Volume 34 (1877) (434 pages)

MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. (January 6, 1877. ‘GorrEsPoNDENCE. Mining, Etc., About Helena, M. T. cP? Eprrors Press:—As this is about the center of the Territory, and surrounded on all sides by mines from which a large revenue was derived, Helena soon got the start of her neighbors in population, which now numbers about 3,000, or not far from one-fifth of the entire Territory. In addition to the capitol, and a fine brick building for a public school, at present accommodating 350 pupils, there has just been finished a neat, substantial brick structure to be used as a Government assay office, ata cost of $50,000, under the charge of Mr. C. Rumley, as United States assayer. There is a foundry and machine shop here, owned and run by Messrs. Davis & Tatem, where quartz mills, flour and saw mills, hoisting works, etc., are put up in complete order, and also a smelting furnace, at present run by Mr. V. T. Preest, known as the Helena reduction works, and supplied mostly by the galena and carbonate ores of Lewis and Clarke county, or from the Rumley, the North Pacific and Molly McGregor mines of Jefferson county. The furnace has four stacks, intended to be run two at a time, alternately, and is fitted out witha 60-horse engine and boiler, Root’s blower, Dodd’s rock-breaker, a threestamp battery, two cupel furnaces, improved wrought iron tuyeres, assay office, and a complete set of implements, together with a house sufficiently large to shelter 20,000 bushels of coal } . In this connection may be mentioned a new and improved mode of Marking Minerals, Ores, Fossils, petrifactions and other specimens for cabinets, an invention of Mr. Chas. W. Cannon, of Helena, and covered by United States patent, The improvement consists chiefly in the use of plaster of paris, or a cement formed in the main of this material. A small-pointed brush is used for putting on the inscription after the cement has become set, using India ink or paint. If preferred, the entire surface may first be covered with ink or paint, and the letters put on by scraping off the ink with some pointed instrument. In one case the letters will be black, and in the other white, each on a different colored background. The labels can be made to assume any size or shape to please the fancy, and are not liable to injury, however roughly handled, so perfect. is the adherence of the cement to the ores. The cabinets of Montana are generally marked in this way, and where neatly excuted, the labeling presents a pleasing effect and seems to give universal satisfaction. The annual bullion product of the Territory is estimated at about $4,00C,000. About $500,000 of this is purchased at Helena, the product of the placer and quartz mines of the immediate vicinity and districts more or less remote. . The Gravel Mines Were at one time yery productive, and are still yielding considerable amounts. Those of Last Chance—the principal gulch — have yielded steadily and in large amounts since 1864, the total product to date probably not falling short of $12,000,000. Grizzly gulch, from the Park down, has paid well the past season, most of the claims running from $o to $7 per day to the man, and one claim at least has paid in dividends about $1,000. Dry gulch and its tributaries panned out at the rate of from $5 to $10 per day, saying nothing of the Oro Fino, Tucker, Holmes, Greenhorn and other gulches. Immediately below Helena there is a heavy depeaty of gravel, that has paid exceedingly well, and is still quite extensive. It appears to be an older channel that once ran at right angles to the present gulch, with a depth of pay dirt averaging 35 feet. About $1,000,000 have been taken out here by three companies, Mr. Frank Taylor's claim of 13 acres is one of the most valuable, and has hitherto been worked by means of towers 60 feet ahove the surface, into which the gravel is hauled on tramways by machinery, and thence dumped into sluice boxes, In this way, as much as $154,000 were taken from a space 135 by 130 feet. This claim and others here will soon be worked to much better advantage when a Large Flume, Three feet wide by three deep, reaches this fine body of ground. It will be completed by Mr. W, A. Chessman ata cost of $10,000, and has already been extended about amile. It is intended not only for the working of a large body of gravel belonging to this gentleman, who also owns the water and expects to make it personally profitable, but also for the benefit of all owning claims in this locality. As much of this ground has paid from $5 to $20 per day, with some runs as high as $50 and $100, a good return may be reasonably anticipated on the completion of this enterpise. Quartz Mines Around Helena . In some respects one of the most remarkable mines ever met with, and quite a curiosity in its way, was found in this vicinity. It is won! derful in the richness of some of its ores, as well as in their variety and combinations, embracing, as the details will show, every different class of silver ores known to the mineralogist if not some not laid down in the books. The Lexington, belonging to Messrs. Benjamin and! Cassel of your city, and Mr. W. C. Childs, agent of Wells, Fargo & Co., Helena, occurs in a granite formation, giving every evidence of a true fissure vein, with dip regular and well defined walls. The width of vein matter is about five feet, the richest ore being from four inches to two and one-half feet thick, although not uninterruptedly continuous, The greatest depth at present attained is 80 feet, with a level of about 20 feet. Three men have extracted the past season 150 tons of ore, 135 of which was fair grade milling—5a tons yielding $103 in silver. The other 15 tons consist of extremely rich ore, the silver appearing in every imaginable chemical combination, and the assays made from the ore from time to time, as taken from the mine, running (many of them) high into the thousands. Pieces of horn silver from one to three pounds have occasionally made their appearance, showing a value by assay of upwards of $24,000. Besides this, wire silver is sometimes found that is a curiosity in itself worth seeing. The wires are from the size of pins to that of ten-penny nails. About 300 pounds of the wire silver have been mined, the pieces weighing from 2 to 30 pounds each, and literally permeated with the coarse wires, which may be seen projecting out from all points of the ore. The assays of this class show a near approach to pure silver, running in the neighborhood of $35,000. At the bottom of the shaft where they are at work (80 feet from surface) there is a vein from 12to 18 inches in width, with ore in considerable quantities, containing black sulphurets of silver, horn silver, generally diffused ehrough, the ore, copper, silver glance, honey-combed chloride ore and virgin (leaf) silver. At this point the walls are perfectly defined and the vein on both incased between seams of tale, the ore assaying from $12,000 to $24,000. By digging along the surface for 300 feet, in addition to the classes of ore already named, they have obtained copper glance, arseni al silver, and brittle silver ore (stephanite), white quartz carrying silver in chlorides, argentiferous galena, porous chloride ore, carbonates of lead intermingled with black sulphurets of silver, and other varieties or combinations either new or unknown to two or three mining engineers from New York who examined the mine and pronounced the productions the most extraordinary they had ever seen. One specimen weighing 37 pounds was seen here, perhaps fully one-fourth of horn silver. A number of fine specimens may be found at the office of Cassel Brothers, in your city. The Silver Hee's, A recent discovery, owned by Messrs. Davis & Corwin, is situated on the side of a steep mountain a short distance above Helena, where it can be opened to great advantage by tunnel. The country rock is limestone, but adjacent to the slate. The crevice is three feet, with an average ore vein of argentiferous galena of 12 inches—rnnning 40 per cent. lead and $50 per ton silver. It is promising for the amount of development, and it is hoped that it may widen to a large chamber, as is often the case in similar formations. Mr. J. Schafer, a little below Unionville and about four miles above Helena, was making good wages on the McIntyre lode. Its direction is east and west through the granite, not far from the limestone, and is from six inches to two feet in width, His rock is worked by arastra, on which he has made some improvement for facilitating crushing which cannot now be made public, as it has not yet been patented. The National mining and exploring company, once known as the Whitlatch Union, is in possession of a property that has yielded not less than $2,250,000, but at present depth of incline, 950 feet, find their vein broken up and faulted hy a cross lode. With the exception of some $20,000 taken out the past season on the tribute system, near the surface or from float quartz, but little has been done. New machinery, consisting of a Babcock and a Wilcox sectional boiler and a large Worthington duplex pressure pump, were put up last fall and the mine was pretty well drained when visited. Some ore was reported in sight, and a further persistent search for the vein was in contemplation. The Columbia, on the Park lode, five miles from Helena, had just resumed work with new machinery. They have shipped during the past four years over $750,000 in bullion. At the depth of 300 feet their ore vein is three feet and runs from $15 to $18 in gold. The Evelyn, adjoining, owned by M. Courtwright & Co., had paid from $20 to $50, but no ore was being erushed, The Pedro, On the same lode, and a mile from Unionville, had reached a depth of 120 feet; vein from six inches to 18 inches, in granite. The quartz works from $25 to $75 im gold; the last lot, which was being cleaned up at Harvey’s mill, in charge of Mr. J. W. Dalrymple, brought the company $40. In accordance with a statement made by Mr. Henry Richards, the superintendent, and also a stockholder, it has paid its regular dividends since the Ist of last May, when the work commenced, With proper facilities for mining and crushing $10 gold quartz can be made to pay on this lode if the vein continues to hold its usual width. The North and South Pacific, on Red mountain, in Ten-mile district, is well opened by tunnel and shaft. Lode from 25 to 30 feet, much of the ore consisting of antimonial silver. The shipments average from $230 to $300 per ton. On the same mountain range, 15 miles from Helena, Mr, C. B. Vaughan is sole proprietor of The Little Jennie, On which some work was done in 1873. Two lodes cross each other at this point, with ledge matter in places from 40 to 50 feet wide, where they are reached by tunnel. Levels have been run on one of these, known as the Peerless, 140 and 340 feet east and west, and another, on the Little Jennie, 200 feet, disclosing four rich chimneys of argentiferous galena and gray copper ore (fahlerz). The fahl ore gives assays all the way from $240 to $18,000. First-class shipped to Freiberg worked from $700 to $900 per ton, and one lot sent to San Francisco yielded $1,000; second class worth from $250 to $400. The lode is encased in granite walls, containing streaks of porphyry and tale mixed with veins of milling quartz, and widening in portions of the mine to chimneys of nearly pure ore, stamping it with a character for mchness rarely surpassed, and ranking it among the best paying mines of Montana. A.C. K, Helena, M, T. Santa Cruz Water Works. Eprrors Press:—The new water works at Santa Cruz is one of the finest and most valuable improvements connected with its rapid growth, and will be largely promotive of the future health and comfort of this little seaside city, These works have been built by a corporate company, whose president is H. K. Moore, Esq., of San Francisco, where is also its bu&iness location, The resident superintendent and manager of the works is KE. R. Morgan, Esq., to whose business tact and constructive skill the company is largely indebted for its success in the completion and proper working of this great enterprise. In attempting to report these, works for the information of your readers, your correspondent would claim no especial reportorial acumen by pretending the acquisition of an item either unknown to common observation, or unheralded to the world. For these works, sitting wie the high hillside like a large fortification, above and overlooking the town and adjacent’ country, are the most conspicuous objects seen in approaching the city from any direction; and they have been duly noticed, from time to time, by the local journals, in their progress and completion. But itis to givea larger play to our warm individual interest in whatever enhances the interests of our former home, and to bear testimony to the public value of the conception, to the wisdom of the investment of capital employed, and to the skill displayed in the construction of these works, that we attempt these notes. Calling at the office of the company on Pacific avenue, near the postoftice, we were invited to take a seat in the buggy of the superintendent, and were taken to the Two Reservoirs On the hill, at the point where the bluffs, which form the back wall of the first terrace of the upper town, bend abruptly to the left and form the western boundary of the San Lorenzo valley. Then extending northward a mile or more, these bluffs rise up into the mountains which run the whole length of the Lorenzo river. The location of these reservoirs not only secures the proper elevation to carry the water with a heavy pressure to all parts of the town and the country for miles around, but also affords a magnificent view. of the entire region in every direction. The company have secured four acres of ground at this point, beginning on High street, with a frontage of 150 feet or more, and running back in a northerly direction to near the top of the bluff at its upper corner. The surface is covered with soil, and under it a chalk rock formation of unknown depth. The ground for about half its length from the street has but aslight declination south towards the street and east towards the river. From this middle point the excavations begin, which divide the other portion into two asvending terraces. The lower boundaries of these terraces are retreating walls made of the stone taken from the excavated hill. The lines of these walls are not straight, but slightly curved, so as to pass around the hilland at the same time give a graceful contour to the ornamentation of the grounds, which it is proposed so to beautify that they will afford the most delightful place of public resort to be found near the city. The lower reservoir is located at the lower end of the terrace, nearly midway of the grounds, and is a parallelogram 60x80 feet, sunk into the rocky foundation 11 or more feet, its almost perpendicular walls water-cemented, and holding 300,000 gallons of water. It is enclosed with a high board wall, neatly white-washed, and leaves a walk four feet wide all around the reservoir on its inside. The upper and highest reservoir is at the highest and extreme point of the bluff, at the upper end of the terrace, and has a view of the San Lorenzo valley northward. The view then swinging to the right, through all intermefliate points of the circle, looks the whole length of the peninsula formed by the river and ocean, and far out upon the latter, to the extreme southwest. This reservoir, like the other, is sunk into the solid reck; but, unlike the other, is an elliptical bowl in ‘shape. It is likewise camented. enclosed and holds about 150,000 gallons. The enclosures have windows in their sides to afford an unobstructed view of their entire interiors to an interested and curious public. Both reservoirs are well. stocked with fish to keep pure the water, and will afford rare sport to the privileged angler. The lower reservoir is 90 feet and the higher 150 feet above the river, where the F Steam Pumps, : ene: the unwary waters into their monstrous throats, foree them along and up their dark tubes to these lofty receptacles, 4,700 feet away. bs Automatic Arrangements. Both of: these reservoirs are furnished with a metallic float, which is so ingeniously contrived that it automatically by two levers (one for each reservoir), surmounted at-their outer ends by a broad, square, white tin, intended tb be seen from a distance, and so attached to an elevated pole fixed m the wall of the’ highest reservoir that they fall outwardly, through all the intermediate points of the quadrant, from a perpendicular to a level position, indicates the exact depth of the water in each reservoir. By this simple mechanical contrivance a telegraph is constructed which informs the engineer near a mile away when his pumps need to begin or cease their motion. But this is not all’ that this float does, for when the lower reservoir is filled (and this reservoir is always filled before the upper one) the float reaches and loosens a spring which by its recoil opens a valve situated in a small pipe coming from the upper reservoir and terminating ina little house Natatel over the spot where the feeding main branches, one leading to the lower and the other to the upper reservoir. This yalve opens over a little waterwheel, which by its connection with proper machinery closes the valve of the lower branch main and opens the valve of the upper branch main, thus stopping the water flowing into the lower and forcing it an additional hight) of 60 feet into the upper reservoir, «When this reseryoix in turn is full, its own float by the same contrivance reyerses all these movements, closes the upper pipe and again opens the lower. Thus, by this automatic telegraph and valvecontrolling arrangement, the reservoirs are regulated, never lacking water and never overflowing. 3 The Engine House And pumps are located on the San Lorenzo river, about a mile above Santa Cruz, The boilerhouse is 20x30 feet, contains the largest boiler in the county, is very complete, and is furnished with patent safety valve and whistle. The pump room is 18x28 feet, two stories; the upper story occupied by engineer and family, The buildings are well built, hard finished and tastefully painted, and, notwithstanding the throbbing of its huge pumps, all has an air of quiet neatness. The pumps are Hooker's patent, manufactured .and put in place by W. 'T. Garratt, of San Francisco; they are two in number, and are a marvel of compact efficiency. The larger one is a strong iron box three feet ten inches long, one foot eight inches in thickness and two feet deep, and contains within its recess 20 valves and other machinery, besides 35,000 gallons of water per hour, which, passing through it, it forces along the eight-inch feeding main with a pressure of over fifty pounds to theinch. The engine which drives this pump is as simple and concealed in machinery as the pump itself; for all that can be seen is a cylinder 18x24 inches at one end of the pump box and two feet from it, with a piston traversing between, with both ends hid within the cylinder and the pump box_respectively— the steam power required to produce this simple motion rising to the pressure of 75 or 80 pounds to the square inch, This simple apparatus, with a few steam pipes and water pipes leading to and from the pump, is all that can be seen of that mighty force which propels 35,000 gallons of water one mile (nearly) and into the air 150 feet every hour! There is a smaller pump like the larger which can be worked, and the combined capacity reaches 50,000 per hour. The water supply is drawn from an immense walled well, just outside the buildings, entirely protected from possible overflow of the river. ‘This well is sunk several feet below the river bed and forty feet at least from it. Its water sinks through immense sand filters laid in the bottom of the river, and passes into it pure and limpid by the force of gravity alone. The feed pipes, as well as all the mains through the city, are the “Wyckoff Wooden Pipe,” And will bear the pressure of 900 pounds to the square inch. This supply pipe and the mains into the lower town are eight inches in the clear. The mains into the upper town are six inches. Branch pipes from four to six inches, and short runs are three inches. The mains, with all their branches now laid, reach the distance of 8{ miles. The company has made up to the present 200 connections and expect to make during the coming year 400 more. The revenue already derived from this source amounts to one per cent. on the investment. Pretty well for the first year’s work. The company will soon run their mains along Mission Continued on page 6.

MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. (January 6, 1877. ‘GorrEsPoNDENCE. Mining, Etc., About Helena, M. T. cP? Eprrors Press:—As this is about the center of the Territory, and surrounded on all sides by mines from which a large revenue was derived, Helena soon got the start of her neighbors in population, which now numbers about 3,000, or not far from one-fifth of the entire Territory. In addition to the capitol, and a fine brick building for a public school, at present accommodating 350 pupils, there has just been finished a neat, substantial brick structure to be used as a Government assay office, ata cost of $50,000, under the charge of Mr. C. Rumley, as United States assayer. There is a foundry and machine shop here, owned and run by Messrs. Davis & Tatem, where quartz mills, flour and saw mills, hoisting works, etc., are put up in complete order, and also a smelting furnace, at present run by Mr. V. T. Preest, known as the Helena reduction works, and supplied mostly by the galena and carbonate ores of Lewis and Clarke county, or from the Rumley, the North Pacific and Molly McGregor mines of Jefferson county. The furnace has four stacks, intended to be run two at a time, alternately, and is fitted out witha 60-horse engine and boiler, Root’s blower, Dodd’s rock-breaker, a threestamp battery, two cupel furnaces, improved wrought iron tuyeres, assay office, and a complete set of implements, together with a house sufficiently large to shelter 20,000 bushels of coal } . In this connection may be mentioned a new and improved mode of Marking Minerals, Ores, Fossils, petrifactions and other specimens for cabinets, an invention of Mr. Chas. W. Cannon, of Helena, and covered by United States patent, The improvement consists chiefly in the use of plaster of paris, or a cement formed in the main of this material. A small-pointed brush is used for putting on the inscription after the cement has become set, using India ink or paint. If preferred, the entire surface may first be covered with ink or paint, and the letters put on by scraping off the ink with some pointed instrument. In one case the letters will be black, and in the other white, each on a different colored background. The labels can be made to assume any size or shape to please the fancy, and are not liable to injury, however roughly handled, so perfect. is the adherence of the cement to the ores. The cabinets of Montana are generally marked in this way, and where neatly excuted, the labeling presents a pleasing effect and seems to give universal satisfaction. The annual bullion product of the Territory is estimated at about $4,00C,000. About $500,000 of this is purchased at Helena, the product of the placer and quartz mines of the immediate vicinity and districts more or less remote. . The Gravel Mines Were at one time yery productive, and are still yielding considerable amounts. Those of Last Chance—the principal gulch — have yielded steadily and in large amounts since 1864, the total product to date probably not falling short of $12,000,000. Grizzly gulch, from the Park down, has paid well the past season, most of the claims running from $o to $7 per day to the man, and one claim at least has paid in dividends about $1,000. Dry gulch and its tributaries panned out at the rate of from $5 to $10 per day, saying nothing of the Oro Fino, Tucker, Holmes, Greenhorn and other gulches. Immediately below Helena there is a heavy depeaty of gravel, that has paid exceedingly well, and is still quite extensive. It appears to be an older channel that once ran at right angles to the present gulch, with a depth of pay dirt averaging 35 feet. About $1,000,000 have been taken out here by three companies, Mr. Frank Taylor's claim of 13 acres is one of the most valuable, and has hitherto been worked by means of towers 60 feet ahove the surface, into which the gravel is hauled on tramways by machinery, and thence dumped into sluice boxes, In this way, as much as $154,000 were taken from a space 135 by 130 feet. This claim and others here will soon be worked to much better advantage when a Large Flume, Three feet wide by three deep, reaches this fine body of ground. It will be completed by Mr. W, A. Chessman ata cost of $10,000, and has already been extended about amile. It is intended not only for the working of a large body of gravel belonging to this gentleman, who also owns the water and expects to make it personally profitable, but also for the benefit of all owning claims in this locality. As much of this ground has paid from $5 to $20 per day, with some runs as high as $50 and $100, a good return may be reasonably anticipated on the completion of this enterpise. Quartz Mines Around Helena . In some respects one of the most remarkable mines ever met with, and quite a curiosity in its way, was found in this vicinity. It is won! derful in the richness of some of its ores, as well as in their variety and combinations, embracing, as the details will show, every different class of silver ores known to the mineralogist if not some not laid down in the books. The Lexington, belonging to Messrs. Benjamin and! Cassel of your city, and Mr. W. C. Childs, agent of Wells, Fargo & Co., Helena, occurs in a granite formation, giving every evidence of a true fissure vein, with dip regular and well defined walls. The width of vein matter is about five feet, the richest ore being from four inches to two and one-half feet thick, although not uninterruptedly continuous, The greatest depth at present attained is 80 feet, with a level of about 20 feet. Three men have extracted the past season 150 tons of ore, 135 of which was fair grade milling—5a tons yielding $103 in silver. The other 15 tons consist of extremely rich ore, the silver appearing in every imaginable chemical combination, and the assays made from the ore from time to time, as taken from the mine, running (many of them) high into the thousands. Pieces of horn silver from one to three pounds have occasionally made their appearance, showing a value by assay of upwards of $24,000. Besides this, wire silver is sometimes found that is a curiosity in itself worth seeing. The wires are from the size of pins to that of ten-penny nails. About 300 pounds of the wire silver have been mined, the pieces weighing from 2 to 30 pounds each, and literally permeated with the coarse wires, which may be seen projecting out from all points of the ore. The assays of this class show a near approach to pure silver, running in the neighborhood of $35,000. At the bottom of the shaft where they are at work (80 feet from surface) there is a vein from 12to 18 inches in width, with ore in considerable quantities, containing black sulphurets of silver, horn silver, generally diffused ehrough, the ore, copper, silver glance, honey-combed chloride ore and virgin (leaf) silver. At this point the walls are perfectly defined and the vein on both incased between seams of tale, the ore assaying from $12,000 to $24,000. By digging along the surface for 300 feet, in addition to the classes of ore already named, they have obtained copper glance, arseni al silver, and brittle silver ore (stephanite), white quartz carrying silver in chlorides, argentiferous galena, porous chloride ore, carbonates of lead intermingled with black sulphurets of silver, and other varieties or combinations either new or unknown to two or three mining engineers from New York who examined the mine and pronounced the productions the most extraordinary they had ever seen. One specimen weighing 37 pounds was seen here, perhaps fully one-fourth of horn silver. A number of fine specimens may be found at the office of Cassel Brothers, in your city. The Silver Hee's, A recent discovery, owned by Messrs. Davis & Corwin, is situated on the side of a steep mountain a short distance above Helena, where it can be opened to great advantage by tunnel. The country rock is limestone, but adjacent to the slate. The crevice is three feet, with an average ore vein of argentiferous galena of 12 inches—rnnning 40 per cent. lead and $50 per ton silver. It is promising for the amount of development, and it is hoped that it may widen to a large chamber, as is often the case in similar formations. Mr. J. Schafer, a little below Unionville and about four miles above Helena, was making good wages on the McIntyre lode. Its direction is east and west through the granite, not far from the limestone, and is from six inches to two feet in width, His rock is worked by arastra, on which he has made some improvement for facilitating crushing which cannot now be made public, as it has not yet been patented. The National mining and exploring company, once known as the Whitlatch Union, is in possession of a property that has yielded not less than $2,250,000, but at present depth of incline, 950 feet, find their vein broken up and faulted hy a cross lode. With the exception of some $20,000 taken out the past season on the tribute system, near the surface or from float quartz, but little has been done. New machinery, consisting of a Babcock and a Wilcox sectional boiler and a large Worthington duplex pressure pump, were put up last fall and the mine was pretty well drained when visited. Some ore was reported in sight, and a further persistent search for the vein was in contemplation. The Columbia, on the Park lode, five miles from Helena, had just resumed work with new machinery. They have shipped during the past four years over $750,000 in bullion. At the depth of 300 feet their ore vein is three feet and runs from $15 to $18 in gold. The Evelyn, adjoining, owned by M. Courtwright & Co., had paid from $20 to $50, but no ore was being erushed, The Pedro, On the same lode, and a mile from Unionville, had reached a depth of 120 feet; vein from six inches to 18 inches, in granite. The quartz works from $25 to $75 im gold; the last lot, which was being cleaned up at Harvey’s mill, in charge of Mr. J. W. Dalrymple, brought the

company $40. In accordance with a statement made by Mr. Henry Richards, the superintendent, and also a stockholder, it has paid its regular dividends since the Ist of last May, when the work commenced, With proper facilities for mining and crushing $10 gold quartz can be made to pay on this lode if the vein continues to hold its usual width. The North and South Pacific, on Red mountain, in Ten-mile district, is well opened by tunnel and shaft. Lode from 25 to 30 feet, much of the ore consisting of antimonial silver. The shipments average from $230 to $300 per ton. On the same mountain range, 15 miles from Helena, Mr, C. B. Vaughan is sole proprietor of The Little Jennie, On which some work was done in 1873. Two lodes cross each other at this point, with ledge matter in places from 40 to 50 feet wide, where they are reached by tunnel. Levels have been run on one of these, known as the Peerless, 140 and 340 feet east and west, and another, on the Little Jennie, 200 feet, disclosing four rich chimneys of argentiferous galena and gray copper ore (fahlerz). The fahl ore gives assays all the way from $240 to $18,000. First-class shipped to Freiberg worked from $700 to $900 per ton, and one lot sent to San Francisco yielded $1,000; second class worth from $250 to $400. The lode is encased in granite walls, containing streaks of porphyry and tale mixed with veins of milling quartz, and widening in portions of the mine to chimneys of nearly pure ore, stamping it with a character for mchness rarely surpassed, and ranking it among the best paying mines of Montana. A.C. K, Helena, M, T. Santa Cruz Water Works. Eprrors Press:—The new water works at Santa Cruz is one of the finest and most valuable improvements connected with its rapid growth, and will be largely promotive of the future health and comfort of this little seaside city, These works have been built by a corporate company, whose president is H. K. Moore, Esq., of San Francisco, where is also its bu&iness location, The resident superintendent and manager of the works is KE. R. Morgan, Esq., to whose business tact and constructive skill the company is largely indebted for its success in the completion and proper working of this great enterprise. In attempting to report these, works for the information of your readers, your correspondent would claim no especial reportorial acumen by pretending the acquisition of an item either unknown to common observation, or unheralded to the world. For these works, sitting wie the high hillside like a large fortification, above and overlooking the town and adjacent’ country, are the most conspicuous objects seen in approaching the city from any direction; and they have been duly noticed, from time to time, by the local journals, in their progress and completion. But itis to givea larger play to our warm individual interest in whatever enhances the interests of our former home, and to bear testimony to the public value of the conception, to the wisdom of the investment of capital employed, and to the skill displayed in the construction of these works, that we attempt these notes. Calling at the office of the company on Pacific avenue, near the postoftice, we were invited to take a seat in the buggy of the superintendent, and were taken to the Two Reservoirs On the hill, at the point where the bluffs, which form the back wall of the first terrace of the upper town, bend abruptly to the left and form the western boundary of the San Lorenzo valley. Then extending northward a mile or more, these bluffs rise up into the mountains which run the whole length of the Lorenzo river. The location of these reservoirs not only secures the proper elevation to carry the water with a heavy pressure to all parts of the town and the country for miles around, but also affords a magnificent view. of the entire region in every direction. The company have secured four acres of ground at this point, beginning on High street, with a frontage of 150 feet or more, and running back in a northerly direction to near the top of the bluff at its upper corner. The surface is covered with soil, and under it a chalk rock formation of unknown depth. The ground for about half its length from the street has but aslight declination south towards the street and east towards the river. From this middle point the excavations begin, which divide the other portion into two asvending terraces. The lower boundaries of these terraces are retreating walls made of the stone taken from the excavated hill. The lines of these walls are not straight, but slightly curved, so as to pass around the hilland at the same time give a graceful contour to the ornamentation of the grounds, which it is proposed so to beautify that they will afford the most delightful place of public resort to be found near the city. The lower reservoir is located at the lower end of the terrace, nearly midway of the grounds, and is a parallelogram 60x80 feet, sunk into the rocky foundation 11 or more feet, its almost perpendicular walls water-cemented, and holding 300,000 gallons of water. It is enclosed with a high board wall, neatly white-washed, and leaves a walk four feet wide all around the reservoir on its inside. The upper and highest reservoir is at the highest and extreme point of the bluff, at the upper end of the terrace, and has a view of the San Lorenzo valley northward. The view then swinging to the right, through all intermefliate points of the circle, looks the whole length of the peninsula formed by the river and ocean, and far out upon the latter, to the extreme southwest. This reservoir, like the other, is sunk into the solid reck; but, unlike the other, is an elliptical bowl in ‘shape. It is likewise camented. enclosed and holds about 150,000 gallons. The enclosures have windows in their sides to afford an unobstructed view of their entire interiors to an interested and curious public. Both reservoirs are well. stocked with fish to keep pure the water, and will afford rare sport to the privileged angler. The lower reservoir is 90 feet and the higher 150 feet above the river, where the F Steam Pumps, : ene: the unwary waters into their monstrous throats, foree them along and up their dark tubes to these lofty receptacles, 4,700 feet away. bs Automatic Arrangements. Both of: these reservoirs are furnished with a metallic float, which is so ingeniously contrived that it automatically by two levers (one for each reservoir), surmounted at-their outer ends by a broad, square, white tin, intended tb be seen from a distance, and so attached to an elevated pole fixed m the wall of the’ highest reservoir that they fall outwardly, through all the intermediate points of the quadrant, from a perpendicular to a level position, indicates the exact depth of the water in each reservoir. By this simple mechanical contrivance a telegraph is constructed which informs the engineer near a mile away when his pumps need to begin or cease their motion. But this is not all’ that this float does, for when the lower reservoir is filled (and this reservoir is always filled before the upper one) the float reaches and loosens a spring which by its recoil opens a valve situated in a small pipe coming from the upper reservoir and terminating ina little house Natatel over the spot where the feeding main branches, one leading to the lower and the other to the upper reservoir. This yalve opens over a little waterwheel, which by its connection with proper machinery closes the valve of the lower branch main and opens the valve of the upper branch main, thus stopping the water flowing into the lower and forcing it an additional hight) of 60 feet into the upper reservoir, «When this reseryoix in turn is full, its own float by the same contrivance reyerses all these movements, closes the upper pipe and again opens the lower. Thus, by this automatic telegraph and valvecontrolling arrangement, the reservoirs are regulated, never lacking water and never overflowing. 3 The Engine House And pumps are located on the San Lorenzo river, about a mile above Santa Cruz, The boilerhouse is 20x30 feet, contains the largest boiler in the county, is very complete, and is furnished with patent safety valve and whistle. The pump room is 18x28 feet, two stories; the upper story occupied by engineer and family, The buildings are well built, hard finished and tastefully painted, and, notwithstanding the throbbing of its huge pumps, all has an air of quiet neatness. The pumps are Hooker's patent, manufactured .and put in place by W. 'T. Garratt, of San Francisco; they are two in number, and are a marvel of compact efficiency. The larger one is a strong iron box three feet ten inches long, one foot eight inches in thickness and two feet deep, and contains within its recess 20 valves and other machinery, besides 35,000 gallons of water per hour, which, passing through it, it forces along the eight-inch feeding main with a pressure of over fifty pounds to theinch. The engine which drives this pump is as simple and concealed in machinery as the pump itself; for all that can be seen is a cylinder 18x24 inches at one end of the pump box and two feet from it, with a piston traversing between, with both ends hid within the cylinder and the pump box_respectively— the steam power required to produce this simple motion rising to the pressure of 75 or 80 pounds to the square inch, This simple apparatus, with a few steam pipes and water pipes leading to and from the pump, is all that can be seen of that mighty force which propels 35,000 gallons of water one mile (nearly) and into the air 150 feet every hour! There is a smaller pump like the larger which can be worked, and the combined capacity reaches 50,000 per hour. The water supply is drawn from an immense walled well, just outside the buildings, entirely protected from possible overflow of the river. ‘This well is sunk several feet below the river bed and forty feet at least from it. Its water sinks through immense sand filters laid in the bottom of the river, and passes into it pure and limpid by the force of gravity alone. The feed pipes, as well as all the mains through the city, are the “Wyckoff Wooden Pipe,” And will bear the pressure of 900 pounds to the square inch. This supply pipe and the mains into the lower town are eight inches in the clear. The mains into the upper town are six inches. Branch pipes from four to six inches, and short runs are three inches. The mains, with all their branches now laid, reach the distance of 8{ miles. The company has made up to the present 200 connections and expect to make during the coming year 400 more. The revenue already derived from this source amounts to one per cent. on the investment. Pretty well for the first year’s work. The company will soon run their mains along Mission Continued on page 6.