New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-06-16
col. FREMONT s. MINES.


following full and particular account of Col Fremonts
mines and mining operations in Bear Valley, which
will bs read with interest by the Colonels many
| f,iendf this side Of the Rocky Mountains:
-fI BEAR VALLEY, April 25, 1860.
The Maripoea grant, being located on that geoog-
cy interesting line where the enormous granite form
alton, stretching from Marposa TO the Yosemite ras
and beyond, and the sedlmentary rock forming the
foothills of the Sierra between Marposa and the Palms.
where, say, these formations meet, we notice net
work Of erupve rock, partly quartz, partly trap rock,
both highly metaliierous in gold SILVER, and copper,
extending over the whole extent Of said grant.
| There are said TO be nineteen leading quartz veins
on this extent of land mostly communicating Win efn
other by of small leaders, rayersng the country
in all directions But the principal veins OF all these
Vein, running nearly due north, and interesting the
states at an angle OF thirty degrees. These veins are
traced from near Mount ophir where they are called
| the Mount 0phS Vein, through Bear Valley, known
| az Abbey Vein, to the MERGED River where, by a
greensboro dyke Of enormous dimensions, they are
thrown nearly twenty degrees out of their directions
and split up in very many parallel veins Of great rich
ness, but small at the out-eropping. lew miles
sod and ,rne veins which make their last appearance
as an interesting outcrop Pena Blanca, forming the
Greet of that hill in distance Of twenty-five miles from
| the Nerced River =,
ate neghhorhood or separated by sheets OF talcose
slate they belong 10 different geological periods the
Pine Tree Vein beng much older than the Josephine,
which is clearly shown by the character OF their ore
The Pine Tree Vein rock contains most OF lis metals III
the depth of the present openings in oxidzed state
the iron oxide the copper as red oxide, or Due
and green carboDates, which give the rock the mosO
variegated and beautiful appearance These oxides
and carbOnates still retain, IN many lnsfances tue
crystalline forms of the original suphurets, which, I'D
the lapse Of time have yielded TO the action Of the az
| mospberic influences.
The Josephine Vein ore, on the contrary mas not
n ~,
and therefore contains the suphurets Of the above
named metals in their original appearance ID yellow
| color and metallic luster. The rock nself Is much
harder than il is in the Pine Tree, WHICH, N many 1y
places, and most generally on the surface, IL quite os
| integrated and very friable. ...
The principal mining claims on these veins are To-
Gated 500 feet above the level Of the river aordng
drainage of that hight by levels either cutting the
veins at right angles VIXEN started from the eastern
slope of Mount Bullion, running with The vein when
started from the northern descent Of that hill down TO-
| wards the MERGED River. -
The Pine Tree vein is enormous true quartz vein,
| with well developed foot wall and hanging wall OF
| thirty feet medium thickness. The Josephine s not
quite as thick but as well developed 1t IS calculated
| that BY daily consumption Of two hundred Ions OF
quartz theee veins will continue " yield maternal Tor
:sS wears, without the necessity OF single pump So
much for the facility presented by the location and cha
| racter Of these veins =,
The mining operations are greatly favored oy this
character of the veins There IN need OF uGiberng
the Mines pillars of solid quartz are left standing,
10 support the hanging wall in all places necessary,
and no hosting of quartz is required IN the mine, as al
the upper workings yield their contents through work
ing saftsto the lower levels, from where the ore Is
carried out TO daylight by means Of cars running on
| iron rails. -. OIL, -
Mining galleries Of great extent are worked IN these
enormous deposits where circumstances allow the MI
ners to avail themselves of the power of powder 70
such AN extent that several tuns OF rock may be fur
nshed by a single sand-bas. Full and free circua-
ton of air cleanliness Of rock, and absence Of all wa
ter make these mines the most healthy ana desirable
| location for the operator.
Yesterday April "a for the first time in six months,
paid visit TO Col Fremont quartz works and mills,
on the MERGED River. The amount OF work done since
NV Last visit ia immense and il astonshed me not
little At the " mine there is a busy life; the pro-
cesses of blasting rock railing it out OF the tunnels,
breaking the quartz packing and loading 1t on heavy
OK and mule-wagons and hauling down 10 the mills,
are going on without interruption, and one might
imagine that they are making large mole In aount
Bullion but all this is only the commencement Inc
veins are hardly opened yet and although Col. FIRE.
mont is new crushing one hundred tons OF rock
per day. there 10 be no end OF It, In fact, Mount
Bullion is treasurybox, which will not only enable
| the Colonel TO bring all his most expensive I'M
movements TO termination and TO settle all his iabl-
tiles incurred in heavy lawsuits unfortunate business
connections and agencies, but will bring TO h, beside
that millions OF dollars Of real wealth; Every one
with some sense Will Ind cut these iacts ior
himself by examining the mammoth veins and looking
at the rock, which yields regularly from fifteen TO
eighty dollars per ton.
A road now in fine condition, leads down in large
curves to the MERGED River connecting the Josephine
and Pine Tree veins with the Benton Mills. The dis
lance along this road is about four miles, and The d
ference Of level between the two points OF termination
il nearly 800 feet. Major Strobel the Civil Engineer
of Col. Fremont, has number OF men steady at WORK
in grading the road preparatory for the rail track
| which will be laid in few weeks. AT present, the
Quartz hauled by heavy teams TO the mills but soon
number Of cars holding about two tuns each, VIII be
| run on the rail Of this newlyconstructed road. Inc
first shipment of materials for the construction of the
Pioneer Mountain Railroad arrived yesterday IN town,
and few weeks more viii enable the Colonel to re.
duce the cost Of blasting, breaking, hauling and
crushing the rock five dollars per tuD including the
analgainating and melting processes Therefore, u the
rock should only pay ten dollars per tun the daily net
profit by the present capacity OF the works OF crushing
ig0 tuns day would not be less than $500. But as
the rock pays always much above that hgure the prof.
| it's will be proportonably larger.
| The construction Of the % Pioneer Mountain Kali
road to the MERGED River is worthy OF the enterprise
and energy of the Colonel. IL s an undertaking OF
more magnitude than is 10 be found in any other Pm
waite establishment in this State IL Is the fst railroad
| of such extent and permanent construction, IN the
mountains, and.on places like " ilels Hollow, along
the side OF which part OF the road cut IN Where one
woud rather think of hunting the grizzly and all Cali
ornian beasts than of finding permanently LAID rail-
track - q,
River the visitor is again surprised at seeing the most
substantial and largest mills ID the State. These are
the Benton Mills" samples OF perfect workmanship
in every respect You have seen, perhaps m4ny quartz
mills in this State but | am certain you have never
seen any ike the Benton Mis OF Col. Fremont.
You will not find the machinery hurriedy set up in
come Kind of framework, and covered by miserable
she'd You will not find water-whees OF a beggariy
construction. MOI You will find buildings ample but
good and permanent; the machinery in the .cleanest
and best order and the framework Of the machinery
the immense water-wheels, as well all the inside
| carpenter work of the best workmanship, nicely
| ulaned and painted You enter into gold-pr0ducing
establishments kept in the best order like the establish