Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1877-01-20
PLACER MINING.
Facts of Interest Concerning the
AuriferOus Deposits Of the Black
Hills.

regard to the method OF mining IN
the Black Hills, we furnish below a
few points obtained from practical
miner who has been engaged in
placer mining in the Black Hills for
year past: IL
As a rule the gold is found in small
parcels, equally distributed through
out the bed or channel of the ancient
water-courses. These channels are the
beds of rivers which existed icons of
ages ago in tie geologic era, when
the topography of the Black Hills
was totally unlike that at the present
time. These ancient river channels
have been evidently covered over by
volcanic or other great upheaval,
probably the former, from lava and
scoria, which are frequently found
wrapping them up. There is o.
popularity about these subterranean
channels they almost invariably run
in contrary direction to the exist
ing rivers. They are as equally tor
tuous in their sinuosities and wind
ings AS the river of to-day. They are
discovered by what is called the
"rim" rock, which crops out on the
surface, but it takes an intelligent
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. Undoubtedly the day
will come when this class Of miner
illogical geology will have Sufficient
ly advanced that the expert will be
able to strike the ancient channel
! from the rim rock with the same ac-
curacy as the surveyor now strikes
out metes and bounds. But the chan
mel, once discovered, is often so we'll
marked that novice in mining has no
difficulty in distinguishing 1t. There
are boulders, gravel and sand, as in
the rivers of to-day. The facts that
these gravel mines are ancient river
beds makes them permanent and be-
yond forming anything like an ac-
curate estimate Of actual value. A
channel once found may be followed
for three or four miles, or an in
definite distance, until some ravine
or canyon intervenes. Even when
lost by any volcanic or other distur-
Dances of like character, If The
course of the river has been watched,
closely, an expert will be able to
make good calculation when in all
probability the channel may be
struck again. So it Is possible that
in the future we may know the
length and general direction of the
ancient rivers, and, from the infor-
nation thus acquired, may arrive at
a measurabiy acurate conception of
the pre- historic geography of the
country. AS before stated, the gold
is found in small particles, imbedded
in the sand, and requires skill and
labor to get it. But it is evenly dis
tributed throughout the channels,
and no auriferous river channel has
yet been discovered where the pre-
cious metal has given out so long as
the channel continues well defined.
Hence, gravel mine is one Of the
most valuable of all mining proper
ties. 1t is permanent, and the re-
turns for the outlay Of money and
labor are more certain than other en-
terprises of this character. The
richest gravel is found within six feet
OF the bed rock, which is generally
of slate or granite formation.
The New York Mail says Of the
late Commodore Vanderbilt: We can.
not accord to Mr.. Vanderbilt the hon
or Of being public spirited or lib
eral man.. He was hard in his deal
ings, "close" to the last degree,
insensible to please for humanity that
won most men; absorbed in his own
ambitions and self seekings, reckless
as to the rights Of others and some
times appearing to be u monster of
greed and averice. But it is the part
of the Providence that overrules all
human efforts and events, that such
incarnations of energy and enterprise
as Mr.. Vanderbilt must serve public
uses, whether they want to do it or
not. The organization of such mag
nificent business machine as the New
York Central s. Hudson River Rail
way; the four-track scheme that Sc
cures to New York the supremacy of
traffic that she was losing; the great
depot; the elevator Improvements on
the North river; the system that has
been reduced to perfection in the
management Of his railways; the
steadiness and solidity of the stocks
these are some of the great achieve
ments of Mr.. Vanderbilt which ben
eft, directly or indirectly, many mill
ions of people-in fact all the world.
CHINESE MlNERs.-We learn from
Ed. Rinkle, says The Silver State,
who returned recently from the south
ern part of the county, that there are
about 200 Cinnamon at work in
Spring Canyon, south of Unionville.
They are all engaged with rockers
and are supposed to be making good
wages, as there are four stores in the
camp. They have shipped during
the fall, as nearly as can be ascer-
tanned, about $4,000 in gold dust.
They are very cautious in their con-