Volume 12 (1866) (428 pages)

248 Ghe lining and Scientific Brees. Mining and Scientific Bress. Senor Enrror. 0. W. M, SMITH. W. B. EWER. A, T. DEWSY. DEWEY & CO. Publishers. ne Orrrop—No. 505 Clay street, corner of Sansome, 2d floor. Terms of Svbscription: One copy, pet annum, in advance, One copy, six months, In advance, ..4+.ae gar For sale by Oarriers and Newsdcalers. <7 Ut is Impossible for editors to khow sty the merits and demerits of their correspondence, conscquently the reader niust not reotive the opinions of our contributors asourown. Intelligent discussion is invited uponall sides and the evidence of any crror which may appear will be re esivedin friendship and treated wlth respect, American and Foreign Patents.—Letters Patent for Inventors can be secured in the United States and foreign countries through the Mining aNp Scientiric Press Patent Acency. We offer applicants reasonable terms, and they can rest assured of a strict compliance with our obligations, aud afaithfnl performance of allcoritracts. For reference, we wii furnish the names of numerous partics for whom we have cbtained patents during the past two years. Y¥avorable to Inventors,—Persons holding new Inventions of machincry aud important improvements, can have the same illustrated and explained in the Mininc AND Sorentirid Press, free of charge, if in our judgment the discovery is onc: of real merit, and of sufficient interest to our readers to warrant publication. Payment in Advance.---This paper witl not be sent tosubserlbers beyond the term paid for. Tbe publishers well know that a good journal cannot be sustained on the oreditsystem. : Mr, Wim. KR, Bradshaw, is our Special Correspondut and Traveling Agent. All favorsor assistance rendered him In his progress tbrough tbe country in behalf of our journal, will be duly acknowledged. San Francisco, Jan Ist, 1866. . effective agent, whose explosive power is said THE LATE TERRIBLE DISASTER. A few minutes nfter one o'clock P. M., on Monday last, our citizens were startled by a terrific explosion, the peculiar sharpuess aud . great force of which astonished everyone. So unlike was the report to that produced by the explosion of gunpowder or of a steamboiler, that every one instinctively asked: ‘What is . it.” No one for a moment appeared to think it could have been the effects of either powder or steam. On finding that it had occurred in tho rear of a cheinical laboratory, the impression at once obtained was that it must have proceeded from some kind of chemical compound not in ordinary use. Nitro glyceriue was at once suggested ; and subsequent investigations proved that supposition to be correct. The chnracter of the report had all the sharpness of the crack of n rifle, while the tremeudous coricussion produced was greatereven thnon that of the heaviest ordnance. Just such a report might he readily expected as the result of exploding a large quantity of that terribly tn be thirteen times that of gunpowder, when volumes are compared, and eight times its power when weight is considered. ‘The effect was so ercat as to shake the earth, like an earthquake, for a circuit of a quarter of a mile. A. full and complete account of this preparaMr. A. ©. Knox, ls our fully authorized Traveling Agent, aud all subscriptions, or other favors extended to him, will be duly acknowledged at this office. San Francisco, Jan 11th, 1866. Mux. ¥. N. Hudson, is authorized to solicit subseriptloné, advertising, otc., for the Minine ann Screntiric PREss, in Sau Francisco, and to receipt tor the same. Soe SS San F'rancisco: Saturday Morning, April 21, 1866. INAUGURATION oF THE Sratun or Lincotn.— The statue of Liocoln, in front of the Lincoln School House, was inaugurated according to ootice, ou Saturday last. The ceremonies were witneseed by a large concourse of people. Several prominent speakers were iotroduced, whose remarks were fitting for the occasion, aod lietened to with much interest by nll present. The opening commenced with the unveiling of the statue; the boys of the Lincoln School chanting the Lord’s Prayer, accompanied by Willis’ brass baud. Mr. Badger then introduced Rev. Chas. L. Ames, who offered up a prayer to God for the preservation of the nation, which Lincoln asit were died to save. The inangural address was then delivercd by J. W. Winans. Rev. Dr. Stone, Col. Hawkins aod State Superintendent J. Swett made appropriate remarke. Extracts from Lincoln’s last Inaugural were read by Professor Know!lton; the singiog of “America,” necompanied by the band, concluded the exercises. New Mops or Desounpuurizinc.—Messrs. Tait & Avie, of New York, have patented o process of desnlphurizing sulphurets by a curteot of heated, compressed nir, impelled by an air pump, in combination with a closed furnace containing theore. They also claim in their procees the use of nitro-oxide gas in combination with atmospheric air; also the use of steam in combiuation-with the hented air. A New Mareruat for eoling shoes has made its appearance at the Kast, It is a substance of which India rubber is the basis, but it ie heavier, and, while as solid ns iron, is flexible and elastic. It is said one puir of shoes soled with this article will outwear four pnire eoled with the best English leather. Borte Crry.—This once flourishing place, three miles from Jackson, has pretty much “gone in.” ‘The ground on which it stood has beeu nearly all washed down the gulch, nnd but .three or fonr houses now remain to mark the spot where onve dwelt the inhabitants of Butte City. i Toe Patent Orrice.—One hundred and seventy-eight patents were to have been issued for the week euding March 20th, 1866. ‘This is the second highest numher eyerissued in oue . week, the highest amouuting to oue hundred . and eighty-four for the week ending July 25th, 1865. tion, its wonderful explosive power, its chemical constituents, ete., together with a description of the node of using it, illustrated with nuinerous eugraviugs, wus given iu the Minne AND Scientiric Press of the 23d and 30th of December last. The explosion ocenrred in an open yard or aren in the rear of Wells, Fargo & Co’s express office, the entrance to which was from California street, near the corner of Montgomery, and between the huilding occupied by the bauking departmeut of Wells, Fargo & Co. and J. C. Bell’s assay office. The immediate cause of the explosion was supposed to hnve been the attempt to open a box containing several packages of nitro-glyceriue, one or more of which packages had undoubtedly heeu broken, allowing the fluid to find its way out of the box. The box was heing opened to ascertaiu the nature and amount of the damage suetained, and without any knowledge whatever of what were its coutents, as there was no -mark npon the box itself or the accompanying way-bill, by which thnt fact could be ascertained. ’ It nppenrs, from the testimony before the Coroner's Jury, that the parties opening the hox were nsing a hammer ond chisel. and the natnral iuference is that a blow from the ham mer upou some part of the box saturated with the oil was the immediate cause of the explosion. Hxperiments made within the past few days upon small fragments of wood saturated with the oil, show that the oil contained, in. even a very smnll chip scraped off with a penknife, may be thus exploded. with a report eqnal to that from a pistol. The box measured, according to the freight clerk’s record, n fraction over fourteen cubic feet. It was placed on the ground about six feet distaut from the outer. wall of a store room. ‘This wall, which was of brick, one foot, thiek and twenty-five feet high, was completely demolished for the length of thirty feet, while the rear-wall of the room was also hadly shattered and cracked. All the hrick walls around the area within the distance of twentyfive feet werc badly shattered. The hard gmund beneath where the box was lying, presented a depression to the depth of about onennd-a-half feet—probably in a great mcasure pressed downward by the force of the explosion. The scene presen ted along California street to a short distance below Montgomery, and along Montgomery for the distauce of scycral hundred feet, throughout the cntire of the three story building in which Bell’s assay offica was located, nnd the entire of Wells, Fargo & Co’s huilding, quite to its front on Montgomery street, can scarccly be conceived hy one who did not see it. The fragmente of glass, window-sash and shutters, covered the sidewalks and streets; while numerous fragments of the three unfortunate victims who were examiuving the box were picked up from the street, sidewalks and the tops of the buildings, upon aud over which they were thrown for the distane of an entire block. The loss of life was terrible. Hight persons were killed instantly, and three more died of their injuries two or three days afterward. Quite as many more were seriously wounded. ‘The names of the killed are as follows : Samuel Knight, Superintendent of Wells, Fargo & Co.'s express; G. W. Bell, assayer and member of the Board of Supervisors ; F. E. Webster, clerk in the New York department of the express; William H. Haven, freight hook-keeper of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company; Witliam D. Jester, porter with Wells, Fargo & Co.; Felix Durivault, first cook at the Union Club ; John Gallagher, hostler in Wells, Fargo & Co.’s stables; Dennis . Q. Donnell, waiter at the Union Club. The results of this terrible calamity will probably prevent any further attempt at an immediate iutroduction of this new agent into general use for blasting purposes ; although a more intimate acquaiutance with its nature and properties, such as future researches will doubtless give us, may yet render it as safe as any other explosive. compound. We are inuformed by Mr. Messrs. Bandmann, Neilson & Co., the sole agents for its sale in California, that they telegraphed to their principals teu days belore the late explosion, that they had better discontinue any further shipments, until further orders. In justice to Messrs. Bandmann & Neilson it should he stated that those gentlemen had nothing whatever todo with the shipment of the box which produced this terrible disaster. Their shipment was forwarded directly from the steamer’s wharf to asafe deposit in n powder house on the Potrero. The shipper of the exploded box is nuknown, although measures have been instituted hy telegraph to ascertain who he is. It was addressed to “W. H. Mills, Los Angeles.” We hope to give some new facts, of scientific and general interest, bearing upon the nature and properties of this new compound, in the uext issue of the Prass. Larrr.—tThe telegraph, this morning, brings us the startling ond deplorable intelligence that ninety cases of nitro-glycerine exploded at Aspinwall, on the 3d instant, aboard the steamer European, which brought the article from Liverpool. Fifty persons were killed, and the ship and 460 feet of wharf destroyed, including aloss of $1,000,000. The infamous oil was addressed to Bandmann & Neilson, of this city. ad Tue Paris Exnrertion.—Dr. Pigne of this city has becn commissioned by the French Minister of Commerce and Public Works to make a collection of mineral specimens belonging to California, for the Museum of the Mining School of Paris. he Doctor invites all persons and especially all mining companies to contribute for this collection any interesting specimens which they may see fit to offer for this purpose. The collection, hefore being sent to the museum for which it is intended, will be placed on exhibition at the World’s Pair, which is to be held at Paris in the summer of 1867. As it will be necessary to send on the collection early in the coming fall, contributors will see the nccessity of sending in their specimens with as little delay as possible. A description should accompany each specinieu, describing its charactcr, the name of the! coutrihutor, the uame of the mine, its locality, etc. When the cabinet is put up, this de-; scription will be neatly printed on cards to accompany the specimens. If any analysis has beeu made of a specimen, the result of it is requested with the ore. In all cases, where it is possible, the size of the speeimen should not exceed four or five cubic inches. Specimens. should be addressed to the care of Dr. Pigne, . Dupuytreo, 1,022 Stockton street, San Fran-. cisco. Om Wert Borie in San Francisco.—Boring still continues at the well on the Potrero, A depth of 280 fcet has beeu reached, and the drill is now passing through blue clay, of a very tough nature. ‘The proprietors are sanguine of striking oi after passing this substance. For the information of the curious in such matters, we give the different stratas already passed throngh by the drill. The first, 160 feet was green shale, resembling soapstone; then sand 18 feet; then green shale with streaks of white and blue clay 80 feet; . then sand rock 22 feet ; then blue clay, which has recently been struck, and in which they are still boring. Tho parties at the well as. sure us that at times the smell of oil is very strong, and that they intcnd horing, so long as the smeli continues. We hope that they may he successful aud realize their most sanguine expectations. There is no especial geological reason why oil may not be found, in some quantity at least, at the point where this well is being sunk, near the Potreto cnd of the long bridge. = “Txriux or Water into Mines.” Especial attention is called to a letter from Professor Rowlandson, on ‘the above subject, which will be found in another column of the present issue. The matter is one deserving of careful uttention. It is quite evident that more care should be taken in conveying the water raised from mines toa safe distance from the mine's surface. We are impressed with the belief that if careful examinations nre made a large number of our mining pumps will be found do-ing much of their duty twice over. We were especially pleased, during a recent visit to the Sneath & Clay mine, in Nevada, now under the management of'Mr. 8. P. Leads, to observe the care taken by the Superintendent to keep the water of Little Deer Creek from percolating into the mine. The eutire Creek, together with a small branch, is taken up and curried over the mine in a wooden conduit. Would it not also be advisable to carry away, in the sime manner, the water now received into the drain tunnel? We would again request a careful perusal and considcration of the letter referred to. _— Mecnanics’ Instrrure.—Another large meeting of this association was held last evening, at which the Board of Direetors were anthorized, by a decisive vote of 117 to 64, to séll the present building and appropriate the funds toward erecting the new Institute buildings on tbe lot already purchased and graded by the society, on Post street. Wo presume this action will satisfy the parties who recently obtained the injunction restraining the committce from proceeding with the work, thereby greatly hazarding.the common interests of the Institute. The majority vote last evening comprised many of the best members who heartily sustain the new hoard of officers. The decided majoritics shown at tho two last meetings in favor of the committce and the board of directors, must eonvinco the disaffected ones that they are unquestionably in the minority, and in our opinion tbey ought to submit in a good common sense way to the fairly expressed will of the majority. Mervats in Ervrrtye Rocxs.—M. Engelbach has discovered iu the basalt of Annerod, at Giessen, near the Elartz Mountnins in Germany, small quautities of the followiug very raremetals: Lithium, rubidium, titanium, and vanadium, together with traces of copper, cobalt, lead, tin and chromium, Thereis much probability that with cnreful analysis, a trace of most of the metals might he found io nearly or quite all eruptive matter. a Mining Macuinery.— Capt. Lee, of Grass Valley, we understand, has ordered six Knox amalgamators, of the Golden State Foundry, to be placed in his new mill. Messrs. Dodge & Bro. of this city, have also ordered of the same foundry six of Hendy’s Improved Concentrators, for the Benton mill, Bear Valley, Mariposa county. One of these concentrators was also shipped this week for Bigelow Bros., Coney Mill, Amador Co. Copper Worxs.—Persons in want of any description of copper or sheet iron work will do well to call upon Mr. M. Reyuolds, on Murket street, near First. All kinds of cooking nteosus tinned or made to order at the same place.

248 Ghe lining and Scientific Brees. Mining and Scientific Bress. Senor Enrror. 0. W. M, SMITH. W. B. EWER. A, T. DEWSY. DEWEY & CO. Publishers. ne Orrrop—No. 505 Clay street, corner of Sansome, 2d floor. Terms of Svbscription: One copy, pet annum, in advance, One copy, six months, In advance, ...4+.ae gar For sale by Oarriers and Newsdcalers. <7 Ut is Impossible for editors to khow sty the merits and demerits of their correspondence, conscquently the reader niust not reotive the opinions of our contributors asourown. Intelligent discussion is invited uponall sides and the evidence of any crror which may appear will be re esivedin friendship and treated wlth respect, American and Foreign Patents.—Letters Patent for Inventors can be secured in the United States and foreign countries through the Mining aNp Scientiric Press Patent Acency. We offer applicants reasonable terms, and they can rest assured of a strict compliance with our obligations, aud afaithfnl performance of allcoritracts. For reference, we wii furnish the names of numerous partics for whom we have cbtained patents during the past two years. Y¥avorable to Inventors,—Persons holding new Inventions of machincry aud important improvements, can have the same illustrated and explained in the Mininc AND Sorentirid Press, free of charge, if in our judgment the discovery is onc: of real merit, and of sufficient interest to our readers to warrant publication. Payment in Advance.---This paper witl not be sent tosubserlbers beyond the term paid for. Tbe publishers well know that a good journal cannot be sustained on the oreditsystem. : Mr, Wim. KR, Bradshaw, is our Special Correspondut and Traveling Agent. All favorsor assistance rendered him In his progress tbrough tbe country in behalf of our journal, will be duly acknowledged. San Francisco, Jan Ist, 1866. . effective agent, whose explosive power is said THE LATE TERRIBLE DISASTER. A few minutes nfter one o'clock P. M., on Monday last, our citizens were startled by a terrific explosion, the peculiar sharpuess aud . great force of which astonished everyone. So unlike was the report to that produced by the explosion of gunpowder or of a steamboiler, that every one instinctively asked: ‘What is . it.” No one for a moment appeared to think it could have been the effects of either powder or steam. On finding that it had occurred in tho rear of a cheinical laboratory, the impression at once obtained was that it must have proceeded from some kind of chemical compound not in ordinary use. Nitro glyceriue was at once suggested ; and subsequent investigations proved that supposition to be correct. The chnracter of the report had all the sharpness of the crack of n rifle, while the tremeudous coricussion produced was greatereven thnon that of the heaviest ordnance. Just such a report might he readily expected as the result of exploding a large quantity of that terribly tn be thirteen times that of gunpowder, when volumes are compared, and eight times its power when weight is considered. ‘The effect was so ercat as to shake the earth, like an earthquake, for a circuit of a quarter of a mile. A. full and complete account of this preparaMr. A. ©. Knox, ls our fully authorized Traveling Agent, aud all subscriptions, or other favors extended to him, will be duly acknowledged at this office. San Francisco, Jan 11th, 1866. Mux. ¥. N. Hudson, is authorized to solicit subseriptloné, advertising, otc., for the Minine ann Screntiric PREss, in Sau Francisco, and to receipt tor the same. Soe SS San F'rancisco: Saturday Morning, April 21, 1866. INAUGURATION oF THE Sratun or Lincotn.— The statue of Liocoln, in front of the Lincoln School House, was inaugurated according to ootice, ou Saturday last. The ceremonies were witneseed by a large concourse of people. Several prominent speakers were iotroduced, whose remarks were fitting for the occasion, aod lietened to with much interest by nll present. The opening commenced with the unveiling of the statue; the boys of the Lincoln School chanting the Lord’s Prayer, accompanied by Willis’ brass baud. Mr. Badger then introduced Rev. Chas. L. Ames, who offered up a prayer to God for the preservation of the nation, which Lincoln asit were died to save. The inangural address was then delivercd by J. W. Winans. Rev. Dr. Stone, Col. Hawkins aod State Superintendent J. Swett made appropriate remarke. Extracts from Lincoln’s last Inaugural were read by Professor Know!lton; the singiog of “America,” necompanied by the band, concluded the exercises. New Mops or Desounpuurizinc.—Messrs. Tait & Avie, of New York, have patented o process of desnlphurizing sulphurets by a curteot of heated, compressed nir, impelled by an air pump, in combination with a closed furnace containing theore. They also claim in their procees the use of nitro-oxide gas in combination with atmospheric air; also the use of steam in combiuation-with the hented air. A New Mareruat for eoling shoes has made its appearance at the Kast, It is a substance of which India rubber is the basis, but it ie heavier, and, while as solid ns iron, is flexible and elastic. It is said one puir of shoes soled with this article will outwear four pnire eoled with the best English leather. Borte Crry.—This once flourishing place, three miles from Jackson, has pretty much “gone in.” ‘The ground on which it stood has beeu nearly all washed down the gulch, nnd but .three or fonr houses now remain to mark the spot where onve dwelt the inhabitants of Butte City. i Toe Patent Orrice.—One hundred and seventy-eight patents were to have been issued for the week euding March 20th, 1866. ‘This is the second highest numher eyerissued in oue . week, the highest amouuting to oue hundred . and eighty-four for the week ending July 25th, 1865. tion, its wonderful explosive power, its chemical constituents, ete., together with a description of the node of using it, illustrated with nuinerous eugraviugs, wus given iu the Minne AND Scientiric Press of the 23d and 30th of December last. The explosion ocenrred in an open yard or aren in the rear of Wells, Fargo & Co’s express office, the entrance to which was from California street, near the corner of Montgomery, and between the huilding occupied by the bauking departmeut of Wells, Fargo & Co. and J. C. Bell’s assay office. The immediate cause of the explosion was supposed to hnve been the attempt to open a box containing several packages of nitro-glyceriue, one or more of which packages had undoubtedly heeu broken, allowing the fluid to find its way out of the box. The box was heing opened to ascertaiu the nature and amount of the damage suetained, and without any knowledge whatever of what were its coutents, as there was no -mark npon the box itself or the accompanying way-bill, by which thnt fact could be ascertained. ’ It nppenrs, from the testimony before the Coroner's Jury, that the parties opening the hox were nsing a hammer ond chisel. and the natnral iuference is that a blow from the ham mer upou some part of the box saturated with the oil was the immediate cause of the explosion. Hxperiments made within the past few days upon small fragments of wood saturated with the oil, show that the oil contained, in. even a very smnll chip scraped off with a penknife, may be thus exploded. with a report eqnal to that from a pistol. The box measured, according to the freight clerk’s record, n fraction over fourteen cubic feet. It was placed on the ground about six feet distaut from the outer. wall of a store room. ‘This wall, which was of brick, one foot, thiek and twenty-five feet high, was completely demolished for the length of thirty feet, while the rear-wall of the room was also hadly shattered and cracked. All the hrick walls around the area within the distance of twentyfive feet werc badly shattered. The hard gmund beneath where the box was lying, presented a depression to the depth of about onennd-a-half feet—probably in a great mcasure pressed downward by the force of the explosion. The scene presen ted along California street to a short distance below Montgomery, and along Montgomery for the distauce of scycral hundred feet, throughout the cntire of the three story building in which Bell’s assay offica was located, nnd the entire of Wells, Fargo & Co’s huilding, quite to its front on Montgomery street, can scarccly be conceived hy one who did not see it. The fragmente of

glass, window-sash and shutters, covered the sidewalks and streets; while numerous fragments of the three unfortunate victims who were examiuving the box were picked up from the street, sidewalks and the tops of the buildings, upon aud over which they were thrown for the distane of an entire block. The loss of life was terrible. Hight persons were killed instantly, and three more died of their injuries two or three days afterward. Quite as many more were seriously wounded. ‘The names of the killed are as follows : Samuel Knight, Superintendent of Wells, Fargo & Co.'s express; G. W. Bell, assayer and member of the Board of Supervisors ; F. E. Webster, clerk in the New York department of the express; William H. Haven, freight hook-keeper of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company; Witliam D. Jester, porter with Wells, Fargo & Co.; Felix Durivault, first cook at the Union Club ; John Gallagher, hostler in Wells, Fargo & Co.’s stables; Dennis . Q. Donnell, waiter at the Union Club. The results of this terrible calamity will probably prevent any further attempt at an immediate iutroduction of this new agent into general use for blasting purposes ; although a more intimate acquaiutance with its nature and properties, such as future researches will doubtless give us, may yet render it as safe as any other explosive. compound. We are inuformed by Mr. Messrs. Bandmann, Neilson & Co., the sole agents for its sale in California, that they telegraphed to their principals teu days belore the late explosion, that they had better discontinue any further shipments, until further orders. In justice to Messrs. Bandmann & Neilson it should he stated that those gentlemen had nothing whatever todo with the shipment of the box which produced this terrible disaster. Their shipment was forwarded directly from the steamer’s wharf to asafe deposit in n powder house on the Potrero. The shipper of the exploded box is nuknown, although measures have been instituted hy telegraph to ascertain who he is. It was addressed to “W. H. Mills, Los Angeles.” We hope to give some new facts, of scientific and general interest, bearing upon the nature and properties of this new compound, in the uext issue of the Prass. Larrr.—tThe telegraph, this morning, brings us the startling ond deplorable intelligence that ninety cases of nitro-glycerine exploded at Aspinwall, on the 3d instant, aboard the steamer European, which brought the article from Liverpool. Fifty persons were killed, and the ship and 460 feet of wharf destroyed, including aloss of $1,000,000. The infamous oil was addressed to Bandmann & Neilson, of this city. ad Tue Paris Exnrertion.—Dr. Pigne of this city has becn commissioned by the French Minister of Commerce and Public Works to make a collection of mineral specimens belonging to California, for the Museum of the Mining School of Paris. he Doctor invites all persons and especially all mining companies to contribute for this collection any interesting specimens which they may see fit to offer for this purpose. The collection, hefore being sent to the museum for which it is intended, will be placed on exhibition at the World’s Pair, which is to be held at Paris in the summer of 1867. As it will be necessary to send on the collection early in the coming fall, contributors will see the nccessity of sending in their specimens with as little delay as possible. A description should accompany each specinieu, describing its charactcr, the name of the! coutrihutor, the uame of the mine, its locality, etc. When the cabinet is put up, this de-; scription will be neatly printed on cards to accompany the specimens. If any analysis has beeu made of a specimen, the result of it is requested with the ore. In all cases, where it is possible, the size of the speeimen should not exceed four or five cubic inches. Specimens. should be addressed to the care of Dr. Pigne, . Dupuytreo, 1,022 Stockton street, San Fran-. cisco. Om Wert Borie in San Francisco.—Boring still continues at the well on the Potrero, A depth of 280 fcet has beeu reached, and the drill is now passing through blue clay, of a very tough nature. ‘The proprietors are sanguine of striking oi after passing this substance. For the information of the curious in such matters, we give the different stratas already passed throngh by the drill. The first, 160 feet was green shale, resembling soapstone; then sand 18 feet; then green shale with streaks of white and blue clay 80 feet; . then sand rock 22 feet ; then blue clay, which has recently been struck, and in which they are still boring. Tho parties at the well as. sure us that at times the smell of oil is very strong, and that they intcnd horing, so long as the smeli continues. We hope that they may he successful aud realize their most sanguine expectations. There is no especial geological reason why oil may not be found, in some quantity at least, at the point where this well is being sunk, near the Potreto cnd of the long bridge. = “Txriux or Water into Mines.” Especial attention is called to a letter from Professor Rowlandson, on ‘the above subject, which will be found in another column of the present issue. The matter is one deserving of careful uttention. It is quite evident that more care should be taken in conveying the water raised from mines toa safe distance from the mine's surface. We are impressed with the belief that if careful examinations nre made a large number of our mining pumps will be found do-ing much of their duty twice over. We were especially pleased, during a recent visit to the Sneath & Clay mine, in Nevada, now under the management of'Mr. 8. P. Leads, to observe the care taken by the Superintendent to keep the water of Little Deer Creek from percolating into the mine. The eutire Creek, together with a small branch, is taken up and curried over the mine in a wooden conduit. Would it not also be advisable to carry away, in the sime manner, the water now received into the drain tunnel? We would again request a careful perusal and considcration of the letter referred to. _— Mecnanics’ Instrrure.—Another large meeting of this association was held last evening, at which the Board of Direetors were anthorized, by a decisive vote of 117 to 64, to séll the present building and appropriate the funds toward erecting the new Institute buildings on tbe lot already purchased and graded by the society, on Post street. Wo presume this action will satisfy the parties who recently obtained the injunction restraining the committce from proceeding with the work, thereby greatly hazarding.the common interests of the Institute. The majority vote last evening comprised many of the best members who heartily sustain the new hoard of officers. The decided majoritics shown at tho two last meetings in favor of the committce and the board of directors, must eonvinco the disaffected ones that they are unquestionably in the minority, and in our opinion tbey ought to submit in a good common sense way to the fairly expressed will of the majority. Mervats in Ervrrtye Rocxs.—M. Engelbach has discovered iu the basalt of Annerod, at Giessen, near the Elartz Mountnins in Germany, small quautities of the followiug very raremetals: Lithium, rubidium, titanium, and vanadium, together with traces of copper, cobalt, lead, tin and chromium, Thereis much probability that with cnreful analysis, a trace of most of the metals might he found io nearly or quite all eruptive matter. a Mining Macuinery.— Capt. Lee, of Grass Valley, we understand, has ordered six Knox amalgamators, of the Golden State Foundry, to be placed in his new mill. Messrs. Dodge & Bro. of this city, have also ordered of the same foundry six of Hendy’s Improved Concentrators, for the Benton mill, Bear Valley, Mariposa county. One of these concentrators was also shipped this week for Bigelow Bros., Coney Mill, Amador Co. Copper Worxs.—Persons in want of any description of copper or sheet iron work will do well to call upon Mr. M. Reyuolds, on Murket street, near First. All kinds of cooking nteosus tinned or made to order at the same place.