enjoying New Yenr’s, Tagain return to this place,nnd as I snw much during the few duys spent here last week that wight interest your readers, I proceed to give thio following rough notes of the scenes and inecideuts of that visit: The weather throughout was clear and cool, jnst the kind for plensunt traveling, except that the alternate freezing and thawing kept the roads in an unplensnntly muddy stnte. The scenery around Grass Vniley has heen so often described, that it would bea waste nf time and ink to say anvthing nhout it here, except that it is very much like every other towu of like altitude on the western elope of the Sierra Nevada, differing only in tho cireumstance that for several miles around tbe city the hills have been dennded of their heavy growth of pine and oak timber, and iu its place a thick forest of young pine treee, from ten to thirty feet in height, hns sprung up: giving to the hills in the immediate vicinity of the town a fresh greenness of appearance, which ie noticeable nowhere elso in the State: THE MINES. Thad heard much of the number and importance of the quartz miues of Gross Valley ; hut T bad no just conception of tbem until lhad scen, as I did last week, the extent of that intcrest. The citizen of Grass Valley is nwakened in the morning hy the whistles of a hundred steam-engines, employed in hoisting and crushing?quartz, reads his morning paper to see if there bave been any new quartz discoveries, spends the day speculating and trading in quartz mines and the macbinery for their development, and goes to sleep at night ouly to drenm of the fortunes he is going to make in “ quartz.” But while the people here have “quartz on tbe brain” to the extent descrihed, it must he recorded to their credit that they are free from the swindling spirit which has so disgraced the miuing (?) operations of Washve. The people of Grass Valley nsk no outsider to invest in anything on which they are unwilling to risk their own funds, when they have any. Neither does every mine have a horde of idle aud useless hangers-on, who do nothing but spend tbe sharebolders’ money, and embarrass tbe operatious of the miners who are willing to work. THE EUREKA MINE. Ou Wednesday morning I rode out witb the Watt Brothers to visit their mine, the Eureka, formerly owned by Mons. Julius Fricot, familiarly known in Grass Valley as “the Hmperor,” and for which tbey are said to have paid the nice little sum of $400,000. This mine is situated one and a bnif miles nortbeast from town, Mr, W. went with me through the mill, wbicb is a very good one, consisting of four hatterics, of five stampe each, each stamp weighing 860 pounds, with three and one-fourth inch stem. No amnigamating is done inthe hntteries, hut the pulp is passed over blankets tbat retain all the heavier portion, which is passed through amalgamators, of aform common in this neighhorhood, hut which I have seen nowhere else in the State. They consist of a box, in the bottom of whicb are set two troughs, of a semi-cylindrical form, filled witb quicksilver, over wluch the pulp is slowly washed hy a stream of woter; and is Stirred in its passage hy spikes of irou ina roller revolving at such distnnce above them that the ends of tbe spikes touch but slightly the surface of the quicksilver. {Tbe machine here described by our correspondent ie a Grass Valley invention, made some years since by Mr. M. Attwood, a well-known mining expert of tbis city, but for many years extensively engnged in quartz miniug in Grass Valley. Mr. Attwood, we belicve, never took out a } patent for the invention, but hns given it freely to the public. lt appears to answer a most useful purpose.—Kps. Mirino Press.] Tho tailings after being concentrated are now ground in arastras, but the owner contemplates replacing these with Hephurn & Peterson's pans. ‘The sulphurets are concentrated by means of rockers, and nore sold for working at the cbemical works situated near by, or for shipment to Swansea. A lot of severnl tone wae sold lately for exportntion at $220 per ton. As the mill produces‘about one-half ton of tbese sulphurets per day, we may judge of the importauce of this department of their gold-saving operations. After looking at the mill 1 went throngh tbe mine. The strike of tbe ledge is east nnd west, the dip nenrly vertical. ‘Tho brendth varies from tour feet near the surface to six feet, at a depth of 317 feet, the greatcet depth yet attained. The quartz is of quite uniform character, pnying on an everage about $40 per ton, though that they were working nt the time of my visit wos much ticher. Tle walls of tbe vein are of greenstone. very smootb and regnlar, the general formation of the neighborbood being slate. Everything obout the mine and mill ie being made in the most thorougb and practical manner, nnd oll the modern improvements are being introduced as Inst as possible. THE UNION HILL MINE. Leaving the Eureka about noon, I visited the Union Hili company’s mine, situated two niles east of Gross Valley, of which Mr. Thoe. Findley ie superintendent. This company have an iucline down ahout 150 feet, following the dip of the ledge, whicb is fifty feet to the south, the strike of theledge heing east and west. This company are simply prospecting, hnving crushed no rock except a little for the purpose of testing it, the returns from whicb were said to be quite favorable. THE ALLISON RANCH MINES. On Thursday I accepted the invitation of Dr. J. P. Blanks to go with him in lus buggy to visit the celebrated Allison Ranch mine, of which Mr, M. Colbert is resident proprietor, the other ownere living either at Grass Valley ov at other places away from the mine. This mine, said to be the richest in Nevada county, is situated some three miles eouth of Grass Valley, and has been worked for eleven yeare. The present workings extend to a depth, meaeuring along the dip of the ledge, of 500 feet. The working of this mine ie very expensive, on account of the excess of water—that from the new shaft requiring a ten-inch pipe for its diechorge. On our return from the Allison Ranch we visited several other mines, of which I shall spenk more fully hereafter. THE OPHIR HILL COMPANY, On Friday morning, just hefore leaving, I was invited hy Capt. S. W. Lee to visit the Ophir Hill mine, of which he is snperintendent and one-tbird owner. This mine is situated one Inile southeast of Grass Valley, and is incorporated under the name of the Empire Co., the stock heing nearly all held by Messrs. Lee, Houston, Morrison, and Pierre, owners of tbe celebrated blue-gravel diggings of Smartville. The strike of the ledge ie north and south, with a dip to the westward of 35 degrees. The walle of the vein are of greenstone, in a slnte formation. In widtb tbe vein varies from one to six feet, while the rock is the ricbest that I have ever seen. Capt. Lee showed me specimens valued at $15,000, whicb bad been collected in four days’ time, while $21,000 had been cleaned up from a week’s run of five wooden stamps. Tbe proprietors are erecting anew mill and boisting works, which Capt. Lee says are the finest in the State,and which, when completed, will cost about $80,000. The hoisting engine ie now at work. It was built by Goss & Lambard, of Sacramento, and is a Corliss engine of 50-horse power. Capt. Lee asserts that it saves 30 per cent. of fuel over any clide valve engine in use. The mill is heing built at the Vulcan Iron Works in San Francisco, and is to bave thirty etamps. It is to he furniehed with all the modern improvements, including Hunter’e Concentrators, one of which is now in use in the old mill, and gives very satiefactory reeults. Baux & Guiod’s pans have been tried, hoth in this and in the mill of the Allieon Ranch company, and have given good eatisfaction in both places. Yo Mr. Poyzer, your local agent at this place, to Mr. Spencer and Mr. Dixon, stationerg and newsmen, and to Dr. J. P. Blanks, lam under obligations for personal favors, while the pleasure of my visit wae not a little enhanced by the polite attentions of mine host of the Excbange Hotel. + Yours, wanderingly, D. Grass Valley, Jan, 3. 1866. Yistp or tue Mines.—Tbe yield of the Gould & Curry mine for the quarter ending November 27th, 1865, was 12,948 tons, valued at $3814 perton, and amounting to $493,836 72. he yield of the Cbollnr-Potoei mine for the same period wae 12,5091¢ tone of ore, valued at $3075 3-5 per ton, amounting te $384,742 10. Tbe Savnge yielded 8,036 tons, valued at $39 per ton, and amounting to $313,404. The Ophir yielded 3,000 tone, valued at $18 332g perton, and amounting to $55,000. The Mexican yielded 1,792 tons, valued at $17 922-5 per ton, amaunting to $32,119 81. ‘otal number of tons extracted, 38,2851¢, amounting to $1,279,101 63, from those five mines, Tbat’s not so bad; but jnst wait till they get to taking out ore from the big ehalts now sinking, and then we can talk about a yieid.