Volume 39 (1879) (446 pages)

MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. [July 5, 1879. The Australian Bustard. The very interesting specimen of the feathered tribe which adorns our first page this week, is known as the Australian bustard (Otis Australasianus), and is the largest and handsomest of that family of birds. The bustard inhabits the grassy plains of Enrope, Asia and Africa, none being found upon our own continent, They vary in size according to species, the great bustard weighing from 26 to 30 pounds, According to Gould, the Anstralian bustard exceeds in size the European, standing higher upon its legs and having a longer neck. {Vhen seen at freedom no Australian bird, save the emu, is so majestic or assumes in its carriage so great an air of independence. The male, whose weight is from 13 to 16 pounds, greatly exceeds graving, is the long pouch which adorns its breast, and which, wheu inflated, reaches almost to the ground. This development is said to be peculiar to the breeding season, and is connected with the vocal organs, which, at that time, are much exercised. Tue ManuracTurE of ProspHorvs.—Vazious mineral phosphates, said Mr. James Readman, bofore the Glasgow Philosophical Society, are now used in the manufacture of phosphorus. Bone ash is no longer remunerative, on account of its high price, Among the varieties of mining phosphates are Canadian, German or Nassau, Charleston and Sombrero phosphates. The first stage in the manufacture of phosphorus is to decompose the phosphate of lime completely in a large cylinder with sulphuric acid of 110° to 120° Twaddell, with constaut agitation. The sulphate of lime is then filtered off, and the tilee \ OR ts “ « \ XK THE tho female in size, and from the greater length of the plumes of the neck is much mors stately in appearance. The bustard is so shy and runs with such marvelous rapidity when once alarmed, that great care is required hunting them. To succeed in getting near, it is necessary to bring in the aid of a horse, and to approach in circles, gradually closing in upon it before it takes wing, which it readily does hy running a few yards, thereby gaining an impetus, which enables it to rise. It flies heavily, with its long neck stretched out to the utmost, but it is capable of sustaining flight for a considerablo distance, As an article of food it is said to be delicate nd well flavored, surpassing the turkey of the European country. It breeds in the latter part of September, the situation chosen for the purpose being a clear apot in some valley or on the side of a grassy hill, The eggs are usually deposited on the bare ground; occasioually a few sticks are spread for them to lie upon. . A very striking peouliarity that will be noticed about the larger bird (the male) in the enoo WC RGSS VRS Shas at = os Arizona Mines, The Silver King mine, situated in the northern part of Pinal county, Pioneer district, in a hasin at the foot of a steep mountain range, was discovered in 1875 by C. G. Mason, B. W. Reagon, W. L. Long and Ike Koplin, and was the first location placed on record in Pinal county. The vein niatter is quartz, the minerals consisting chiefly of chloride and black sulphurets, with quantities of pure silver in nuggcts. The old shaft is down 257 feet, and drifts aud tunnels in all directions show that the mineral is not only deposited on top of the ground, bnt ex? tends down into mother earth. A new working shaft has also been commenced which is to be sunk 1,000 feet. There is now in sight, by actual miuers’ measurement, $1,000,000 besides go and prospect there. They were strongly advised by their friends not to go on what they considered a fool’s errand, and told them they would find their tombstones there and nothing else. ‘‘All right,” replied the boys, ‘‘tombstones let it be, if we can’t do better, but we will chance it.” And away they went, up amongst the wild hills where the attack of the treacherous Apache was no less probable than the miners’ every-day risk of accident and _starvation. But none of these mishaps befel the hrave lads; they were singularly fortunate in lighting upon a magnificeut vein of silver ore, which piece of good luck was followed by the discovery of other veins equally valuable, in the same neighborhood, A mining camp was immediately organized by the discoverers, who, in derision of the dismal forebodings of their friends, gave it the doleful name of the ‘‘Tombstone” district. Silver mountain, just south of the Bradshaw 750,000 worth of ore on the dump and tailings. range, is attracting considerable attention; in trate is evaporated to about 80° to 90° T., and . at the mill, which latter are to be reduced by . fact, all the leads of gold and silver that staud AUSTRALIAN BUSTARD OR NATIVE TURKEY OF AUSTRALIA—Otis Australasianus, then allowed to cool. It contains over 25% of phosphoric acid. It is then mixed with coarse wood charcoal and dried in a muffle furnace. The proportion of charcoal to liquor is one to five, This substance contains the phosphoric acid in a partially insoluble state, so that it is different in its properties from meta-phosphoric acid. The mixture is then transferred to retorts of Stourbridge clay, capable of holding 30 to 40 pounds, The malleable iron pipe through which the phosphorus distils is then luted on, and the heat is raised to hright reduess. The phosphorus distils over and is condensed in water. It ouly remaius to cast it in molds, when it is sent to market. Mr. Readman, iu contradiction to usual assertions in text hooks, called especial attention to the fact that monophosphate of lime is not used as a source of phosphorus, for the lime takes up valuable room, and the compound requires a much more iutenso heat to effect its dcoomposition, Redonda phosphate of aluminum is regarded by the author as the future source of phosphorus, but as yet no attempt to procure phosphorus from it has been pecuniarily successful.—J/ron Age, amalgamation, a process the company is ahout to introduce to their otherwise perfect mill, and therehy save that which is lost by present process. The entire cost of the mill was $60,000. Wood and water are in the vicinity of mine and mill, aud the property is distant from terminus of the Southern Pacific railroad but 60 iniles. The ore is hauled from the miue to the mill, four miles, in wagons. About 50 men are employed by the company. Picket Post and the town of Silver King both show considerable activity. The ill-omeued title borne by the Tombstone district indicates the ready wit of the hardy miners in coining names for new places, and also the pertinacity with which a name will stick to @ inan or place when it has once taken popular hold. The story as to the origin of the name -given to the district is, that two young miners, hrothers, named Schafin, had reached Tucson in the early part of last year, on a prospecting journey. While there they heard of some likely indications that had been seen on the hills around the San Pedro river, about-70 miles away from Tucson, and made up their minds to out 80 prominently in the Peck, Bradshaw and Tiger districts seem to tend toward Silver mountaiu as their objective point, and to culminate, as it were, in a grand fountain head, a monster ledge which has its home in Silver mountain. This ledge has been named the Mammoth, and is atone point 150 feet between casings, and shows mincral for a distance of three or four miles across the mountain. No work has yet heen done ou any part of the ledge, so as to determine whether there are rich ore chutes or not, and it will take a large sum of money to prospect it, consequently, it may be some time before the world will know its value. PHOSPHORESCENCE.—In a certain butcher’s shop all the meat became strongly phosphorescent and remained so as long as sound, If putrefaction set in and Bacterium termo made its appearance the luminous appearance ceased. None of the customers of the meat experienced any inconvenience from its use, and no similar phenomenon was traced in other butcher’s shops in the neighborhood,— Af. Nueesh,

MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. [July 5, 1879. The Australian Bustard. The very interesting specimen of the feathered tribe which adorns our first page this week, is known as the Australian bustard (Otis Australasianus), and is the largest and handsomest of that family of birds. The bustard inhabits the grassy plains of Enrope, Asia and Africa, none being found upon our own continent, They vary in size according to species, the great bustard weighing from 26 to 30 pounds, According to Gould, the Anstralian bustard exceeds in size the European, standing higher upon its legs and having a longer neck. {Vhen seen at freedom no Australian bird, save the emu, is so majestic or assumes in its carriage so great an air of independence. The male, whose weight is from 13 to 16 pounds, greatly exceeds graving, is the long pouch which adorns its breast, and which, wheu inflated, reaches almost to the ground. This development is said to be peculiar to the breeding season, and is connected with the vocal organs, which, at that time, are much exercised. Tue ManuracTurE of ProspHorvs.—Vazious mineral phosphates, said Mr. James Readman, bofore the Glasgow Philosophical Society, are now used in the manufacture of phosphorus. Bone ash is no longer remunerative, on account of its high price, Among the varieties of mining phosphates are Canadian, German or Nassau, Charleston and Sombrero phosphates. The first stage in the manufacture of phosphorus is to decompose the phosphate of lime completely in a large cylinder with sulphuric acid of 110° to 120° Twaddell, with constaut agitation. The sulphate of lime is then filtered off, and the tilee \ OR ts “ « \ XK THE tho female in size, and from the greater length of the plumes of the neck is much mors stately in appearance. The bustard is so shy and runs with such marvelous rapidity when once alarmed, that great care is required hunting them. To succeed in getting near, it is necessary to bring in the aid of a horse, and to approach in circles, gradually closing in upon it before it takes wing, which it readily does hy running a few yards, thereby gaining an impetus, which enables it to rise. It flies heavily, with its long neck stretched out to the utmost, but it is capable of sustaining flight for a considerablo distance, As an article of food it is said to be delicate nd well flavored, surpassing the turkey of the European country. It breeds in the latter part of September, the situation chosen for the purpose being a clear apot in some valley or on the side of a grassy hill, The eggs are usually deposited on the bare ground; occasioually a few sticks are spread for them to lie upon. . A very striking peouliarity that will be noticed about the larger bird (the male) in the enoo WC RGSS VRS Shas at = os Arizona Mines, The Silver King mine, situated in the northern part of Pinal county, Pioneer district, in a hasin at the foot of a steep mountain range, was discovered in 1875 by C. G. Mason, B. W. Reagon, W. L. Long and Ike Koplin, and was the first location placed on record in Pinal county. The vein niatter is quartz, the minerals consisting chiefly of chloride and black sulphurets, with quantities of pure silver in nuggcts. The old shaft is down 257 feet, and drifts aud tunnels in all directions show that the mineral is not only deposited on top of the ground, bnt ex? tends down into mother earth. A new working shaft has also been commenced which is to be sunk 1,000 feet. There is now in sight, by actual miuers’ measurement, $1,000,000 besides go and prospect there. They were strongly advised by their friends not to go on what they considered a fool’s errand, and told them they would find their tombstones there and nothing else. ‘‘All right,” replied the boys, ‘‘tombstones let it be, if we can’t do better, but we will chance it.” And away they went, up amongst the wild hills where the attack of the treacherous Apache was no less probable than the miners’ every-day risk of accident and _starvation. But none of these mishaps befel the

hrave lads; they were singularly fortunate in lighting upon a magnificeut vein of silver ore, which piece of good luck was followed by the discovery of other veins equally valuable, in the same neighborhood, A mining camp was immediately organized by the discoverers, who, in derision of the dismal forebodings of their friends, gave it the doleful name of the ‘‘Tombstone” district. Silver mountain, just south of the Bradshaw 750,000 worth of ore on the dump and tailings. range, is attracting considerable attention; in trate is evaporated to about 80° to 90° T., and . at the mill, which latter are to be reduced by . fact, all the leads of gold and silver that staud AUSTRALIAN BUSTARD OR NATIVE TURKEY OF AUSTRALIA—Otis Australasianus, then allowed to cool. It contains over 25% of phosphoric acid. It is then mixed with coarse wood charcoal and dried in a muffle furnace. The proportion of charcoal to liquor is one to five, This substance contains the phosphoric acid in a partially insoluble state, so that it is different in its properties from meta-phosphoric acid. The mixture is then transferred to retorts of Stourbridge clay, capable of holding 30 to 40 pounds, The malleable iron pipe through which the phosphorus distils is then luted on, and the heat is raised to hright reduess. The phosphorus distils over and is condensed in water. It ouly remaius to cast it in molds, when it is sent to market. Mr. Readman, iu contradiction to usual assertions in text hooks, called especial attention to the fact that monophosphate of lime is not used as a source of phosphorus, for the lime takes up valuable room, and the compound requires a much more iutenso heat to effect its dcoomposition, Redonda phosphate of aluminum is regarded by the author as the future source of phosphorus, but as yet no attempt to procure phosphorus from it has been pecuniarily successful.—J/ron Age, amalgamation, a process the company is ahout to introduce to their otherwise perfect mill, and therehy save that which is lost by present process. The entire cost of the mill was $60,000. Wood and water are in the vicinity of mine and mill, aud the property is distant from terminus of the Southern Pacific railroad but 60 iniles. The ore is hauled from the miue to the mill, four miles, in wagons. About 50 men are employed by the company. Picket Post and the town of Silver King both show considerable activity. The ill-omeued title borne by the Tombstone district indicates the ready wit of the hardy miners in coining names for new places, and also the pertinacity with which a name will stick to @ inan or place when it has once taken popular hold. The story as to the origin of the name -given to the district is, that two young miners, hrothers, named Schafin, had reached Tucson in the early part of last year, on a prospecting journey. While there they heard of some likely indications that had been seen on the hills around the San Pedro river, about-70 miles away from Tucson, and made up their minds to out 80 prominently in the Peck, Bradshaw and Tiger districts seem to tend toward Silver mountaiu as their objective point, and to culminate, as it were, in a grand fountain head, a monster ledge which has its home in Silver mountain. This ledge has been named the Mammoth, and is atone point 150 feet between casings, and shows mincral for a distance of three or four miles across the mountain. No work has yet heen done ou any part of the ledge, so as to determine whether there are rich ore chutes or not, and it will take a large sum of money to prospect it, consequently, it may be some time before the world will know its value. PHOSPHORESCENCE.—In a certain butcher’s shop all the meat became strongly phosphorescent and remained so as long as sound, If putrefaction set in and Bacterium termo made its appearance the luminous appearance ceased. None of the customers of the meat experienced any inconvenience from its use, and no similar phenomenon was traced in other butcher’s shops in the neighborhood,— Af. Nueesh,