The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-14


From the Ban Francisco Journal OF Comnsrce1
A company of damming miners upon one of the
COLO rivers in the interior, recently played upon
some geenhorns quite Impractical joke, which,
however, proved TO be rather a barren and worth
less affair to the latter although productiv of con-
siderable ORC to the former The diggers, after
fruitless search after gold on the inside of thslr
dam, found soft and porous rock, which proved
as destitute OF gold as the rest of their claim.
Determined, however, to realize something to pay
them for their trouble, they Immediately sprnkled
considerable amount OF the precious metal all
over the rock well in it's interstices and ere
vices, and then proclaimed abroad that they had
found q rich vein of golden rock in their dam, in
viting every one to call and see it. From far and
near the diggers came to see the wonderful Gscove-
ry, whilst claims in the surrounding dams rose in
price in proportion to the excitement occasioned by
the golden rock. Many and large were the offers
made 10 the various claimants in the golden rock
dam. But il was no go-the party concerned knew
well what they were about, and would not sell one
claim without selling all. Meanwhile, so intense had
become the excitement, that no work was done for
several days in the whole neighborhood, and the
owners OF this immensely rich claim, seeing the
position OF AFFAIRS determined to " strike while the
iron was hot;" and accordingly, up went the
whole of the claims in the Golden Rock DAM"
TO be sold at auction, to the highest bidders, for
cash, at SHUTDOWN the next day. The excitement
still ragged, and, at the time appointed, the con-
course OF dggers was tremendous upon the scene
OF action. The sale commenced, and up, up went
the bids to an astonishing price, until about dusk,
when the whole was knocked of to a party Of
lucky honIbres, who promptly paid the money, a
sum far exceeding all the costs and OUTLAWS upon
the dam, and received the titles in lieu. Morning
came, and the new owners went to work, amid =
large concourse OF miners, who had assembled to
see the opening of the golden vein. Nobly did the
pick and CrOwbar do their duty that day, and for
any hours did the work men toll, the perspiratiOn
rolling in streams over their bronzed faces and
sinewy limbs. But nothing further than the gilt
tering particles on the surface of the rock rewarded
their labors. II was noon, and as the wearied
k~a.-
upon their disappointment in not having yet
realized but q few ounces, and the barrcnness OF
the interior of the rock, when it was suggested to
hunt up The former owners, and see what they had
TO say Ot 1t. The hunt commenced, but not a soul
had seen the auctoneers since the evening before,
and wesried, at length, with their vain search the
diggers returned to their camp, overpowered with
dreadful suspicions, where they found an Indian
boy, with note, couched in the most insolent
terms of mockery, which fully confirmed all their
most woful apprehensions. They were duped-
robbed of all their hard earned ounces, and had
nothing to show for them. But no time must be
cover their bright and gttering dust. Vain hope
The diggings were secured in every direction, and
for miles around, but the swindlers had escaped,
and the poor dupes returned to camp amid the
jsers and ridicule of their compeers, a wiser and
shrewder set of men.
Quartz Mining on the Cosumnes.
From the Sacramento Transcript Nov. as
Capt. Garrett has purchased two large quartz
veins on the eastern side of the north fork of the
Costumes, which give premise of large yield of
gold. From hasty examination of these VEINS,
we are led 10 believe that several thousand tons of
quartz rock can be obtained at a tri1ng expense,
they run back from the rlver in huge bluff, where
they can be easily laid bare A large quantity Of
the rock is not covered with SOIL but it is not likely
that II bears the metal as copously as that which
may be found lower down in the bowels of the
earth.
There has alse been another large quartz vein
discovered several miles south Of Mud Springs,
from which pieces of gold to the value OF dollar
have been taken. This vein is about two feet under
tend for considerable distance along the channel
of the stream, which is dry during the greater part
of the year, and can be readily worked. This
vein, we believe has not been taken possession Of
by any one; or, al least, IL has never been worked
TO any extent. We observed a few pieces of the
rock lying along the banks, which the curious had
rolled up for the purpose Of examining, but no one
has ever tested lis real value. The whole region
of country in the vicinity bears gold and some for
tunate hauls have already been made there.
Profe sssor Spieker, OF San Francisco, by his
newly discovered principle Of extr acting gold from
rocks, states that almost every species Of sion n
California be- this metal TO a greater or less de-
gree. If the gold can be extracted from horn
blende, green stone, trap, etc, by this process,
doubtless the amount that is ordinarily obtained
with quicksilver will he greatly augmented by fol-
lowing the method Of Prof. s.
Every miner OF any experience il aware that
talcose slate is gold bearing rock, hut do not
suppose that any one in the State as yet en-
gagged in pulverising il, as has been done in the
case OF quartz.
Outrage ut Moqulamos River.
From the San Francisco Picsyune
One of the greatest outrapes thar ever came