The hydraulic press., 1861-01-26
SNOW FLAKES.
EDITOR OF THE HYDRAULIC PREss:-

rieusly. The worthy inhabitants of Wet Rayinc-
unusually moist to-day-are mostly within doors
or underground. Only an occasional straggler
isiobserved without, and his business, doubtless,
relates to the village grocery where "grub" is
available. Unless from the Arctic regions, you
never saw a better picture of rigorous winter
than is visible from the present location of your
/ correspondent. The snow is about seven feet
| deep; the solemn old fir trees are white and ben
ding with renewed burden which threatens to
! strip them of their branches. See Longfellow-
"Beware of the pine trees withered branch
which practically understood in this region means
''stand from under"
! This is one of the most prosperous mining
places in all the region round about. There are
about 300 people here, including an unusually
large proportion of families. Most of the miners
are occupied in the "Masonic," or Fremont"
shafts, though the "Phnnix" tunnel will soon
afford occupation to good many more. Stepping
on platform, one swiftly Gescends nearly 400
feet and thence traverses about 800 feet of un-
derground railroad to where 20 men are plying
pick and gad night and day, with over thousand
feet of good American free soil overhead. The
scene, made visible by two or three hundred
candles, is exceedingly animating, the clinking
of picks, grating of shovels and rattling of cars
fairly deafening one, the sounds reverberate
through the immense excavations. This is one
of the richest and most extensive claims of this
very rich county, but the expenses of working are
enormous-over $4,000 week-and from the
magnitude of the cost of working, you can form
some idea of the grounds richness, which must
be prodigious, else the claims had been aban-
doned long since The cars are filled at the ex-
tremity of the drift, pushed along to the bottom
of the shaft, where they run on platform
and hosted away by steam power and landed on
another railroad above, which leads to the dump
or place of washing.
The "Frcmo1it" claims are of'hardly less inr-
portance and extent, and are exceedingly rich.-
There you are let down an incline plane, about
300 feet making the descent in car attached to
steam engine. The passenger must clay low
in the muddy vehicle, if he would not be scalped
by occasional projections invisible, but if en-
countered awfully palpable in the darkness
From the foot of the ''incline" you traverse a
long way back where the miners now at work,
and where the spectacle is about the as that
partially described in the "Masonic." AS most
of your readers are familiar with extensive mi
ming enterprises, they would not be pleased with
I detailed particulars. Some brilliant genius,
skilful with pen and pencil, should prepare an
illustrated article for Harpers Magazine, des-
criptive of the wonderful private enterprises
which, familiar to ourselves, would be strange to
| NJ.
specially meant for BROOKS, discoverable in and
about the Appeal establishment.
That receptacle of stolen jokes, Harper's "Draw
err" where antique sayings find rejuvenation,
could also find better material in the everyday
| life of the mines. Let me relate one which, if
the "Drawer' encounters, it will undoubtedly
steal and locate somewhere in Georgia, though
it is original not far from here:
An old gentleman ofirascibletemper and with
whorn nobody burst venture to Joke, owned
water ditch which it was his occupation to keep
in repair. So intent was his mind on the care Of
the property, That when asleep in his cabin near
by, if the water rose or fell an inch at certain
ripple, the change of sound walked him, and the
old fellow off directly to the place of derange
ment. One night nlischievous fellow who
knew his popularity, found the old man asleep,
with candle and matches ready on the table. The
scamp shaved the candle wick close off, even
with the tallow, and in the place where the wick
ought to have been, stuck piece of sail needle,
and then slipping out to the ditch, took clap
board and began a tremendous troubling of the
waters. Up rose Antiquity, and down into his
breeches, which, they said, self-buttoning.
Sezing the candle, he applied ignited match,
but no light Another and another, while the
commotion in the ditch increased, indicating that
the foods had come, and that things were going
to eternal smash. Match after match was lit
with the same success, until the box was nearly
all consumed, when seizing the soick to twist it
into inhammibility, nearly red-hot neeule
burned his fingers almost to the bone
They say that the old man swore, and ripped
round the cabin at an awful rate, threatening
death to the practical joker. Five years after he
few into furious staue of mind at remote al
fusion to the ditch difficulty. MAC.
LECTURE, To-NIGHT.-Calvin B. Mcdonald,
Esq, will deliver his promised lecture this even
ing in the Methodist Church. Subject: "RIcHE-
LIEU" We should be pleased to numerous
audience, for think they will be well enter
tanned. The ladies are especially requested to
turn out and give their counteuance to this intel