The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-11-14
The Bulletin.
QUICKSILVER



Rural New Yorker.
Few of our readers probably have any
idea where quicksilver comes from or how
1t is made, but the following very excel
lent letter irem correspondent OF the
dmeriean Grocer throws much light upon
the subject:
California. in addition TO being the
largest producer OF silver aud gold in the
world, also has the richest quicksilver
mines, and the name New Almaden has
become synonymous with quicksilver all
over the world.
The mine is situated nearly ut The sum-
nit Of one of the foot hills of the Coast
Range" of mountains, and was originally
discovered by the Indians, resortng to
this place TO procure the red paint with
which they smeared their faces, and
which was here found cropping out of
the ground. 1t was discovered that this
material was rich vein of cinnabar or
crude quicksilver. In course of time a
company was formed to work it, and, ,
for many years, it has been one of the
principal producing quicksilver mines OF
the world. Being furnished with a
guide, we stepped into the bucket or cage
and in moment were lowered ] 400 feet
INTO the bowels OF the earth. Here we
were conducted througha long and tor
tuous tunnel TO the point where the
miners were working the vein. We
found set OF swarthy fellows drilling
and blasting. and filling the small cars
which are run over the tramway out to
the shaft. After witnessing their opera
tons and securing some rich specimens
of ore. we retraced our steps to the shaft
and were hcisted TO what Is known as the
u 200 foot level" and here got into
somewhat larger car than those used on
the lower level, and, propelled by a
mule, were soon again out in the. day.
light.
The reducing works or furnaces are sit
uated down at the bottom OF the hill, and,
proceeding there, we were shown the
most interesting part OF the process.
The ore is put into vast furnaces or re-
torts, and roasted at a white heat for
three to four days. The fumes from the
furnaces are conducted through num-
Der of little rooms known as ''condens-
eIs, in which they condense into quick
silver, and run down through channels
provided for the purpose, into iron ket-
ties or receptacles below. from these
kettles 1t is drawn off into iron kegs or
"fiasks," AS they are called. These are
about twelve inches high and from four
10 five pounds OF quicksilver, from which
an idea NAV be formed of its great dem
sity and weight.
Much of the quicksilver produced here
is used in amalgamating with, and thus
collecting the gold and silver produced
in the mines of the pacific slope but
large quantities are shipped to all parts
of the world for use in the mechanic arts.
China takes considerable quantities most
of which is manufactured into yermilion:
tor it is an interesting fact that the red
color which shows in the ore, but disap-
pears in the refined product, can again
be made to appear by pursuing certain
chemical formula. The Chinese are very
expert at this, and Chinese yermllion
mas been celebrated for years. OF late,
however, the universal Yankee nation
have begun TO manufacture vermilion !;
and it is now said of this, as
OF many other articles, that our
manufacturers can "beat the world"
in producing it. OF course every
body is familiar with the use OF
quicksilver Tor mercury as it is often
called in thermometers; but its sensi-
tivencss TO heat has lately been utilized
for new purpose--that Of giving fire
alarms. In the Palace hotel. San Fran
cisco, every room has glass bulb filled
with mercury let INTO the ceiling, and,
in event OF fire originating here, as
soon as the heat reaches ITO degrees the
mercury rises. connects two electric cur
rents, and the news is instantly tele-
graphed to the Office that there is fire in
No. -. The number of uses for which
quicksilver is employed is constantly in
creasing; but the production has also
largely increased, and, in consequences.
the price has fallen largely. Two years
ago 1t was worth Sl.50 per pound, to-
day sales were made at forty cents, from
which it will be seen that it has more
than kept pace with the decline in other
articles. At present prices. however, it
Is said that il does not nay 10 mine IL