The Daily spy., 1850-09-10
OPERATIONS AT THE MINES.


Mr. j. F. Morse, who is travelling through the
Dggings, writes in the Sacramento Times as fol-
lows:
cat the Southern extremity of Grass Valley the
dggings have been very rich indeed. The ravine is
very small one, but from what can learn the weld
has been enormously great. | believe that L am
justified in saying that the average result of mining
at this point has been at the least calculation twenty
dollars per diem A few miles from this is situated
Gold Run.
This Is quite large mountain valley, penetrated
in the rainy season by small rivuet, and the dig
ging has been promiscuousy carried on nearly over
its whole surface. This, too has been one Of those
places in which gold has been obtained with facil-
ity and in abundance almost to the satisfaction of
the grasp of avarice ITSELF Here, to my certain
knowledge, many persons have been made rich in a
few days, or weeks, and returned to their eastern
homes, 10 enjoy with their associates the sweets of
magcally acquired fortune. In these last tmentioned
places, there have been found such rich and gener-
ally diffused depostes of gold, that no one, or at
least very few, toed without most encouraging re-
turn.
| Within mile or two from this, is what is called
Nevada City, hourshing little mountain town on
Deer Creek, surrounded by the greatest number Of
ravine, river, and mountain dggings that can be
found in California. was particularly struck with
the novelty in mining which came within the range
of my observation while in this village | have re-
ference to the Coyote Diggmgs the hills and noun
ains north of this town. The side of this hill is lit
orally covered with holes and piles of earth. The
miners sink perpendicular shafts down to the bed
rock in the surface of which they procure the eartl
in which the gold deposits are found From each
shaft are dug number of drifts, nearly in hori-
zontal line, OF from SIX to twenty feet in length
| All the superintendent strata are removed until
heyreach down the one lying Immediately upon the
bed rock, which is distinctly marked as decomposed
granite, and perfectly distinct from the strata direct
y over it. This strata varies from half an inch to
eight inches and is found in many instances to weld
from $50 to 1900 painful. The perpendicular
shafts are from ten to thirty five feet in depth went
down which was about fifteen feet, and from the
bottom of which radiated five drifts This was be-
ing excavated by couple of brothers by the name
OF Williams, from Michigan, who were very ntelli-
gent and apparently very happy in their new employ
ment.
The experiment of thess miners in shaft-sinkno
has proved one very important fact and that is that
gold is not confined to those deep cannons on run
nng streams, In which 1t has been generally located
heretofore. Indeed, one can visit these mines
and witness the result of excavations upon the noun
tans side, almost at its summit without feeling the
utter lmposslby OF exhausting the gold ofthis coun
try. 10 person who has made these observations
nothing can be more absurdy ridiculous than such
baseless conjectures we frequently see in home
journals. From this place, crossed to the North
Fork, passing through many beautiful valleys, and
landing at Barnes Bar. travelled for some miles
down this river and met with another most extensive
system of mning by which almost the entire bed of
gold streams is being opened to the shevel and the
rocker.
Companies are formed, long race-ways are con-
structed, after which dam is drawn across the riv-
er the water forced in the new canal and the main
river bottom is laid bare to the operations of the min
err The races are nearly all completed, and the
miners are waiting for the rivers to lower little
more, when they will throw across their dams and
commence prospecting their premises.
i On the North, Middle, and South Forks ofthe Am
ercan River, this is the principal way in which
mining is conducted this season. And the probable
result will be such development of gold as will as
found those men who have acknowledged the rich
ness of the gold mines of this country.
do consceniiously believe that the products Of
the mines for the next eight months will be of such
magnitude as to surprise and astonish the world with
the mineral richness of California, vastly above the
conceptions ofhose who now believe themselves
pretty well posted up on such matters.