Volume 35 (1877) (426 pages)

194 MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS [September 29, 1877. (GorresPONDENCE. It is the desire of the editors of this journal to be liberal toward all correspondents, and therefore statements and opinions are frequently published, on the authority of the writers, for which we do not assume responsibility. Notes from Colorado.—No. 2. [By our Traveling Correspondent.] Epirors Press:—The Cornish tunnel, mining and reduction company is an organization of Boulder county, Colorado. The location of this tunnel is through Gold hill, about 10 miles west of the city of Boulder, entering the mountain a httle above Left Hand creek, through the monntain 3,000 feet in length, to the southern slope of the same mountain; the line of the tunnel being about one mile east of Gold Hill village. Gold hill rises very precipitously from Left Hand creek, so that the first 2,000 feet of the tunnel would obtain a depth of nearly 1,000 feet. This hill is also known to be a great network of veins, some of them very large and rich in gold and silver; some samples from some of them assaying over $100,000 to the ton. This mountain is located not far from the center of the wonderful telluride mineral belt of Boulder county, extending, so far as is known at present, from Magnolia mining camp on the south, to Ballarat mining camp on the north, a distance of 12 or 15 miles, The tunnel of the Cornish tunuel company was started in 1872. It enters the mountain several hundred feet above Left Hand creek, at its base, but a depth of about 900 feet will be attained below the summit by continuing the tunnel through the hill. The size of the tunnel is five feet iu width hy seven feet in hight. This tunnel has beeu run into the mountain between 950 and 1,000 feet, and, in respect to the character of the work done, will compare favorably with any other tunnel ever constructed, At the entrauce of the tunnel a suitable building has been put up, in which is a blacksmith shop, engine room, lodging places for miners, etc. For ventilation, an engine with suitable pipes has been located, extending through the works. A substantial car track has been laid through the tunnel and into the drift of the Bonanza mine, and cars are running daily, taking out rock and ore. Six mining veius have already been cut by the tunuel, four of them being of large size and already developed somewhat hy drifting upon them. All these mines helong to the tunnel company. The Relief mine was cut by the tunnel at about 212 feet from its mouth. The vein of this mine is about two feet in width, anda drift has been run upon it about 50 feet in length. A large body of ore has been found iu this mine, principally irou pyrites, carrying gold, bunt not of high grade. The Reliance Mine Is cut by the tunnel ahout 400 feet from its entrance. The vein of the mine is about five feet in width, and a drift has been run upon it about 120feet in length. The ore is also of low grade, heing large part iron pyrites, carrying gold. Assays of the ore from the Relief aud Reliance mines have shown gold and silver in the ore, from afew dollars to $140 per ton. The Bonanza Mine ‘Was cut by the tunnel ata distance of about 600 feet from its entrance, and has been drifted on about 300 feet. The vein of this mine is one of the largest, most even’ and compact veins to be found. Its average width is four feet, and it is well filled with ore assaying from afew dollars to $250 perton. The company owns 1,500 feet of each of the veins cut by the tunnel, etc. At a distance of ahout 960 feet from the entrance of the tunnel, the ‘°475” mine is crossed. At this point, where the tunnel crosses the mine, tbe vein is 16 feet wide. In this immense mass of gangue there are four or five streaks of rich telluride ore, varying in width from one to five inches, In cutting the tunnel through this vein some very handsome snecimens of tellurium and free gold were taken ont, assaying from $563 to $10,000 per ton. In connection with this property the company have Two Mill Sites, For which Government patents have been obtained. On one of these sites, and immediately on the bank of Left Hand creek, stands the 20stamp mill of the company. The power is furnished by a splendid 60-horse power steam engine. Water power from the creek can he had to drive the mill for at least eight months in the year. The capital stock of the company is $200,000 —2,000 shares of $100 each; 1,300 of these shares have been sold, and 700 are still reserved as a working capital, More than $100,000 have been expended upon this property. The “John Jay” Mine, Belonging to Mr. A, I. Van Deren, is situated in Central mining district, Boulder county, Col., ahout three miles from Jamestown, four milcs from Gold Hill, and 14 from Boulder City, where connections are made with all Eastern and Western railroads. The altitude of the mine is 8,500 feet above the level of the sea. The hight, however, does not impede the development of it, being situated on the southern mountain slope, exposed to the genial rays of the whole day. The climate is very mild, indeed, snow rarely staying on the ground more than a few days at a time. Every facility that could be possibly offered for mining is bere given in timher and water. The mountain pines and spruces are magnificent beyond description. For miles around the giant pines tower heavenward undisturbed hy the axeman, untilrecently a saw mill has been erected in Providence camp, and abont 200 yards east of the main shaft, on Jim creek, The water is abundant for all and every mining purpose. A large stream dashes along wildly at the mountain’s base as pure as the sunlight and clear as crystal, affording a never-ending supply for all mining purposes. The scenery is wild and picturesque, romantic and subhme. Geologically the country rock is gneiss granite, in places taking the trne form of granite; still at other points tt is syenite. The strike of the vein is N. 30° E. with a dip to the N. W. at an angle of 80°. The, lode is a strong, well-defined and true fissure, as is proven beyond the possibility of a doubt by the numerons shafts, prospect lodes and the depth of the main shaft (about 200 feet from surface). The ore of this mine is known as telluride ore, very rare and exccedingly rich in gold and silver. The discovery of this precious mineral in Boulder county has created an intense interest throughout the mining and scientific world, and to-day the mines of Boulder county stand very high in the estimation of all intelligent miners. Pieces of ore many pounds in weight are found iu these mines that will assay $150,000 per ton. The development of the John Jay consists of one main shaft abont 200 feet deep, one level 116 feet long; three other minor levels, 60, 45 and 38 feet long. From these excavations Mr, Van Deren has taken a large amount of valuable ore—enough to net him over $50,000, besides defraying all the expenses of developing the mine, building a road to Gold Hill and one to Jimtown, the latter ata heavy expense. And it is estimated that there is ore in sight to the value of $150,000. The notes from which these statements in regard to the John Jay mine are given, were furnished to me by Mr. W. M. Rule, Mr. Van Deren’s foreman, at his request, ; To Col. John A. Ellet, of Boulder City, Superintendent of the Cornish tunnel, Iam indebted for the information embraced in my notes regarding the progress of their tunnel mine at Gold Hill. G. W. M. Matamoras Company. The Matamoras company have reason to be well satisfied with their season’s work. Besides developing as fine a hody of ore as was ever found in Prospect mountain, they have in their short run at the furuace produced over 130 tons of bullion, valued at $50,000. This, from the small furnace used by the company, is aremarkable result, and Messrs. Sturgis & Steel are to be cougratulated on their success. The company have under way and will commence shortly many important improvements. The little Buttercup smelter is abont to be replaced by a large furnace, capable of reducing 50 tons of ore per day. The site has already been graded, and Foreman Atchinson informs us that it will be completed hy the 10th of October. Mr. Steel has gone East, and during his absence will purchase hoisting works, materials for a tramway, aud other articles necessary. Timbers for the main shaft are being sent to the miue daily, and this will be atonce pushed forward. It will contain two compartments, and will be furnished with a safety cage and other improvements of the latest and best invention. The body of ore’ recently encountered in the mine is proving tobe a splendid deposit, of as yet unknown extent. Its proportions are, however, sufficient to justify the necessary outlay incurred by the company in putting everything in first-class shape, and adds one more to the list of good mines in tho district.—Zureka Sentinel. New Spour For tHE CALIFORNIA MiLL.— To-day a new spout will be put in for conveying the pulp from the California battery to the pan mill, This has to be done about once a year. The gritis so sharp that it cuts away the fibers of the wood at the rate of two inches yearly. The last spout put in had a three-inch bottom. This has been worn away by the pulp till the nails which held it together are entirely cut offand gone. It has been found, of late, necessary to wedge it up from the outside to hold it together. Everything is worn away as by the grit of a grindstone. The wear of tbe pulp is curiously manifested where knots occur in the planks composing the spout. These knots wear slower, of course, than the other portions of the timber, being harder, After the flow begins to rise over these knots the plank on each side is rapidly cut out, so that the first thiug known, unless carefully watched, there is a hole. The plan now adopted is to build a douhle flume, one within the other, and when the inner one is worn out to yank it out and put a new one in its place. Everything is now ready for this kind of a change, which will he made to-day. The delay in operations at the mill will be from three to four hours only. This stop will be seized upon to putiu a new piston at the pan mill.—#nterprise. Copper in Arizona. The Arizona Citizen says: Arizona, without doubt, has the largest and richest deposits of copper in the United States. There is much copper near the the Colorado river, on Bill Williams’ fork; some 40 miles west of Tucsou there is a mountain ‘or more of it; it is abundant in Globe district; but, perhaps, the largest and richest deposit in America is at Clifton. With rail transportation as near as San Simon valley, 100,000 pounds of pig copper daily are promised by two companies alone, and enough smelting has heen done to warrant that the promise will be fulfilled. Railway men are asked to note this one item from but one of many localities in Arizona, In this connection we copy the following from the Grant county Herald, of August 25th : I. N. Cohen & Co. shipped to-day, by Maxwell’s train, 55,000 pounds pig copper, via El Moro to Baltimore, and have still in store 47,240 pounds, This proof is as strong as holy writ that Lesinsky’s Longfellow mine is panning out. Sweeney & Gleason’s furnace, also at Chfton, has lately been fired, and there is no reason why it should not duplicate the daily yield of the Lesinsky furnace. The ores of both companies are smelted iu the Bennett furnaces. None other have been found to staud the test. At Clifton there are 80 recorded mines, all of which are regarded as exceedingly valuable, and the lack of fuel is all that prevents the ores from being worked. The completion of the Texas Pacilicor the California Southern Pacific to a point convenient for the shipment of ores or transmission of fuel to the furnaces, will work such a change in favor of the production of copper as to heggar tbe belief of the most sanguine. The Lanmalew and Thompsou are the only mines worked at preseut, and the companies working them only run one 30-inch furnace each; and, notwithstanding the limited capacity, they will turn out 3,000,000 pounds pig copper annually. 2 When rail transportation can be bad to a point as near the mines as the San Simon, Mr. H. Lesinsky assures us that] the yield will be not Jess than 100,000 pouuds pig copper daily from the works of these two companies, which is not a tithe of what will be produced hy other companies which will theu enter into the business of producing copper ingots. The Clifton ores are infinitely richer thau those of Lake Superior, which will not be deuied when their relative values are known. The Clifton ores are eutirely free from base metals; no antimony or arsenic are coutained in them, and, as a consequence, the copper brings a higher price in copper markets than any other offered for sale. The Clifton ores average from 20 to 30 per cent. copper, while those of Lake Superior will not go above 10 per cent., if as high; and yet the Superior deposits are the brag mines of the country, and perhaps justly so, for the reason that other Eastern competitive mines only give from five to six per cont. But now the Superior deposits must dwarf in puhlic estimation, both as regards quality and quantity of ore, for the reason that the value of Clifton ores are hecoming hetter known. In our last reference to this subject, we stated that rail trausportation would induce H. Lesinsky to work 1,000 men in his mines, which he cau do with profit to himself and employees, if freight of fuel and copper were cheapened; and what Mr. L. can and will do, others there, owning miues, would find it to their interest to do also; and with this knowledge of the prospective industries of Chfton and other mining regions (and they are not a few), we impatiently wait the whistle of the locomotive. Shipping north, via El Moro, ceases after the last of September, for the reason that owners of trains do not choose to risk the pinching cold that is encountered in that hyperborean region after the middle of October; and, consequently, copper accumulates at the works from that date until March, unless an outlet can he found for it hy the Southern route, through Texas. Mryer Preacuers.—Theologians and gentlemen devoted to the ministry generally find their duties of so brain-racking and arduous a nature as to totally incapacitate them from manual lahor. The week cues are devoted to the preparation of elaborate discourses, aud the Sabhath to the delivery of the same. Kuhy Hill, however, furnishes two examples of a directly opposite nature. Rey. Mr. Wm. Johns and Cox are both as geod miners as ever wielded a pick in a drift, or let off a hlast, and can be found taking their regular shifts, and earning their $4 per diem, on all oceasions. When Sunday rolls around they in turn fill the pulpit at Miners’ Union hall, and preach the “‘Word” toa congregation of stalwart miners, who throng the building at that time. They are both eloqueut and educated men, and tlfeir pulpit oratory is ahove the average. They serve their Master without reward, and scatter their seed in good ground, The restraining influences exercised hy them can he best_ appreciated hy stating the fact that a more orderly or intelligent community eannot he found ou the coast than the inhabitants of the little village on Ruhy hill.— Eureka Sentinel. . THE miners of Pennsylvania, Michigau and Wisconsin are said to he organizing a new secret order, called the ‘‘Iron Hearts.” The oath biuds the members to obey all orders at the peril of life, to defend the interests of the order, never to reveal its secrets and to succor brother members. Colorado Mines. A correspondent of the Denver V'rihune, writing from Rabbit-ear range, Grand county, Col., says: Nearly all the more prominent mines here are being worked by small forces of men on each. Mr. Bower is running a drift on the Wolverine lode; has now about 10 inches of good pay in sight, which is widening with depth. The character of the mineral in tbis drift is chloride of silver, which is nearly 50% pure silver. There is also with this through the quartz native and ruby silver found very frequently. The Wolverine will, in all probabihty, go into the hands of California men this fall. Ifso, it will be worked vigorously all winter. The Crown Point lode, the boss lead lode of the Rockies, will, perhaps, be taken in hand hy the same parties. Stokes & Jobnson have about completed their work for this year on the Forcat; Juan. This ig a recent discovery and promising lode, and shows a strong vein of almost solid mineral five feet wide. A 50-foot drift crosses this lode at a depth of 30 feet. This is inteuded only as a discovery ‘thole.” The lode will he further developed with a tunnel lower down the monntain, L. J. Pollard is preparing to work his Ruby lode the coming winter. He is putting up a house near the mine, also a blacksmith shop. Len proposes to take out some very fine ore this winter, unless, driven to despair hy the too-frequent visits of Mr. Bruin, he is eémpelled to take the field in defense of his home and fireside, In this case he will very likely take outa few grizzly bear skins instead of ruby silver. Clauson & Porter will work their lode, the Silver Glance, this winter. They are getting out their timber supplies, etc., so as to begin husiness in earnest. Isaac Burton is tunneling on the Hilberton lode, and will continue to work it all winter. This is undoubtedly one of the best mines yet discovered here, and it is only partially developed, The Grand Lake lode and numerous others will be worked some this wiuter. A good many of the prospectors up in this section, owing to the hard times, have been obliged to abandou a number of their discoveries, which will all prove valuable to some oue in the future. If we had mills here we would foel that we were as independent as any of our neighbor mining camps, But in this respect we are pretty badly left. Explosion of Gas in an Amalgamating Pan. The Gold Hill News, speaking of an accident at the Petaluma mill, says: The manner of the accident was as follows: When the amalgamating pans are started up after they have beeu cleaned the action of the heat and mercury upon the pulp rapidly generates a gas, which explodes as readily as gunpowder upon coming in contact with fire. Myvery amalgamator is well acquainted with this fact, and they always take every precaution to prevent an explosiou trom this source. Mr. Brown, who was an old and experienced workman ahout quartz mills, kuew this well enough, but this morning he seemed to have neglected or forgotten the fact. He raised the small lid in the top of the pan to examine the condition of the pulp, when the gas rushed out through the openiug. It was ignited by the fire from the candle which Brown held in his hand, resulting in a tremendous explosion, the report of which sounded like the firing ofa cannon. Brown was knocked senseless by the concussion, and received several body wounds, the exact extent of which could not be learned by the News reporter, who visited the *mill this morning. His face was badly burned by the flaming gas. It is feared that his sight was totally destroyed. A team was obtained from Mr. Emmet, of Gold Hill foundry, and the injured man removed immediately to his room on A street, Virginia City. Mr. Brown is a single man, and has no one dependent upon him for support. He had formerly worked in the Sacramento mill, north of Virginia, and had heen employed in tho Petaluma mill since the first of the montb, and had proved himself a skilled and competent work-man. The accident need not have occurred if the lid had been left open a few minutes so as to allow the gas to escape. This is generally done, or else the light is kept at safe distance. The disaster can be attributed to nothing but Brown’s absent-mindodness aud carelessness. Fortunately none of the other workmen of the mill were near enough to the pan at the time to in any way feel the effects of the shock, or to come in the way of the flying fragments of the iron castings. The top of the pan was blown off, but there was no other damage done to the mill. Ancuine TunneLts.—The water company has a large force husily employed repairing and strengthening the canal in anticipation of winter. Prominent among the various improvements heing made is the provision for tho protection of the tunnels on the line of the ditch. The tunnel through Cape Horn ridge, as well as the one that perforates the mountain nearly opposite the Flume house, is being arched with solid masonry. The cost will be considerable, hut the work will be permauent when completed, and be the cheapest in the longrun. No other canal in the State is in better repair or more carefully, looked after than that of the Mokclumne Hill Water Company.—Calaveras Chronicle.

194 MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS [September 29, 1877. (GorresPONDENCE. It is the desire of the editors of this journal to be liberal toward all correspondents, and therefore statements and opinions are frequently published, on the authority of the writers, for which we do not assume responsibility. Notes from Colorado.—No. 2. [By our Traveling Correspondent.] Epirors Press:—The Cornish tunnel, mining and reduction company is an organization of Boulder county, Colorado. The location of this tunnel is through Gold hill, about 10 miles west of the city of Boulder, entering the mountain a httle above Left Hand creek, through the monntain 3,000 feet in length, to the southern slope of the same mountain; the line of the tunnel being about one mile east of Gold Hill village. Gold hill rises very precipitously from Left Hand creek, so that the first 2,000 feet of the tunnel would obtain a depth of nearly 1,000 feet. This hill is also known to be a great network of veins, some of them very large and rich in gold and silver; some samples from some of them assaying over $100,000 to the ton. This mountain is located not far from the center of the wonderful telluride mineral belt of Boulder county, extending, so far as is known at present, from Magnolia mining camp on the south, to Ballarat mining camp on the north, a distance of 12 or 15 miles, The tunnel of the Cornish tunuel company was started in 1872. It enters the mountain several hundred feet above Left Hand creek, at its base, but a depth of about 900 feet will be attained below the summit by continuing the tunnel through the hill. The size of the tunnel is five feet iu width hy seven feet in hight. This tunnel has beeu run into the mountain between 950 and 1,000 feet, and, in respect to the character of the work done, will compare favorably with any other tunnel ever constructed, At the entrauce of the tunnel a suitable building has been put up, in which is a blacksmith shop, engine room, lodging places for miners, etc. For ventilation, an engine with suitable pipes has been located, extending through the works. A substantial car track has been laid through the tunnel and into the drift of the Bonanza mine, and cars are running daily, taking out rock and ore. Six mining veius have already been cut by the tunuel, four of them being of large size and already developed somewhat hy drifting upon them. All these mines helong to the tunnel company. The Relief mine was cut by the tunnel at about 212 feet from its mouth. The vein of this mine is about two feet in width, anda drift has been run upon it about 50 feet in length. A large body of ore has been found iu this mine, principally irou pyrites, carrying gold, bunt not of high grade. The Reliance Mine Is cut by the tunnel ahout 400 feet from its entrance. The vein of the mine is about five feet in width, and a drift has been run upon it about 120feet in length. The ore is also of low grade, heing large part iron pyrites, carrying gold. Assays of the ore from the Relief aud Reliance mines have shown gold and silver in the ore, from afew dollars to $140 per ton. The Bonanza Mine ‘Was cut by the tunnel ata distance of about 600 feet from its entrance, and has been drifted on about 300 feet. The vein of this mine is one of the largest, most even’ and compact veins to be found. Its average width is four feet, and it is well filled with ore assaying from afew dollars to $250 perton. The company owns 1,500 feet of each of the veins cut by the tunnel, etc. At a distance of ahout 960 feet from the entrance of the tunnel, the ‘°475” mine is crossed. At this point, where the tunnel crosses the mine, tbe vein is 16 feet wide. In this immense mass of gangue there are four or five streaks of rich telluride ore, varying in width from one to five inches, In cutting the tunnel through this vein some very handsome snecimens of tellurium and free gold were taken ont, assaying from $563 to $10,000 per ton. In connection with this property the company have Two Mill Sites, For which Government patents have been obtained. On one of these sites, and immediately on the bank of Left Hand creek, stands the 20stamp mill of the company. The power is furnished by a splendid 60-horse power steam engine. Water power from the creek can he had to drive the mill for at least eight months in the year. The capital stock of the company is $200,000 —2,000 shares of $100 each; 1,300 of these shares have been sold, and 700 are still reserved as a working capital, More than $100,000 have been expended upon this property. The “John Jay” Mine, Belonging to Mr. A, I. Van Deren, is situated in Central mining district, Boulder county, Col., ahout three miles from Jamestown, four milcs from Gold Hill, and 14 from Boulder City, where connections are made with all Eastern and Western railroads. The altitude of the mine is 8,500 feet above the level of the sea. The hight, however, does not impede the development of it, being situated on the southern mountain slope, exposed to the genial rays of the whole day. The climate is very mild, indeed, snow rarely staying on the ground more than a few days at a time. Every facility that could be possibly offered for mining is bere given in timher and water. The mountain pines and spruces are magnificent beyond description. For miles around the giant pines tower heavenward undisturbed hy the axeman, untilrecently a saw mill has been erected in Providence camp, and abont 200 yards east of the main shaft, on Jim creek, The water is abundant for all and every mining purpose. A large stream dashes along wildly at the mountain’s base as pure as the sunlight and clear as crystal, affording a never-ending supply for all mining purposes. The scenery is wild and picturesque, romantic and subhme. Geologically the country rock is gneiss granite, in places taking the trne form of granite; still at other points tt is syenite. The strike of the vein is N. 30° E. with a dip to the N. W. at an angle of 80°. The, lode is a strong, well-defined and true fissure, as is proven beyond the possibility of a doubt by the numerons shafts, prospect lodes and the depth of the main shaft (about 200 feet from surface). The ore of this mine is known as telluride ore, very rare and exccedingly rich in gold and silver. The discovery of this precious mineral in Boulder county has created an intense interest throughout the mining and scientific world, and to-day the mines of Boulder county stand very high in the estimation of all intelligent miners. Pieces of ore many pounds in weight are found iu these mines that will assay $150,000 per ton. The development of the John Jay consists of one main shaft abont 200 feet deep, one level 116 feet long; three other minor levels, 60, 45 and 38 feet long. From these excavations Mr, Van Deren has taken a large amount of valuable ore—enough to net him over $50,000, besides defraying all the expenses of developing the mine, building a road to Gold Hill and one to Jimtown, the latter ata heavy expense. And it is estimated that there is ore in sight to the value of $150,000. The notes from which these statements in regard to the John Jay mine are given, were furnished to me by Mr. W. M. Rule, Mr. Van Deren’s foreman, at his request, ; To Col. John A. Ellet, of Boulder City, Superintendent of the Cornish tunnel, Iam indebted for the information embraced in my notes regarding the progress of their tunnel mine at Gold Hill. G. W. M. Matamoras Company. The Matamoras company have reason to be well satisfied with their season’s work. Besides developing as fine a hody of ore as was ever found in Prospect mountain, they have in their short run at the furuace produced over 130 tons of bullion, valued at $50,000. This, from the small furnace used by the company, is aremarkable result, and Messrs. Sturgis & Steel are to be cougratulated on their success. The company have under way and will commence shortly many important improvements. The little Buttercup smelter is abont to be replaced by a large furnace, capable of reducing 50 tons of ore per day. The site has already been graded, and Foreman Atchinson informs us that it will be completed hy the 10th of October. Mr. Steel has gone East, and during his absence will purchase hoisting works, materials for a tramway, aud other articles necessary. Timbers for the main shaft are being sent to the miue daily, and this will be atonce pushed forward. It will contain two compartments, and will be furnished with a safety cage and other improvements of the latest and best invention. The body of ore’ recently encountered in the mine is proving tobe a splendid deposit, of as yet unknown extent. Its proportions are, however, sufficient to justify the necessary outlay incurred by the company in putting everything in first-class shape, and adds one more to the list of good mines in tho district.—Zureka Sentinel. New Spour For tHE CALIFORNIA MiLL.— To-day a new spout will be put in for conveying the pulp from the California battery to the pan mill, This has to be done about once a year. The gritis so sharp that it cuts away the fibers of the wood at the rate of two inches yearly. The last spout put in had a three-inch bottom. This has been worn away by the pulp till the nails which held it together are entirely cut offand gone. It has been found, of late, necessary to wedge it up from the outside to hold it together. Everything is worn away as by the grit of a grindstone. The wear of tbe pulp is curiously manifested where knots occur in the planks composing the spout. These knots wear slower, of course, than the other portions of the timber, being harder, After the flow begins to rise over these knots the plank on each side is rapidly cut out, so that the first thiug known, unless carefully watched, there is a hole. The plan now adopted is to build a douhle flume, one within the other, and when the inner one is worn out to yank it out and put a new one in its place. Everything is now ready for this kind of a change, which will he made to-day. The delay in operations at the mill will be from three to four hours only. This stop will be seized upon to putiu a new piston at the pan mill.—#nterprise. Copper in Arizona. The Arizona Citizen says: Arizona, without doubt, has the largest and richest deposits of

copper in the United States. There is much copper near the the Colorado river, on Bill Williams’ fork; some 40 miles west of Tucsou there is a mountain ‘or more of it; it is abundant in Globe district; but, perhaps, the largest and richest deposit in America is at Clifton. With rail transportation as near as San Simon valley, 100,000 pounds of pig copper daily are promised by two companies alone, and enough smelting has heen done to warrant that the promise will be fulfilled. Railway men are asked to note this one item from but one of many localities in Arizona, In this connection we copy the following from the Grant county Herald, of August 25th : I. N. Cohen & Co. shipped to-day, by Maxwell’s train, 55,000 pounds pig copper, via El Moro to Baltimore, and have still in store 47,240 pounds, This proof is as strong as holy writ that Lesinsky’s Longfellow mine is panning out. Sweeney & Gleason’s furnace, also at Chfton, has lately been fired, and there is no reason why it should not duplicate the daily yield of the Lesinsky furnace. The ores of both companies are smelted iu the Bennett furnaces. None other have been found to staud the test. At Clifton there are 80 recorded mines, all of which are regarded as exceedingly valuable, and the lack of fuel is all that prevents the ores from being worked. The completion of the Texas Pacilicor the California Southern Pacific to a point convenient for the shipment of ores or transmission of fuel to the furnaces, will work such a change in favor of the production of copper as to heggar tbe belief of the most sanguine. The Lanmalew and Thompsou are the only mines worked at preseut, and the companies working them only run one 30-inch furnace each; and, notwithstanding the limited capacity, they will turn out 3,000,000 pounds pig copper annually. 2 When rail transportation can be bad to a point as near the mines as the San Simon, Mr. H. Lesinsky assures us that] the yield will be not Jess than 100,000 pouuds pig copper daily from the works of these two companies, which is not a tithe of what will be produced hy other companies which will theu enter into the business of producing copper ingots. The Clifton ores are infinitely richer thau those of Lake Superior, which will not be deuied when their relative values are known. The Clifton ores are eutirely free from base metals; no antimony or arsenic are coutained in them, and, as a consequence, the copper brings a higher price in copper markets than any other offered for sale. The Clifton ores average from 20 to 30 per cent. copper, while those of Lake Superior will not go above 10 per cent., if as high; and yet the Superior deposits are the brag mines of the country, and perhaps justly so, for the reason that other Eastern competitive mines only give from five to six per cont. But now the Superior deposits must dwarf in puhlic estimation, both as regards quality and quantity of ore, for the reason that the value of Clifton ores are hecoming hetter known. In our last reference to this subject, we stated that rail trausportation would induce H. Lesinsky to work 1,000 men in his mines, which he cau do with profit to himself and employees, if freight of fuel and copper were cheapened; and what Mr. L. can and will do, others there, owning miues, would find it to their interest to do also; and with this knowledge of the prospective industries of Chfton and other mining regions (and they are not a few), we impatiently wait the whistle of the locomotive. Shipping north, via El Moro, ceases after the last of September, for the reason that owners of trains do not choose to risk the pinching cold that is encountered in that hyperborean region after the middle of October; and, consequently, copper accumulates at the works from that date until March, unless an outlet can he found for it hy the Southern route, through Texas. Mryer Preacuers.—Theologians and gentlemen devoted to the ministry generally find their duties of so brain-racking and arduous a nature as to totally incapacitate them from manual lahor. The week cues are devoted to the preparation of elaborate discourses, aud the Sabhath to the delivery of the same. Kuhy Hill, however, furnishes two examples of a directly opposite nature. Rey. Mr. Wm. Johns and Cox are both as geod miners as ever wielded a pick in a drift, or let off a hlast, and can be found taking their regular shifts, and earning their $4 per diem, on all oceasions. When Sunday rolls around they in turn fill the pulpit at Miners’ Union hall, and preach the “‘Word” toa congregation of stalwart miners, who throng the building at that time. They are both eloqueut and educated men, and tlfeir pulpit oratory is ahove the average. They serve their Master without reward, and scatter their seed in good ground, The restraining influences exercised hy them can he best_ appreciated hy stating the fact that a more orderly or intelligent community eannot he found ou the coast than the inhabitants of the little village on Ruhy hill.— Eureka Sentinel. . THE miners of Pennsylvania, Michigau and Wisconsin are said to he organizing a new secret order, called the ‘‘Iron Hearts.” The oath biuds the members to obey all orders at the peril of life, to defend the interests of the order, never to reveal its secrets and to succor brother members. Colorado Mines. A correspondent of the Denver V'rihune, writing from Rabbit-ear range, Grand county, Col., says: Nearly all the more prominent mines here are being worked by small forces of men on each. Mr. Bower is running a drift on the Wolverine lode; has now about 10 inches of good pay in sight, which is widening with depth. The character of the mineral in tbis drift is chloride of silver, which is nearly 50% pure silver. There is also with this through the quartz native and ruby silver found very frequently. The Wolverine will, in all probabihty, go into the hands of California men this fall. Ifso, it will be worked vigorously all winter. The Crown Point lode, the boss lead lode of the Rockies, will, perhaps, be taken in hand hy the same parties. Stokes & Jobnson have about completed their work for this year on the Forcat; Juan. This ig a recent discovery and promising lode, and shows a strong vein of almost solid mineral five feet wide. A 50-foot drift crosses this lode at a depth of 30 feet. This is inteuded only as a discovery ‘thole.” The lode will he further developed with a tunnel lower down the monntain, L. J. Pollard is preparing to work his Ruby lode the coming winter. He is putting up a house near the mine, also a blacksmith shop. Len proposes to take out some very fine ore this winter, unless, driven to despair hy the too-frequent visits of Mr. Bruin, he is eémpelled to take the field in defense of his home and fireside, In this case he will very likely take outa few grizzly bear skins instead of ruby silver. Clauson & Porter will work their lode, the Silver Glance, this winter. They are getting out their timber supplies, etc., so as to begin husiness in earnest. Isaac Burton is tunneling on the Hilberton lode, and will continue to work it all winter. This is undoubtedly one of the best mines yet discovered here, and it is only partially developed, The Grand Lake lode and numerous others will be worked some this wiuter. A good many of the prospectors up in this section, owing to the hard times, have been obliged to abandou a number of their discoveries, which will all prove valuable to some oue in the future. If we had mills here we would foel that we were as independent as any of our neighbor mining camps, But in this respect we are pretty badly left. Explosion of Gas in an Amalgamating Pan. The Gold Hill News, speaking of an accident at the Petaluma mill, says: The manner of the accident was as follows: When the amalgamating pans are started up after they have beeu cleaned the action of the heat and mercury upon the pulp rapidly generates a gas, which explodes as readily as gunpowder upon coming in contact with fire. Myvery amalgamator is well acquainted with this fact, and they always take every precaution to prevent an explosiou trom this source. Mr. Brown, who was an old and experienced workman ahout quartz mills, kuew this well enough, but this morning he seemed to have neglected or forgotten the fact. He raised the small lid in the top of the pan to examine the condition of the pulp, when the gas rushed out through the openiug. It was ignited by the fire from the candle which Brown held in his hand, resulting in a tremendous explosion, the report of which sounded like the firing ofa cannon. Brown was knocked senseless by the concussion, and received several body wounds, the exact extent of which could not be learned by the News reporter, who visited the *mill this morning. His face was badly burned by the flaming gas. It is feared that his sight was totally destroyed. A team was obtained from Mr. Emmet, of Gold Hill foundry, and the injured man removed immediately to his room on A street, Virginia City. Mr. Brown is a single man, and has no one dependent upon him for support. He had formerly worked in the Sacramento mill, north of Virginia, and had heen employed in tho Petaluma mill since the first of the montb, and had proved himself a skilled and competent work-man. The accident need not have occurred if the lid had been left open a few minutes so as to allow the gas to escape. This is generally done, or else the light is kept at safe distance. The disaster can be attributed to nothing but Brown’s absent-mindodness aud carelessness. Fortunately none of the other workmen of the mill were near enough to the pan at the time to in any way feel the effects of the shock, or to come in the way of the flying fragments of the iron castings. The top of the pan was blown off, but there was no other damage done to the mill. Ancuine TunneLts.—The water company has a large force husily employed repairing and strengthening the canal in anticipation of winter. Prominent among the various improvements heing made is the provision for tho protection of the tunnels on the line of the ditch. The tunnel through Cape Horn ridge, as well as the one that perforates the mountain nearly opposite the Flume house, is being arched with solid masonry. The cost will be considerable, hut the work will be permauent when completed, and be the cheapest in the longrun. No other canal in the State is in better repair or more carefully, looked after than that of the Mokclumne Hill Water Company.—Calaveras Chronicle.