Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-03-17
Our Mines.a

Our Minesi
The travelling correspondent of the Min.
eng and Scientific Press, Mr.. VIM. R. Brad.
shaw, who has spent a month or more in
Calaveras, visiting the principal mining towns
in the county. writes to his paper from Mok.
Hill as follows:
"The most important mining enterprise
IN the vicinity of Mokelumne Hill is the
American Shaft" owned by Messrs. Paul,
Larned & Holbrook, located on Chilli Gulch,
two miles below this place. The channel
was struck at depth of 100 feet, at which
depth large stream of water was tapped
which compelled the owners to suspend
operations for some time, and was only re-
moved at an expense of over $50 900. When
the water was once checked, there was no
further trouble, and the mine is now in sue
cessful operation, employing upwards of
thirty men, and ten stamps for crushing the
cement. The hoisting. pumping, and stamp
Ing machinery. are all driven by steam engine.
The daily praduct of the mine is from $3.50
to 5000 per day, yielding very handsome
prontt the owners. The deepest shaft in
this section is that on the claim of Squares
q Co., which is about l65 feet in depth. The
bed OF cement gravel in which the gold il
found varies from few inches to four or five
feet IN depth, averaging about two feet, and
pays about ten dollars per ton, by washing
IN sluices. The width of the channel is un-
certain, but is known to be upwards of ifty
ieet' the rock upon which it rests being or
dinsry slate. Some of these claims are
opened BY tunnels driven into the sides of
the Mills. often at great expense. Among
those now in progress may be mentioned the
Indian Ravine tunnel, which is being driven
into Stockton Ridge, about three miles be.
low Mokelumne Hill, by Messrs. Paul s
Heerchner, and other citizeus of this town.
1t is estimated that to reach the channel a
rim of slate l 100 feet in thickness will have
to be penetrated. The work has been going
On nearly two years, and the tunnel is now in
4SO feet, the rock having been very hard thus
far. 1t is estimated that it can be finished in
two years more, as the slate it expected to
be softer, as the work progresses. There are
few hydraulic claims also at work and
many of them are doing quite well, one of
these, that of Messrs. Shaw & Co.. ia i'm
-mensely rich. 1t is situated on the west side
OF Chilli Gulch, about a mile and half be-
low Mokelumne Hill.
The Campo Seeo mine is owned by a Joint
stock company of the same name, and is
superintended by Mr.. D. L. Morrill,, under
whose able management, the NINE is now
more than paying its expenses, and will
probably soon be in dividend paying con-
'dition. 1t is opened at present to depth Of
200 feet, at which depth the vein of ore, a
solid mass of sulphides of iron and copper
unmixed with slate, is twenty three feet in
width, about one-sixth of which is estimated
by Mr.. NJ. to be shipping ore, assaying from
twelve to twenty three per cent. copper
The lower grades of ore are sold to the pro-
Prletors OF the smelling works located near.
Ihe shaft is not sunk on the vein, but west
of it. and drifts are run from it to the vein
at points where it is desired to open levels.
The body of ore in the 15O- foot level. is forty
feet east of the shaft and is twenty three feet
in width, and is divided at the end of drift
extending eighty-five feet northward from
the shaft bya ''horse' of slate. This horse
is not found in the lower level, but the vein
rs of uniform width and character through
out the extent of its drift. Besides the
twenty-three feet of ore, the vein contains
mass OF slate somewhat cupriferous, of
unknown width, the western or changing
wal" having never been reached. It is be-
Ieved that another body of ore will be found
under this wall, and acting under this belief,
drift has been started on the 2OO-foot level
for the purpose ofreaching it. This drift has
been continued l2O feet, and is still in the
vein. 1t has cut few narrow strata of rich
copper ore, but has not as yet developed any
important deposits. One thousand tons of
ore were shipped from this mine during the
past year. averaging from 16 to II Der cent.
and it is confidently believed that the amount
will be much increased during the present
'one. The hoisting works are driven bv
water power and are capable of raising thirty
tons of ore daily. 1t is intended to erect
steam works in short time, as the present
machinery is entirely insufficient for tb.
wants of the mine.
The works of the Taunton Smelling COM
pany are located on the Mokelumns river.
three-fourths of mile below the Campo
Seco mine, with which they are connected by
a railroad. on which the cars are drawn by a
horse. The works are superintended by Mr..
West. and were first set in operation in Au-
gust, 1865. They consist of two furnaces,
OF style similar to those described by DR..
De Henry in his articles on "Metallurey of
copper" published in the Press last year.
One of these was run for forty three days,
last fall, during which time it produced l0s
tons Of matt, and was pronounced a success.
but as it was impossible to obtain sufficient
supply of coal for the winter. before the
rains set N. it was found necessary to sus-
pend operations until next Spring, when it
is expected the furnace will again by fred up
and kept in constant operation. The blast
is furnished by McKenzie's patent blower.
which is driven by water power, and Is found
to work like e charm. It requires about
eight horsepower to each furnace. Each
furnace consumes daily from 200 to $50 BUSH
els OF ch areoaf costing here twenty cents per