Weekly Trinity journal., 1863-01-10
Mines aud Mining.

justly termed the granery of the world, so might
the Pacific slope he called the treasury of the
United States. Its greatest wealth consists of in
exbaustible mineral deposits, although 1t has srr-
prised the world in its marvellous agric cultural
and horticultural productions. The great staple
production of California has b' en- gold, and it is
deemed moderate estimS. te when we say that
since lS49 not less tan six hundred and sixty
SIX millions OF Dollars have been produced and
exported. y ct with this enormous sum taken
from the placers, gulches and leads, it can yet
scarcely be said that the mining region OF the
State has been thoroughly prospeced.
California contains an area Of nearly one hun
dred and sixty thousand square miles Allowing
that not more than one-haf of this is mineral
land, and that there is population OF four hund-
red thousand, one fourth of whom are miners,
there would be fraction over one to the square
mile. Estimating that miner will work out
| four square rods per annum, it will require two
hundred and thirty thousand years to exhaust the
mines of California with the present mode of
working. The method Of mining in this country
is very analogous to the system pursued by the
aucieats, n full descrintion of which may be
found in Rollins Ancient History He says -
"Those Who search after gold begin by finding
kind of earth which by its color informs those
who understand mines that there is gold under
meath 1t. As sooI as the vein of gold appears
the water must be turned off and the ore dug out
industriously, which must be taken away and
washed in proper LAYERS. The ore being put in
to them, stream OF water is poured on continu-
ally, and to assist the force of the water an iron
fork is used, till nothing remains in the laver but
sediment of black sand, with which the gold is
mingled. This sediment is put into large wood
en- dish in the midst of which four or FIVE deep
lines are cut, and by washing and stirring it we'll
in several waters the terrene parts are dissolved
and nothing remains but pure gold dust. This
is the method practced In the time of Pliny. 1t
frequently happens that the gold is found near
the surface of the earth, but this good fortune is
not frequent, though there have been examples of
it. Fox not long ago, says Plny, gold was found
in this manner in Nero's reign, and in SO great a
quantity that fifty pounds day, at least, has
been gathered Of it. This was in Dalmatia.-
Pliny informs us that there is another method to
find gold on mountainous places. The dry and
barren mountains are obliged to give up their
gold to make up for their sterility in everything
else. The work begins by cutting great holea to
the right and left. The interior of the mountain
itself is afterwards attacked by the assistance of
torches and lamps, for the day is soon lost Be-
fore any great progress is made, great flaws ap
pear in the earth, which falls in and often crush.
es the poor miners to death. 1t is therefore nee
essary in these mines to form good arches at prop
er distarces to support the followed mountain.
After it has been sapped in this manner the props
are knocked out, and the mountain falls with
dreadful crash, and breaks to pieces. The gold
| however Is not yet found, and when they began
! 10 rfprpc lne uIII tuey uIu not KnUw wuetner ~
contained any. Hope and avarce were sufficient
motives for undertaking the labor, and confront
ing such dangers. Having united the waters of
the highest neighboring mountains, they make
great reservoirs of :he breadth of two hundred
aud the depth of len feet. When The reservoirs
are full, they open the sluice, from whence falls
so violent and mpetuous a torrent that it carries
away all before it, even stones of considerable
magnitude. To prevent the gold from being car
ried of with the current, they lay at proper dis
tances good dams of brush, which is afterwards
taken up with care dried and burned. After this
the ashes are washed on the turf upon which the
gold falls and is easily gathered" &c.
Every miner will at once see that the manner
of drifting and sluicing at the present day was
we'll understood and practced over two thousand
years ago. We shall hardly have room in this
article to call attention to the vast mineral
wealth and the mining localities in our own coun-
ty, and the inducemen for miners of other local
tiles to come and test our dggngs The great
central point from whence millions have been ia
ken out during the last twelve years, and where
tens of millions remain, is the Weavervle ba-
sin, great dish of near ten mile in extent, re-
sembling the crater of an extinct volcano. The
mountains forming the rim of this basin have
never been prospected, although there is every
reason to believe that rich quartz leads exist in
the West Weaver section, as well as in the high
mountains overlooking the town from the north
The localities known East Fork Of North
Fork New river. Bolts Diggings, Trinity Center,
Musser Hill, Rush creek, Canon creek Oregon
Gulch and Minersville, are all known to be rich
in gold deposits, and capable of furnishing EN-
ploJH ~ tNeu'y ttHtS Tue uuInDef OF miners
now employed. Miners can make from five dol
lars to an ounce per day, each during the mining
season.
On Salt creek, about four miles beyond Hay
Fork, we learn that Mr.. Good and some other
miners have struck dggings near five miles in
length, and that during the past summer they
made from S5 to SIP day, to the hand. At
Kellogg's Diggings the yield has been better than
usual, and large number of miners are prepar-
ing to work there the coming season. Trinity
river, from Cedar Flat up is lined with China
men, who are said to be making good wages the
year round. b.,
The wet season Is upon U.s. and there is nothing
to prevent more gold being taken out in Trinity
county than any year heretofore. Considerable
excitement exists on the subject of silver leads
just now, and no one need be surprised to hear
within the next two weeks of some rich dscov-
cries being made.
Let miners who wish to be certain of making
good wages come to this county. but If they pre-.