The hydraulic press., 1860-01-21
Il II z MI I N E S i.

stoned at this locality during the week, by
the reported discovery of a vein of cinnabar,
in mass of ont-cropping rock near the site
of the old Shawmut mill. S. S. Lewis, ESQ.
who gave us the first intelligence of the dis
covery, writes as follows concerning it: II
have no doubt that quicksilver has been ex-
tracted from some of the rock. 1t is quite
red in color, and does not differ materially
| from the cinnabar l have seen taken from
the New Almaden mine. How rich it may
prove, or how extensive, I cannot even con-
lecture; but there is certainly some quicksil-
| yer, and they say the ledge is about six feet
| thick. Some say the rock contains gold
When heated in retort it produces strong
sulphurous SMELL" The specimens for
warded to US by Mr.. Lewis correspond to his
descriptions. They appear to be masses of
serpentlne rock with veins strongly rescm
bling quicksilver ore. The ledge is mostly
quartz. Subsequent to learning the above
we were called upon by H. p. Sweetiand,
Esq, who left other specimens, and informed
US that small quantities of mercury really
had been obtained from portions of the
ledge, and from pieces of quartz gold had
been procured. He exhibited some black
sand through which glittered numerous par
ticies of gold, obtained by crushing about a
pound of rock. These indications are of
greatinterest, and fully warrant the thorough
investigation that will be made. The de-
velopment of aurferous quartz, to say moth
ing of a quicksilver vein, would increase the
wealth of the whole township, and add to
Sweetland another element of permanence.
COLUMBIA HILL.-Twelve or fifteen compa
nies washing, and using from one hundred
to two hundred and fifty inches each. The
Empire Co, lately cleaned up between $500
and 5000 from run Of only four and half
days. Wnn & Co., of Little Grass Valley
district, realized from an equally short run
some S4O0 or $500, using but eighty inches
OF water An attempt made, to rob the
slulces OF McBrown Co., early one morn
ing, was frustrated by the sudden approach
of one of the owners The thieves fled with
out being seen. The survey of the lower
end of Weavers ditch, from the backbone
down,was commenced on Monday The dis
tance is twelve miles, though only half this
requires ditching, the water running for the
remainder of the distance along natural
channels. As this section of the ditch lies
mostly below the deep-snow lire, work can
be commenced upon it as soon as the survey
is completed.
San JUAN Hula number of companies
washing, but no recent "clean-ups," owing
to the temporary interruption of water sup
plies mentioned last week. The last yield
reported to US was one in the Eureka claims,
amounting to $4,000. The gold obtained
from the claims is remarkably fne A lot
of 90 53-lo0 ounces. assayed by II. Harris
& Co., of Marysville, lost but one ounce and
eighteen-hundredths in melting, was 962-
1000 fire, and netted to the company $40 25
per ounce. It is observed on this hill, as at
Timbuctoo, that the purest gold is found in
the top strata, and not in the blue gravel
resting on the bedrock The extension of
the Eureka ditch to this locality, is not yet
known to be positive thing. There ap-
pears to have been much consultation be-
tween the two water companies, and fresh
rumours of attempts at consolidation are rife;
but what it all amounts to is not publicly
known. Meanwhile, the Middle Yuba Com
pany having made further reduction of
water rates to twenty cents, the general anx-
iety has much abated