Mariposa Democrat., 1857-08-13
HIcrced and Mariposa Ditch.

uoEtDoe" DANhs
Mr.. Peterson completed his preliminary sur
vey in regard to the line of attitudes. He finds
that a line run on dead level from the sum
NIT of the Gap at the head Of Burns Creek
will strike the waters of main Merced River Al
the east point where Bear Creek empties into
the Merced. The ground through which the
Ditch will pass offers most promising induce
ments for undertaking the enterprise 1t car
be dug out or excavated nearly the whole dis
tance, and there will not be over one-fifth Of
the distance that will require fuming. The
Ditch when completed will be nearly 60 miles
/ in length, and can be constructed for a sum
of money not exceeding 100000 dollars The
water from this Canal will first supply
the Quartzburg District, and then will pass
/ through the rich mineral lands of the Horntos
and Indian Gulch sections.
We now proceed to describe the mineral
wealth of that section Of land without tho
grant, known as the Quartzburg district, be-
ginning at Corbitt's Creek on the east, and
running towards the west for distance of 10
miles, to Merced River thence in southwest
ly direction for distance of four miles, thence
in a south-easterly direction until the line
strikes Burns Creek, one mile above its juno
ton with Eldorado Creek, thence following up
Eldorado Creek to the place of beginning, ma
king in all tract of land equal to about 7
miles square.
About the centre of this tract is situated the
town of Quartzburg. near which is located the
Washington Quartz Mill, worked by steam
power, crushing quartz at the rate of $s per
ton, brought from the neghboring lodges by
the quartz miners, yet at this very moment the
Washington lode is yielding rock that pays
$50 per ton, taken eighty feet under ground.
The quartz veins in this section are very
rich, and their number countless as it is a
perfect network of lodes traversed in all drec-
tons by innumerable lodges having their
courses traceabe by the bouders above
ground. The number Of mills these lodges
would supply with quartz, supposing the
stamps to be driven by water-power, would
probably fall little, if any, short Of 80, and the
quartz will average $40 per ton.
As regards the Placer diggings, 800 sluices
is 10y no means overratiDg the sluce heads of
water that will be required to work this dis
trct Timberis very scarce in this region,
and what little there is scattered over the hill
tops is Of stunted growth and Of inferior quail
ty. The Placer mines are very rich and will
require a very large amount Of water to work
them. The ground within The limits specified
is very dry, and the rQins'of winter afford a
very limited and uncertain supply. The Gains
mill, which runs from 2olto 25 stamps, driven
by steam power under the direction Of JohnA
Collins, has beef, compelled to suspend opera
tons at intervals during the present summer,
in order to ACCUMULATE water Sufficient to run
a few stamps Nfiris mill is located near the
dividing ridge Of the Quartzburg district own
ing some 30 lodes Of quartz, on one Of which
they have cut the lode to the depth Of 20 feet
and find the vein richer and thicker than at
the surface, the quartz paying on an average
fifty dollars per ton, and this has been the case
with many of the veins in this vicinity