The hydraulic press., 1859-08-27
swEETLAND CREEK rA1L-sLu1cE

SWEETLAND CREEK TAIL-SLUICE
4 J. P. Ewing and VIM. Mcdowell have a
noble fume on SweetIand Creek, in this
township. 1t receives the tailings from the
diggings on Buckeye and Manzanita Hills,
and carries them into the North Yuba. These
tdilings have accumulated to great depth,
having filled up the narrow bed of the creek
above the flume until it is wide bank of
gravel from thirty to fifty feet deep, in which
grove of dead pines and cedars stand like
melancholy monuments. The fume is built
in four sections, with ''drops" or falls be-
tween, and its total length is l,4,4 feet,
with grade of 5 inches to to every IA feet.
1t rests on stringers or mudsils, formed of
huge logs which lie or the bedrock. 1t has
a total width of ten feet, but is divided into
two slnices each feet 81 inches wide in the
clear. For 672 feet of its length from the
head it is 3 feet high, the remainder having a
hight of 2 feet s inches. The flooring is
made of i inch pine planks, four making
the total width and the sides are construct
ed of 1t inch stuff, supported by cedar
stanchions at intervals of 81 feet, and capped
on top by narrow planks, which serve as
the track for a large car on which to haul
rocks and lumber. at the end of each sec
ton of the fiume there is substantial log
dam built across the ravine, against which
the gravel from above has been allowed to
bank up even with the top, thus anchoring
in the fume SO solidly that it cannot be
washed away. For its greater protection two
side drains are kept open at the bottom, and
serve to prevent the sipage water from ac-
cumulating under the flume so as to force 1t
from its foundation. For purposes of gold
saving the bottom of the fume is paved, if
we may use the expression, with wooden
blocks inches thick by 81 inches square
making the whole width. and so covering
IA feet in length of the two sluices The
interstices between these blocks act as rifles
to catch and retain the particles of gold
The tailngS themselves supply nearly all the
quicksilver that is needed. The total cost of
this extensive sluice has been about $40, 900.
1t has consumed $ll3,70O feet of sawed
lumber, and $1,000 feet, running measure, of
hewed tmbers. 1t will prove the source of
a large revenue for many years The dig
gings which supply it with steady flow of
rich tailings can hardly be exhausted in
lifetime, and the deep bed of talings that
has accumulated already, now about to be
tapped, will alone yield large amount Of
money. As an indication of the value of
the property. We may mention that the pres
ent proprietors not long since bought out
third partner at price equal to three
fourths Of the entire cost of the fume.-
Such enterprises as this are of especial
worth to the community, because while they
save gold that would otherwise be lost, they
also give lucrative employment to numbers
of men and stimulate variety of trades
Messrs. Ewing and Mcdowell at present work
a force of twelve hands, including them
selves. AS fast as they draw down the bed of
tailngs ahead of them they will lay more
tume, until they have cleaned out the entire
channel of the creek. They have labored
long and assiduously to accomplish what
they have done; have had to cut through
hill sides, and wash away slides, and remove
huge rocks, and contend against floods for
several years but have persevered through
all with true California pluck, and are now
certain of an adequate reward.