Mariposa Democrat., 1858-02-11
OR MINES AND MINERS.

Last week, having a short respite from the
cares of business, we concluded to pay visit
to few of the places where the orc is said to
be found in this region. Burns Creek being
the most prominent as well as the nearest mi
ming locality, thitherward we bent our way.
A short distance below the mouth of Ell Dora
do Creek, Lennebacker & Goa company
of six--had just commenced operations and
appeared well satisfied with their claim, "good
wages" being in prospective. On the Creek,
between the above.named company and Old
Hornitos, several companies were at work,
who invariably replied, with quiet smile,
"tolerably good" to our queries as to their
luck.
/ No surer indication need be sought for of
miners good fortune, than the happy smile
which CLEANS from his sweaty and drt-bc-
grimed countenance, as, during his labor, he
answers your passing query. Some, accus
toned to prosperity in their vocation, may
conceal their success with a look of indiffcr-
ence, but when the smile does appear we set
its wearer down as doing well, and are re.
joiced that it is so-for who is more deservingH
AT Old Hornitos, the headquarters of the
Jersey Quartz Co., is the mill lately erected
by them, and which does them much credit.
This mill is driven by water has eight stamps,
and crushes four tons daiy-performing its
work to the entire satisfaction of the proprie-
tors. As the company have not yet cleaned
up" the value of the quartz, per ton, is not
known, but it is believed its yield will be fully
$50 to S35 per ton. The supply Of water
used by this mill is obtained indirectly from
the Bear Creek Ditch, and saved in large re-
servoir 1t is feared that unless we shortly
have rain, the mill, as well as the placer mi.
ners, will be obliged to suspend operations
The Glee Company, next below the mill, are
making extensive preparations for working
rich claim taken up by them. They havejus
completed ditch several hundred yards in
length, and will re-commence sluicing this
week. Passing down the creek, we found a
number of companies at work, building dams,
sluicing, etc, and here and there solitary
Chinaman or small company of them, all ap-
parently doing we'll On questioning John "
as to his success, his proverbial reply was no
shabce," or "no gole, no good" yet never.
theless, they appear to be doing pretty well, as
witness the fact of several of them "bucking"
an ounce or so at rondo on Saturday evening
last
On FL Dorado Creek, several panies are
at work, and some are making excellent wa
ges. On McNcil's Gulch, three companies are
at work. Dodge & Co., at the head of the
gulch, are making paying wages Myers &
Co., company of three, last week took out
$3.50, and the claim has, for some time past,
been paying extremely well. Another com
pany have just commenced below them. On
Red Gulch and its tributaries, about seventeen
companies are at work, and many Of them are
washing the ground for the fourth, fifth, and
even the eighth time, and are all making 81 to
IS per day to the man. One of these compa-
nies, one day last week, took out $50. This
gulch is in the immediate vicinity of Quartz
burg, and is considered to be one of the best
mining localities in the district. The pay-drt
is of a very tough nature, and cannot be
washed clean until after much washng and
exposure. Burns Creek, at and near Quartz
burg, is being successfully worked by a num-
Der of companies, and we heard no complaints
as to the amount of pay received.
Mr. L. Wards steam quartz mill near
Quartzburg, is in operation day and night,
running fifteen stamps, and crushing seven to
eight tons of quartz every twenty.fou hours,
yielding over $50 per ton. 1t gives us pleas
ure to note the success and prosperity of Mr..
Wizard, who has struggled on, successfully,
through adversely and difficulties, and by his
perseverance and enterprise alone, has achieved
fortune.
Mr. p. b. Smallwood of Quartzburg, placed
in our hands a beautiful quartz chispa, taken
last week from gulch in that neighborhood,
and is valued at over $24.
The gulches in the vicinity of Hornitos are
being worked by numerous companies, some of
whom are making very good wages. Several
fine quartz chispas were sluiced from the
quartz hill near Slaughterhouse Gulch, by
Mr.. John A. Combs Bros
We did not hear of single complaint ex-
cept as regards the scarcity of water, which is
about failing. All the water used by the mi.
ners in this vicinity except that used by few
in Burns Creek, is supplied by the Bear Creek
Ditch Company, and at reasonable rates. This
supply, however, will soon cease, unless we
have rain, which is not likely to be the case,
from present Indications