The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-22
correspondence Of the Worcester spy.
The Vermont Gold Mines.

PLYMOUTH, W., Oct, 1874.
Both quartz and placer mines have been
worked in this locality to a greater or less
extent for several years, but it is only this
season that the placer mines on the farm of
A. b. Pollard, Esq, have been worked in a
systematic and scientific manner.
The mining interests on the estate named
are owned and worked by Virgil Woodcock,
well known scientific as we'll as practical
miner, having had a practical and thorough
experience in constructing gold mills and
working ''claims' in California ever since
the never to be forgotten gold excitement
in 40 and 80. Mr.. Woodcock has ''pros-
pected" in Plymouth, Bridgewater, Clar-
endon, Dandy, Warren, Waitsfield, More
town and many other places, and found
gold in every town examined; but the
mines at Plymouth proving the best, and
particularly the deposits on the farm of Mr..
Pollard, he concluded to work those He
works his claims by means of IA sluice
about IS inches wide and 12 inches deep,
and about so feet long, the water to supply
which is conveyed through flume three
quarters of mile long, and is carried along
the hillside so as to give HIM 80 to 40 feet
pressure or fall at the place where he is
now working.
The sluice contains a series of Stats or
"rifles,' set one inch apart and running
| Iap d; i,,f hn slttira md 1a -,
sections 12 feet long and have cross-bar
at the end of each section, and it is be-
tween these rifles that the gold is caught
no quicksilver being used. The sluice is
foot, and the force of the water will carry
through and out of the way whatever il
| thrown into it. The force of the water
vii! also move as much earth in day, 10y
using six inch hose with a one and three
| quarter inch nozzle on the end of it, as q
men would be capable of moving in the
same time. The ''pay dirt averages five
cents to the pan, some lots running a:
high as fifteen cents, and value of whicl
can be easily estimated, as one cent per par
is called very rich day dirt in Calitorni;
for sluicing
The deposit in this place is quite exten
sive, extending far up the mountain side
on either hand, and in the bed of the stream
distance of three miles The gold is al
quartz gold, and the deposit is not far from
the matriy where it was formed, as it re
tains the same rough appearance as whel
it left its place of formation. The depo
containing this quartz gold average fou
feet in thickness, and pays nearly alik,
all the way down to the bed rock. Thi
deposit is filled with quartz boulders, part
ly disintegrated, Talcouse slate, ard arg,
boulders of other rock. containing from
10 to 20 per cent of iron, and large
quantity of heavy sulpherets of iron. mixet
with sand and gravel. This gold is go
carets fine, which is finer than Californi,
gold.
The last clean up" after three day.
run, with the labor of three men was $50
and the one previous for the same length OF
time was S06 all the earth in each case
having been shoveed into the sluice, which
shows the richness of the ground now benG
worked. There are spots in the . claim
that are exceptionally rich, one spot con
tanning about ten square rods being pointed
out to me which yielded $1,000 in few
days, and others about lhe same size yield
ing nearly as we'll
No one need come here expecting to Sc,
gold everywhere about, rs gold hides itsel
deep in the ground, and it requires science
as well us practical skill to successfully wit
it. But those who desire to investigate tn,
mysterious operation of nature, will be wei
repaid by visiting this gold region.
GEO. NJ. RICE, I'd.