Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-07-23
THE GOLDEN STATE.
Extraordinary Gold Dfseevery-Ths
CurfOsffies of Mining.

San Franeiseo July 81 Correspondence Of the
New Bedford Standard.l
That there are more things in heaven
and earth than our philosophy dreams Of
is proved every day to an extent that
must make the wisest among us unpicas-
antly conscious of helpless ignorance.
Prospecting for gold has been hitherto
conducted on strictly scientific princi-
pies, guided by the lay of the ground, the
indications Of former water-courses, and
the general geological features of the
neighborhood. But it has now been
shown that forked hazel wand is a bet
ter guide to hidden mineral wealth than
anything else yet known.
Some years ago man named Mallory
took up his residence near Yreka, and
commenced wandering through the
mountains with q forked stick in his
hands. Many people thought he was
crazy, but others Of more experience
made known his object, SO that his &C.
tons were watched with considerable in
terest. AT last the working of the diyin-
ingrod indicated to him that saddle
shaded bed of silver ore was snugly
wrapped up in an adjoining hill, and
without any other encouragement he
commenced to drive tunnel to it. For
seven years he labored patiently, salts
fed that his simple instrument, guided
by the mysterious laws of attraction,
could not be at fault, and last week his
perseverance was rewarded by striking
the golden pommel Of the saddle, the
first proof OF the immense treasures con-
cealed there. The rock, crushed in a
mortar, has yielded an average Of 81
TO the pound and the rest of the mass
in sight is apparently asrich. The curl
osities Of mining woulds form a very
readable book, especially that portion Of
it describing the manner in which most
Of our richest leads have been discov-
cred. The New Almaden quicksilver
mine was found by an Englishman, who,
observing that the Indians went TO GER
tain spot for a peculiar red earth with
which they painted their faces, was in
duced to examine the locality, thus re-
vealing the largest deposit OF cinnabar
in the new world The Reddington quick
silver mine was discovered by some la
borers making a road, who, noticing that
some of the stone they lifted were m
usually heavy for their size, broke piece
off and sent it to San Francisco for ex-
animation. The celebrated Eberhsrdt
silver mine in White Pine, one-half in,
terest in which sold last week to Eng
lish capitalists for Sl,OOO,OOO, was
pointed out to a camp Of loggers
by Indians, who brought in Jumps
OF native silver and offered to show
where they got them for 0 moderate
recompense Of -four and tobacco. The
famous blue-gravel lead, one mile Of
which yielded from 1854 to 1860 the sum
of s, 095, 900, was accidentally struck by
a man digging a well, and the Butte
mine, in Sicora county, from which ST.
345, 900 was taken in six years, was dis
covered by hunter, who. sitting down
10 rest, saw disintegrated quartz richly
streaked with gold scattered about, and
was thus led to make further researches.
Nor have all the great prizes yet been
drawn. Capital, luck and labor, sepa-
rately and combined, are constantly
finding new wealth in our mountains,
and probably will continue to do so for
al time g come.