The Placer herald., 1863-08-01
From an Occasional Correspondent.
SLATE RANGE MINING DISTRICT,

Sln DerHlrulnO CO. July lotii, lOO0.
Editors Herald:-I arrived here in company
with Thos. J Goodale, the 26th of last month and
found one of the most desolate appearing coun-
tries ever beheld. The nearest semblance of
wood we have for seventy miles either way, is
sage brush and grease wood, which you very we'll
know does not attain the highth of more than
three or four feet. Water too, is very scarce
here-enough can be obtained for man and beast
for cooking and drinking purposes and that of q
very poor quality though tunnels run deep into
the mountains will probably bring much more to
the surface. The most OF the springs are con-
siderably impregnated with salt and alkali.
The whole country presents the appearance of
having been once an immense furnace or volcano
everything being in a jumbled up and chaotic
condition. The mountains are immense piles of
slate rock rising in irregular forms, many of
them at an angle of more than forty-fiv degrees
until they attain highth to their SUBMITS OF
upwards of four miles.
Slate Range is situated. about sixty-fve miles
east of Walkers Gap, which you can easily find
by referring to the map of California and Utah.
1t is about twenty-five miles east of the lnyo
Range. You most likely have heard of Death
Valley" 1t can be seen from the top Of these
mountains, and is nearly sixty miles to the south
and east from here. We are north of the Mohave
river and desert some forty miles There is
desert of over torty-fve miles between Walkers
Pass and this place. which is very tedious for
iootmen to cross, as there is but one spring of
ater on the whole route. and that is so brackish
that it does one more harm than good to use it,
have seen three men come in already. that were
nearly pershing With thirst being obliged to
leave blankets and extra weight behind. The
safe way for footman to make it, is to take 4
caneen of water, and grub for one day, start in
the evening aud travel most of the night then lay
over until the next evening. As the glare of the
scorching sun upon the ulka dust of the dry
lake and deep sands of the desert, are most too
y,rnh tnr Inn, ,l,,r W. ia x,;f
horses and pack animals without serious incon-
venience. Had the people of this portion Of the
State the same energy and capital to work with :,
that you of the northern sec ton have not many
years would elapse before the railroad steam
whistle would be heard vending its way through
Walkers Pass, or the Tajon Pass, into the mineral
regions situated between the Sierras and the
Colorado; opening. rs verify believe, the richest
mining country in the world. The greatest por-
on Of this mineral region can never be made avail
able until this is done. 1t seems to that the most
natural feasible and leas Objectionable route for
the Pacific Railroad is through Tulare Valley,
ascending Kearn River to Walkers Pass, the
latter of which is only about five thousand feet
above the level of the sea and can be made with
grade of less than ninety feet to the mile. No
snow ever troubles this pass.
1t is only necessary to say that there is here,
| between the Sierras and Rocky Mountains, more
than twenty mining districts; each, when fully
developed will constitute an empire Owen S
River country, Rnss and Inyo Districts, are above
Walkers Pass, near one hundred and twenty
miles. Coso and Argus, are between the Pass
and Ovens River The Owens River country
is heating considerable excitement just now as
the Indian difficulties being settled, and that
section possesses advantages that other districts
| do not. 1t is admitted. however, by prospectors,
who have examined this whole section Of country
that the rock is not as rich rs in many other
districts, but with its grazing and agricultural
lands its splendid water privileges (Owen River)
and plenty OF good TIMBER it is rendered there
by, much sooner available and perhaps, taken all
! together the most advisable point for miner to
settle in. AS rock there would be valuable at
sixty dollars per ton, whereas rock here must pay
over two hundred dollars per ton before it can be
available, unless there should be a railroad built
here.
We have to Judge of the valne of the lodes in
this district by the groupings and float rock.
! as no one has gone down sufficiently vet to trace
n substantial and well defined lode. | believe
we have few lodes here as good rs can be found
anywhere. The Francis Morrow, Mountain Bird
ProVldence Antrim, TurantO Golden Cross and
the Jeficrsonian, are considered good I have
several hundred feet in the two last The miners
here have been offered capital from San Fran
cisco, sufficient for the full development of their
clams-for half their feet, which | coniidsr a
good proposition, and probably will be the plan
adopted by the most of those who are short Of
funds. AS yet most of the claims here are in the
possession of poor men. Consequently without
some plan is adopted rs above indicated, the de-
velopment of the district will be slow.
We have one mill here. steamng on sage brush
and grease wood, which will do we'll as long az
it lasts
The great war struggle still wages with as
much fury as ever, without promising any def
mite result. Who will have to answer to poslerity
but the Abolitonists for the immense destruction
of life property, and perhaps our republican in
sttutions?
Having chance to send this now, bring it to
an abrupt close. Remember me to friends gene
rally. Yours truly, D.B.C.