Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-09-21
NUMBER 274,
Gold Mining.

Sometime since there appeared an article in the
New York Courier and Enquirer, over the sigma
ture California" suggesting the application OF \
natural power obtained by eleyating water TO
sufficient heighth, 70 working alluvial deposes in
the Southern States,
We are happy to inform the writer Of the above
mentioned article, and the public generally that
the experiment is now being made by DR.. M. II.
Van Dyke, and its success Is now placed beyond
doubt. We have lately seen the works, end give
a brief description OF the modas operdndi for to-
days issue, and In a futare number will give
more complete account. The mine alluded to il
in Mcdowell county, on Broad river fourteen miles
from this place.
In order to obtain the requisite elevation the
proprietor has constructed a water ditch three ard
half miles in length, extending along the sides G
the hills in canal and carried across the valleys
in aume supported by trcssle work. in some in
stances over fifty feet in height. The aggregate
length OF the iume Is 5000 feet two feet in width,
and three feet deep, so that each foot In length IL
capable Of containing six cubic feet Of water.
The entire course has regular depression OF
four inches to the hundred feet which gives the
water free and rapid current, sufficient to sweep
along all sand and sediment that may fall into Il,
and also to supply twelve or fourteen sluices with
an abundance Of water. At the lower end of tie
water ditch the water Is taken out at an elevate
of fifty feet above the deposite, and carried down
the side OF the hill in strong tube twelve inches
square. The descent in this tube is thirty feet.
Along the sides Of this tube are inserted the no,
conveying the water down some twenty feet more
to the sluices where II is discharged with trener-
dous force against the deposte. No one, unlets
they have Witnessed the effects of such naturl
power, has any idea Of what ii can accomplish. II
requires only two men, and in some instances only
one, to work sluice, and they can accomplish az
much in given time as twelve men, and probably
fifteen, in the old way of suicing. By this the
ground il completely washed down from the sur
face to the slate, and every particle Of gold saved
without the use of pick or spade The hardest al d
most tenacious kinds of clay dissolve and Disappear
under the application OF this element every rock
and pebble is perfectly washed and every particle
of soil that can contain grain of gold is thrown
into the sluice, and thus saved
The advantages this method of mining has over
the old way OF washing are these: it is great
saving OF labor and gold. BY this method you
save every particle from the surface down to the
slate. None il lost. This Is very decided ad.
vantage over the old method, where much was
lost. The amount of labor saved is truly astonish.
ing. Here, two men can accomplish as much as
twelve or fifteen in the ordinary way Six slniees
with two men at each win accomplish as much in
day as seventy-two men would in the old way.
In fact the advantages of this mode of working
alluval depositcs incalculable and will be ,f
immense advantage to this section of the country
in introducing capital here, which otherwise might
be invested elsewhere.
DIR. Van Dyke has also leased the celebrated
Wilkinson mine in Burke county, and the Coll
and Brindle mines, at Whitesides In this county
all Of which he intends to put in operaton.-R,
Merfordton (N. C) Eagle.