The Georgetown news., 1856-05-01
Correspondence
April 10Th, 1856.

-. April 10Th, 1856.
! Unlike placer mining, quartz mining is
a branch of industry which requires the op-
orator to have much more thorough knowl-
edge of his business, combining economy in
his financial arrangements, and perfection
in his machinery; without these he can
scarcely expect to be successful a manager
requires the practical experience Of years,
he should be able to judge of the abilities of
his officers and men both under anu above
ground, and it should be his study to econ
omize in order to meet any momentary pov-
erty of the lead, or accident to the machiu-
cry. His amalgamator should be one who
is fully qualified for the Office, as good rock
will seldom pay under the hand of an un-
skillful aud unscientifc amalgamator. 1t
is better to pay good operator double
wages than 10 hazard the success of the mill
by the employment Of an inferior one.
| The feeder in front Of the mill should
know his business for the stampcrs should
be regularly fed. An irregular supply of
material influences the result By depreciat-
ing the quantity of rock crushed We have
been taught how necessary ii is TO pay es-
sential regard to these things. Our expert
ence in California has proved that our fail
ures were partly owing TO our carelessnes
III that respect-to cur employing the many
useless amalgamating machines invented to
meet the surplus Of Our pocket but not that
ii our QuarU-We perceive that the pres
poets of quartz mining are steadily improv-
ing, and the increase in the number of mills
being erected is astonishing. Heretofore it
was almost entirely confined to one locality,
and the perseverance displayed by the Grass
| Valley men eyinced a determination TO
overcome The main difficulties under which
they were laboring; and their success has
its exponent iii the proftabeness of their
present TorkinsS; and although in that Sec
tion more labor has been expended in the
many veins opened than in any other Sec
ton Of the country, yet We have evidence of
It's inexhaustibilitv by the many discoveries
now made; and il We lind 50 many and such
rich leads there, we have reason to believe
that the greater part Of tie country within
the acknowledged quartz range abounds III
auriferous quartz.
In some few sections where quartz min
ing has been made a study. many mills were
erected; and now thai their expenses are
much less, these mllls arc in active and re-
munerativc operation. (witness Nevada and
Amador counties), and numerous mills are
being built Cd various leads throughout the
entire State. This quartz mining is the
branch Of industry that requires nursing,
and those men whose endeavors arc practi-
cally directed towards developing our IT,
sources in this respect, merit at least the
appreciation Of the public. Cnconneeted
and Isolated as we are, our peculiar situa-
tion demands that Our entire attention
should be directed 10 internal impro vcments
both minerologically and agric uIturally, en-
dowing thom with Il stability that indonlit-
able perseverance and time can only give
Three years ago quartz mining, unsafe and
hazardous as il was considered, endangered
: the spectators standing in tue market aud
gave rise to a suspicion OF bis sanity; but a
: few battled it through and came cut yicto-
rious. A gradual reaction followed, and it
resulted in the admission that paying quartz
was not myth. Eventually conviction
came with unerring proofs, tue value oi
quartz stock rose in the market aud cured
the attention Of some Of our enterprisinp
mer-well. those men have been Successful
nut NO credit can be due to the many VIII,
pooh, pooh'd the subject aud were unwil.
! ling to give it even their smallest attention
! We have many such men in California
: if the subject docs not suit their immediate
ideas, pas5it over aud condescend not 10 re-
consider it. If this was invariably the ca. e
with the majority, our progress would be
) small aud our success limited; therefore ii
is necessary that we should give some al
| tention to any subject that may tend TO de
J velope our resources. The writer, in the
| early part of SO. prorhesied the eventual
success OF quartz mining i'll this country
and has every since endeavored to draw
: public attention to the subject.
When our raviueS and surface diggings
, were pretty well worked, the cry was: THE
; gold is exhausted, and abroad that was tht
belief. 1t was a source Of congratulatior
to them for we we're drawing from then
their vouno hone and einew even Inc esSan