The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-09
Intelligence from the Mining Regions.
THE RICHEST SPECIMEN YET.
From the Pacific News


Sheriff Powers, the richest and most wonderful
specimen Of gold quartz that has yet been dis
covered in California. The quartz was some two
inches thick, over half foot in length, and as
much III breadth. Large grains of pure gold
covered it, while on one side crystal formation,
which seemed 10 ooze from the quartz, presented
the main feature Of The specimen. AT first eight,
one would suppose that il was work of art in
stead OF that OF nature, the crystal portion of il
twining round and taking root in the rock and then
putting out In most perfect and beautiful spires aud
points OF nearly an inch in length, with an even-
ness, regularity OF shape, and SO perfectly trans
parent, that the beholder would doubt his in
being told that il taken, just it is from the
bowels of "mother earth" The crystal, ia its
equally, if not more so. as brilliant and clear, aud
contains gold seemingly in liquid state, while at
the bose, or the roots, it is not so clear, being of
thick whitsh color, but rich IN its combustion.
posa mines, and is said TO be OF immense value.
We obtained but passing glance of this mineral
production, as it was exhibited to large crowd ia
the street, but we shall endeavor 10 learn more of
il, and give TO our readers further particulars.
NEW DRY DIGGINas.
Froa the Sacrament Index
BY letter received from Murdercr's Bar" we
learn that within few days very good diggings
and Middle Forks, at and near place called
Bakerstown, which is about three miles from
" Birds" The ravines called Brush" Mad
Canon, and Grizzly Canon, are being worked with
water in these gulches, that miners could not dig
to any depth. Our correspondent states that all
the gold taken out is uncommonly coarse; Jumps
weighing as high as 800 have been found, and
many as high as $50. The average Of those at
work in these ravines is at least $40. There has
little snow fallen here this season, and that dis
appeared almost Immediately. The snow above
will furnish sufficient water for these ravnes to be
worked until late in the summer. The facilities
for reaching these mines are good, and all sorts of
provisions are far cheaper there than last season.
NEW QUARTZ VEIN
from the Pacific News
We have Just been shown a great number of
specimens from the gold-bearing quartz, about two
hundred miles northeast Of Los Angeles. The
vein described being of great extent, and from
the specimens we have seen, is extremely rich.
The road is good, leading frem Los Angeles to the
vein, which is situated e. place called Salt Spring.
1t will b. recoected that this new discovery of the
gold bearing quartz has before been SIMPLY ali.
nounced as being made by M Lamb, (sincr
dead,) and ]. X. Davis The specimens brought
to this city at the Union Hotel, and in the pos
session off Youtz and w. M, Foster, directors Of
From the specimens which we have seen, and the
representations which the directors have made US,
we are satisfied that this vein is equal, If not
ror to any hitherto discovered in the State. Truly
the mining operations have but just commenced in
California.
tFrom the Sacramento Transcript
Maj. Downie, of Downieyille, took out, the other
day, piece of gold worth 81 600 The Ne,cs says
~.
OUT of the same hole between FIVE and six thousand
dollars, and then abandoned his claim to two men
who had been as work for him.
ANOTHER LARGE LUMP.
From the Public Baisnce1
We saw, Yesterday. mass OF gold bearing
quartz, from the neighborhood Of Carson's Creek,
which weighed nine pounds avoirdupois, and con-
tanned twenty-five ounces of gold, worth about
500.
TuNNELLINa TIE MINES.
[From the Marysville Herald
A new system of mining IS becoming very popu-
lar here, and it is thought the same will be emf
nentiy successful. refer to tunnelling For par
ticulars refer yeu TO the following description Of
what is called the " Gold Tunnel" which was the
first enterprise Of the kind here. IL was given by
Mr.. w. A. Fitzpatrick, who owns large part
Of the same, and who has managed the operation
He says, In answer TO my inquiries, that Some
three months since, Messrs. Barker & Co. com.
menced working in a ravne just below the Roger
Williams spring, ia Nevada; and on the bank of
Deer Creek They found gold near the surface,
but which, i'd of reposing on the soft o. rotten
granite, other deposits in this vicinity generally
do, the cad descended into the mountain side be-
coming richer and more extended the deeper the
shaft was sunk The company finally concluded
to commence lower down in the ravine, and drift
tunnel IN ard thus strike the lead from that direc
lion. The company not being acquainted with such
operations, Mr.. Fitzpatrick undertook TO do the
same for a share in il He commenced the tunnel
some two hundred feet below the shaft first sunk,
ard he's run the same into the vein. Ii has been
great undertaking, but so far en:nently successful
The tunnel is nearly six feet high by three wide,
and is safely iimbereo up and planked overhead, and
has railway and car TO take the earth and out
with. The ma;rx OF the gold is ferruginous quartz
much broken and crushed by some movement of
large rocks, as is evident from the s,eeken sides
abundant in the tunnel. The gold abounds in
aqueous clay, and IN solid pieces st broken quartz,
which will have to be crushed by machinery or
manual labor previous to washing out. Earth
taken promiscuously from the vein Or lead without
selection, yields from two to thirty dollars to pan.
full. When the vein or lead was first struck, IL
yielded but from ten 10 twenty cents to the pan, and
was but few inches in thickness; now il is from
two 10 four feet thick The dip of the vein is in an
Eastern course 1t crops out on the side Of the hill
10 the south. Veins OF quartz containing gold have
been found in different places, ae also detached
pieces ot quartz, very rich but none OF them could
be worked without large outlay Of capital, being
generally too far from water and doubtful 10 the
yield of the same when worked. The erinite in
the "Gold Tunnel" claims IL much softer thal
common, which makes IL more difficult to timber.
but easier to work have been thus particular in
describing the "Gold Tunnel" from the fact that
IL ~ the only metallic vein worked in this section
OF the country, all other leads beng found In gra
vel reposins on gIante, at all depths TO one hun
dred feet.
"Coyota Diagings" are those where shaft has
been sunk, and then drifting done in dfierent drec
iions, and has generally been very successful.
The amonnt of earth thrown up in the ravines Of
washing is very great, and perhaps | should be
justified in saying that the same, washed out,
Wnuid bHlnunt 10 more man -E,UVV,VOU.
Manv of our beat informed citizens say that, next
year, mining viii be more successful here than 1t
has been the past scason..S
The black sand, as 1t 10 called, is principally
oxyde Of iron. strongly magnetic Several chemists,
who have examined the sand, suppose that a pot
ton of il IA oxydated gold, and that but a small
portion ofthe precious metal s visible to the naked
eye.
The Pacific Mining Company lay claim to a large
portion 81 the beach, and have erected there log
cabins and laid IN a large store OF provisions, pre-
paratory 10 working the bluffs on an extensive
scale. They have large number Of lsborers on
the ground and have employed chemist 10 ex.
the belief that their enterprise will yield them a
handsome per centsge. II the sand yield any hing
like the quantity Of gold which has been repre-.
sented, we cannot doubt the ultimate success Of
the company, IL their affairs are managed prudent
ly. But for individuals, single handed, we have no
word Of encouragement The expense Of reaching
the Gold Bluffs IL nearly or quite one hundred dol