The Nevada journal., 1857-03-20
MINING NEWS.

ihS III, Win all Inelr might. N0tWltn-
standing the present water bitches are
full, however, it is easily seen that
even now, there is a very great defcien-
cy in the supply of this much needed
article. The present mode of mining is
SO very different from the operations of a
few years ago, that although the supply
of water doubles every year, from the
increased number and capacity of bitches
still the deficiency seems to be as great
now as ever. The amount of water now
used by one company of four orfve men,
two or three years ago would have kept
two or three hundred men at work.
The main difference is that then, men did
the work, using the water merely as an
auxiliary, and the amount of work done
depended on the number ofmen employ
ed. But now, the water is used as the
laboring agent, and like machinery in
manufacturing, only men enough to
keep the machinery properly directed,
are required. Thus banks of earth, that,
would have kept a hundred men employ
ed for months in its removal, will now
be removed by three or four men, in two
weeks.
Among all the mining operations we
have seen, those of A. t. Laird, most
astOnish the beholder. Under his ope
rations the hill between Nevada and
American Hill is rapidly disappearing
from view. The face of the diggings
presentsa a wall of some seventy or eighty
feet in heighth, which is brought down
in slides, as the operators desire, by
means Of the hose. In this way, over a
half acre of ground-we should think,
varying in depth from 20 to so feet, has
been washed off and sent down the
creek. Besides this, Mr.. Laird has Just
opened some extensive diggings on
American Hill. These are not so deep,
but equally rich, or perhaps richer.
We also noticed several other extern
sive cuts on American Hill, where the
amount of work done would utterly as
tonish any one, except those conversant
with the mining operations of California.
All these we are assured, amply Justify
the immense outlays, necessary for the
operations, and leave large margin in
favor of the proprietors.
In our walk over the American Hill,
nothing attracted ourattention with more
interest than dwelling house at the
bottom of one of those artificial vallies.
For considerable space, the hill has
actually been removed, to the depth of
about 60 feet, and the laborers finding it
more convenient to live down there, near
their work, have built a frame house
and live at home" They have no
scarcity of fire wood, as the old drift
timbers supply this want; and springs
Of the purest water flow from the noun
tains in these vallies. These fellows are
taking time by the forelock," as the
time will come, when this hill will all be
removed, and that house will be on the
level of the surrounding neighborhood.
A valuable quartz lead has recently
been discovered on the west side of
American Hill, and is now being opened.
Those who profess to understand the
quartz business, and have looked at the
specimens, pronounce it exceedingly
rich. In fact the gold is pretty plainly
visible, and appears to be generally diff
fused through the rock.
On Gold Flat there are but three or
four companies at present making great
headway. There is ground here, how
ever, ofexceeding richness, and an abun-
dance of it, but some of it has not yet
been opened so as to make its working
convenient. Those who have got their
claims in condition for work, are doing
land Office business - as high as
$500 to $1,000 per day, being the pro-
ceeds of one company.
In nearly every locality, in this vi
cinity, we hear good reports among the
miners ; and we confidently believe that
the placer diggings of Nevada county
will this season produce double the
amount of gold they ever before did in
one season.
Little Deer Greek, that inexhaustible
source of immense wealth, is being again
worked by several companies; and we
doubt not will be of immense profit to
the miners, as it always has been.
WEALTH OF SPAIN.-A recent lectur-
er, Mr.. George Sumner, asserts that
great historical error has been made, in
relation to the amount of mineral wealth