USA > California > Nevada County > Bean's history and directory of Nevada County, California. Containing a complete history of the county, with sketches of the various towns and mining camps also, full statistics of mining and all other industrial resources > Part 26
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AN IMMENSE STOCK OF CLOTHING-WHERE ? AT B. GAD'S GREAT
DIXON'S VARIETY STORE, No. 4 MILL STREET, GRASS VALLEY.
GRASS VALLEY TOWNSHIP DIRECTORY.
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clined shaft, where the lode averages eighteen inches wide. A small engine. 25-horse power, was found insufficient to perform hoisting labor, being able only to do the pumping of the mine ; and work has been temporarily abandoned, to be re- sumed when heavier machinery is erected on the mine. The Lone Jack is under the management of A. H. Murdock. A crushing of thirteen hundred tons of rock, made in 1862, paid at the rate of $62 per ton ; and the gross yield of the Lone Jack up to the present time has been upward of $500,000.
Greenhorn District.
This district lies about five miles cast of Grass Valley, on the right bank of Greenhorn Creek. There are quite a number of large and prominent ledges in this district, the principal one being the Monroe, probably more generally known as the Greenhorn lode. Located in 1861. The Monroe was worked for silver, assaying largely, but returning meagerly. In fact, it has been hinted that a liberal supply of silver half dollars came into requisition in forming a Greenhorn silver brick, but this is evidently an invention of the evil-minded, and we give the report without indorsing it. The claims adjoining the Monroe-Greenhorn proper-were worked for gold, one hundred tons of quartz yielding $6,000. None of the owners being practical miners, the claims were leased to Aughey Brothers, who commenced n tunnel, and sunk an incline forty feet from the bottom of the tunnel, taking out a considerable quantity of gold. It is in contemplation to erect machinery on this mine during the present season. The country is virgin forest, is well supplied with water, presents excellent mill privileges, and offers rare inducements to capi- tal and labor. The Greenhorn lodes lie south of the celebrated Banner mine, which is in Nevada township, the Banner and Greenhorn Districts being separated from each other by a cement and gravel hill.
General Mention of Mines.
Below we notice briefly, and with less order and regularity than would be shown were we not now crowded for time, a number of quartz ledges in this township, some of which have been explored with gratifying success, while others have yielded prospects such as to warrant their owners in investing liberally in money and labor to develop them :
The Bowery claims, on Lafayette Hill, consist of thirteen hundred feet, were located in 1864, the lode running parallel with the North Star Company's, being seven hundred feet north of the latter. The owners are crecting hoisting works on the Bowery, and intend to thoroughly explore the mine through an incline shaft, which has reached a depth of over one hundred feet. Vein averages twenty inches in width. A crushing of three hundred tons of ore showed an average yield of $15 per ton. Owners of the Bowery, Childers, McGuire, Blodgett, and others.
The Inkerman, on the same hill, is a modern location, (1864,) is near the North Star, and is favorably regarded by quartz men. Claim consists of thirteen hundred feet. Worked through a vertical shaft to a depth of sixty feet, and also pierced by a tunnel, opening the mine for a length of four hundred feet, showing a well de- fined vein of an average width of twelve inches. The Inkerman, which will soon be extensively worked, has turned out some beautiful specimens. The Inkerman is owned by Joseph Clark, William K. Spencer, A. W. Campbell, W. H. Bailey, Dr. W. G. Millar, M. W. Ross, C. C. Smith, L. Childesr, of Grass Valley, and H. P. Jones, of San Francisco.
CLOTHING EMPORIUM, CORNER MAIN AND MILL STREETS, GRASS VALLEY.
PAPER COLLARS AT DIXON'S.
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GRASS VALLEY TOWNSHIP DIRECTORY.
The La Crosse mine, situated in Rhode Island Ravine, was located in April, 1866. An inclined shaft was sunk to the depth of twenty feet, showing a splendid lode of free gold and being rich in sulphurets. Had to abandon the working of the claims on account of too great a volume of water issuing from the vein. The claims embrace fourteen hundred feet, and run in a northeasterly and southwesterly direction. The owners are Wm. K. Spencer, Samuel Lock, H. J. Paine, M. Perru- sich, J. H. McCrory, S. W. Gamble, Isom Smith and Thomas Cassin. The company have recently incorporated under the name of La Crosse Mining Company, with a capital stock of $140,000, divided into fourteen hundred shares of $100 each. The company have entered into articles of agreement with San Francisco parties to put np pumping and hoisting machinery on the claims, to be running by the first of July, 1867.
The Diamond Company's claims, located on the southwest side of Osborn Hill, and consisting of one thousand feet, were relocated by the Norton Brothers in 1865. Discovered in 1859, when some prospecting was done, but operations were suspen- ded on account of the mine becoming filled with water. A drain tunnel was run a distance of three hundred feet, striking the lode at a depth of sixty feet ; forty tons of quartz, extracted from this tunnel, paid at the rate of $22 per ton. Encouraged by this yield, the owners last season put up machinery at an expense of $6,000, purchasing the machinery -- from the Watt Brothers-formerly used on the Galena mine. An inclined shaft is now being sunk, showing a splendid vein two feet wide, the quartz being well filled with free gold. The owners contemplate erecting a 10-stamp quartz mill as soon as the mine is well opened. The members of this company are persevering, practical miners, who do all their own work, and the prospect is good for giving them a good return for their investment of time, money and labor. Members of the Diamond Company are, John Norton, William Norton, Reuben Norton, H. H. Rollins, Silas Whiting, E. Ricker, - Power, and William Noble.
The Homeward Bound, located in 1854, is the south extension of the Lone Jack, and the claims embrace eleven hundred feet. Not developed below forty-five feet from the surface, where a well defined lode of two feet in width shows itself. The Homeward Bound is in an excellent quartz range, and as an evidence of the high favor in which it is held by experienced quartz men, we mention the fact that its recent owners, A. D. Tuttle, C. C. Smith, M. W. Ross, W. H. Bailey, C. C. Townsend and Albert Shepherd, have made a conditional sale of the mine to D. B. Hunt, late of the Ione, for $15,000. Hunt is to open the Homeward Bound as soon as ma- chinery can be got on the ground and erected.
The Golden Rock Mining Company's claims, consisting of one thousand feet, are situated about one-fourth of a mile north of the village of Forest Springs, on the range between the Ione and the Norambagua mines. Almost $2,000 worth of work has been performed on this mine. Explorations have been made on the lode to a depth of eighty feet, showing $30 ore, the vein at this depth being about three feet wide. Machinery to be erected this season. Owned by A. H. Murdock, P. H. Bro- gan, and a party of San Franciscans, the latter being owners by purchase.
The King Bee ledge, situated near the head of French Ravine, two miles southward from Grass Valley, was located in 1864, and embraces twenty-five hun- dred feet on the ledge, running northerly and southerly. This is a large sulphuret vein. At a depth of sixty feet, the ledge is three feet thick and solid, between good
BOYS SUITS, AND UNDER-CLOTHING, ALL SIZES, AT B. GAD'S.
LADIES WORK BOXES AT DIXON'S.
GRASS VALLEY TOWNSHIP DIRECTORY.
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walls ; the rock is very seamy, and may be denominated ribbon rock. The princi- pal owners are Wm. K. Spencer, Thomas Loyd, M. P. O'Connor and E. R. West. The company intend putting up pumping and hoisting works during the present year.
The Pacific Company's claims, Dromedary ledge, are on Wolf Creek, in the town of Grass Valley. Paid well formerly, but are not being worked at present.
Union Company No. 2, consisting of twelve hundred feet, adjoining the original Union Hill. A shaft is now being sunk to strike the vein, and arrangements are being made to put up machinery. Owned by Joseph Reed, C. M. Willard, G. A. Jordan and Con. Murphy.
The Badger Hill lode is half a mile cast of Grass Valley. Located in 1853. Has paid splendidly at times, but has never been extensively explored. The lode is " spotted," and has yielded an immense amount of the richest of gold speciniens. Owned by E. C. Webster, P. J. Brogan, Lind Brothers, A. Morehouse, B. Nathan and others.
The Good Hope Company's ledge, on Rhode Island Ravine, a short distance from Grass Valley, on the west, was located in 1861. It lies one-fourth of a mile north of Gold Hill, and the opinion obtains that it is an extension of the Gold Hill. Several crushings have been obtained from the Good Hope, which have yielded from $25 to $36 per ton. Owned by a company of Germans, consisting of F. Schrakamp, J. Bruneman, and others.
The Cincinnati IIill claims are located about one mile southwest of the town, embracing twenty-six hundred feet on the lode. Leased to William Chollar, John Bennett & Co,, who are running a drain tunnel. Are taking out $40 rock.
The Narragansett Company's mine, owned by Thomas Hardy, E. V. Hathaway, II. B. Potter, of San Francisco, and II. Woodcock, of Grass Valley, lies directly west of Kate Hayes Hill. Purchased, a few months since, from Fred. Jones. Hoist- ing works erected on the mine this season at a cost of $12,000.
Hope Company's claims, thirteen hundred feet, situated on Echo Hill, and owned by William Beal, R. Simonds, E. Jeffery and R. Sampson. Will be thoroughly prospected this summer. Last crushing of Hope rock showed a result of $25 per ton.
CONCLUDING REMARKS.
Before concluding this department of the Directory, the compiler feels it incum- bent on him to offer a few words of explanation to the readers and friends of the work. The history of the Grass Valley mines, which, if given in detail, would fill a volume much larger than BEAN'S HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, have been collected and written at intervals stolen from pressing business, and our mining sketches have been necessarily condensed, partly from a want of time to elaborate on our wonderful mineral greatness, and partly in consideration of Mr. Bean, whose volume already contains more reading matter than is usually given in a business directory, and more than is profitable to furnish. The compiler is aware that ALL the mines of Grass Valley Township are not mentioned in these pages, but the fault is not his. An effort was made to get a history of every mine in this district ; invitations were extended to quartz men through the columns of the local press, as well as through other channels, and a majority of our quartz operators cheerfully
B. GAD ALWAYS KEEPS THE BEST BOOTS AND SHOES.
GIFT ANNUALS AT DIXON'S,
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answered the invitations, and gave such information as they possessed, while oth- ers, either through ignorance or some selfish motive, preferred reticence in regard to their mines. The object of giving a mining history of Grass Valley Township was to let people abroad know something of our real quartz wealth, and not to distort facts, or "write up " mines for speculation ; and this object has been, as far as our personal knowledge extends, honestly carried out. The mines not included in our histories were probably not worth mentioning, and perhaps it is better that composition was saved by having them left out. In the following able article, by Professor Silliman, three of our principal mines, the Eureka, North Star and Alli- son Ranch, are treated scientifically and practically ; and the careful reader will probably detect some discrepancies between the Professor's article and our briefer sketches of these mines, which were written before Professor Silliman's manuscript reached us, or before we were aware that he intended to contribute a paper to this work. In justice to Professor Silleman, we here publish the fact that he personally examined the mines alluded to, made his examinations carefully and correctly, and his article, which was submitted to experienced quartz men. of this place, is correct in every particular. W. S. B.
B. GAD'S IS THE PLACE TO FIT YOURSELF WITH FINE CLOTHING.
-
VIRGINIA TOBACCO, AT DIXON'S.
NOTES ON THE GRASS VALLEY DISTRICT.
BY PROFESSOR BENJAMIN SILLIMAN.
Its Character and Productiveness.
This place has obtained a well-earned celebrity as the most prosperous of all the gold quartz mining districts in California. Quartz mining was begun here as early as 1850, and has been continued on the whole, with a steadily increasing success, to the present time.
It is difficult to obtain exact statistics of the total product of the Grass Valley quartz mines, but it is believed by those best able to form a trustworthy opinion on this subject, that the product in 1866 was probably not less than $2,000,000, while for the whole period from 1851-say fourteen years-it was probably in excess of $23,000,000.
Wm. Ashburner, Esq., in his remarks on the gold mining interests of California, in J. Ross Brown's Report on the Resources of the States and Territories west of the Rocky Mountains, speaks of the Grass Valley region (page 46) thus :
When we consider the richness of the veins, the length of time some of the mines have been worked, and the amount of gold annually produced, the most important quartz mining region of California is, without any doubt, that of Grass Valley, in Nevada county. Here mines have been worked uninterruptedly since 1851. It is true there have been periods when the interest was more than usually depressed, and several of the mines, which are now regarded as among the best, were thought to be exhausted and were abandoned for the time being, but in many instances where work was resumed new bodies of gold-bearing quartz were opened up, which proved rich and valuable. The veins in this district. and particularly those which have been most productive, are noted for their narrowness, as well as for the rich- ness of the quartz. They are encased in a hard metamorphic rock, and the expenses of mining are, as a general thing, higher here than any where else in California, amounting as they do in some instances, to from $20 to $26 per ton. Within the last fourteen years the total production from the quartz mines of Grass Valley District has been not far from $23,000,000. The most prolific vein has been that situated upon Massachusetts and Gold Hills, which alone has produced more than $7,000,000 worth of gold during this time from a lode which will average only a foot or fourteen inches in width.
General Geological Character of the Grass Valley District.
The gold bearing rocks at this place are mostly highly metamorphic schists or sandstones passing into diorite or greenstone syenite. These greenstones seemingly crystalline, are probably only highly altered sedimentary rocks, containing a large amount of protoxide of iron with sulphuret of iron. In some parts of the district, 02
FULL SUITS OF CLOTHING, FROM $10 TO $75, AT B. GAD'S.
WOODS' PAPER COLLARS, AT DIXON'S.
231 GRASS VALLEY TOWNSHIP DIRECTORY.
slaty rocks occur, more or less talcose or chloritic in character, masses of serpentine also abound, forming at times one wall of the quartz veins. This serpentine is probably metamorphic of the magnesian rocks last named. The red soil, seen almost everywhere in the Grass Valley district, has its origin from the peroxidation of the iron contained in the greenstones and diorites, and set at liberty by its de- composition.
The line of contact between the gold-bearing and metamorphic rocks of Grass Valley and the granites of the Sierra Nevada is met on the road to the town of Nevada, about a half mile before coming to Deer Creek. The talcose and chloritic slates are seen to the north, in the direction of the Peck lode, and in the slate dis- tricts of Deer Creek.
The dip and strike of the rocks in the Grass Valley region is seen to vary greatly in different parts of the district. Following the course of Wolf creek, a tributary of Bear river, it will be observed that the valley of this stream-which is Grass Valley-as well as of its principal branches, follows in the main the line or strike of the rocks. In the absence of an accurate map of the region, it may not be easy to make this statement evident. But all who are familiar with the chief mines of this district, will recall the fact, that the course of the veins in the Forest Springs location, at the southern extremity of the district, is nearly north and south-N, about 20° E-with a very flat dip to the east, while at the Eureka mine, on Eureka Hill, about four miles to the northward, the course of the vein is nearly east and west with a dip to the south of about seventy-eight degrees. Again, commencing at North Gold Hill and following the course of the famous vein which bears the names of Gold Hill, Massachusetts Hill and New York Hill, we find the veins con- forming essentially to the southerly course of the stream with an easterly dip. The North Star, on Weimar Hill, has likewise the same general direction of dip. Near Miller's ravine, at El Dorado mill, Wolf creek makes a sudden bend to the left, or east, leaving the Lone Jack, Illinois, Wisconsin and Allison Ranch mines to the west. All these last named mines are found to possess a westerly dip, showing the existence of a synclinal axis running between the base of New York Hill and the mines having westerly dips last named, along which probably the veins will, if explored in depth, be found "in basin." The dip at Lone Jack is about 30 W., at Allison Ranch it is about 45° west. Just below the Allison Ranch mine, Wolf creek again makes a sharp turn to the left, nearly at a right-angle, and then resumes its former course with the same abruptness. A mile lower down, where it strikes the Forest Springs locations, we find the Norambagua inclosed in syenitic rocks, dipping at a very low angle to the east ; a dip seen also at still less angle in the Shamrock, yet further south. There is probably a saddle or anticlinal axis below the Allison Ranch mine, due to the elevation of the syenitic mass, which it seems probable sets in at the sharp bend in the stream, before alluded to, and where the ravine trail joins it. The stream probably runs pretty nearly in the basin of the synclinal.
The rocks on the east side of Wolf creek, and above Forest Springs locations, dip westerly. Such is the case at Kate Hayes and with the veins on Osborn Hill. The middle branch of the creek sweeps around to the east, forms its junction with the north fork, and the veins explored there near its upper waters, as at Union Hill, the Burdett ground, Murphy vein, Lucky and Cambridge, all dip southwest or south, conformably to the Idaho and Eureka, and at a pretty high angle. The Eureka vein going west faults in the Whiting ground, and having previously become al-
AN IMMENSE STOCK OF CLOTHING-WHERE ? AT B. GAD'S GREAT
LADIES WORK BOXES, AT DIXON'S.
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GRASS VALLEY TOWNSHIP DIRECTORY.
most vertical has, west of the fault, a northerly dip at a high angle. At the Coe ground, this northerly dip is also found at an angle of about 50°. At Cincinnati Hill the vein dips southerly, in a direction exactly opposite to that of the North Star, there being a valley between the two, and a saddle or anticlinal between Cincinnati and Massachusetts Hills,
These facts, which by a more detailed statement could be easily multiplied, seem to warrant the conclusion that the course and dip of the Grass Valley veins is es- pecially conformable to that of the rocks, and that the streams have, in general, excavated their vallies in a like conformable manner.
Of the Gold-Bearing Veins of Grass Valley.
The quartz veins of Grass Valley District are not generally large. Two feet is probably a full average thickness, while some of the most productive, and those which have given, from the first, a high reputation to this region, have not aver- aged over a foot or possibly eighteen inchies in thickness. There are some exceed- ingly rich veins which will hardly average four inches in thickness, and which have yet been worked at a profit, while at the same time there are veins like the Eureka which have averaged three feet in thickness, and the Union Hill vein over four feet. The Grass Valley veins are often, perhaps usually. imbedded in the inclosing rocks, with seldom a flucean or clay selvage or parting, although this is sometimes found on one or both walls. The walls of the fissures and the contact faces of the veins are often seen to be beautifully polished and striated.
The veins are, as a rule, highly mineralized, crystalline and affording the most un- mistakable evidence of an origin from solution in water, and afford not the least evidence of an igneous origin. Calcedonic cavities and agatized structure are very conspicuous features in many of the best characterized and most productive of the gold-bearing veins of this district. These indisputable evidences of an aqueous origin are seen in Massachusetts Hill, Ophir Hill, Allison Ranch, Kate Hayes and Eureka.
The metallic contents of the Grass Valley veins vary extremely, some carry but very little or no visible gold or sulphurets, although the gold tenor is found in working in mill to be satisfactory, and the sulphurets appear on concentrating the sands from crushing. This is the case in the Lucky and and Cambridge mines, for example. But in most cases, the veins of this district abound in sulphurets, chiefly of iron, copper and lead, the sulphureted contents varying greatly in the same vein-zinc and arsenic are found also, but more rarely. The most noted ex- ample of arsenical sulphurets being in the Norambagua and on Heuston Hill ; lead abounds in the Union Hill lodes, (as galena,) and the same metal is found associated with the yellow copper in parts of the Eureka minc. The gold, when visible, is very commonly seen to be associated with the sulphurets-this was particularly the case in Massachusetts Hill, while in Rocky Bar and Scadden Flat, on the same vein, the gold is found sometimes in beautiful crystalized masses, binding together the quartz and almost destitute of sulphurets. Mr. William Watt informs me that in working some seventy thousand tons of rock from Massachusetts Hill vein, the average tenor of gold was about $80 ; but at times this vein was almost barren, while again the gold was found in it so abundantly, especially where it was thin, that it had to be cut out with chisels. It is matter of notoriety that in the Gold Hill vein (continuation of the vein in Massachusetts Hill) portions of the lode were
CLOTHING EMPORIUM, CORNER MAIN AND MILL STREETS, GRASS VALLEY.
BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED DOLLS, AT DIXON'S.
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so highly charged with gold that the amount sequestered by the miners in a single year exceeded $50,000. On the other hand, in the Cambridge and Lucky mines, having a tenor of about $35 to $60 gold to the ton, the precious metal is seldom visible. In the Eureka, where the average tenor of gold in 1866 was $50 per ton, it seldom exhibited what may be called a "specimen " of gold.
The structure of the veins in Grass Valley varies, in different portions of the dis- trict, especially in respect to the distribution of the pyrites and of portions of the adjacent walls. On Eureka Hill, the veins possess a laminated structure parallel to the walls, enclosing portions of the diorite or talcose rocks, forming closures or joints in which the vein splits easily. On these surfaces of cleavage minute scales of gold may often be detected by close inspection. The sulphurets are also seen to be arranged in bands or lines parallel to the walls. In many other cases, this kind of structure is found to be wholly absent, while the sulphurets and gold appear to follow no regular mode of distribution. In a few mines the sulphurets are arranged very distinctly in bands or zones, parallel to the walls, forming "ribbon quartz." This is especially distinct in the Norambagua, where, as before mentioned, the sul- phurets are arsenical, and the gold very finely disseminated.
The average tenor of the gold in the Grass Valley veins is believed to be considera- bly in excess of what is found in most other portions of California. In Allison Ranch, Massachusetts Hill, Rocky Bar, Ophir Hill, and Eureka, this average has probably reached $50 to the ton. In many other mines it has been considerably less, but on the whole, $30 may not be far from the general average tenor of the whole district; meaning, of course, the amount actually saved by milling ope- rations.
The loss of gold is very various, but is probably nearly always greater than owners are willing to confess, if indeed they know, which is doubtful. It is certain, in one well known mine, my own samples of quartz sands, and sulphurets from " pans," assayed respectively $23 and $57 per ton-a result which was later con- firmed by the researches of another very competent mining engineer, quite inde- pendently. In other cases, as at Eureka and Norambagua, my own researches show the loss in the tailings to be very small, not exceeding seven dollars to the ton in the latter and less than that in the former.
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