Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-10-03
Lower Rich Gulch Correspondence.
LOWER Rich GULcH. Sept. 22d. '6s.

LOW Elk IeiCH OULCH, Dcpt. ZZu, 90.
EDITOR CHRONICLE ON Sunday evening
last the people of this vicinity were address
ed by Mr.. Parker, of Chill Gulch, and Mr..
Rienzi Hopkins, on the political issues of the
day. Mr.. West President of the Grant and
Colfax Club, of this place, presided, support
ed by the Secretary of the Club.
Mr.. Parker spoke with his usual earnest
ness and feeling the ponderous blows he
dealt the "Chapparel Confederacy' astonsh-
ed them so it took away their breath. His
reasoning was logical. lucid and clear, and
his deductions therefrom SO plain there was
no gainsaying him. Mr.. Hopkins followed,
and in a speech of an hours duration clinch-
ed the nails driven in by Mr.. Parker. Mr.
Hopkins is truly eloquent gentleman, and
bids fair to become one of the first orators of
this State. He handled the coppeIheads
without gloves, and proved the falsity Of
their assertions in every question of moment
now before the people. He made one point
that was thought particularly happy. Said
he, Il once held high i'll my estimation many
of the rebel generals, such Pemberton, Lee
Stonewal Jackson, and others, but since
they speak so disparaginsly Of Grant, and
use such elaborate arguments to prove him
to be no general, and that he never did do
anything worth speaking about can hold
them nov but in contempt for allowing
themselves to be whipped by and surrender
to such miserable cur" At the conclu-
sion Of his remarks cheers were given for
Grant and Colfax, Hopkins, and Parker,
when the crowd dispersed, highly pleased,
although some of the "Confederatcs of the
thapparar' wore vsages of unusual length,
doubtless pondering deeply on the instability
of human events, evidently not being quite
so confident OF the result of that event which
will come off on the third of next Der
as they were a short time ago.
The Palomo Mining Company have ceased
work in their levels; everything is secured
in them up to the face, SO that work can be
resumed in them al any moment. What wa
ter collects in them is prevented fom going
into the shaft by tight dams built across the
levels near the mouth, in WHICH is box and
gate, with trough attached, so that the water
can be discharged into the tubs and hoisted
to the surface, thus keeping the shaft COM
paratively dry. The Company have decided
to sink the north shaft one hundred feet
deeper, this being the most favorable season
of the year for so doing, on account of water.
The south shaft will also be sunk thirty or
forty feet deeper, by contract, when levels
WILDE run from it both ways. The sulphuret
reduction works are completed and in run
ming order, and a most excellent specimen Of
mechanical skill they truly are. Mr.. S. A.
West, Esq, in whose fertile brain the plan
was formed, and under whose supervision
they were erected, may be justly proud of his
achievement. The wheel is an overshot,
thirty feet in diameter, and is as true as the
wheel of watch. The water is brought in
boxes from the battery above, another line OF
boxes carries the sulphurets and quartz (after
being pounded to an almost impalpable pow
der under the stamps. into the concentrator,
whence it is conveyed to the pans. After
passing through the pans it is subjected to
another process, the secret of which is only
known to Mr.. West. Taken altogether it is
the most perfect machinery in this part oi
the country, and costly, too, seven thousand
dollars having been expended in its erection.
Alexander & Co. are still going down with
their shaft. now one hundred and sixty feet
deep, and the deeper they go. the larger and
better the ledge becomes. 1t is now abou,
eight feet wide, and shows free gold to the
naked eye. With sulphurets it is literally
spangled, with here and there big bunch.
They intend to go to the depth of two hun
dred feet before running any more levels, and
if the rock continues to increase in richness
they will keep sinking. This company has
also been to great expense lately in erecting
hoisting works, and building a large bulk
head for the same to rest on, the formation Of
the ground making it imperative. This bulk
head cost near twelve hundred dollars. They
have added more pipe for water, obtaining
thereby a fall of three hundred and sixty fee,
thus enabling them to run their battery OF
ten stamps. crushing fifteen tons of rock in
twenty -four hours with nineteen inches OF
water, when formerly it required thirty-two.
These gentlemen deserve success for the en-
ergy and perseverance they have exhibited in
| developing this mine. and l hope they will
obtain it.
Work on the old Norton claim, below, is
resumed. and is being prosecuted with vigor-
Messrs. Lee and Reed have contracted to run
the tunnel sixty feet further, which when
completed will make the tunnel over four
hundred feet in length. They have put up a
new water-blast to convey pure air through
wooden boxes to the end of the tunnel, to
drive out the powder smoke. The rock they
are going through now is very hard, but
pounding away night and day as they are
doing will take them through it, for they
know no such word as fail. ARIEL.