The Nevada journal., 1853-06-03
Grass Valley Correspondence.
GRASS VALLEY, June lst, 1858.

dhAbS ALLEY, june 1st, 1910.
There is not much here that may
properly come under the startling de-
nomination of news" but then under
the head of " intelligence" prosperity,
tranquility and happiness, We could find
matter suficien. to fill whole columns in
your paper.
Have you ever, Mr. Editor. abstract
ed yourself in the high blue ether, and
locked down on eur bread val|ies and
mountain heights, as morning came
chasing the yellow light before her, and
illuminating the waking earth with joy
and beauty You see her on the quiet
margin of Bear river, as the happy
herds luxuriate in the dswy grass, on
the green-clad plain Of Sacramento
you see her on the bay of San Francisco
as she unfolds to your astonished view
the mighty congress of the worlds navy,
and on the broad Pacific, as its night
worn bosom brightens with the new born
light. Oh, she is welcome and happy
in every haunt of natures wild domain I!
but then, where, oh where on all the
earth is she so glorious, SO unearthly
beatiGc, as on the sequestersd heights
of these umbragsous mountains! Poets,
here the ehaplet awaits your fevered
brow, and lovers, here are bowers and
birds, and brooks that heed the sacred
| fame.
The streets are still; no carousing
proclaims the recklessness and depravity
Of ruined men; quiet toll is among us :;
the winds come gently from the south,
| and the air is warm and full Of life the
| fair forms of women are seen as they
move about their happy households :;
sweet children in their Idle sports are
about the dcor-yard the windows are
up to let in the first air Of morRing; look
in as you pass by and each chamber is
a realm of fresh-picked flowers, conse-
Grated to the highest and purest plea
sures known On earth. Such is Grass
Valley, rs it is.
Yesterday visited the mines worked
by Messrs Peterson, Cunningham and
Clark, on what is known as Grass Val
| ley Slide" Their diggings are good
and the manner Of working them skillful
and interesting. The main tunnel is
ran in on straight line three hundred
feet; to this, there are number of tri-
butary ones, or branches, making in all
about six hundred feet. From the in
terror terminus Of the tunnel to the sur
face, the distance is forty Ave feet. The
nav dirt averages about four feet in
thickness. 1t is carried in cars to the
mouth of the tunnel and then thrown
into a large box, to which is connected
q sluics. The draining frem the Dig
gings furnishes fine head of water,
which FIRST percelates the dirt in
the large box alluded to, and thence
passes into the sluice where is eff
feeted the fnal separation of the gold
from the earth. Eight hands are en-
ployed; the average result Of their labors
is about $500 per day. The diggings
are proved to be very extensive. The
old and stereotyped expression that the
"mines are paying we'll" ha, become
tiresome and uniutelligible. Positive
accounts of the diggings'' IS they ac-
tually present themselves to the careful
observer, furnish the best commentary
ON the mining interest Of our country,
! and subserve in the highest possible de-
| gree, the Advancement of this great and
important art, and from time to time
yoar correspondent will take pleasure
in giving accoants { not "puffs'') of the
important mines that go to make up the
resources Of this Valley.
The Empire mill, owned by Messrs
Wrigh, Hotelling, Sonthwick & Co., is
now being reftted and remodeled at a
! heavy outlay fer quartz mining. The
improved machinery aA patented by
Capt. Cramn, for reducing the quartz
and amalgamating the gold,is to be used
The engine connected with the mill is
powerful one, and it is calculated that
two tons will be crushed per hour.
The saw mill of Gen. Winchester is
the finest have ever noticed. 1t is a
splendid, expensive and gigantic affair
from irst to last, and our forests Of pine
have in it NEST fearful foe, and the
Plank Road mighty contributor. Those
visiting Grass Valley woald do well to
go and see it for themselves. This
county is emphatically the great lumber
manufacturing region of the State
Travel through the woodland is abso>
lutely impeded by the number Of enor-
nous pines that have been felled for
saw logs. Around Grass Valley alone
there must be no less than $4,000 logs
already prepared for the mill.
The citizens of our town feel as though
Nevada mas had its share of the talent
ed performances of Mr.. and Mrs. Waller,
and are anxious for their debut here.