Volume 26 (1873) (431 pages)

166 MINING ANDSCIENTIFIC. PRESS. [March 15,’ 2873. = 7 . Wheresoever msn goes the rat follows or accompanies him. Town or conntry are equally agreeable tohim. He is a most enterprising traveler, and is continually passing from one country to another. Soarce a ship leaves a port, withont taking on board its complement of rsts for the voyage. It is thus that this destructive little rodent hss distributed himself over the entire civilized world. Theseremarks apply more particularly to the brown or Norway rat. Although called the Norway rat, this vsriety of rodents did not originate in that country, but came from the wsrm regions of Oentrsl Asia. It seems to have taken up its migratory habits ‘about the time of the revival of commeroe, nesr the year 1700. It found its way into southeastern Europe in the early psrt of that century, where, after multiplying largely, it commenced a northward msrch into Russia, crossing the Volga in large troops. It resched England in 1730, and France in 1750, In its march through Europe it drove before it or exterminated the black rat—the native house rat of that continent. In 1775 it “‘took ahip” and crossed the ocean to Americs, whither it had been preceded by the black rat a few years before; and here also it soon exterminated its black congener, and has reigned since msster of the ccllar and the sewer. In unsettled coun. tries the black rat is wild and lives in the woods; bnt does ° not multiplyrapidly; !:0 while in civilized . countries it general. ly avoids the fields . and woods, conforms ° itself to the cnstoms of civilization— dwelling in artificis] homes. Both these . varieties enter your . . house, a tenant atwill—their will, not yours-—shares in your food, and holds nightly revels with the belles of rat-land, in the innermost recesses of your dwelling. Their sagacity in securing food and avoiding detection ig most wonderful. In this respect they ap-. proach nesrer to certain olasses of the human species than any other animsl, The black rat is muoh more timid than the brown, and dislikes burrowing. Hoe prefers the upper psrts of dwellings to cellars or any low, filthy places. He is the aristocrat of therat tribe; is less gregarious than others, and travels in small, select parties. Of course he is not a fighting charscter. On the contrary, the brown rat is very ferocions, fights and travels in Isrge companies, and pnrsues war to the death against his enemies. Our illustraticn presents a view ofa lively combat between a party of brown and black rats—the latter having evidently been surprised at a convivial entertainment in the corn crib of some Western farmer. Their mode of battle and quick dispatch has been vividly portrayed by our artist. The black rat never found its way to California—his race, on this contlnent, was cut short by the break in human habitations in the ‘‘far West’’ of the Atlsntio Ststes, where his ‘‘forlorn hope,”’ as an advance gnard, was overtaken by the vindiotive pursuit of his ancient enemy. The early residents of San Francisco say that the old Mission and the early dwellings in the city proper, were occupied by a variety of white rats; but as no specimens have over been noticed by our scientists, the inference is that the ‘‘white rats’’ were nothing more than a variety of the brown, which, at that time, had been but sparsely introduced by transient: A Chapter on Rats. ships comingto this Cosst with supplies for the esrly Jesuit missionary settlements, and stopping to gsther hides for aretnrn cargo. This supposition gathers strength from the fact that the brown rat is prone to exhibit this varistion of color, whenever it becomes isolated, or for any resson oeases to multiply rapidly —a condition that was well fulfilled during the period anterior to the advent of the gold-hunters, when civilized habitations were 80 scarce here, and because thst aristocratic vsriety of the rat family is extremely loth to remsin with dwellers in huts. The predominating native rst on this Cosstis the Mus Californicus,—commonly known as the short-tailed rat,—a variety of the wood rat, which, from the disinclination of the brown rat to follow into outlying bushes or woods, never has, and probahly never will be exterminated by the new-comer. This rat, consequently, is still found in great abundance, especially all along the Cosst Renge, both in mountain snd valley, where it builds mounds of sticks, leaves, etc., often ten feet in hight and twenty in diameter st the bsse. These mounds serve a8 convenient retreats for the rodents from their natural enemies, and their elevation above the surfsce of the earth fur" Silk in the United States. It is gratifying to lesrn that one of the most importsnt msnufacturing interests of the more industrial nations of Europe, is also stesdily and advantsgeously gaining ground in our own country; we allude tothe manufacture of silken goods. A cotemporary chronicles the following facts and figures in relation thereto, bunt omits to tall us that the raw silk from which these fabrics are wrought, are obtsined almost entirely from foreign countries where cheap labor is the rule. ! The silk interest has grown in the last few years much beyond what has been generslly supposed. A report issued by the silk manufacturers of America ststes that the growth of this production is steadily incressing. Within a decade it has sprung from an insignificant and unpromising experiment, and now bids fsir to become one of the lucrative branches of our varied industry. There is said to be at this time a capital of over $30,000,000 invested in the business in this country, against less then $3,000,000 in 1860. Sixteen thousand operatives are omployed, earning $8,000,000 per snnum, and weaving between $30,000,000 and $40,000,000 Die THE BATTLE OF THE RATS. nishes a safe retrest in csse of overflow. The omnipresent brown rat, however, has driven this native well out of all the city aud village sites, and, for the last two decades, has msde itself unpleasantly abundant, wherever, throughont the Paoifio Coast, the Anglo Saxon has planted his homestead. Nitrate or Sopa.—The following item comes from South America: In view of the vast national importance of the new law limiting the produotion of nitrate of soda and msking the Government the sole exporter of that most valuable article, the following data will be found interesting, as showing the steady increase of the demand: In 1870, 2,500,000 quintals of nitrate were shipped from Pernvian ports to all markets abroad. . In 1871, this figure was incressed to 3,000,000 quintals, and in 1872 reached the very respectable sum of 4,420,000 quintals. PHILADELPHIA manufscturers, employing in the aggregate 10,000 persons, are, the Inquirer . says, preparing to abandon Philadelphia, and carry on their business in Delaware, in order to heunder lighter taxation. The proprietors ' of the Pascal tron Works have already done so. Minino matters at Little Cottonwood Cation, . Utah, are moving ahead in good shape, and there is every prospect fora big yield of ore next season, the principal work doing at present being preparatory. Tur Seattle Coal Compauy is now shipping 160 tons of coal daily. worth of silk goods ina year. The report assigns as one of the drawbacks to a more speedy development, the fact that the California raw silk must all be sont to Europe to be reeled, the improved machinery necessary for that purpose not having, strangely enough, found its way as yet to this country. The American silks are universally admired, both in this conntry and in Europe, and when our facilities are matured will be able to to compete with the world, Ratiways 1n Soura AmeRroa.—The railways from Arequipa to the lsrge interior cities of Cuzco and Puno are being pushed forward with much energy, the natural obstructions to be overcome rendering the labor one of extreme difficulty. Once on the level plsteau rnnning from Pano to within sixty miles of Arequipa, and that point is almost reached, the advance will be remarkably rapid. The line from Ohimbote to Husraz, considered by msny well acquainted with the resources of the country as the most important railroad in Peru, has some thirty-six miles now ready for ironing. New Mar Steamer.—The Pacific Mail Company’s new iron steamer ‘‘Colima,’’ 3,250 tons burden, was successfully Isunched from Rooche’s ship-yard, at Chester,(Pa.) onthe 6th inst. There are four others now on the stocks for the same company, of which two have a tonnage of 5,000 tons cach. Ooax and quicksilver are claimed to exist in Mendocino county in the neighborhood of Ukiah. Singular Discovery of Gold. A gentlemen informs the Nevada Transcript of a most singular disoovery of a piece of gold, at Red Hill, abont a mile from this oity. He says one of the owners of the land was walking by a piece of ground, afew days ago, where the top dirt had been washed offto the depth of about five feet, and saw something shining. He went tothe spot, and ascertaining it was gold, took out apiece weighing about three ounces. Informing his partner of the discovery, they supplied themselves with tools, and returned to the spot where the three-ounce specimen wss found, and proceeded to clear the clay awsy for a distance of two and a hslf feet in length and nearly two feet in width, which was as far as the gold could be traced. The gold lsy nesrly fist the whole of this distance and on the bed rock. If it had been melted and poured out it conld uot have been so nicely laid as it was there. Some portions of it was as thin ss a wafer, and none of it thicker than a twenty dollar gold pieoe. Our informant says if it hsd been taken out ss he ssw it, it would have been the most beautiful specimen ever exhibited in the world. The owners on seeing the sight became excited and anxious to ascertain the result of their discoyery commenced picking it out every way, thus spoiling the beautiful specimen. Its appearance seemed to indicate, at first sight; ' that it was @ massive boulder of gold, and ou the surface it looked as though there was a blook of gold worth ‘millions of dollats.> They, dug it out in pieces of various sizes, and the total value of the gold was $3,0U0. The most sinular psrt of it was, there was no quartz in it, although the hill is full of quartz, Some people may think that this was a ‘“ salting process,” in order to effect a sale for s large sum of monty. But we know that such is not the csse, as the greund in thatlocality is not for sale. Furthermore, many suoh pockets Lave been found on Ked Hull, one of wh.oh, discovered many years ago, yielded over $7,0UU, and others valying from $50 to Pi,UUU. Asa rale, these ** pocket claims’ are not remunerative, from the fact that when a “‘nocket’’ ia stiuck, miner’s will otten spend twice asmuch as the amount taken out in trying to find another, and then be disappointed; and Red Hill is not an exception. Large amounts of money have been tsken out of this hill, and a great deal been spent in prospectae But ra think the time not fsr distant when it will be demonstrated that one of the richest quartz ledges in the country runs through Red Hill, which when developed, will add greatly to the wealth of Nevada county. All through the hill floating quartz and spurs may be found, and as the famous Schmitt ledge is close to and runs in that direction, there is good reason for the belief that Red Hill will yet be made tounesrth her hidden treasures, and reward the faithful prospector for his untiring energy. Assayinc Leap Orzs.—Previons to reducing the galena or other lead oro tothe metallio state, A. Maseazzini converts the lead present in the ore into sulphate, by igniting itin a porcelain crucible with sulphate of ammonia, after which the ore is treated in the usual manner. The flux preferred by the author is that reoommended by Plattner, consisting of 13 parts of carbonate of potasss; 10 of dry csrbonate of soda; 5 of previously fused borax; and five of ' well dried starch. Anti-SEa-Srcx Canmys.—The famousBessemer ship has encountered a rival in the floating oabin devised by a Russian. The constraotion is very mnch the aame as that of the Bessemer but the csbin instead of being attached to a pivot, literally floats amidships between the engines. The invention has been tested by the Grand Duke Constantine, and is deemed successful. . Sout Benn, Indiana, claims 150 industrial establishments, employing 2,100 workmer, and turning out an annual produot of $5,000,000, or $500 to cach inhabitant of the town. Its buildings erected in 1872 cost $1,300,000.

166 MINING ANDSCIENTIFIC. PRESS. [March 15,’ 2873. = 7 . Wheresoever msn goes the rat follows or accompanies him. Town or conntry are equally agreeable tohim. He is a most enterprising traveler, and is continually passing from one country to another. Soarce a ship leaves a port, withont taking on board its complement of rsts for the voyage. It is thus that this destructive little rodent hss distributed himself over the entire civilized world. Theseremarks apply more particularly to the brown or Norway rat. Although called the Norway rat, this vsriety of rodents did not originate in that country, but came from the wsrm regions of Oentrsl Asia. It seems to have taken up its migratory habits ‘about the time of the revival of commeroe, nesr the year 1700. It found its way into southeastern Europe in the early psrt of that century, where, after multiplying largely, it commenced a northward msrch into Russia, crossing the Volga in large troops. It resched England in 1730, and France in 1750, In its march through Europe it drove before it or exterminated the black rat—the native house rat of that continent. In 1775 it “‘took ahip” and crossed the ocean to Americs, whither it had been preceded by the black rat a few years before; and here also it soon exterminated its black congener, and has reigned since msster of the ccllar and the sewer. In unsettled coun. tries the black rat is wild and lives in the woods; bnt does ° not multiplyrapidly; !:0 while in civilized . countries it general. ly avoids the fields . and woods, conforms ° itself to the cnstoms of civilization— dwelling in artificis] homes. Both these . varieties enter your . . house, a tenant atwill—their will, not yours-—shares in your food, and holds nightly revels with the belles of rat-land, in the innermost recesses of your dwelling. Their sagacity in securing food and avoiding detection ig most wonderful. In this respect they ap-. proach nesrer to certain olasses of the human species than any other animsl, The black rat is muoh more timid than the brown, and dislikes burrowing. Hoe prefers the upper psrts of dwellings to cellars or any low, filthy places. He is the aristocrat of therat tribe; is less gregarious than others, and travels in small, select parties. Of course he is not a fighting charscter. On the contrary, the brown rat is very ferocions, fights and travels in Isrge companies, and pnrsues war to the death against his enemies. Our illustraticn presents a view ofa lively combat between a party of brown and black rats—the latter having evidently been surprised at a convivial entertainment in the corn crib of some Western farmer. Their mode of battle and quick dispatch has been vividly portrayed by our artist. The black rat never found its way to California—his race, on this contlnent, was cut short by the break in human habitations in the ‘‘far West’’ of the Atlsntio Ststes, where his ‘‘forlorn hope,”’ as an advance gnard, was overtaken by the vindiotive pursuit of his ancient enemy. The early residents of San Francisco say that the old Mission and the early dwellings in the city proper, were occupied by a variety of white rats; but as no specimens have over been noticed by our scientists, the inference is that the ‘‘white rats’’ were nothing more than a variety of the brown, which, at that time, had been but sparsely introduced by transient: A Chapter on Rats. ships comingto this Cosst with supplies for the esrly Jesuit missionary settlements, and stopping to gsther hides for aretnrn cargo. This supposition gathers strength from the fact that the brown rat is prone to exhibit this varistion of color, whenever it becomes isolated, or for any resson oeases to multiply rapidly —a condition that was well fulfilled during the period anterior to the advent of the gold-hunters, when civilized habitations were 80 scarce here, and because thst aristocratic vsriety of the rat family is extremely loth to remsin with dwellers in huts. The predominating native rst on this Cosstis the Mus Californicus,—commonly known as the short-tailed rat,—a variety of the wood rat, which, from the disinclination of the brown rat to follow into outlying bushes or woods, never has, and probahly never will be exterminated by the new-comer. This rat, consequently, is still found in great abundance, especially all along the Cosst Renge, both in mountain snd valley, where it builds mounds of sticks, leaves, etc., often ten feet in hight and twenty in diameter st the bsse. These mounds serve a8 convenient retreats for the rodents from their natural enemies, and their elevation above the surfsce of the earth fur" Silk in the United States. It is gratifying to lesrn that one of the most importsnt msnufacturing interests of the more industrial nations of Europe, is also stesdily and advantsgeously gaining ground in our own country; we allude tothe manufacture of silken goods. A cotemporary chronicles the following facts and figures in relation thereto, bunt omits to tall us that the raw silk from which these fabrics are wrought, are obtsined almost entirely from foreign countries where cheap labor is the rule. ! The silk interest has grown in the last few years much beyond what has been generslly supposed. A report issued by the silk manufacturers of America ststes that the growth of this production is steadily incressing. Within a decade it has sprung from an insignificant and unpromising experiment, and now bids fsir to become one of the lucrative branches of our varied industry. There is said to be at this time a capital of over $30,000,000 invested in the business in this country, against less then $3,000,000 in 1860. Sixteen thousand operatives are omployed, earning $8,000,000 per snnum, and weaving between $30,000,000 and $40,000,000 Die THE BATTLE OF THE RATS. nishes a safe retrest in csse of overflow. The omnipresent brown rat, however, has driven this native well out of all the city aud village sites, and, for the last two decades, has msde itself unpleasantly abundant, wherever, throughont the Paoifio Coast, the Anglo Saxon has planted his homestead. Nitrate or Sopa.—The following item comes from South America: In view of the vast national importance of the new law limiting the produotion of nitrate of soda and msking the Government the sole exporter of that most valuable article, the following data will be found interesting, as showing the steady increase of the demand: In 1870, 2,500,000 quintals of nitrate were shipped from Pernvian ports to all markets

abroad. . In 1871, this figure was incressed to 3,000,000 quintals, and in 1872 reached the very respectable sum of 4,420,000 quintals. PHILADELPHIA manufscturers, employing in the aggregate 10,000 persons, are, the Inquirer . says, preparing to abandon Philadelphia, and carry on their business in Delaware, in order to heunder lighter taxation. The proprietors ' of the Pascal tron Works have already done so. Minino matters at Little Cottonwood Cation, . Utah, are moving ahead in good shape, and there is every prospect fora big yield of ore next season, the principal work doing at present being preparatory. Tur Seattle Coal Compauy is now shipping 160 tons of coal daily. worth of silk goods ina year. The report assigns as one of the drawbacks to a more speedy development, the fact that the California raw silk must all be sont to Europe to be reeled, the improved machinery necessary for that purpose not having, strangely enough, found its way as yet to this country. The American silks are universally admired, both in this conntry and in Europe, and when our facilities are matured will be able to to compete with the world, Ratiways 1n Soura AmeRroa.—The railways from Arequipa to the lsrge interior cities of Cuzco and Puno are being pushed forward with much energy, the natural obstructions to be overcome rendering the labor one of extreme difficulty. Once on the level plsteau rnnning from Pano to within sixty miles of Arequipa, and that point is almost reached, the advance will be remarkably rapid. The line from Ohimbote to Husraz, considered by msny well acquainted with the resources of the country as the most important railroad in Peru, has some thirty-six miles now ready for ironing. New Mar Steamer.—The Pacific Mail Company’s new iron steamer ‘‘Colima,’’ 3,250 tons burden, was successfully Isunched from Rooche’s ship-yard, at Chester,(Pa.) onthe 6th inst. There are four others now on the stocks for the same company, of which two have a tonnage of 5,000 tons cach. Ooax and quicksilver are claimed to exist in Mendocino county in the neighborhood of Ukiah. Singular Discovery of Gold. A gentlemen informs the Nevada Transcript of a most singular disoovery of a piece of gold, at Red Hill, abont a mile from this oity. He says one of the owners of the land was walking by a piece of ground, afew days ago, where the top dirt had been washed offto the depth of about five feet, and saw something shining. He went tothe spot, and ascertaining it was gold, took out apiece weighing about three ounces. Informing his partner of the discovery, they supplied themselves with tools, and returned to the spot where the three-ounce specimen wss found, and proceeded to clear the clay awsy for a distance of two and a hslf feet in length and nearly two feet in width, which was as far as the gold could be traced. The gold lsy nesrly fist the whole of this distance and on the bed rock. If it had been melted and poured out it conld uot have been so nicely laid as it was there. Some portions of it was as thin ss a wafer, and none of it thicker than a twenty dollar gold pieoe. Our informant says if it hsd been taken out ss he ssw it, it would have been the most beautiful specimen ever exhibited in the world. The owners on seeing the sight became excited and anxious to ascertain the result of their discoyery commenced picking it out every way, thus spoiling the beautiful specimen. Its appearance seemed to indicate, at first sight; ' that it was @ massive boulder of gold, and ou the surface it looked as though there was a blook of gold worth ‘millions of dollats.> They, dug it out in pieces of various sizes, and the total value of the gold was $3,0U0. The most sinular psrt of it was, there was no quartz in it, although the hill is full of quartz, Some people may think that this was a ‘“ salting process,” in order to effect a sale for s large sum of monty. But we know that such is not the csse, as the greund in thatlocality is not for sale. Furthermore, many suoh pockets Lave been found on Ked Hull, one of wh.oh, discovered many years ago, yielded over $7,0UU, and others valying from $50 to Pi,UUU. Asa rale, these ** pocket claims’ are not remunerative, from the fact that when a “‘nocket’’ ia stiuck, miner’s will otten spend twice asmuch as the amount taken out in trying to find another, and then be disappointed; and Red Hill is not an exception. Large amounts of money have been tsken out of this hill, and a great deal been spent in prospectae But ra think the time not fsr distant when it will be demonstrated that one of the richest quartz ledges in the country runs through Red Hill, which when developed, will add greatly to the wealth of Nevada county. All through the hill floating quartz and spurs may be found, and as the famous Schmitt ledge is close to and runs in that direction, there is good reason for the belief that Red Hill will yet be made tounesrth her hidden treasures, and reward the faithful prospector for his untiring energy. Assayinc Leap Orzs.—Previons to reducing the galena or other lead oro tothe metallio state, A. Maseazzini converts the lead present in the ore into sulphate, by igniting itin a porcelain crucible with sulphate of ammonia, after which the ore is treated in the usual manner. The flux preferred by the author is that reoommended by Plattner, consisting of 13 parts of carbonate of potasss; 10 of dry csrbonate of soda; 5 of previously fused borax; and five of ' well dried starch. Anti-SEa-Srcx Canmys.—The famousBessemer ship has encountered a rival in the floating oabin devised by a Russian. The constraotion is very mnch the aame as that of the Bessemer but the csbin instead of being attached to a pivot, literally floats amidships between the engines. The invention has been tested by the Grand Duke Constantine, and is deemed successful. . Sout Benn, Indiana, claims 150 industrial establishments, employing 2,100 workmer, and turning out an annual produot of $5,000,000, or $500 to cach inhabitant of the town. Its buildings erected in 1872 cost $1,300,000.