New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-19
SULPHUK MINES IN CALIFONNRA +
Valuable and Important Discoveries.

Valuable ard Important DiscoVerAe"'
As the discovery of sulphur mines IN Cal
casieu parish has led to the passage OF Olii
for the issue of bonds of the State OF Louis
lana, to the amount of three hundred thou
sand dollars, to develop these mines' Inc
following sketch from the San francisco
Alto California possesses considerable IN
terest to our readers. The old adage is
illustrated, that ait never rains but IL
pours," in the almost simultaneous discoV-
cry of sulphur mines in California and Lou
isiana:
The production af sulphur and manutac-
ture OF its compounds in California Is riSihs
in Importance. The chief supply OF the
world is obtained from the sides OF Mount
.Etna, in Sicily, and this State used the
Sicilian birthstone until lately. Now the
! SULPHUR works Oh the shore of Clear Lake
. produce four tons day-as much IS the
, coast can consume. The freight from the
Mediterranean, the increased charge on ac-
! count of the cOmbustible nature OF the ma
/ teriai. and the necessity of keeping large
stocks on han |. so as to prevent any disturb
ance of trade in case a cargo should oe ue-
| layed or lost, give decided advantages to
! the home manufacture.
! The Sicilian birthstone can not be lad
! down here for less than four cents per
! pound, aud the domestic IS sold Tor tour
| and a half cents. Clear Lake occupies the
| crater of an extinct volcano, and the eVl
dances of volcanic action are abundant ID
the vicinity. The triangle formed by the
lake, the Geysers and st. Helena-each
about thirty miles from the other two
ab1unds with volcanic scoria, trap, lava, oD
sidian, tufa, warm springs aud other remains
y! of eruptions, and signs Of subterrane can hea
at no great distance from the surface.
Ttr, sulphur bed of Clear Lake is abou
eight miles from the southern end, Oh tL'
| eastern shore, only few hundred yard
from the water. There is a bank bling
ashes. in which there are numerous aka
line aud sulphur springs, aud also vent
holes from which suiphurOus fumes escape
These holes are surrounded by beautliu
crystals of pure sulphur, deposited from tn
fumes rising from below. The earth, con
tanning about fifty per cent OF suIphur, II
placed in an iron retort, which is heate'
to a hiqh temperature, so that the su phu
is driven off in fumes into receiver, Wher
il settles in LIQUID form, and runs cut mt
pine boxes, two feet long and a loot square
Il is az pure as the SicIiian brinstone, bu
the latter comes in sticks, which are NOR
convenient for handling, when small piece
are needed
The lump sulphur is used chiefly TO
making nogder and sulpburic acid, whicl
last is employed in making bluestone, gIan
powder. nitric acid and muEiatlc acid, ant
in refining gold and silver. The consump
ton Of sulphuric nitric and mnriatic acl'
on the coast amounts to 1000 00G pounds
and the entire demand is supplied by hom
manufacture.
Lately the production of -four of sulphn
has been commenced at Clear Lake. In
fumes passing off from the retort, instead O
being carried into small hot receiver, q
for birthstone, are led into large coo
chamber. in which they condense to haky
snow.hke condition. This form Of sulphu
Will be needed in large quantities next sprln
| and summer. as cure tor the mlldeW, Wnicl
| attacks, the vines, and did great damage i
many Of the vineyards last year. The Lowe
Lake Bulletin says:
There are no less than eight new mines
| quicksilver and sulphur now being opene
III this vicinity (southern part OF Lake coun
| ty.l The three mines OF these minerals, no.
in daily operation, employ over three hun
dred men. With eight more in practical op
GRAFTON, uearly eight hundred men and seH
eral millions of dollars IN property vaiuatio
will be added to this part of the county
Ard these are not possibilities. they are pre-
liabilities. The mineral is there; men ar
EMPLOYED there now in running tunnels an
holding the ground, and time Will deTeio
. them.