Volume 12 (1866) (428 pages)

The Rining and Scientific Press, 67 ing steam hnisting works over the incline, and will soon be abte to mise itty toes of ore daily. ‘They fiave nenrly oll their machinery non the ground for a 10-stamp mill, and expect to havn it ready for ernshing inside of sixty daya. Their machinery is powerfut cnough tn drive twenty stamps, which number they will ba ablo to run when necessary. On Gold Flat, considerable activity prevoils. The New York coinpany (formerty known as ths Sneath & Clay), are taking ont a lorge quuntity of good rock. and their 12-stamp mill is ronuing uight and day. Moessra. Kidd & Tisdale are sinking on the Mohawk ledgo for another level. On account of the large amonnt of water they have tn contend, with In thelr incline, they intend procuring nore powerful machinery for pumping and hoisting. . The old Whigham claim has recently changod hands, oni its present owners are actively engaged in preparations for sinking below the old levels, in order to more fully test its value. Several large ledges have heen discovered within the last ten days, in the vicinity of Gregory & Co.'s sawmill. dn the Red Dog road, five miles from Nevada, Qos af them istwelve or lourteen feet in width, and pros-, pects at the rate of S15 and $20 per ton. The Cement mills, in Little York township, which are worked by water power, havo heen idle most of thé time this winter, 00 nccount of the extrenio cold weather; but the prospects are that next summer the cement brunch of mining will prove itself quite ag extensive and prolitable o3 qnartz mining. Nevana. Nevada, Jannary, 1866. F ; (Written for the Mining and Scicutific Prdss,] Letter from Grass Valley.t Enitors Press :—On' Thursday morning of last week, nfter due consultation, I visited the North Star, better known in this vicinity as French lead, situated somo two miles out of town. ‘i On my return thither, 1 passed the mill and mino of the Rocky Bur company, Mr. A. B, Brody, superintendent. Here {I encountored Mr. Poyzer, your local agsnt, who is employsd by this company to keep a geueral look-out after their gold, (showing, by the woy, that they agree with you in your estimate of his integrity,) by whom !. was introdneed to Mr. Brady, who invited me to call on my return and go with iui throngl the mine. 4 A milo furthsr on brought me to the NORTH STAR. or This mine has been worked for twelve years, half of that tims by the present owners. ‘Ths ledge ig situated in hard trap-rock, its average striks heing enst and west, with a dip of twentygsven degrees to the northward. ‘The thickness of ths vein varies from six inches to six feet, nveraging twenty inches. ‘The workings of the mine extended toa depth nf 668 feet, three working levels heing now open, and working. Ths present snperintendent is Mr. Wm. H. Yodder, one of the owners of the mine, who showed me the mill and works above ground, whils another ot the owners, whose nome I do not now remember, went with me through the underground works, } A Tho mill consists of nine stamps, of a somewhat antiquated lorm, hut which seem to do as much work and as well as any of the more modern mills. The method of amalgamating and saving snlphurets is the same as that . used in the Eureka mill. The mine ig drained hy an engine of sixtyhorse power, thirty-four inches stroks, and twelvo inches diameter of cylinder, built in in Grass Valley, trom designs lurnished by Mr. R. himself. ‘The pumping and hoisting’ machinery throughout is of the best aad most perfect character, having been built under the immediate-eye of the superintendent, aud from his designs, It is intended in the spring to erect a larger mill, as the mine is now sufficiently developed to keep a larger one at work. After dining at the hospitable table of Mr. Ursn, I returoed through a snow-storm to Grass Valley, and was preseut at the mass meeting of miners held for the purposs of electing delegates to the Convention at Sacramento. The particulars of this-meeting I have already seot you. : On Monday I set out for Rough and Ready, foar miles west Gf Grass Valley, and at. that time helow the snow-line, thinking that on this ‘account it would prove a more desirable locatina for ie thon Grass Valley, at least fur a day or two. This place was formerly uoted for very rich placer mines, hut most of these havo either hes worked out,ornre consolidated in immeuse claiins of hundreds of neres, ond Rough nod Ready is now " celehrated principally for its nomernus undeveloped quartz ledges, for having one of the hest hotels (Walling’s) on ths Bear River ond Nevada road, ond for the enterprise, great expectations, and impecuuiosity of its inhabitants. For the purposo of devsloping tho ledges in the nelghborhood, nnd which assays nf rock had shown to be rich, Mr. A. A. Smith, who was a member of the last Legislature, erected, svon after his return, a +-stanvp mill, but owing to some defect in its construction, or peculiarity in the rock, he was unable to save a rensonahle percentago nf the gold indicated by assayers, nod the mill had been allowed to stand Idle for severn] months. Last antumn, however, ho made nrrangements with 8S. C. Bradshaw, Jr., formerly of the Pucifie Metollurgical Works at the Day, who came up and took charge of ths mill, thoroughly refitting every part. It now consists of a battery of four stamps, with capacity for eight, two of Norton’s aud none Varney pan, nnd one of . “Teal’s Amalgamnting Tubs,” tho whole driveu by a water-wheel, which wonld furnish power for 9 mill fonr times the capacity of this. Every part of the machinery is constructed in the hest manner, and it is to be hoped that the experiments will hs more successtul this timo than before. 5 : On the pans M+. B. has laid his improving hand, to such an extent that the inventors would senreely know them. He has tuken out the inner portion of thé Norton, ond increased its depth snme Jour inehes, by ths addition of u wrought-iron bund, thereby greatly increasing its capacity a3 n grinder, which is its principal uss in this mill, he Varney is made to charge and discharge continuously, hy openings ia the side near ths bottom, and in the ceater of ths. top, like the Baux & Guiod. Teal's Amalgamnotor consists of a wooden tub with a cast-iron bottom, on which revolves a flat muller, hoving radial openings through which the pulp pnsses down hetween the grinding snrlacos. It is the inventioa nl a gentleman of Virginia City, Dvev., and has not yet beeu fully tried. Tn tha evening a mass meeting of the miners of the district was held at Walling’s Hotel, of which Mr. Ault was Chairman, and Mr. MeGuire Secretary. ‘Ths resolutions adopted hy the Grass Valley miners were indorsed. On Tuesday I returned to Grass Vailey, and the next day I spsnt comfortably housed. Yesterday { visited the Houston Hill mine, and to-day the Lucky. THE HOUSTON HILL MILL Ts located one and half miles southeast of Grass Valley, and is owned hy Mr. A. H. Houston, of San Francisco, Mr. Morgan of New York, Captain Lee, and severol others whose names Ihave forgotten. The snperintendent is Mr. Wm. Clift. The vein is opened by an incline to a depth of over 300 feet, thongh the lowest working level opeaed is 260 feet. The vein is only from eight to ten inchés in thickness, hut owing to the uniform richness of the quartz it is one of the hest paying imines in the district. The last crushing averaged nearly $189 per ton, and Mr. ©. thinks that the ora now eoming from the mine is still richer. : THE LUCKY. This famous ledge, located ahont two miles east of town, is owned hy a number of residents of Grass Valley and Nevada, whose names have heen published so often that I will not repeat them here. ‘The superintendent is Mr. W. R. Taylor,a practical miner and a thorough geatleman, who very kindly showed me through the works, and treated me throughont with the most polite attention. This ledge was discovered to be of great richness somsthing more thao a yearago. It lies ina kind of greenstons formation, and ‘is very irregular ‘in size and position. Jn many places in the drifts it ig'six feet in width, while in others it is hut n few inches. Its average thickness is about two feet. Its general direction is east and west, with an averags dip to the south of fifty-five degrees. The incline is down 180 feet, having heen driven straight with an inclination to the perpendicular of forty-five degrees. it will he found necessary, however, to change’ the direction of the lower part, ag the inclination nf the ledge is much steeper thao was nt first supposed. Tbe hoisting works were huilt at Grass Valley, and are fiue specimens of workmanship. ‘The engine is of ten inches diameter of cylin. der, and twenty-four inches stroke, estimated at 25-horse power. The company have hired an 8-stamp, mill, situa‘ed near tbeir mine, good. qnartz, which hos paid an nverage of $30 per ton. Everything abont tho mine is done in the hest and most suhstantial manner, showing that tho * Lucky hoys,”as they are here colled, intend to hava a first-clnss mine if it is to bs had. BAN FRANCISCANS IN TCWHX. Thers is, and has heen, quito n sprinkling of San Franeiccans among tho guests at the Exchange. Mr. Honter is hers putting up concentrators ot the Ophir and Eureka mills Young Bung is here lunking alter the interests of the Bans & Guind amalgamators. Howland of the Miners’ Foundry was here last week, on his way to oud from the Star Spangled Bunner claim, where that establishment is erecting machinery. The well-known mining expert, Capt. Atwood, was also here last weok, smiling as pleasantly ns aver; but what was lis particular ohject gossip has not yet reported. I havo also met several nequaintances in Nevnda, among whom is 11. L. Hopkins, inventor of the Novelty Amolgamator, who is superintending the erectiou of Coptain Kidd's new works nt the Star Spangled Danner eloim. May they cnme often. ‘Ihe people are glad to see thom, as they ors n snre indication nf inereasinog prosperity of oor uines. Yours, D. Grass Valley, Jon. 19, £866. {Wrltien for the Mining and Scientific Press.} Letter from Benicia. Messrs. Enitors:—WWhen I left yonr city last week, tn taks a prospecting tonr to ths ‘mountains, I promised to pencil some hurried notss by the wayside for ths Press, or rather for your own: privnts ear, to he pruned, cast aside, or interwoven,ag ynur judgment might dictats. Ifeel almost discouraged, when I find ‘myself so differsntly sitnated from others in their qoiet studios—surrounded with all necessary book-conveniences and appliances for epistolary correspoudencs ; yon, who have often. written on the car orin ths noisy har-room, will fully appreciats ths difficulties. Besides this, in turning “ prospector” I was entering upon a bnsiuess to me comporatively new and untried. My heart was not very light, I assurs you, and my purse was lightsr. But con’t'imagine that [have nu gold in ths banks, or in their branches; I certainly hnve as largs deposits in some of our “branches and in their bunks,” as any other miosr, and am as rich in feet as n centipeds. Ths trutb is, it is somewhot dangerous, these hard times, to travel with money ahout yon—you might get robbed. Miners and prospectors, liks mysslf, ars not selfish. Neither are you, and others who delve deen for truths—for trnth’s and scienca’s sake—and for their effects npon the general Ina pecuniary sense, your reward is small. You labor assidnously from day-to day, to gather facts bearing directly upon the materia: prosperity, and indirectly upon the iutellectual progress, not merely of onr own coast, but of ths whols human race—shedding light upon our vast mining, petroleum and mechanical interests, and on the various branches of physical science, and of the arts; and from these you dedoce principles, leading to greater economy and efficiency in developing the resources of the country, thus adding to its general wealth, and giving remunerative employment to a larger population. : ; A prospector has no time to write, much less to philosophize. It is a little too deep for him. Surfaces diggings suit him best. He, finds a lead, knocks off a specimen for assay aod hurries to the next new district. I will now briefly sketch a little of what I have seen and done. JI hnve only time to say a few words as to HOLELS, ETO, The ‘American is closed for the present, and will soon he offersd for sale. ‘I'he Solann, .uader ths care of my accommodating hostess, Mrs. Minniann, is, in troth, the only hotel in the city, and is admirably conducted. This place is well supplied with FLOURISHING SCHOOLS, Pablic and private, Catholic and Protestant. Mr. Rose is Principal of the Puhlic School, and gives, as far as I could learn, universal satistaction to his patrons. Miss Atkins, long known as a popular teacher of young ladies, has sold her Seminary to Rev. Mr. Mills, late of the Sandwich Islands, who has re-opened ths saaie with very flattering prospects. I had the pleasure, in other days, of visiting Mr. Flatt’s Collegiate Institute, and of witnessing . his tnct—a rare and happy faculty—in enlisting where they have crushed nver 2,000 tons of] and fixing the attention -of the pupil, and fasteving the thonght in the mind whils folly ardnsed, ond allowing it no time tn relapse into listlessness. ‘This well estahlished sehnnl is, og nsuul, ina very prospsrous cnodition, and will not he abls to accommodate many mnre from ohrnad, unless ths already very commodious premises bs enlarged. TUR NILITARY. Tho soldiers, ns yon are nware, have been remnved front here, which gives the ploce a duller aspect than formerly. At the Ordonocs Department I met ths fascinatiug, gallant Colonel R. A. Wainwright, of the U.S. army, and also Rev. Mr. C., hefore whom I was not ns reverent as I might have been. The fact is, n waggish snldier pointed him out as one who could givs me any information ag to said Mr. C.’s whereabonts. As his reverence was dressed in an officer's nniform, nnd perceiving from the questions propnunded to him that my mental perceptions were sninewhat obscured, ond as he enjoys a joke, he hecaine sn amusingly droll, ond put on such a quizzical Inok, in consequence of the good-natured perplexity of your ‘ prospector’—all so different from the “long face” expected—that the delosion was for a time increased. When the light did nt length suddenly burst npon my hithertn ohtnss and now astonished mental phiz, I guess we langhed. The scene is casier imagiued thun descrihed. PACIFIC M. 8. CO.’ WORKS, Hers, (and I might have said’ the same of the harracks), everything throughout all their different branches, exhihited a neatonesy, order und system, which do great credit tn the very efficient superintendent, Mr. James Pollock, and his associates. I should like to say mors, but this letter is alrsady too long. OONCLUSION. t Thanks to Mr. Sonboro, pioneer nawsman, on whoss counter the Mixino axp Serentiric Perss is found, to his associate, agent of Wells, Fargn & Co., and many others,’ for kindnesses and courtesies shnwn, aud infnrmation and counsel cordially tendered. ‘ Prospector. Benicin, Jan. 16, 1866. % Consuuprion or Inon.—It is estimated that tbe consumption of wronght iron, oot including railroad iron, in the States of Californin, Nevada aud Oregon, is 10,000 tons per anuom, all ot which is imported, ‘Ths average valus of this iron is at least $80 per toa at San Francisco, or $800,000 per annum is paid for an article which should be manufoctnrad ot hnme. Thers is shipped annually from San Francisco from 1,200 to 1,500 tons of scrap iron, worth $10 per ton. This goes to the rolling mills ut the Kast, paying several prnfits and probably returos againto Colifornia. There are nnw some three hundred miles of railroad, inside and main tracks, which reqnirs at least 27,000 tons of rails irrespective of chairs and spikes. These require replacing at least noes in eight years. As roads nre rapidly increasing, the amount of iron used will increase in proportion. These figures indicate that a rolling mill wonld ba profitable at the Bay city. Sixnutar Cause.—The telegraph annonnces a tremendons explosion of a locomotive hoiler, ot Terrs Hants (Indiana), which was quite destrnetive, throwing off ths roof of the building, spreading the wall, and scattering freight, timber, brick and mortar, books and pnpers, in all directions. The most singular part nf the announcament, howeyer, is the cause which has heen assigned for the catastrophe—"the extreme cold weatlier.” An ingenious contrivance has heen made by two Parisians. They hlow a small globe within a decanter or claret-jug. ‘This globe, which hus its‘ opening in the side of the larger vessel, serves to hnid a freezing mixture to cool wine or water in summer, and in winter may be filled with warm water to take the chill off. . A Finuanp newspaper mentions a stone in ths northern port of Finland which serves the inhabitants intead of a harometer. This stone, which they coll Tlmokiur, turns black, nr hlackish gray, when it is gdiig to rain, but.on the approach of fine .weather it is, cnvered, with white spots. : . Tar First [ron Snte.—Jolin Wilkinson, of Castlehead and Broseley, known as the great ironmaster, is said to have huilt the first iron ship, which was launched in July, 178%. Ir ig estimated that, at the present time, vessels are heing constructed .in French yards for Prussia, to the amount of $5,000,000. Mosr metals nnite directly with phosphorus when the latter is thrown upon them while in a state of ignition, or when they are heated in its vapor.

The Rining and Scientific Press, 67 ing steam hnisting works over the incline, and will soon be abte to mise itty toes of ore daily. ‘They fiave nenrly oll their machinery non the ground for a 10-stamp mill, and expect to havn it ready for ernshing inside of sixty daya. Their machinery is powerfut cnough tn drive twenty stamps, which number they will ba ablo to run when necessary. On Gold Flat, considerable activity prevoils. The New York coinpany (formerty known as ths Sneath & Clay), are taking ont a lorge quuntity of good rock. and their 12-stamp mill is ronuing uight and day. Moessra. Kidd & Tisdale are sinking on the Mohawk ledgo for another level. On account of the large amonnt of water they have tn contend, with In thelr incline, they intend procuring nore powerful machinery for pumping and hoisting. . The old Whigham claim has recently changod hands, oni its present owners are actively engaged in preparations for sinking below the old levels, in order to more fully test its value. Several large ledges have heen discovered within the last ten days, in the vicinity of Gregory & Co.'s sawmill. dn the Red Dog road, five miles from Nevada, Qos af them istwelve or lourteen feet in width, and pros-, pects at the rate of S15 and $20 per ton. The Cement mills, in Little York township, which are worked by water power, havo heen idle most of thé time this winter, 00 nccount of the extrenio cold weather; but the prospects are that next summer the cement brunch of mining will prove itself quite ag extensive and prolitable o3 qnartz mining. Nevana. Nevada, Jannary, 1866. F ; (Written for the Mining and Scicutific Prdss,] Letter from Grass Valley.t Enitors Press :—On' Thursday morning of last week, nfter due consultation, I visited the North Star, better known in this vicinity as French lead, situated somo two miles out of town. ‘i On my return thither, 1 passed the mill and mino of the Rocky Bur company, Mr. A. B, Brody, superintendent. Here {I encountored Mr. Poyzer, your local agsnt, who is employsd by this company to keep a geueral look-out after their gold, (showing, by the woy, that they agree with you in your estimate of his integrity,) by whom !. was introdneed to Mr. Brady, who invited me to call on my return and go with iui throngl the mine. 4 A milo furthsr on brought me to the NORTH STAR. or This mine has been worked for twelve years, half of that tims by the present owners. ‘Ths ledge ig situated in hard trap-rock, its average striks heing enst and west, with a dip of twentygsven degrees to the northward. ‘The thickness of ths vein varies from six inches to six feet, nveraging twenty inches. ‘The workings of the mine extended toa depth nf 668 feet, three working levels heing now open, and working. Ths present snperintendent is Mr. Wm. H. Yodder, one of the owners of the mine, who showed me the mill and works above ground, whils another ot the owners, whose nome I do not now remember, went with me through the underground works, } A Tho mill consists of nine stamps, of a somewhat antiquated lorm, hut which seem to do as much work and as well as any of the more modern mills. The method of amalgamating and saving snlphurets is the same as that . used in the Eureka mill. The mine ig drained hy an engine of sixtyhorse power, thirty-four inches stroks, and twelvo inches diameter of cylinder, built in in Grass Valley, trom designs lurnished by Mr. R. himself. ‘The pumping and hoisting’ machinery throughout is of the best aad most perfect character, having been built under the immediate-eye of the superintendent, aud from his designs, It is intended in the spring to erect a larger mill, as the mine is now sufficiently developed to keep a larger one at work. After dining at the hospitable table of Mr. Ursn, I returoed through a snow-storm to Grass Valley, and was preseut at the mass meeting of miners held for the purposs of electing delegates to the Convention at Sacramento. The particulars of this-meeting I have already seot you. : On Monday I set out for Rough and Ready, foar miles west Gf Grass Valley, and at. that time helow the snow-line, thinking that on this ‘account it would prove a more desirable locatina for ie thon Grass Valley, at least fur a day or two. This place was formerly uoted for very rich placer mines, hut most of these havo either hes worked out,ornre consolidated in immeuse claiins of hundreds of neres, ond Rough nod Ready is now " celehrated principally for its nomernus undeveloped quartz ledges, for having one of the hest hotels (Walling’s) on ths Bear River ond Nevada road, ond for the enterprise, great expectations, and impecuuiosity of its inhabitants. For the purposo of devsloping tho ledges in the nelghborhood, nnd which assays nf rock had shown to be rich, Mr. A. A. Smith, who was a member of the last Legislature, erected, svon after his return, a +-stanvp mill, but owing to some defect in its construction, or peculiarity in the rock, he was unable to save a rensonahle percentago nf the gold indicated by assayers, nod the mill had been allowed to stand Idle for severn] months. Last antumn, however, ho made nrrangements with 8S. C. Bradshaw, Jr., formerly of the Pucifie Metollurgical Works at the Day, who came up and took charge of ths mill, thoroughly refitting every part. It now consists of a battery of four stamps, with capacity for eight, two of Norton’s aud none Varney pan, nnd one of . “Teal’s Amalgamnting Tubs,” tho whole driveu by a water-wheel, which wonld furnish power for 9 mill fonr times the capacity of this. Every part of the machinery is constructed in the hest manner, and it is to be hoped that the experiments will hs more successtul this timo than before. 5 : On the pans M+. B. has laid his improving hand, to such an extent that the inventors would senreely know them. He has tuken out the inner portion of thé Norton, ond increased its depth snme Jour inehes, by ths addition of u wrought-iron bund, thereby greatly increasing its capacity a3 n grinder, which is its principal uss in this mill, he Varney is made to charge and discharge continuously, hy openings ia the side near ths bottom, and in the ceater of ths. top, like the Baux & Guiod. Teal's Amalgamnotor consists of a wooden tub with a cast-iron bottom, on which revolves a flat muller, hoving radial openings through which the pulp pnsses down hetween the grinding snrlacos. It is the inventioa nl a gentleman of Virginia City, Dvev., and has not yet beeu fully tried. Tn tha evening a mass meeting of the miners of the district was held at Walling’s Hotel, of which Mr. Ault was Chairman, and Mr. MeGuire Secretary. ‘Ths resolutions adopted hy the Grass Valley miners were indorsed. On Tuesday I returned to Grass Vailey, and the next day I spsnt comfortably housed. Yesterday { visited the Houston Hill mine, and to-day the Lucky. THE HOUSTON HILL MILL Ts located one and half miles southeast of Grass Valley, and is owned hy Mr. A. H. Houston, of San Francisco, Mr. Morgan of New York, Captain Lee, and severol others whose names Ihave forgotten. The snperintendent is Mr. Wm. Clift. The vein is opened by an incline to a depth of over 300 feet, thongh the lowest working level opeaed is 260 feet. The vein is only from eight to ten inchés in thickness, hut owing to the uniform richness of the quartz it is one of the hest paying imines in the district. The last crushing averaged nearly $189 per ton, and Mr. ©. thinks that the ora now eoming from the mine is still richer. : THE LUCKY. This famous ledge, located ahont two miles east of town, is owned hy a number of residents of Grass Valley and Nevada, whose names have heen published so often that I will not repeat them here. ‘The superintendent is Mr. W. R. Taylor,a practical miner and a thorough geatleman, who very kindly showed me through the works, and treated me throughont with the most polite attention. This ledge was discovered to be of great richness somsthing more thao a yearago. It lies ina kind of greenstons formation, and ‘is very irregular ‘in size and position. Jn many places in the drifts it ig'six feet in width, while in others it is hut n few inches. Its average thickness is about two feet. Its general direction is east and west, with an averags dip to the south of fifty-five degrees. The incline is down 180 feet, having heen driven straight with an inclination to the perpendicular of forty-five degrees. it will he found necessary, however, to change’ the direction of the lower part, ag the inclination nf the ledge is much steeper thao was nt first supposed. Tbe hoisting works were huilt at Grass Valley, and are fiue specimens of workmanship. ‘The engine is of ten inches diameter of cylin. der, and twenty-four inches stroke, estimated at 25-horse power. The company have hired an 8-stamp, mill, situa‘ed near tbeir mine,

good. qnartz, which hos paid an nverage of $30 per ton. Everything abont tho mine is done in the hest and most suhstantial manner, showing that tho * Lucky hoys,”as they are here colled, intend to hava a first-clnss mine if it is to bs had. BAN FRANCISCANS IN TCWHX. Thers is, and has heen, quito n sprinkling of San Franeiccans among tho guests at the Exchange. Mr. Honter is hers putting up concentrators ot the Ophir and Eureka mills Young Bung is here lunking alter the interests of the Bans & Guind amalgamators. Howland of the Miners’ Foundry was here last week, on his way to oud from the Star Spangled Bunner claim, where that establishment is erecting machinery. The well-known mining expert, Capt. Atwood, was also here last weok, smiling as pleasantly ns aver; but what was lis particular ohject gossip has not yet reported. I havo also met several nequaintances in Nevnda, among whom is 11. L. Hopkins, inventor of the Novelty Amolgamator, who is superintending the erectiou of Coptain Kidd's new works nt the Star Spangled Danner eloim. May they cnme often. ‘Ihe people are glad to see thom, as they ors n snre indication nf inereasinog prosperity of oor uines. Yours, D. Grass Valley, Jon. 19, £866. {Wrltien for the Mining and Scientific Press.} Letter from Benicia. Messrs. Enitors:—WWhen I left yonr city last week, tn taks a prospecting tonr to ths ‘mountains, I promised to pencil some hurried notss by the wayside for ths Press, or rather for your own: privnts ear, to he pruned, cast aside, or interwoven,ag ynur judgment might dictats. Ifeel almost discouraged, when I find ‘myself so differsntly sitnated from others in their qoiet studios—surrounded with all necessary book-conveniences and appliances for epistolary correspoudencs ; yon, who have often. written on the car orin ths noisy har-room, will fully appreciats ths difficulties. Besides this, in turning “ prospector” I was entering upon a bnsiuess to me comporatively new and untried. My heart was not very light, I assurs you, and my purse was lightsr. But con’t'imagine that [have nu gold in ths banks, or in their branches; I certainly hnve as largs deposits in some of our “branches and in their bunks,” as any other miosr, and am as rich in feet as n centipeds. Ths trutb is, it is somewhot dangerous, these hard times, to travel with money ahout yon—you might get robbed. Miners and prospectors, liks mysslf, ars not selfish. Neither are you, and others who delve deen for truths—for trnth’s and scienca’s sake—and for their effects npon the general Ina pecuniary sense, your reward is small. You labor assidnously from day-to day, to gather facts bearing directly upon the materia: prosperity, and indirectly upon the iutellectual progress, not merely of onr own coast, but of ths whols human race—shedding light upon our vast mining, petroleum and mechanical interests, and on the various branches of physical science, and of the arts; and from these you dedoce principles, leading to greater economy and efficiency in developing the resources of the country, thus adding to its general wealth, and giving remunerative employment to a larger population. : ; A prospector has no time to write, much less to philosophize. It is a little too deep for him. Surfaces diggings suit him best. He, finds a lead, knocks off a specimen for assay aod hurries to the next new district. I will now briefly sketch a little of what I have seen and done. JI hnve only time to say a few words as to HOLELS, ETO, The ‘American is closed for the present, and will soon he offersd for sale. ‘I'he Solann, .uader ths care of my accommodating hostess, Mrs. Minniann, is, in troth, the only hotel in the city, and is admirably conducted. This place is well supplied with FLOURISHING SCHOOLS, Pablic and private, Catholic and Protestant. Mr. Rose is Principal of the Puhlic School, and gives, as far as I could learn, universal satistaction to his patrons. Miss Atkins, long known as a popular teacher of young ladies, has sold her Seminary to Rev. Mr. Mills, late of the Sandwich Islands, who has re-opened ths saaie with very flattering prospects. I had the pleasure, in other days, of visiting Mr. Flatt’s Collegiate Institute, and of witnessing . his tnct—a rare and happy faculty—in enlisting where they have crushed nver 2,000 tons of] and fixing the attention -of the pupil, and fasteving the thonght in the mind whils folly ardnsed, ond allowing it no time tn relapse into listlessness. ‘This well estahlished sehnnl is, og nsuul, ina very prospsrous cnodition, and will not he abls to accommodate many mnre from ohrnad, unless ths already very commodious premises bs enlarged. TUR NILITARY. Tho soldiers, ns yon are nware, have been remnved front here, which gives the ploce a duller aspect than formerly. At the Ordonocs Department I met ths fascinatiug, gallant Colonel R. A. Wainwright, of the U.S. army, and also Rev. Mr. C., hefore whom I was not ns reverent as I might have been. The fact is, n waggish snldier pointed him out as one who could givs me any information ag to said Mr. C.’s whereabonts. As his reverence was dressed in an officer's nniform, nnd perceiving from the questions propnunded to him that my mental perceptions were sninewhat obscured, ond as he enjoys a joke, he hecaine sn amusingly droll, ond put on such a quizzical Inok, in consequence of the good-natured perplexity of your ‘ prospector’—all so different from the “long face” expected—that the delosion was for a time increased. When the light did nt length suddenly burst npon my hithertn ohtnss and now astonished mental phiz, I guess we langhed. The scene is casier imagiued thun descrihed. PACIFIC M. 8. CO.’ WORKS, Hers, (and I might have said’ the same of the harracks), everything throughout all their different branches, exhihited a neatonesy, order und system, which do great credit tn the very efficient superintendent, Mr. James Pollock, and his associates. I should like to say mors, but this letter is alrsady too long. OONCLUSION. t Thanks to Mr. Sonboro, pioneer nawsman, on whoss counter the Mixino axp Serentiric Perss is found, to his associate, agent of Wells, Fargn & Co., and many others,’ for kindnesses and courtesies shnwn, aud infnrmation and counsel cordially tendered. ‘ Prospector. Benicin, Jan. 16, 1866. % Consuuprion or Inon.—It is estimated that tbe consumption of wronght iron, oot including railroad iron, in the States of Californin, Nevada aud Oregon, is 10,000 tons per anuom, all ot which is imported, ‘Ths average valus of this iron is at least $80 per toa at San Francisco, or $800,000 per annum is paid for an article which should be manufoctnrad ot hnme. Thers is shipped annually from San Francisco from 1,200 to 1,500 tons of scrap iron, worth $10 per ton. This goes to the rolling mills ut the Kast, paying several prnfits and probably returos againto Colifornia. There are nnw some three hundred miles of railroad, inside and main tracks, which reqnirs at least 27,000 tons of rails irrespective of chairs and spikes. These require replacing at least noes in eight years. As roads nre rapidly increasing, the amount of iron used will increase in proportion. These figures indicate that a rolling mill wonld ba profitable at the Bay city. Sixnutar Cause.—The telegraph annonnces a tremendons explosion of a locomotive hoiler, ot Terrs Hants (Indiana), which was quite destrnetive, throwing off ths roof of the building, spreading the wall, and scattering freight, timber, brick and mortar, books and pnpers, in all directions. The most singular part nf the announcament, howeyer, is the cause which has heen assigned for the catastrophe—"the extreme cold weatlier.” An ingenious contrivance has heen made by two Parisians. They hlow a small globe within a decanter or claret-jug. ‘This globe, which hus its‘ opening in the side of the larger vessel, serves to hnid a freezing mixture to cool wine or water in summer, and in winter may be filled with warm water to take the chill off. . A Finuanp newspaper mentions a stone in ths northern port of Finland which serves the inhabitants intead of a harometer. This stone, which they coll Tlmokiur, turns black, nr hlackish gray, when it is gdiig to rain, but.on the approach of fine .weather it is, cnvered, with white spots. : . Tar First [ron Snte.—Jolin Wilkinson, of Castlehead and Broseley, known as the great ironmaster, is said to have huilt the first iron ship, which was launched in July, 178%. Ir ig estimated that, at the present time, vessels are heing constructed .in French yards for Prussia, to the amount of $5,000,000. Mosr metals nnite directly with phosphorus when the latter is thrown upon them while in a state of ignition, or when they are heated in its vapor.