Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-06-28

LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.

New ALMADEN, Cal, June, 1871.
Owing to a somewhat serious accident in
the dslocaton of shoulder, 'Joannes' has
been cut short in holding converse with your
readers, and also been deprived the pleasure
OF visiting as he contemplated the wonderful
Yosemite Valley and the big trees of Gala
veras, which have been so universally visited
and admired by tourists for their unsurpassed
magnifcence and beauty, and is obliged to be
| content in visiting the Vichy Springs, so cele-
brated all over the country for their medicinal
qualities, and the quick silver mines, both To-
Gated at this place, fifteen miles south of San
Jose. In Witnessing the latter we were
obliged to ascend by spiral turnpike a
mountain to an altitude of several thousand
feet above the level of the sea, ere we reached
the mouth of the shaft that leads to the ORE
With guide and lighted candles W penetrated
some 1000 feet, and finding that we had some
two miles further to grope our way before we
emerged from the opposite side of the noun
tain, we thought discretion the better part of
valor and so backed out. The ore is dug and
loaded on the railroad cars and transported
some two miles to the foot of the mountain,
where it is put into kilns, burned and the
Equick silver separated and this is done by
sort of heated evaporation, and the quicksl-
yer passes off in smoke through pipes or boxes,
hundreds of feet, over watts of water which
separate it from the smoke and SCOT and it falls,
to the bottom of the vat and is drawn out
thronQh Of
the metal from the ore not little surprised
us, as we had supposed the metal dropped
from the rock when burned instead of ascend
ing in smoke. The mines are extensive, and
we are told were discovered by an officer in
the Mexican service in 1916, who seeing the
Indians with their faces painted with verml-
lion, bribed one of them, who told him where
1t was to be found. The English and Mexi-
cans Immediately formed a company for work
ing the mines, which have proved very valua-
bic and furnish employment for nearly 1900
persons, mostly Mexicans. The Indians, long
before the country was known by white men,
worked them to procure vermilion paint to
adorn their persons.
In San Jose, on our return, we saw a yoke
of oxen that will beat even old Kennebec.
They were four years of age, of white color
twins, SO near alike that they could not be dis
tinguished one from the other, owned by VIM
Hall, Esq, grth ten feet. and weighed eighty
hundred pounds. They are to be taken, |
learn, to the eastern States this season for ex-
hibition and sale. Well may we New Eng
landers exclaim in the language of Patrick
Henry 'Beef, beef"
We were much delighted in Santa Clara in
being permitted to view the garden of Samuel
Gould, Esq, formerly from Leeds, Maine,
and indulge our palate with its fruit 1t con-
tains seventy three acres, completely irrigated
by artesian wells, and fully occupied with
grape vines, cherry, pear, apple, plum, april
cot, ounce, English walnut and many other
kinds of trees, together with strawberries and
nearly all kinds of the smaller fruits. Mr..
Gould informed US that he had to rely on the
eastern and western States for a large portion
of bis sales. Hundreds of tons he sends for
ward annually, and yet his expenses are so
great that he cannot realize suitable profit.
The pleasure of viewing it, with its burden of
fruit is worth trip to California, especially
to a fruit amateur. JoASNEs.