The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-10-11
Quicksilver-HOw it is Made.


this it was set in the Imperial crown.
Quicksilver-How it is Made.
California, in addition to being the
largest producer of silver and gold in
the world, also has the richest quick
silver mines, and the name s'New AL
MAIDEN has become synonymous with
quicksilver all over the world.
The mine is situated nearly at the
summit of one of the foothills of the
"Coast Range" of mountains, and was
originally discovered by the 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 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.
A correspondent says: Being fur
nishe d with a guide we stepped into
the bucket or cage, and in a moment
were lowered 400 feet down into the
bowels of the earth. Here we got out
and were conducted through long
and tortuous tunnel to the point where
the miners were working 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. At.
ter witnessing their operations for a
short time, and securing some rich
steps to the shaft, and were hoisted to
what is known as the 81, 200 foot lev
ell, 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 daylight.
The reducing works or furnaces are
situated 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 fur
naces or retorts, and roasted at a white
heat for three to four days. The
fumes from the furnaces are conduct
ed through a number of little rooms
known as ''condensers, in which they
condense into quicksilver, and run
down through channels provided for
the purpose, into tin kettles or recep.
tacles below. It is very interesting to
stand by the side of one of these ket-
ties, and put ones hands down into
what seems more like molten silver
than anything else. It has all the
weight and seeming solidity of the
heaviest metal. Indeed, so heavy is
it, that if you throw a piece of iron
upon it, the iron floats like chip of
wood upon water; but you endeavor
away from you as if it were phan.
tom, and after several attempts, we
gave it up in despair, convinced that
this was the most intangible of all the
heavy substances that we had ever
seen. From these kettles it is drawn
off into iron kegs or 'sfasks,' as they
are called. These are about twelve
inches high, and from four to five
inches in diameter, yet they contain
about seventy-fve pounds of quick
silver, from which an idea may be
formed of its great density and
weight.
Much of the quicksilver produced
here is used in anamalgamatingwith,
and thus collecting, the gold and sill.
yer produced in the mines of the Pa
ciic slope; but large quantities are
shipped to all parts of the world for
use in themechanic arts. China takes
considerable quantities, most of which
are manufactured into vermilion; for
it is an interesting fact that red color
which shows in the ore but disappears
in the refined product, can again be
made to appear by pursuing certain
chemical formula. These Chinese are
very expert at this, and Chinese YER
million has been celebrated for years.
OF late, however, the universal Yam
kee nation have begun to manufacture
vermilion; and it is now said of this,
as of many other articles, that our
manufacturers ''beat the world'' in
producing it. Of course everybody is
familiar with the use of quicksilver
Tor mercury as it is often called) in
thermometers but it's sensitiveness
to heat has lately been utilized for
new purpose-that of giving fire
alarms. In the Palace Hotel, San
Francisco, every room has glass bulb
filled with mercury, let into the cell
ing, and, in the event Of fire origi.
mating here, as soon as the heat reach
es ITO degrees, the mercury rises, con-
meets two electric currents, and the
news is instantly telegrphed to the
Office that there is fl e in No.
1t is said that a practical joker once
tied a match to the end of his cane, lit
it and held it up to the bulb; in mo-
ment the fire brigade of the hotel were
laundering at his door; opening it
with the blandest possible smile. he