Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-10-25
Weaverville, October %, 1879

HYDRAULio MINING ELEvAToR.-Mr.
Cranston, of San Francisco, has been in
town for few days past. says the Yreka
Journal, looking around for some groun d
TO test a new hydraulic apparatus for
forcing the pay gravel in pipes up ON the
bank, where it is impossible or difficult
Ia get drainage for a tail race TO run of
ihe gravel in the sluices from the pit
dug. By this hydraulic apparatus a
number of little giants can be used in
pit, against the banks, which when wash
ed into sluces, can be carried up on the
bank to certain hei 5ht towards obtain
ing drainage, and the debris can be
worked back into the pit towards filling
IT up again as the gold is worked out -
such an apparatus as this would be Just
the thing to work Yreka creek, by car
rying the water and gravel from the bed
rock to the surface, thereby requiring no
resort TO underground drainage. There
are several other places where this style
of hydraulic could be worked advanta-
geously, and dispense with a great out
lay in using pumping machinery or
building underground drains, and we
hope to see one introduced in the county
towards showing how it will operate
With 200 feet of pressure these bydraul>
ic machines will force the gravel to
bank "a feet high, and with 800 feet wi Il
work SO feet high. They require from
about one-third to one-half the water to
drive them, leaving halfto two,thirds
The water for use through the giants in
sluicing down the banks. In addition,
Mr.. Cranston has e powerful hydraulic
water elevator to go in combination with
the gravel mining elevator, for use in
watery localities where there is no Grain
age. and also for use in drifts and tunnels,
working on the same principle as the
mining elevator, for raising both dirt and
water. and can be utilized AS Il ventilator,
by having strong suction when not
drawing water or dirt. Another advan"
tage OF these machines, is the benefit OF
taking ont the gold at any time without
stopping WORK, so that you can always
realize money towards paying current
expenses. One of these machines is in
successful operation at Sailor Diggings
between Jacksonville and Crescent City,
forcing gravel 80 feet high. ard several
are in use throughout California, the Oro-
vile Mercury giving the following ac-
count Of one in operation at Wyandotte,
in Butte County.
Last Saturday, in company with sey-
eral gentlemen, we took ride to Wyan-
dotte hydraulic m ines, to witness the
working of Cranston's Hydraulic Eleva>
tor. The bed of the mi inc is nearly level
and though the gravel is quite rich, yet,
owing to the want of fall, it has been
very difficult to work it. But with the
elevator the difficulty is entirely over
come, and the earth was rushing through
the fume at rate astonishing to behold
1t was the first time we ever saw earth
washed up hill, and yet it was SO simple
and easy, that tho wonder is no one ever
attempted TO do so before. 1t is astonish-
ing with what force the rock rushes
through the machine. By this process
al! the hard Jumps are we'll pulverized.
The claim is paying well. After run
ming twenty-four hours, one of the boxes
was cleaned up, and found TO contain
$40 worth ofgold-t though $40 would have
been considered good pay. With this new
Elevator, there are thousands of acres or
good land in Butte County that will pay
very we'll, that nov cannot be mined ex-
eept at great expense in cutting 1ume
through the bed rock" !"