The hydraulic press., 1860-01-07

leading the water into the CLAIMS, where 1t
is distributed through rubber and canvas
hose, substantial sluices carrying off the
the united ''tailngs' of several sets of claims
As the bedrock lies so low there is no ne
cessity for tuhheIs except in two or three in
stances The only difficulty the miners Ia
Dor under is want of sufficient fall or grade,
for their s1uices The distance from the
dfggfhgs to the river is nearly one mile, and
distance will not exceed eight inches to every
twelve feet length of slulce. The brig ravine
through Which the taflifgs run is filed with
them to a depth Of sixty feet. Along this
ravine are several large taif-fhrhes. One,
owned by the Mullin brothers and leading
from their claims, is four feet wide, three
and half feet deep, lined with pine blocks
six inches thick, andis 5000 feet long Ad-
joining 1T is one of equal dimensions, owned
by Rhfisoh & Co. Below these, and receiv-
ing all the washngs on this side of the hill,
is the splendid fiume of McAllis & Co, 1900
Or 1900 feet long and emptying into the
river. 1t is built upon very solid timbers,
in two sections-one 6 feet the other 4 feet
wide, making 10 feet wide in the clear, and
five feet deep. The bottom is lined with
wooden blocks six inches thick, made from
the nut pine, very tough variety; yet they
wear out, under the friction of a flood of
water and cobble stones, IN about twenty
days. The grade of this fume is from four
to six inches to every twelve feet. Its cost
including $4,000 which was paid for the
right to the ravne, was S28,000. The pro-
prietors say it will pay good interest on
cost and expenses, and afford them advaL-
tages in washing their claims on the hill
Water was first brought into the diggings
of Tin1buctoo and vicinity by bitches from
Three of these, one constructed by Mr. Bov-
yer, noted for his enterprise and skill in such
works, are now consolidated and owned by
the Tri-Union Company. The water which
they supply, amounting during the wet sea-
son to 1000 or 5000 inches, is conveyed
across the gap lying between Snhartseile
and Sucker Flat, through two fumes 2,soo
feet long; the largest one, which appears to
BE sixty Or eighty feet high over the lowest
part Of the gap, being an elegant and sub
stantial struc ure. The Excelsior Company
have another ditch, which is twenty-eight
miles long, draws its water from the South
Yuba, has capacity of about 1000 inches,
miners measure, and cost in the neighbor-
hood of $3.50, ,000. It's stream has also to
cross the gap mentioned above. For this
purpose a pipe 20 inches in diameter, made
Of boiler iron, and 1900 feet long has been
heretofore employed A new pipe, 40 inches
in diameter, is now being put together and
will soon be laid across the gap on trestles
It will deliver 3, 900 inches, as water is mea-
5ured at Timbuctoo-that is, under pres
sure Of ten inches equal TO perhaps 1000
inches as measured al North San Juan under
six inches pressure. The Excelsior Com
pany is now building at Empire Ranch, two
miles from the diggiugx reservoir which
will have depth at the dam Of not less than
fifty feet, and superficial area of at least
seventv-fve acres. The dam is about l5o
feet wide at the base, and pierced by a very
substantial ar3hed conduit of stone and wood
work. The water will be admitted through
this, when wanted, by means OF heavy
iron gate, raised by screw, a contrivance
of great power and steadlness: The bitches
enumerated are now supplying the diggings
with about 5000 inches of water, at 25 cts.
an inch, measured literally as above stated.
Of this quantity, the largest portion is used
at Timbuctoo, where 40 companies and
nearly 800 men are at work; though not
more than half that htimbkr IF companies
are washing. Each company uses from 400
to 600 inches of water; and the day we were
at mbuctoo the total water sales on the
hill reached 5000 inches, at cost Of 81 800
Of cdhrse this Enormous supply dwindles to
very small one as the dry season ap-
proaches, and many companies have to lay
by or go to drifting. Winter is the true
harvest time Of both ditchmen and miners
During the past winter we are told that the
weekly receipts of Bovyer's ditch averaged
$4,000
Although the ritinets dse such large heads
of water, they do not direct it all against
the bank. Only loo inches flow through
the pipe; the remainder being allowed 10 fall
OVER the edge OF the claims; much less being
needed To get the earth down than to ruin it
of, owlug to the loosehess Of the upper
gravel and great size of the stones. In some
claims; however, the earth is more compact,
and to facilitate washing the bottom is
drlfted out leaving pillars standing which
afe piped away, and then down comes The