Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-01
California GraHei MIres.
Correspondence Of the San Francisco Bulletin.
The mining po- cofzr -. =. pl,,,a


The mining now going on in Puma
county IS vastly different from that o
twenty years ago. But not tithe, or pos
sibly hundreth part of the aurifcrous treas
ure nature has stored away in the noun
tain recesses of this section has vet beer
taken from the bowels of the earth. Bu
it is still only gold that is mined. Placer
mining virtually exists no longer. There
now takeIits place graveimining and quartz
working. Quartz mining is familiar to al.
| most every person no has resided fol
some time on the l-cifc coast. Gravel
mining is less familiar, and is at present
little understood. Placer mining was
necessarily transient. Men with meagre
mining apparatus, nothing, perhaps, but a
pick and shovel and pan, made ample for
tunes in few months when rhey struck it
rich. The gold within short distance of the
surface was taken out in a few years, and
placer mining. as the all-absorbing occupa-
ton. has. speaking generally, become ex-
tinct. But the California mining of the
future-gravel mining. in its various rami-
fications-will, perhaps, be prosecuted with
more energy In the centennial of 1876 than
IN the centennial year We are now passing
through. While the early mining era was
transient, the future will be permanent.
Another difference is that while the ap-
planees Tor placer mining were simple and
inexpensive, no person could proiitably en-
gage IN gravel mining who has not, at the
commencement OF his operations, control of
almost unlimited capital. But while
large sum OF money Is necessary, the re-
turns under judcious management are
ampie-greater IN proportion than the
gains that, as rule. accrued from the
ruQGr nF -.
tunnels have to be run in the mountain
side Tor thousand or two feet Water, al
though abundant, has to be brought per-
haps Tor twenty, and in some eases thirty
miles, to ensure sufficient head. Steam
engines have to be erected to pump off the
surplus water. And when it is stated that
every inch OF pipe. or other article used,
has TO be teamed for at least seventy miles
over rough mountain roads. and afterward,
perhaps, packed five or six miles down
steep mountain trail, 1t will be easily un-
derstood that the investment of a large
amount OF capital is necessary before the
mining operations of to-day can be success
fully prosecuted. But when the opportuni-
ties for investments OF this character are
better known and appreciated, capital will
hnds Its way here.
Gravel mining consists in extracting from
ancient river beds or benches the gold con-
tanned therein. As rule the gold is form
ed in small particles, equally distributed
throughout the bed or channel Of the an
clent water course. These channels were
the beds OF rivers which existed aons of ages
ago In the geologic era. when the topo-
graphy OF California was totally unlike
that at the present time These ancient
river channels have been evidently covered
over by volcanic or other great upheayal,
probably the!former, from lava and scora,
winch are frequently found wrapping them
up. There Is one popularity about these
ancient subterranean channels-they almost
invariably run in a contrary direction to
the existing rivers. They are as equally
tortu0us In their sinuosities and windings
as the rivers of to-day. They are discover
cd by what is called the rim rock. which
crops out on the surface. but it takes an
lntellige.t miner to designate where ground
shall be opened or tunnel run in order to
strike the channel. 1t Is here that our
present knowledge is superficial. In
doubtedly the day will come when this
branch OF mlneralogical geology will have
sufficiently advanced that the expert will
be able TO strike the ancient channel from
the rim rCck with the same accuracy as the
surveyor now strikes cut metes and bounds
But the chanrcl, once discovered, is ot,en
so well marked that novice in mining has
no difficulty in disting gushing it. There
are powders, gravel aud sand, as IN the |
rivers of to-day. And have seen in chan !
nels OF several gravel mines in this country
large bOwlders weighing many tons wash /
"a a. smoothly as only the attrition OF
thousands OF years could produce. The |
apothegm waters wear the stones is
equally true OF hyg0ne ages as Of the cur
rent time. Tie fact that these gravel /
mines are ancient river beds makes them |
permanent AID beyond forming anything
Ike an accurate estimate cf their actual |
value.
4 channel once found may he followed for |
hree or four miles, or en- indefinite dis /
anee. until some ravine or canon inter |
Tenes. Even when lost by any volcanic OF /
other disturbances If like character. if the |
course Of the river has been watched close |
y, an expert will be able TO make good |
calculation where in all probability the /
'hannel may be struck again. So it is pos |
able IN the future We may know the length /
md general direction Of the ancient rivers /
II the state, and from the information thus |
acquired may arrive at a messurably ac- /
'urate perception Of the prehistoric /
geography of the country. What makes |
ID csc ancient river beds so valuable Is the |
act that they have been discovered varying |
rom seventy to three hundred feet wide
At Dutch Flat, in Placer county, one Of /
hese ancient channels has been traced as
accurately for length of five miles as the /
present bed of the Sacramento river. One /
other Circumstance is also worthy Of note |
liver channels have been found almost |
everywhere where placer gold was discover |
ID in carly days. Ii is so in Nevada, Placer
md Butte counties. and also in Plumas. |
Since We have hardly commenced gravel min |
ng bat few ofthese ancient beds have been |
raced. That they are as numerous as the /
,reeks, streams and rivers of to-day Is only 4
reasonable. But whether the channel Is
that of a small creek or some gigantic, /
-olllng river. they all contain more or less /
gold As before stated, the gold Is found |
IN small particles. embedded in sand. and /
-Cquires skill and labor TO obtain it. But |
t Is evenly distributed throughout the /
and. as far a. | can ascertain, no /
lurilerous river channel has yet been dis /
covered where the precious metal has |
)etered out, so long as the channel con-
iinues well defined. Hence, gravel |
nine is one of the most valuable of |
III ming properties. 1t is permanent, and |
he returns for the outlay of money and la
)or are more certain than other enter
'rises Of this character. The richest gravel |
: found within SIX feet Of the bed rock, |
which is generally OF slate or granite |
ormatl0n.