The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-11-09
THE BORAx MINES OF NEVADA.

Mauy of the most wonderful and
valuable discoveries and inventions,
both oncicnt and modern, have been
accidental Notable instances viii. be
readily called to mind by the intefli-
gent reader, not only Of the discovery
OF gold and other mines OF great value,
but also the germs of such great and
usetuI arts and inventions as printing,
steam electricity, and various kinds OF
mechanism. Among the modern and
indeed ccentdiscoveries of great value
to mankind, one in our own country is
particularly noteworthy. 1t is that OF
the discovery of a mine OF vast BED OF
borax, bv which 4 most useful ana ne
cessarv article, instead of being an eS-
pensive luxury as formerly, is render
ed so cheap rs to bring it within the
means of all classes.
This remarkable discovery was made
in Esmeraldo county, Nevada, some
four years ago, by young man who
was prospecting for gold and silver
mines While thus engaged, travers-
ing mountains, canyons, and valleys
On horseback, he saw, in a valley
known as Teel's Marsh, what appeared
To be n vast bed Of white sand, resem-
bling drv sea foam. The appearance
MS so novel and singular that he dis
mounted and descended to prospect
the object. Upon arriving ut the
place, he found it to be the bed OF a
dry lagoon with the appearance OF
having been dry for centuries. Walk
irg cautiously over the place, he found
the surface to be soft and clayey, and
often sunk ankle deep. After an ex-
animation OF the curious clayey deposit
h. put several handtuls into his pockets,
mounted his horse, and returned across
the mountains TO his home in COlum-
bus. There he handed the contents
OF his pockets to an assayer, who, at
ter analysis, pronounced it the richest
sample of borax he had ever seen.
This fact at once created great excite
ment and no little expense attended
the nece essary claiming, etc, on the
part of the fortunate discOverer. 1t
coon proved to be an enormous lagoon
or deposit of crude boraX, Two and a
half miles wide, and five or six in
length. 1t was more than one man
could properly manage, so q brother
was sent for and the two (now widely
known as the Smith Brothers of Ne
yada and New York; worked with a
will, sparing neither time nor money
until the whole deposit was their pro
perty, and its wealth being developed.
They at once obtained boiler tanks,
csystalizers, etc, from Chicago, and
commenced operations. The result is
that, in the course of three or four
years, the brothers have perfected an
immense establishment and are pro-
ducing an enormous quantity OF a
chemically pure article of bOrax, which
stanns. first, and is in demand in every
household, to whom it is supplied by
grocers and druggists throughout the
country. So important has this new
industry become that the eminent
house of W. II. Coleman d Co, New
York, and San Francisco, some time
aro became the sole agents for the ar
ticIe, and they are now pushing Its
sale in all parts of the world. We are
indebted to them for the foregoing
particulars.
The most wonderful part of our
story is that the vast deposit of hoiax
in Teel's Marsh reproduces itself every
two or three years, so that the supply
will continue ihexhaustible-SctenttfIc tfIc
american.