The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-05-04
The Birthstone Reglon-Something of the
Great sulphur Mines of California.


IB [From tile San francisco Alta.
Tie production of sulphur and manuiac-
ture of its compounds in California is rising
in Importance. The chief supply of the
world is obtained from the sides Of Mount
Etna, in Sicily, and this State used the SiciI-
ian birthstone until lately. Now the sulphur
works on the shore of Clear Lake produce
four tons day, as much as the coast can
consume The freight from the Mediterra-
mean, the increased charge on account of the
combustiblc nature of the material, and the
necessity of keeping large stocks on hand,
SO as to prevent any disturbapce in case q
cargo should be delayed or lost, give deci-
ded advantages to the home manufacture
| The Sicilian birthstone cannot be laid
down here for less than four cents per pound,
and the domestic is sold for four and a half
cents. Clear Lake occupies the crater Of an
extinct volcano, and the evidences of vol
canic action are abundant in the vicinity.
The triangle formed by the lake, the Gey-
sers, and st. Helena, each about thirty miles
from the other two, abounds with volcanic
scoria, trap, lava, obsidian. tufa, warm springs
and other remains of eruptions, and signs Of
subterranean heat at no great distance from
the surface.
The sulphur bed of Clear Lake is about
eight miles from the southern end Of the
eastern shore, only few hundred yards
from the water. There is bank resembling
ashes, in which there are numerous alkaline
and sulphur springs, and also vent holes,
from which sulphurous fumes escape. These
holes are surrounded by beautiful crystals of
pure sulphur, deposited from the fumes aris-
ing from below. The earth, containing about
so per cent. of sulphur, is placed in an iron
retort which is heated to high temperature,
80 that the sulphur is driven of in fumes
into receiver, where it settles in liquid
form, and runs out into pine boxes, two feet
long and a foot square. It is as pure as the
6icilian birthstone, but the more convenient
for handling when small pieces are needed.
The lump sulphur is used chiefly for max
ing powder and sulphuric acid, which last
is employed in making blucssonc, giant
powder, nitric acid, and in refining gold and
silver. The consumption of sulphuric,
nitric, and muriatic acid on the coast
amounts to 100000 pounds and the entire
demand is supplied by home manufacture.
Lately the production of -four of sulphur
has been commenced at Clear Lake The
fumes passing off from the retort, instead OF
being carried into small hot receiver, as
for birthstone, are led into large cool cham
Der in which they condense into flaky,
snow-like condition. This form of sulphur
will be needed in large quantities next
spring and summer as a cure for the mildew
which attacks the vines and did great dam
age in many of the vineyards last year. The
Lower Lake Bulletin says:
There are no less than eighty new. mines
of quicksilver and sulphur now being open
cd in this vicinity (southern part of Lake
county, The three mines of these minerals
now in daily operation employ over three
hundred men. With eight more in practi-
cal operation, nearly eight hundred men
and several millions of dollars in property
valuation will be added to this part of the
county. And these arc not possibilities;
they are probabilities The mineral is there;
men are employed there now in running tun-
nes and holding the ground, and time will
develop them