Volume 35 (1877) (426 pages)

MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. [July 28, 1879. Vt 2 i Na = Sarg, W, B. EWER Senxiok Epiror, DEWEY & CO., Publishers, A. T. DEWEY, GEO. H. STRONG, W. B. EWER, JNO, L, BOONE. Office, No. 202 Sansome Street, N. E. Corner of Pine Street, San Francisco. Subscription and Advertising Rates: Apverrisine Rares. 1 week. 1 month. 3mos. 12 mos, er linoee.s-2. . = ne 80 $ 2.00 $ 5.00 Half inch (1 square). $1.00 $3.00 7.50 24.00 (OMe Rs cagsnons cS 1.50 4.00 12.00 40.00 Large advertiscments at favorable rates, Speclal or reading notices, legal advertisements, notices appearing B extraordinary type or in particular parts of the paper, Inserted at special rates. Four insertions are rated In 2 month. F SUBSCRIPTION IN ADVANCE—Postage paid—one year, $4; six months, $2.25; three months, $1.25. Remittances by registered letters or P. O orders at our risk. Tor Ori@INAL ARTICLES In this paper are mostly set in solid type, giving in our columns one-third more reading than is contained in ordinary leaded matter. Avpreee all lettcrs to the firm, and not to individual members, or others, who may at any time be abscnt, Our latest forms go to press on Thursday evening. SAN FRANCISCO: Saturday Morning, July 28, 1877. TABLE OF CONTENTS. GENERAL EDITORIALS.—Notices of Recent Patents; The Mechanics’ Institute Fair; Diagonal Planing and Polishing Machine; Items of Interest from the Mines, 49, The Weck; Quicksilver; The Great Strike and Its Consequences; Tne Lead Rivers of Sierra, 5G. The Telephone; An English Decision in Favor of the Dynamite Parents, 57. Patents and Inventions, GO. ILLUSTRATIONS.—Norris Diagonal Heavy Surfacing; Norris Diagonal Planer for Finishing and Polishing, 49. Prof. Graham Bell's Telephone, 57. MECHANICAL PROGRESS.—Returning tu Wood for Safcty; Progress in Pacific Coast Lumbering; Welding Wire; Measuring Cylinders; The Wurld’s Machinery; New Lock for Freight Cars; Locomotive Fire-Boxes, 51. SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS.—Uatastrophism; A ‘I'rnly Artiticial Kyo; Tyndall's Swiss Cottave; Thomson; What Underlies Sacramento; A Wonderful Museum; The Panther as a Secd Distributor; North American Alg:o; The History of the Fiag, 51. USEFUL INFORMATION,—Sand for Foundations and Other Supports; Ck Quicksilver. We gave the other day an article on the depression in the quicksilver trade, and an account of the mines which had shut down on account of the low state of prices in this article. We did not think, however, that any of the larger mines wonld shut down, but wo see it etated that the Redington quicksilver company have concluded to stop four of their furnacoe for the usual annual clean-up, and not to start them again after so cleaned up until thero shall be a material advance in the price of quicksilver. The Napa Reporter says that they will in the meantime suspend the extraction of ore, deemIng it more advisable to preserve in the mine their reserves of ore, rather than extract and reduce at the present very low price of quicksilver, They will coutinue to run their four fine ore furnaces, of the Livermore patent, on euch aocumulations of fine ore as they uow have on the surface. The result of this partial stoppage will he the reduction of the company’s product to something less than half what it has been for the past year. = me Even iu the best of times’ quicksilver mining has not heen eo profitahle at all the mines as has been supposed. At the New Almaden for instanoe, the representative quicksilver mine of the State, the dividends to stockholders from 1864 to 1876, inclusive, were only $492,950, and the assessments in the same time were $214,560, makiug the net amount received by stockholders only $278,385 in 12 years. The State and county taxes for the same period were alone $125,662. The following table from the San Jose Jfercury gives the assessed valuation of the several quicksilver minee of the State of California for 1876-77. Engineers; New Soap Making Process; Hints to Carriage . Painters; Petroleum as Iuel for Ships; A Suggestion for Travelers, 55. GOOD HEALTH.—Heart Disease; Phosphatic Food; Potatoes for Food; A New View of Consumption; Keep Cisterns Clea; Stimnlants Used by the Race, 55. MINING STOCK MA 'T,—Sules at the San Francisco, Pacific and California Stock Boards; Notices of Assessments, Meetings and Divideuds; Review of the Stock Market for the Week, 52. MINING SUMMARY—from the Various Counties or California, Nevadw and Arizona, 58-GO. ENERAL NEWS ITEMS on page 57 and other paues. MISCELLANEOUS.—The Metric System; Preparing to Work Flue Dust; Hunter District, 50. The Forest Hill Divide as 2 Mininy Section; Mines of Arizona; The San Juan Region; Sail vs, Steam; Experiments with Tonite; Turning out Rich, 54. The Metallurgy of TelInrinm Ores, 55. Baronieters in Mines; Treatiag Copfer; Red Lead Furnaces; Why Can’t it be Found? Massachnsctts Hill Mines, 58, NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. The Giant Powder Co’, Bandmann, Neilsen & Co., S. F.; Mauhattau Fire Brick and Clay Retort Works, Adam Webber, New York; Pacific Lamp and Reflector Factory, Emile Boesch, 8. F.; Works on Assaying, Mineralogy, Ete., Jno. Wiley & Son, New York; Fine Tools and Foot Lathes, Jackson & Tyler, Baltimore, Md.; Tarrant’s Seltzer Aperient; Delinquent Sale—Silver Sprout Mining Co. z The Week. The past week has heen fraught with eveuts of a most exciting naturo over a great part of the United States, as well as in California. The great strike, which has grown to the dimensions of an agrarian insurrection, is the topic of the honr. It has spread to all quarters, aud as wo write (Thursday) shows no appreciahle diminution. The existence of mobs, pillaging and hurning iu many cities, has paralyzeil business of all kinds, and affairs generally are in a most unsatisfactory conditiou. Hore in this city a mob of hoodlums are endeavoring to take the law into their hands, aud on Weduesday eveuing an incendiary fire destroyed a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of property. The reckless, crimiual classes of the community have taken advantage of the strikes of lahorers and mechanics to foment disturoance and organize a moh. A vigilance committes—a ‘* Committee of Safety ’—has heen organized to assist the authorities in quelling the disturhance, and it is to he hoped that the city will be spared any repetition of the disgracoful scencs of Wednesday uight. It behooves all law-ahiding citizens of every class to aid in suppressing violence aud to counsel moderation in such trying times, Even just demands of workiugmeu are not to be carried out by violence and destruction of property; and as the loss in such cases falls ou the communities in which it occurs, all goo citizens should do their hest to suppress lawlessness of any kind. The times are hard cuough on this coast now, and it is to he feared that if further riotous demonstrations are indulged in and more property destroyed, business will he almost entirely suspended and hardships brought on all claseos of the community. = BE jw as po a Planer for Namo of iw 3 2 § 3 2s § e Mine. 2 é 2 : = s a z = : Sa Peels g E s Redington . 41,240} 95,000; 14.950/151,190 9,183 16.46 , rnly . Sulphur Bank] 56,272) 3,290] 28,000} 81,570 8,732 9.68 Sir William . Guadalupe 20,800] 10,950 51,750 7.381 7.01 New Idria.. 50,960] 25,000] 14,119! 90/079 7,272 12.39 Great Western] 27,000] 20,000) 2,615) 49,615 4,495.11.04 Oakland .. 5,000] 5,000) 1,050) 11,050 2,150 5.14 St. Jorn’s..) 20,000} 5,000) 1,925) 26,925 2,085 12.91 jon of L tive = Motile. ce 220,383. 174,182. 70,609)/465,179 41,298 11.26 New Almaden) 150,000(150,0001 91,115/391,115 20,631.18,06 Assessments, 1877-8. Redington.. 36,240) 80,000) 8,875°125,115 Sulphur Bank) 50,750) 62,800) 9.235. 122,785]. Guadalupe . 26,350) 63,500] 10,900 100,750) New Idriv.] 30,960] 20,000) 9,585) 60,545 27,000) 20,000) 2,615; 40,615 5,000} 5,000] 2,740! 12,740 20,000} 5,000] 765. 25,705 44,715/497,3151. 51,820 301,820}. 196,300) 256, 300) New Ahnaden/150,000'100,000 From theee figures it will he seen that there is a remarkable lack of stahilty in the husiness of quicksilver mining, so much so as to clase it, in insurance parlance, among the extra hazardous risks, Perhaps one of the strongest proofs of the fluctuations in the value of mines is given hy the statistics of the New Alimadeu miues for 24 years, commencing in 1850. Its total production for the period was 627,002 flasks of quicksilver of 764 tb each. The greatest numher of flasks produced was 47,194, in the year 1865, the least, number was 9.084, in 1874. The yield of quicksilver from the ore was an average of 36 74 per cent. in 1850, and an average of only 4.72 per cent. in 1876, thus showing a decline of 32.02 per cent. The receipts of quickeilver at San Francisco for the first six months of 1877 were 36,955 flasks. For the same period of 1876 they were 27,618 flasks, showing an increase for 1877 of 9,337 flasks. The exports for the same periods show a large increase in number of flasks for 1877, at alargely reduced value. Thus, for first six months of 1877 the exports were 30,224 flasks, valued at $1,015,574;—average $33.60 per flask, For the correspouding period of 1876 the exports were 19,102 flasks, valued at $835,800; average per flask, $43.75; difference in value, $10.15 per flask. By which, in striking the balaucee, we tind the increased export of 11,122 flasks realized ouly $179.774;—or an average of $16.16 each, which was prohahly less than the cost of its production. Bruion Surrmenrs.—Since our last issue shipments of hullion from prominent mines have heen as follows: Northern Belle, July 17th, $6,916.36; Consolidated Virginia, 19th, $248,533.62; total for July account, $293,923.87; Cal fornia, 19th, $124,590.92; total for July account, $503,931.89; Northern Belle, 15th, $9,323.60; Modoc, 18th, $3,911.74; Tybo Consolidated, 17th, $4,044.46; Modoc, 20th, $4, 230-20; Tybo Consolidated, 10th, $4,111.80; Eudowment, 23d, $6,119.23; Northern Belle, 19th, $9,227.35; Modoc, 20th, $4,230.20; Con. Virgiuia, 23d, $210,756.46; total to date, $504,679.83; Modoe, 22d, $3,467.90; total to date, $36,195.62; Arizoua, 22d, $2,136.56; California, 23d, $184,235.25—total to date, $688,167.14; Leopard, 24th, $3,600; Tyho Consolidated, 21st, $8,395.33; total to date, $50,270.61; Raymond & Ely, 19th, $6,432, 50. The Great Strike and its Consequences, The events of the past few days have been, perhaps, the most grave and wide spread in their occurrence and consequences of any which have ever taken place in conuectiou with labor strikes. On Monday or Tuesday of last week the telegraph briefly informed ns that a somewhat serious strike was in progress on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, at Martinsburg, in West Virgima. As there is no organized military in that State, and as the trouble bocame at ouce of a nature which required forcible resistance entirely heyond the local police force, the President was called upon to use the national authority to suppress the riotous disposition of the strikers. A company of United States troops were promptly sent to Martinshurg, between whom and the strikers a collision occurred which resulted in the killing of one or two of the latter. This act greatly incensed the strikers, who therenpon gathered in still larger force, and hy emissaries sent out along the road, from Baltimore to its western terminus, brought about a general strike. From this beginning, as our readers are well aware, the strike has been extended to nearly all the principal roads east of the Mississippi, and from them to a large number of the leading manufacturing establishments thronghout the Middle and Western States. There is no need that we should enter into any detail of the terrible scenes of carnage, fire and bloodshed which have resulted from the little spark first lighted at Martinsburg. For a time it was hoped that, from the great distance which separated this State from the seat of disturhance in the East, and the total insimilitude of the cirenmstances surrounding the two localities, no outhreak would take place here. But the eveuts of the past four or five days here show that we have an element in our inidst fully as destructive and reckless as can be fonnd in our sister cities of the East. This elemeut is now in a state of moet feverish excitement and ferment, and nothing hut the most determined stand taken by the law-abiding citizens of San Francisco has thus far heen able to keep it measurably under control. As it is, nnmerous acts of lawlessness and incendiarism have heen committed—acts which will no doubt cost the city a large amount of money. Business has also been largely affected since Tues‘day. In fact, as we go to press, but little is doiug heyond the taking of still more effective measures to put down the riotous spirit which is now abroad in the city, lt is fortunate for San Francisco that such a large part of the middle and poorer classes in the city own their own dwellings, and aro personally and pecuniarily interested in maintaining a proper ohservance of the laws, and in putting down any spirit of rioting at its first appearance. The parties who have thus far been engaged in breaking the law are thoroughly irresponsiblo persons, and are entirely beyond the eympathy and support of any respectahle classes of society. It is true that, in consequence of several succeasive dull years, and the present exceptionally dull one, wages on this coast have beeu somewhat reduced; yet they are much higher than at the Kast. Moreover, several large operators and employers, who had contemplated still further reductions, have, since the present trouhles at the East, promptly announced that no further reductions will be made. Noticeahly, in this connection, we may mention the Central Pacific railroad. It is to be hoped that all good citizens will unite with each other in keeping order and quiet in our midst, and that all causee of agitation or irritation will be avoided, both in persoual couversation, and, hy all means, in the avoidance of public meetings which may seem to favor or look to any differences of opinion between eniployers and employed, or which, hy implication or any other possibility, might tend to conntenance, initiate, or give impetus to disorderly conduct. We write on Thursday, and we trust that the events of last night may he the worst phase which the preseut disturbed state of socicty will fasten upou the history of San Francisco, Ow the Coinstock, according to the News, the principal features of improvement in the mines aremore and better ore at the 1000-foot level of the Justice, and in the double winze below the 1650-foot level of the honanza. The hottom of the winze is now cutting through porphyry horse into the rich ore on the west side, as was prognosticated in our last week’e report, and this horse is found to be mucb narrower than at the 1650-foot level. In all prohability it will disappear entirely before reaching the 1750foot level. The C. & C. shaft hag reached the 1850-foot level, sinking amid great difficulty from the great influx of water, the miners working most of the time ahove their knees in water. In Carson river, on the contrary, there is a perplexing and coutinned decrease of water, so that milling is snspended to a considerahle extent, Tue Coroner’s jury in the case of Wadsville, Pennsylvania, mine disaster, wheie eight miners were killed, state that the mine was run in violation of law. ‘Geueral Pleasants, Chief Engineer; John Bowen, Superintendent; Edward Herhert and William Watkins, hosses, were reaured to furnish $5,000 bail and appear for ae The Dead Rivers of Sierra. Boring with the Artesian Auger—The Eastern Channel, In no part of California are the Pliocene river beds more numerous than in Sierra county, nor can their conrses be anywbere else more easily traced than here. Three principal channels of this kind cross Sierra in a generally north and south direction, the most easterly passing in the vicinity of Gold lake, the Key‘stoue mine, Milton ranch and thence on ina southerly course by Nebraska and American hill to the extensive grounds of the North Bloomfield company, on the San Juan ridge, in Nevada connty. Being deeply covered along its more northerly parts iby volcanic outflows, this channel has been there but little worked, the only portions of it that have yet been much opened up being those lying to the south of the Middle Yuba, in Nevada county, The Next and Central Channel, Being separated from the one just described by a space of eight or ten miles, comes in from the north by way of Canyon creek, Deadwood, Fir Gap, Monte Cristo, Forest City, Allegheny, Chipe Flat and Minnesota, in Sierra, continuing thence ou by Orleans Flat, Moores Flat, etc., in Nevada county, where it appeare to run into and intermingle with the more easterly channel, After passing into Nevada county, this central channel has been successfully worked at several places by the hydraulic process, nearly all the work done elsewhere alon; it having been carried on through shafts au tunnels, the overlying volcanic masses being here too heavy to admit of hydraulic washing. At all the camps meutioned, as well as at many other points along this channel, the diggings paid enormously in earlier days, and at several places rich claims are still being worked. All that is required, in fact, to get good pay anywhere along it, is to find the main channel and go to bedrock, near which the most of the gold lies. This channel, which, liko tho othere, pursues a devious course and has nnmeroue brauches, is about 25 miles long within the limits of Sierra county. The most westerly of these three channels, known as The Slate Creek Basin, Is separated from the ceutral one by a space varying from four to six miles in width. ‘This chanuel is double, there being a branch on each side of the basin throughout nearly its whole length. Emerging from under Pilot Peak, au isolated volcanic cone 7,000 feet high, the main chanuel here purenee its way through a long series of mining towns and camps, of which Hepsidam, Gibsonville, Howland Flat, St, Lonis,. La Porte, Scale’e Digsings and Brandy City, are’ the principal. Gold gathering is here conducted by both the hydraulic and drift methods, this having for many years been an active and protitable field of operations. In speaking of the gold sent out from La Porte, the central shipping poiut for this district, the estimates are often made by the ton, there having heen transmitted through a single houee engaged in the business at that place, considerably over oue hundred tons, the traneportation through all channels haying amounted to more than $100,000,000. While the surface diggings along this belt have been pretty well exhausted, scarcely any impression has been made upon the deep lying deposits that oceupy the ancient river bedsand their various hranches, which will probably afford profitable work for centuries to coine. Already the channel of Slate creek has hecome so filled np with dehris as to interfere with successful operations in many of the hydraulic claims along it, and in some, to estop washing altogether. With a view to ohviating this trouble the Alturas gold mining company, who own something over three miles of this basin with its contents, propose to cut down the rocky/ harrier at its lower end and run out this vast.ac¢cumulation of tailings, extracting from: tiem aif the same time the large quantities of gold they are known to contain. In their efforts to reach the auriferous deposits resting in these several channels and their branches, the drift-miners have heretofore met with terrible losses of time and money, innumerable tunnels having been run here on levele too high or too low to properly serve the purposes of gravel extraction and drainage. That so many of the failures ehould have occurred in this neighborhood has heen due to the fact that the old river channels are here covered up to such depths that it was impossihle to put down shafts and ascertain their exact levels before commencing the tunnels. Of late these levels have come to he hettcr nnderstood, hy reason of which, fewer mistakes of this kind have occurred than formerly. A New Method for Ascertaining the Pos!tion and Levels of the Old River Beds Has recently heen introduced, which, besides heing attended with greater certainty, promises to much diminishgthe cost as well as the time hefore required for thie purpose. This method consists of artesian horing, a plan first employed hy the Pliocene company upon their extensive claim near Forest City, a few months since. The drill is here operated by means of a spring pole, the force used being hand labor, three men on eight-hour shifts sutiicing to keep the pole in perpetual motion. The claim of the Pliocene company, twomiles in length, is situated on the middle chan-

MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. [July 28, 1879. Vt 2 i Na = Sarg, W, B. EWER Senxiok Epiror, DEWEY & CO., Publishers, A. T. DEWEY, GEO. H. STRONG, W. B. EWER, JNO, L, BOONE. Office, No. 202 Sansome Street, N. E. Corner of Pine Street, San Francisco. Subscription and Advertising Rates: Apverrisine Rares. 1 week. 1 month. 3mos. 12 mos, er linoee..s-2. . = ne 80 $ 2.00 $ 5.00 Half inch (1 square). $1.00 $3.00 7.50 24.00 (OMe Rs cagsnons cS 1.50 4.00 12.00 40.00 Large advertiscments at favorable rates, Speclal or reading notices, legal advertisements, notices appearing B extraordinary type or in particular parts of the paper, Inserted at special rates. Four insertions are rated In 2 month. F SUBSCRIPTION IN ADVANCE—Postage paid—one year, $4; six months, $2.25; three months, $1.25. Remittances by registered letters or P. O orders at our risk. Tor Ori@INAL ARTICLES In this paper are mostly set in solid type, giving in our columns one-third more reading than is contained in ordinary leaded matter. Avpreee all lettcrs to the firm, and not to individual members, or others, who may at any time be abscnt, Our latest forms go to press on Thursday evening. SAN FRANCISCO: Saturday Morning, July 28, 1877. TABLE OF CONTENTS. GENERAL EDITORIALS.—Notices of Recent Patents; The Mechanics’ Institute Fair; Diagonal Planing and Polishing Machine; Items of Interest from the Mines, 49, The Weck; Quicksilver; The Great Strike and Its Consequences; Tne Lead Rivers of Sierra, 5G. The Telephone; An English Decision in Favor of the Dynamite Parents, 57. Patents and Inventions, GO. ILLUSTRATIONS.—Norris Diagonal Heavy Surfacing; Norris Diagonal Planer for Finishing and Polishing, 49. Prof. Graham Bell's Telephone, 57. MECHANICAL PROGRESS.—Returning tu Wood for Safcty; Progress in Pacific Coast Lumbering; Welding Wire; Measuring Cylinders; The Wurld’s Machinery; New Lock for Freight Cars; Locomotive Fire-Boxes, 51. SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS.—Uatastrophism; A ‘I'rnly Artiticial Kyo; Tyndall's Swiss Cottave; Thomson; What Underlies Sacramento; A Wonderful Museum; The Panther as a Secd Distributor; North American Alg:o; The History of the Fiag, 51. USEFUL INFORMATION,—Sand for Foundations and Other Supports; Ck Quicksilver. We gave the other day an article on the depression in the quicksilver trade, and an account of the mines which had shut down on account of the low state of prices in this article. We did not think, however, that any of the larger mines wonld shut down, but wo see it etated that the Redington quicksilver company have concluded to stop four of their furnacoe for the usual annual clean-up, and not to start them again after so cleaned up until thero shall be a material advance in the price of quicksilver. The Napa Reporter says that they will in the meantime suspend the extraction of ore, deemIng it more advisable to preserve in the mine their reserves of ore, rather than extract and reduce at the present very low price of quicksilver, They will coutinue to run their four fine ore furnaces, of the Livermore patent, on euch aocumulations of fine ore as they uow have on the surface. The result of this partial stoppage will he the reduction of the company’s product to something less than half what it has been for the past year. = me Even iu the best of times’ quicksilver mining has not heen eo profitahle at all the mines as has been supposed. At the New Almaden for instanoe, the representative quicksilver mine of the State, the dividends to stockholders from 1864 to 1876, inclusive, were only $492,950, and the assessments in the same time were $214,560, makiug the net amount received by stockholders only $278,385 in 12 years. The State and county taxes for the same period were alone $125,662. The following table from the San Jose Jfercury gives the assessed valuation of the several quicksilver minee of the State of California for 1876-77. Engineers; New Soap Making Process; Hints to Carriage . Painters; Petroleum as Iuel for Ships; A Suggestion for Travelers, 55. GOOD HEALTH.—Heart Disease; Phosphatic Food; Potatoes for Food; A New View of Consumption; Keep Cisterns Clea; Stimnlants Used by the Race, 55. MINING STOCK MA 'T,—Sules at the San Francisco, Pacific and California Stock Boards; Notices of Assessments, Meetings and Divideuds; Review of the Stock Market for the Week, 52. MINING SUMMARY—from the Various Counties or California, Nevadw and Arizona, 58-GO. ENERAL NEWS ITEMS on page 57 and other paues. MISCELLANEOUS.—The Metric System; Preparing to Work Flue Dust; Hunter District, 50. The Forest Hill Divide as 2 Mininy Section; Mines of Arizona; The San Juan Region; Sail vs, Steam; Experiments with Tonite; Turning out Rich, 54. The Metallurgy of TelInrinm Ores, 55. Baronieters in Mines; Treatiag Copfer; Red Lead Furnaces; Why Can’t it be Found? Massachnsctts Hill Mines, 58, NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. The Giant Powder Co’, Bandmann, Neilsen & Co., S. F.; Mauhattau Fire Brick and Clay Retort Works, Adam Webber, New York; Pacific Lamp and Reflector Factory, Emile Boesch, 8. F.; Works on Assaying, Mineralogy, Ete., Jno. Wiley & Son, New York; Fine Tools and Foot Lathes, Jackson & Tyler, Baltimore, Md.; Tarrant’s Seltzer Aperient; Delinquent Sale—Silver Sprout Mining Co. z The Week. The past week has heen fraught with eveuts of a most exciting naturo over a great part of the United States, as well as in California. The great strike, which has grown to the dimensions of an agrarian insurrection, is the topic of the honr. It has spread to all quarters, aud as wo write (Thursday) shows no appreciahle diminution. The existence of mobs, pillaging and hurning iu many cities, has paralyzeil business of all kinds, and affairs generally are in a most unsatisfactory conditiou. Hore in this city a mob of hoodlums are endeavoring to take the law into their hands, aud on Weduesday eveuing an incendiary fire destroyed a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of property. The reckless, crimiual classes of the community have taken advantage of the strikes of lahorers and mechanics to foment disturoance and organize a moh. A vigilance committes—a ‘* Committee of Safety ’—has heen organized to assist the authorities in quelling the disturhance, and it is to he hoped that the city will be spared any repetition of the disgracoful scencs of Wednesday uight. It behooves all law-ahiding citizens of every class to aid in suppressing violence aud to counsel moderation in such trying times, Even just demands of workiugmeu are not to be carried out by violence and destruction of property; and as the loss in such cases falls ou the communities in which it occurs, all goo citizens should do their hest to suppress lawlessness of any kind. The times are hard cuough on this coast now, and it is to he feared that if further riotous demonstrations are indulged in and more property destroyed, business will he almost entirely suspended and hardships brought on all claseos of the community. = BE jw as po a Planer for Namo of iw 3 2 § 3 2s § e Mine. 2 é 2 : = s a z = : Sa Peels g E s Redington .. 41,240} 95,000; 14.950/151,190 9,183 16.46 , rnly . Sulphur Bank] 56,272) 3,290] 28,000} 81,570 8,732 9.68 Sir William . Guadalupe 20,800] 10,950 51,750 7.381 7.01 New Idria... 50,960] 25,000] 14,119! 90/079 7,272 12.39 Great Western] 27,000] 20,000) 2,615) 49,615 4,495.11.04 Oakland ... 5,000] 5,000) 1,050) 11,050 2,150 5.14 St. Jorn’s...) 20,000} 5,000) 1,925) 26,925 2,085 12.91 jon of L tive = Motile. ce 220,383. 174,182. 70,609)/465,179 41,298 11.26 New Almaden) 150,000(150,0001 91,115/391,115 20,631.18,06 Assessments, 1877-8. Redington... 36,240) 80,000) 8,875°125,115 Sulphur Bank) 50,750) 62,800) 9.235. 122,785]. Guadalupe .. 26,350) 63,500] 10,900 100,750) New Idriv..] 30,960] 20,000) 9,585) 60,545 27,000) 20,000) 2,615; 40,615 5,000} 5,000] 2,740! 12,740 20,000} 5,000] 765. 25,705 44,715/497,3151. 51,820 301,820}.. 196,300) 256, 300) New Ahnaden/150,000'100,000 From theee figures it will he seen that there is a remarkable lack of stahilty in the husiness of quicksilver mining, so much so as to clase it, in insurance parlance, among the extra hazardous risks, Perhaps one of the strongest proofs of the fluctuations in the value of mines is given hy the statistics of the New Alimadeu miues for 24 years, commencing in 1850. Its total production for the period was 627,002 flasks of quicksilver of 764 tb each. The greatest numher of flasks produced was 47,194, in the year 1865, the least, number was 9.084, in 1874. The yield of quicksilver from the ore was an average of 36 74 per cent. in 1850, and an average of only 4.72 per cent. in 1876, thus showing a decline of 32.02 per cent. The receipts of quickeilver at San Francisco for the first six months of 1877 were 36,955 flasks. For the same period of 1876 they were 27,618 flasks, showing an increase for 1877 of 9,337 flasks. The exports for the same periods show a large increase in number of flasks for 1877, at alargely reduced value. Thus, for first six months of 1877 the exports were 30,224 flasks, valued at $1,015,574;—average $33.60 per flask, For the correspouding period of 1876 the exports were 19,102 flasks, valued at $835,800; average per flask, $43.75; difference in value, $10.15 per flask. By which, in striking the balaucee, we tind the increased export of 11,122 flasks realized ouly $179.774;—or an average of $16.16 each, which was prohahly less than the cost of its production. Bruion Surrmenrs.—Since our last issue shipments of hullion from prominent mines have heen as follows: Northern Belle, July 17th, $6,916.36; Consolidated Virginia, 19th, $248,533.62; total for July account, $293,923.87; Cal fornia, 19th, $124,590.92; total for July

account, $503,931.89; Northern Belle, 15th, $9,323.60; Modoc, 18th, $3,911.74; Tybo Consolidated, 17th, $4,044.46; Modoc, 20th, $4, 230-20; Tybo Consolidated, 10th, $4,111.80; Eudowment, 23d, $6,119.23; Northern Belle, 19th, $9,227.35; Modoc, 20th, $4,230.20; Con. Virgiuia, 23d, $210,756.46; total to date, $504,679.83; Modoe, 22d, $3,467.90; total to date, $36,195.62; Arizoua, 22d, $2,136.56; California, 23d, $184,235.25—total to date, $688,167.14; Leopard, 24th, $3,600; Tyho Consolidated, 21st, $8,395.33; total to date, $50,270.61; Raymond & Ely, 19th, $6,432, 50. The Great Strike and its Consequences, The events of the past few days have been, perhaps, the most grave and wide spread in their occurrence and consequences of any which have ever taken place in conuectiou with labor strikes. On Monday or Tuesday of last week the telegraph briefly informed ns that a somewhat serious strike was in progress on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, at Martinsburg, in West Virgima. As there is no organized military in that State, and as the trouble bocame at ouce of a nature which required forcible resistance entirely heyond the local police force, the President was called upon to use the national authority to suppress the riotous disposition of the strikers. A company of United States troops were promptly sent to Martinshurg, between whom and the strikers a collision occurred which resulted in the killing of one or two of the latter. This act greatly incensed the strikers, who therenpon gathered in still larger force, and hy emissaries sent out along the road, from Baltimore to its western terminus, brought about a general strike. From this beginning, as our readers are well aware, the strike has been extended to nearly all the principal roads east of the Mississippi, and from them to a large number of the leading manufacturing establishments thronghout the Middle and Western States. There is no need that we should enter into any detail of the terrible scenes of carnage, fire and bloodshed which have resulted from the little spark first lighted at Martinsburg. For a time it was hoped that, from the great distance which separated this State from the seat of disturhance in the East, and the total insimilitude of the cirenmstances surrounding the two localities, no outhreak would take place here. But the eveuts of the past four or five days here show that we have an element in our inidst fully as destructive and reckless as can be fonnd in our sister cities of the East. This elemeut is now in a state of moet feverish excitement and ferment, and nothing hut the most determined stand taken by the law-abiding citizens of San Francisco has thus far heen able to keep it measurably under control. As it is, nnmerous acts of lawlessness and incendiarism have heen committed—acts which will no doubt cost the city a large amount of money. Business has also been largely affected since Tues‘day. In fact, as we go to press, but little is doiug heyond the taking of still more effective measures to put down the riotous spirit which is now abroad in the city, lt is fortunate for San Francisco that such a large part of the middle and poorer classes in the city own their own dwellings, and aro personally and pecuniarily interested in maintaining a proper ohservance of the laws, and in putting down any spirit of rioting at its first appearance. The parties who have thus far been engaged in breaking the law are thoroughly irresponsiblo persons, and are entirely beyond the eympathy and support of any respectahle classes of society. It is true that, in consequence of several succeasive dull years, and the present exceptionally dull one, wages on this coast have beeu somewhat reduced; yet they are much higher than at the Kast. Moreover, several large operators and employers, who had contemplated still further reductions, have, since the present trouhles at the East, promptly announced that no further reductions will be made. Noticeahly, in this connection, we may mention the Central Pacific railroad. It is to be hoped that all good citizens will unite with each other in keeping order and quiet in our midst, and that all causee of agitation or irritation will be avoided, both in persoual couversation, and, hy all means, in the avoidance of public meetings which may seem to favor or look to any differences of opinion between eniployers and employed, or which, hy implication or any other possibility, might tend to conntenance, initiate, or give impetus to disorderly conduct. We write on Thursday, and we trust that the events of last night may he the worst phase which the preseut disturbed state of socicty will fasten upou the history of San Francisco, Ow the Coinstock, according to the News, the principal features of improvement in the mines aremore and better ore at the 1000-foot level of the Justice, and in the double winze below the 1650-foot level of the honanza. The hottom of the winze is now cutting through porphyry horse into the rich ore on the west side, as was prognosticated in our last week’e report, and this horse is found to be mucb narrower than at the 1650-foot level. In all prohability it will disappear entirely before reaching the 1750foot level. The C. & C. shaft hag reached the 1850-foot level, sinking amid great difficulty from the great influx of water, the miners working most of the time ahove their knees in water. In Carson river, on the contrary, there is a perplexing and coutinned decrease of water, so that milling is snspended to a considerahle extent, Tue Coroner’s jury in the case of Wadsville, Pennsylvania, mine disaster, wheie eight miners were killed, state that the mine was run in violation of law. ‘Geueral Pleasants, Chief Engineer; John Bowen, Superintendent; Edward Herhert and William Watkins, hosses, were reaured to furnish $5,000 bail and appear for ae The Dead Rivers of Sierra. Boring with the Artesian Auger—The Eastern Channel, In no part of California are the Pliocene river beds more numerous than in Sierra county, nor can their conrses be anywbere else more easily traced than here. Three principal channels of this kind cross Sierra in a generally north and south direction, the most easterly passing in the vicinity of Gold lake, the Key‘stoue mine, Milton ranch and thence on ina southerly course by Nebraska and American hill to the extensive grounds of the North Bloomfield company, on the San Juan ridge, in Nevada connty. Being deeply covered along its more northerly parts iby volcanic outflows, this channel has been there but little worked, the only portions of it that have yet been much opened up being those lying to the south of the Middle Yuba, in Nevada county, The Next and Central Channel, Being separated from the one just described by a space of eight or ten miles, comes in from the north by way of Canyon creek, Deadwood, Fir Gap, Monte Cristo, Forest City, Allegheny, Chipe Flat and Minnesota, in Sierra, continuing thence ou by Orleans Flat, Moores Flat, etc., in Nevada county, where it appeare to run into and intermingle with the more easterly channel, After passing into Nevada county, this central channel has been successfully worked at several places by the hydraulic process, nearly all the work done elsewhere alon; it having been carried on through shafts au tunnels, the overlying volcanic masses being here too heavy to admit of hydraulic washing. At all the camps meutioned, as well as at many other points along this channel, the diggings paid enormously in earlier days, and at several places rich claims are still being worked. All that is required, in fact, to get good pay anywhere along it, is to find the main channel and go to bedrock, near which the most of the gold lies. This channel, which, liko tho othere, pursues a devious course and has nnmeroue brauches, is about 25 miles long within the limits of Sierra county. The most westerly of these three channels, known as The Slate Creek Basin, Is separated from the ceutral one by a space varying from four to six miles in width. ‘This chanuel is double, there being a branch on each side of the basin throughout nearly its whole length. Emerging from under Pilot Peak, au isolated volcanic cone 7,000 feet high, the main chanuel here purenee its way through a long series of mining towns and camps, of which Hepsidam, Gibsonville, Howland Flat, St, Lonis,. La Porte, Scale’e Digsings and Brandy City, are’ the principal. Gold gathering is here conducted by both the hydraulic and drift methods, this having for many years been an active and protitable field of operations. In speaking of the gold sent out from La Porte, the central shipping poiut for this district, the estimates are often made by the ton, there having heen transmitted through a single houee engaged in the business at that place, considerably over oue hundred tons, the traneportation through all channels haying amounted to more than $100,000,000. While the surface diggings along this belt have been pretty well exhausted, scarcely any impression has been made upon the deep lying deposits that oceupy the ancient river bedsand their various hranches, which will probably afford profitable work for centuries to coine. Already the channel of Slate creek has hecome so filled np with dehris as to interfere with successful operations in many of the hydraulic claims along it, and in some, to estop washing altogether. With a view to ohviating this trouble the Alturas gold mining company, who own something over three miles of this basin with its contents, propose to cut down the rocky/ harrier at its lower end and run out this vast.ac¢cumulation of tailings, extracting from: tiem aif the same time the large quantities of gold they are known to contain. In their efforts to reach the auriferous deposits resting in these several channels and their branches, the drift-miners have heretofore met with terrible losses of time and money, innumerable tunnels having been run here on levele too high or too low to properly serve the purposes of gravel extraction and drainage. That so many of the failures ehould have occurred in this neighborhood has heen due to the fact that the old river channels are here covered up to such depths that it was impossihle to put down shafts and ascertain their exact levels before commencing the tunnels. Of late these levels have come to he hettcr nnderstood, hy reason of which, fewer mistakes of this kind have occurred than formerly. A New Method for Ascertaining the Pos!tion and Levels of the Old River Beds Has recently heen introduced, which, besides heing attended with greater certainty, promises to much diminishgthe cost as well as the time hefore required for thie purpose. This method consists of artesian horing, a plan first employed hy the Pliocene company upon their extensive claim near Forest City, a few months since. The drill is here operated by means of a spring pole, the force used being hand labor, three men on eight-hour shifts sutiicing to keep the pole in perpetual motion. The claim of the Pliocene company, twomiles in length, is situated on the middle chan-