The Placer herald., 1872-09-28

ExcITING MINING NEws.-Some time auo we
made brief reference to projected mining opera
tions at Volcano Canon, near Michigan Bluff. by
a San francisco company Of which James II
keown formerly resident of Iowa Hill, but
latterly of San Francisco is superintendent
Subsequently we noticed the transportation of n
large amount of heavy machinery through our
town, en- route to the above named point We
are now in the receipt of the most encouraging
we might say startling-news from that quarter
But before repeating current reports let us take
aretrospective view of the situation. 1t is now
nearly or quite twenty years since tho first at
! tempt was made to sink shaft to the bedrock at
or near the point where the operations of the
Hazard company ME now in progress. 1t was
point of faith with most of the old miners of that
section, that in the 'neighborhood referred to
there WIS a deep and a vast "main channel" Of
| unquestionable richness, from which the Mch-
| gan Bluff, Birds Valley, Bath and other rich
deposits of that region were simply "outcts, -
or "overhows," " ''outside channels" or some
thing of the sort. Year after year attempt after at
temdt was made to test the soundness of these
theories. But, for want of sufficient captaI
aud proper appliances for overcoming the water
difficulty, none of these attempts were permn-
nenty successful, though, III spite of successive
failures, the prospects and Indications were of a
character to strengthen rather than weaken the
faith Of the mining community. In spite of re-
pea!sd fai.lres, mere impression became :.
matter of firm and unalterable faith. Keown
had operated extensively, with varying success,
in the adjacent Iowa Hill section. For years he
had been aware of and sharer in the popular
belief that theIe was large and rich channel at
the point under consideration. Travel where he
would, throughout California Nevada Utah.
Arizona and al the mining country of the Pacific
coast, his mind was never entirely free from this
subject, and the ghost of the Volcano canon en-
terprise would keep rising up to haunt him. AT
last he decided upon the only course that seemed
practicable for laying the troublesome phantom
He embarked of his own means, induced num-
Der of San Francisco friends to do likewise, oh.
tained by purchase and location large tract
several hundred acres-of mining ground in the
vicinity referred to, procured irst-class ma
chinary of such power and capacity rs to make
success an assured certainty, If it was possibly
attainable and went to work with bulldog de
eruinaton to test that ground or burst the
Hazard company. After many accidents, an
novances and backsets the machinery got
INTO good working order, all of the operations
at the mine went like clock-work and last week
Keown's faith and energy met with an abundant
reward. A deposit of auriterous gravel was
struck which is described as equal to or superior
to any of those which give world wide fame to
Iowa Hill, Forest Hill, Michigan Bluff and ad
jacent camps III the flush times Of 52 to '62.
The San Franc SEQ members oft company were
sent for, went up, feasted their eyes on thc
glorious 81 ,,ht and had grand gloriication. In
mining cIrcles-we mean among Old miners of
"the Divide it is confidently believed that
this channel is of immense breadth and sweeps
around back of Forest Hill, and that its continu-
ton will undoubtedly be struck by Peyton Pow
I'll in the slope which he has been trying to sink
ut the old Wheeler claim. If this theory should
prove correct, and if Powell should strike any
thing approxmating the richness of the Hazard
companys developments it is inevitable that n
wonderful impetus will be given to mining en-
terprise on the Forest Hill divide Stars and
NfrincS.