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 7
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The country rock around Grass Valley is slate, and the ledges run in every direction, though the principal mines that have been opened and worked usually approximate an cast and west or a north and south course. Tunnels and drifts have been run for considerable distances on ledges lying nearly at right angles, yet hardly an instance is known in which two ledges have crossed each other. In some instances, where two ledges would intersect if both were continuous, one has been found perfect, while the other disappears for a greater or less distance on each side of it. In other cases, both ledges are broken and disappear before reaching the point of intersection. Perhaps a further and more careful examination of the inter- section of cross ledges may lead to a plausible theory of the formation of mineral veins. The Grass Valley ledges would be called small-varying in size from a mere scam to five or six feet in width. They are rarely found of the latter size, and those that have been worked the most success- fully probably will not average over a foot in width. The most of the north and south ledges have an casterly dip-the inclination being at all angles, from nearly horizontal to perpendicular. Some of the best mines, however, like the Allison Ranch, dip to the west. An impression has obtained among many miners, that ledges situated in slate are more even and reliable than those in granite, and that those having a westerly dip are richer than those dipping easterly. But the facts brought to light by the quartz development thus far, will hardly sustain these theories. The miners have an expressive adage, that the " gold is where you find it," and it is some- times found in the most unexpected places.
From a very full review of the operations of the Grass Valley mines, for 1866, which appeared in the San Francisco Mercantile Gazette of January 9th, 1867, we condense the following :
The Eureka is now universally conceded to be a mine of extraordinary merit, and is one of the most valuable in California. The gross yield of bullion for the past year amounted to $596,053, and the dividends declared $360,000, an average of $30,000 per month. The company have now on hand seventy five tons of sulphurets, worth at least $30,000, and a large amount of wood, timber, and other supplies, valued at $15,000. In addition, $27,000 were expended a short time since for new machinery
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and other improvements. It will thus be seen that the earnings of the mine, including actual dividends paid, have amounted to $432,000 for the year 1866. During that period 12.200 tons of ore were reduced, giving an average yield of more than $48 per ton. The Eureka has thus far been worked to a perpendicular depth of only 300 feet, and a length of 725 feet on the vein in stoping from the lower level. A new level is now being opened at 100 feet greater depth, and a new shaft is also under way. A one fortieth interest in this property was recently sold for $17,500.
The North Star has the advantage of being not only very thoroughly opened, but is also a mine of great prospective value. The main shaft is now down 750 feet, with a vertical depth of some 210 feet. The third level from the bottom extends 850 feet east, on the vein, the next above about 600 feet in the same direction, and the lowest or new level is just being drifted upon. The width of the vein throughout the mine will perhaps average two feet, and a very considerable portion above the three lower levels is virgin ground, extending to the surface. It is estimated that fully 30,000 tons of ore remain untonched in the reserves or backs, opened by means of drifts from the main shaft. This company has declared dividends at irregular intervals since 1852, and during the past five years a net profit of more than $500,000 has been realized. The gross product from their new 16 stamp mill for the past five months has exceeded $100,000, and the net profits, in dividends, now range from $12,000 to $14,000 per month.
The Allison Ranch mine has not been very judiciously or profitably worked the past year, owing to a lack of harmony among some of the owners ; but of late, certain discordant elements have been overcome, and a more vigorous policy may now be anticipated. The gross yield of this mine during the past ten years, since it was first opened, has been about $2,300,000-the product for the three years ending December 30th, 1865, being $1,000,000, and for the past year less than $200,000.
The Ophir mine, from 1852 to 1864, yielded about $1,000.000, and since it came into possession of the present owners-the Empire Company-more than $300,000 have been extracted. During the past year some 3,750 tons of ore were reduced, producing about $175,000, or an average of $47 per ton, A magnificent 30-stamp mill was erected last summer, involving an outlay of more than $100,000, and $50,000 additional was expended upon a new shaft, hoisting works, etc.
The basin of Nevada is situated on a granite formation, extending south- westerly into the slate, somewhat in the form of a horse shoe. In this formation is a series of quartz veins, nearly parallel with each other, and having many points of resemblance. Their general course is about fifteen degrees east of south, and all dip easterly, at angles not varying far from thirty-five degrees. At irregular distances along the ledges are "ore chutes," or " chimneys," containing rich rock, while in other places the rock will barely pay for working. The ore chutes extend in length from a few feet to several hundred feet, and downward indefinitely, inclining at various angles with the plane of the ledge.
The Ural, or Cornish mine, is situated on the northwesterly rim of the granite belt, and the Union mine on the southeasterly rim-the two mines being about three miles apart, and both of them in places cutting into the slate formation. Between these, are the Gold Tunnel, Soggs, Pennsylvania,
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and other well known mines The Gold Tunnel yielded upward of $300,000 previous to 1855. In that year Captain Kidd sold it to a company of Cornish miners, who worked it with little interruption for eight years longer. The mine has been re-purchased by Captain Kidd and some San Francisco capitalists, but is not now worked. The California claim, now owned by the Eagle Company, is an extension of the Gold Tunnel, on the south side of Deer Creek. The Providence mine, which has been worked many years, is the southerly extension of the Soggs.
South of the above mentioned series of ledges, and near the apex of the granite formation, is another series having the same general characteristics, with the exception that they dip to the west. The most noted of these are the Sneath and Clay, and Mohawk. The former has been worked steadily since 1863, and at times has yielded immense returns. It is now owned and worked by the New York and Grass Valley Company. The same company has invested a large amount in erecting hoisting works and open- ing the Union mine.
Among the best mines in Nevada township are the Wigham and Banner, both of which have yielded large returns during the past year. The former is situated south of the town and the latter southeast, both being in the slate formation, near its junetion with the granite. The Lecompton mine, which in the course of two years yielded a profit of $60,000' to its owners, is situated between the granite and slate, in places passing from one rock to the other, and retaining its course and dip.
In the north and south veins that have an easterly dip, the ore chutes, or chimneys, generally incline to the north, and in ledges dipping west they incline to the south. There are probably exceptions, but this is the rule with the mines around Nevada. The chutes are more or less irregular; sometimes expanding in length, and again contracting, at different depths. In opening mines managers now make it their first business to ascertain the position and course of the ore chutes, and when found follow them down. A neglect of this, through ignorance of the character of mineral veins, was the cause of many of the early failures in quartz mining.
In the Ural mine the ore chute at the surface is sixty feet in length, and at a depth of a hundred and twenty fect its length is nearly a hundred feet. The mine is now opened by a tunnel at a depth of over three hundred feet, but the length of the chute at that depth is not ascertained. In the Soggs mine several distinct chutes of rich ore have been worked to the lower level. The Gold Tunnel paid very largely from the mouth of the tunnel, at Deer creek, for a distance of six hundred feet north-averaging, proba- bly, fifty dollars a ton. Beyond that, the yield was only six or eight dollars a ton. The mine has never been worked below the level of the creek.
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QUARTZ MINING.
There are two or three extensive and rich chutes in the same ledge south of Deer creek, which is now being opened in a systematic manner by the Eagle Company, of Hartford. In the Sneath and Clay mine, the ore chute in the upper level is a hundred and fifty feet in length ; it contracts to a hundred feet in the lower levels, and possibly will again expand at a still greater depth. The Wigham mine has a rich chute of about two hundred fect in length, and on either side the rock will scarcely pay for crushing. The Eureka mine at Grass Valley is worked for a distance of over seven hundred feet along the ledge, and the Allison Ranch about four hundred. Large amounts of money have been sunk in endeavoring to find pay rock in other places on the Allison Ranch ledge.
An important consideration connected with the mining interest, and upon which in a measure depends the permanent prosperity of the mining dis- tricts, is the question of the quartz veins carrying sufficient gold to pay for working to great depths. The gold mines of Europe are understood to decrease in richness the deeper they are worked. Some geologists have laid it down as a rule, founded upon a thorough examination of the mines in the Ural mountains and in Hungary, that gold-bearing veins will not pay for working at a greater perpendicular depth than three hundred and fifty feet. The developments in California are not sufficient to enable us as yet to form a decided opinion on this question ; but so far as developments have been made, they tend to show that our mines will prove an exception to the rule laid down for the gold mines in Europe.
The deepest mine in California, and probably the deepest of any gold mine in the world, is the Hayward mine in Amador county. This is now being worked to the depth of twelve hundred feet below the surface, and the ore has steadily improved with the depth. The Jefferson and Pennsyl- vania companies, at Brown's Valley, Yuba county, are working their mines at the depth of nearly five hundred feet on the incline of the ledges, where the ore pays much better than nearer the surface ; what the perpendicular depth is we do not know. Notwithstanding the length of time the mines have been worked in Nevada county, we believe there are none that have been opened to the depth of three hundred and fifty feet. The deepest that we know of is the Eureka, which is three hundred feet. This is now regarded as the leading mine in the county, and the ore has steadily im- proved from a yield of four and five dollars a ton, near the surface, to fifty dollars a ton at the depth above stated. The Banner mine, near Nevada, has also improved with the depth, as well as some others that might be named. But in other instances the reverse has been the case. 1
It is the opinion of some who have carefully investigated the subject, that, taking the average result of the developments in this county, the
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CEMENT MINING.
mines show a slight improvement in quality of ore, with the depth reached, and the ledges also increase in size and become more regular. Others con- tend that the increased yield of the ore is due to the improved methods of working and amalgamating; that where changes occur in the character of the rock it is occasioned by striking upon, or leaving, the ore chutes, and that by following the incline of the chutes the ore on the whole will vary. but little in value for an indefinite depth. The latter theory is plausible, and many facts could be cited tending to sustain it. A large number of mines in this county have been opened and worked to the depth of two hundred feet and over; and these, taken as a whole, certainly show no in- dications of decline in the quality of the ore, but if there is any change with the depth, it is for the better. If decrease of yield with the greater depth is the rule with gold mines, we have good reason to believe that those of California will prove an exception, and that like the silver mines of Spain and the tin and copper mines of Cornwall, our gold-bearing veins will continue to yield their treasures in undiminished quantities long after the pioneer workers shall have been forgotten.
CEMENT MINING.
Cement mining, properly, is a branch of placer mining, and the term is applied to the reduction of the cemented gravel found in the ancient river channels. In this county, the business has become of leading importance, requiring skillful engineering in mining the gravel, and expensive machinery" in reducing it and collecting the gold. Little York township has taken the lead in this branch of mining, where capital to a considerable amount has been invested in the business. Cement mills have also been erected in Washington, Nevada, Grass Valley and Bridgeport townships, but the yield from this source is small, as compared with that from other branches of mining. In Little York, however, it is the leading business.
When the rich deposits along the margins of the streams had been worked out, and the shallow surface diggings were impoverished, the miners directed their attention to the deep hills and ridges in search of the precious metal. The cost and labor required to open the claims was much greater than in the shallow diggings, but the reward frequently more than counterbalanced the risk and preliminary outlay. At first, extensive tunnels were run, and, where practicable, deep shafts were sunk, and the rich gravel on the bed- G
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CEMENT MINING.
rock drifted out; afterward, when the hydraulic hose came into use, the hills were washed down entire, sometimes to a depth of several hundred feet. Gold in greater or less quantities was found in the earth from the surface down, in some claims being sufficient to pay running expenses ; but for their profits the miners depended on striking rich pockets in the gravel beds at the bottom. Numerous channels were found under the high ridges where ancient streams had once coursed their way toward the ocean, leav- ing deposits of gravel containing gold, similar to those found in the existing streams. Some of this gravel was found to be cemented, requiring more or less force to pulverize it, in order to save the gold by the sluicing pro- cess. For this purpose, various expedients and appliances have been devised, among which is the erection of stamp mills, similar to those used in crushing quartz.
Blue gravel, rich in gold, was found in different places in Little York township in the summer of 1852, and in the winter of the following year it was found in the claims of Rogers & Co., cemented so compactly that it had to be blasted and gadded out. The method adopted by this company to work the cement was to run it through sluices, save the tailings and allow them to remain some months until the action of the elements had partially decomposed them, then sluice them again. In this manner each lot of tailings was run through the sluices six or eight times, requiring, probably, two or three years in the operation. The Chinamen work the cement in the same manner now, and some are of the opinion that it is the most economical and effectual method of working it.
The first stamp mill for crushing cement was erected by the Massassauga Company, on Albany Hill, near Little York, in the summer of 1857. This company sunk several shafts that year, one of which is now used by Curran & Buckman, the present owners of the claim. The first mill had no screens, but the cement was thrown into the battery and carried off by a stream of water. The tailings from this mill were saved for a year or two and allowed to slack, and on being run through a sluice yielded some $4,000. In the spring of 1858 a cement mill was erected by Begole & Johnson, on the old Rogers & Co. claims, at Little York, which was a con- siderable improvement on its predecessor, and mills have since been built at You Bet, Red Dog, Hunt's Hill, Gougeye, Quaker Hill, and other places in the township. The screens now used are nearly as fine as those used in crushing quartz, and it is well determined that the finer the cement is crushed the more gold will be saved.
Cement mining, like every other branch of the business, has had its ups and downs, but on the whole has exhibited a steady progress, and been in- creasing in importance, since the first mill was erected in 1857. Almost
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CEMENT MINING.
every claim, at times, has paid largely, and again the receipts would fall below the expenses. The blue gravel channels in Little York township usually vary in width from fifty to a hundred feet, and wherever the position of the rock or other circumstances were such as to form riffles large deposits of gold are found, the same as they were found at an early day of placer mining in the existing streams. For this reason, the business must be subject to vicissitudes, while the hope of making big strikes will always be an inducement to perseverance.
The theory. formerly in vogue, that there was but one blue cement gravel lead is now generally discarded by miners. There is no evidence that the blue lead at Little York is the same as that worked at You Bet, and it is quite certain that there are two separate leads at the latter place. The claims of Neece & West, Brown & Co., and Cozzens & Garber are nearly in a line-Brown & Co. being in the middle, and distant from Necce & West a quarter of a mile, and a mile from Cozzens & Garber. It has been ascertained by actual leveling, that the channel which Brown & Co. are working is forty feet higher than that in the claims of Necce & West, and six feet higher than that of Cozzens & Garber. This, we think, establishes the fact that the three companies can not be working in the same channel.
Another idea has obtained, that the channels containing the blue cement are more ancient than, and belong to a different river system from, those containing gray and light-colored gravel, and which is successfully worked in sluices. We are not aware that there is any substantial reason for this opinion. It may not necessarily require a long period of time for the gravel to become a compact cement ; the cementing material, as well as the blue color, was probably derived from the bed-rock, and exists only in certain localities. The petrifactions found in the blue cement gravel, as well as those in other ancient channels, are the pine, manzanita, and other varieties of wood now growing in the mountains-indicating that no great geological changes have taken place since the ancient channels were filled up. The channels of the streams may have been changed by avalanches, earthquakes, volcanoes, and other causes now in force, and without any extraordinary convulsion, such as the upheaval or sinking of a mountain range.
The developments thus far made, by the mining operations in this county, indicate that the ancient streams did not differ materially from those now existing, and that their general course was nearly the same. This, at least, is the opinion now entertained by the most intelligent and observing miners.
In general, the old channels are at a higher altitude than the beds of the adjoining streams. There are, however, exceptions. At Scotch Flat, six miles above Nevada, shafts have been sunk to the depth of a hundred and fifty feet below the present bed of Deer creek, without finding the bed-rock.
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CEMENT MINING.
At Sailor Flat, a mile and a half above Scotch Flat, deep shafts have also been sunk, without reaching the bottom, and the two places are believed to be situated on the same channel. Some company, with well-appointed machinery and sufficient means, may yet take out hundreds of fortunes from this deep channel. It is probable that the channels of the streams have been changed over and over again, while the mountains have been slowly wearing away, and that the deeper channels were made by the more modern river systems.
The facts thus far brought to light are not sufficient to enable us to form any definite conclusions as to the old river channels. At present we can merely theorize on the subject ; and in doing this we should be careful not to become so attached to theory as to lead us to disregard facts that may hereafter be brought to light tending to controvert our preconceived opin- ions. The miners are slowly developing facts, which will in time enable scientific men to construct a map of the old river system and write the geological history of the California gold fields.
Whether cement mining is to increase until it becomes a leading branch of the business depends upon the character of the deposits yet to be opened in the ancient channels. A vast amount of placer mining ground, and channels for great distances, are yet to be explored, and should a consid- erable proportion of the gravel therein be found cemented so compactly às to require crushing, numerons mills will be erceted for the purpose, otherwise, it will be worked by the more economical process of sluicing.
At the present time, there are sixteen cement mills in Little York town- ship, having one hundred and thirty-six stamps; two mills in Washington, with eight stamps; one in Nevada, with fifteen stamps; one in Grass Valley, with eight stamps; and one in Bridgeport, with ten stamps. These make an aggregate in the county of twenty-one cement mills, with one hundred and seventy-seven stamps. More than half of these have been running steadily during the past year, while the others have been idle a portion of the time for want of gravel to crush and other causes. About five hundred men are directly employed in the mills and cement mines. We have no accurate statistics of the amount of cement gravel worked during the year. In some cases as much as a hundred tons is run through a ten-stamp mill in twenty-four hours, while in other cases not more than thirty tons is worked in the same time by the same number of stamps. The great differ- ence is owing to the difference in the gravel worked-at times being merely soil and loose gravel, which is ordinarily worked in sluices, while at other times the cement is compact and as difficult to crush as the hardest quartz. In some cases the loose gravel is run through a mill for the purpose of saving the gold contained in the small quartz pebbles.
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PLACER MINING.
Cement mills are not usually provided with the appliances for amalga- mating and saving the gold that are now connected with the quartz mills. Copper plates and riffles are mostly used, and the immense amount of cement crushed renders it impracticable in most cases to work it in pans. The improvement most needed is an effectual method of separating the sulphur- ets. These are found in considerable quantities with the cement gravel, and generally contain sufficient gold to yield a good profit when worked by the chlorinizing process. If machinery, not too expensive, could be devised to separate them from the mass of pulp it would add largely to the profits of cement mining.
PLACER MINING.
It would be impossible in the limits assigned to this paper to give any thing like a history of the rise and progress of placer mining in this county, and we can only hope to sketch some of the leading improvements and note the present condition of the business. The placer mines have been worked steadily in the county for seventeen years, and have yielded an amount of treasure that, could the figures be procured, would stagger belief, and as yet show no signs of exhaustion. True, the rich pockets in the beds of the running streams, and the shallow diggings that required no capital and but little preliminary labor to mine successfully, have been mostly worked out, and capital and skill are now indispensable to success, yet there is no perceptible diminution in the yield. As claims are worked out in one place new ones are opened in other localities, and although failure in any given enterprise is about as likely as success, yet the prospect of big strikes, and the hope of acquiring a fortune or a competency by one or two years of well-directed labor, are incentives that can not fail to enlist the skill of the most energetic of our population.
Mining commenced in Nevada county in 1849, the rocker being the principal machine used in washing the auriferous sands. It had been used early in the summer of 1848 on the bars of the American, Yuba and Feather rivers. The rocker gave place to the long-tom, a machine called the "grizzly," and the sluice, all of which were first brought into use in Nevada county. The grizzly, which was a sort of huge rocker, proved to be less serviceable than the long-tom and was soon discarded, while the long-tom in turn gave place to the sluice. This was a most important im-
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