The hydraulic press., 1859-11-12
A NEW MINING DISTRICT.

| tion that will further prove the extensiveness
of the yet unworked auriferous deposits of
the South and Middle Yuba Ridge. By ap-
plication to'Mr. Benz. Frazier, we ascertained
that new district had been formed under
the original name of the Urisko District
bonhded by Grizzly Canon on the north,
Sacks Ranch on the east, the center of the
Ridge on the south, and Little Grass Valley
on the west; the dimensions being some
three miles long by two or more wide. The
western boundary of the district is about
three miles from Cherokee and SIX or seven
from North San Juan. The ground consists
mostly of spurs from the main ridge, slop-
ing down to Grizzly Canon, and is nearly
| all diluvial--an unknown tfefth of gravel
resting ON sedimentary rock, and cov-
cred by Strata of indurated sand and red
soil, bearing magnificent growths of pine,
| fir, spruce, oak and madrone, with under
brush OF lmafzanita, plum and numerous
less noticeable shrubs. We found the whole
face of the canon claimed for mining pur-
Iposes for distance of three miles, and many
parties prosecuting the first labors necessary
to gain access to- the paying gravel. Some
were sinking shafts TO prospect, others had
obtained prospects (as high as thirty cents
I to the, pan in blue graveD and were cutting
tunnels, Wholesome had washed small open
ings through such excavations as are tech
nically termed "open cuts" Several hun
dred claims have been taken up, but so re-
Gently that no work has yet been done upon
them. We append a fist of such rs we found
recorded, with comments indicating what
labor has been performed and with what re-
suits, if any. The. size Of single claims un-
der existing regulations is one hundred feet
front, running south to the center of the
ridge, which would make tAene about a
mile long! A few claims are only fifty feet
wide, having been takenup under a previous
law. The list of recorded claims is given
in the order in which they occur On the
book
Bay State Co., FRAZIER and Mitchell) eight
claims.
Keystone Co., (Mitchell and others) five
claims. Sinking prospect shaft and running
a tunnel. a small open cut afforded capi-
tai encouragement.
Faber & Co., five claims. Open cut worked
last winter with pipe and hose, yielding SS
or $40 per diem to the hand, although the
stratum of gravel was thin. A fine tunnel
has been commenced.
H. S. Lucas own five claims, into which
they are running a tunnel.
Burrows & Co., FIVE claims. Shafts sunk
to water Tunnel to be cut this winter.
Buriey & Co., five claims. Tunnel this
winter.
Geo. Northway & Co., five claims.
Bagby &'Co, 'four claims of so feet front
each.
A. Lowe 4 Co., ten claims.
Mann Il Co., four claims Prospect shaft
yielded nearly one dollar to three pans, from
blue gravel near the rim. Tunnel cut into
rock $50 feet without timbers. May reach
pay gravel in 800 feet. Family living on
claim in board house.
Evans & Co. own eightsclaims, and the
Nevada Co., five.
Angraves Il Co. have eight claims. Con-
siderable ground washed off by the hyarau-
lie process, yielding good wages. A short
tunnel through rock, and shaft leading to
| it, make these claims look more like sys-
tematic mining than others; but longer
and deeper tunnel must be cut to wash back
ground.
Carr Whallen Co., some twenty claims,
fifty feet front each. Some sluicing has been
done through a tunnel $50 feet 1eng. Work
will be resumed when water comes again.
Dunning 4 Go. have five claims. They
washed through an open cat long enough to
satisfy them that the diggings would pay
IS or Sc day even by that crude method.
Antoine Jehr Il Co. own ten claims of fifty
feet front each. They are running rock
tunnel, timbering as they go, and are in 45O
feet They are cautious, distrustfuq Ger
mans, and would give no information as to
prospects.
Here, then, we have a list of only sixteen
companies who are working or preparing to
work, a solid body of auriferous ground
| which embraces one hundred and two single
claims, and measures $500 feet, or nearly
one mile and two-thirds along its front line,
extending back one mile at least Yet this
is little more than half the ground contained
in the whole district. That. it will all pay,
we are not willing, of course, to assert, but
have no doubt the largest portion of what
is already claimed will ultimately be washed
with as much average profit as attends hy-
draulic mining anywhere else on the ridge.
The district will give employment to several