Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-10-19
HINES AND mimi &.
oUICKs1LvER-How IT is MADE.

II is made, but the following very excellent
letter from a correspondent Of the american
Grocer throws much light upon the subject:
California, in addition to being the largest
producer of silver and gold in the world, al
has the richest quicksilver mines, and the
name "New Almaden" has become synon-
ymous with quicksilver all over the world.
Having the good fortune to meet Mr.. j. u.
Randall, the Superintendent Of the compa-
ny, we were favored with an invitation to
visit "New Almaden" and see how this vol
atile and interesting metal is produced; and
taking the cars one afternoon, a ride OF fifty
miles, by the Southern Pacific Railroad,
brought us to San Jose, Which is the nearest
point on the railroad to the mines. San
Jose itself is a thriving little city of ten to
twelve thousand inhabitants, situated in the
charming Santa Clara valley, which is the
garden Of the State. Possessed Of q delight
full climate and a most fertile soil, in which
can be raised nearly everything that is pro-
duced either in the temperate or torTid
zones. and SO near to San Francisco that it
has a good market for it's productions at all
times, it is a yeritable farmers paradise; and
ii is no wonder that it's fertile bottom lands
command high prices. Passing the night
at San Jose, we took a team early next
morning and drove out to "NeW Almaden,"
which is about fifteen miles from the city.
The mine is situated nearly at the summit
OF one of the foothills of tile "Coast Range"
Of mountains, and was originally discovered
blythe Indians. resorting 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 q rich vein
G. cinnabar or crude quicksilver. In course
Of time q 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 Of cage, and in a
moment were lowered 400 feet down into
the bowels OF the earth. Here we got out
and were conducted through a long and tor
tuous tunnel to the point where the miners
were wosking the vein. We found a set of
sWarthy fellows drilling and blasting, and
filling the small cars which are run over the
tramWay leading out to the shaft. After
witnessing their operations for a short time,
and securing some rich specimens 0 fore. we
retraccd our steps to the shaft, and We're
hoisted to what is known rs the 1890 foot
level and here got into q somewhat larger
car than those used on the lower level, and,
propelled by a mule, were soon again out in
che daylight.
The reducing works or furnaces are stu
ated down at the bottom of the hill, and,
proceeding there, we were shown the most
interesting part ofthe process. The ore is
put into yast-ftrnaces or %retorts, and roast
ed at a white heat for three to fonr days.
The fumes from the furnaces are conducted
through a number Of little rooms known as
"~Condensesr'. !" in which they condense into
quicksilver, and run down through chan
nels, provided for the purpose, into iron ket-
ties or receptacles below. 1t is very inter-
esting to stand by the side of one Of these
kettles, and put ones hands down into
what seems more like molten silver than
anything else. Tt has all the weight and
seeming solidity of the heaviest metal. In
deed, so heavy is it, that if you throw a
piece of iron upon it, the iron floats like a
/. chip of wood upon water; but you endeav-
OF TO grasp it in your hand, and it slips
away from you as if it were a phantom, and.
after several attempts. we gave it up in des-
pSir. convinced that this was the most in
tangible of all the heavy substances that we
had ever seen. From these kettles it is
Sar,x NY, ~ II $50 ~ ~. - J...~ - "a al -. - -