Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-23
DEBRIS.
rHIRTIErH DAY OF THE sLICKENs CASE
In COURT.
Testimony of Walter A. Skid more-The
American River Drainage Area-views
Of Well known Mining Expert

OI VIGIL huOWA 6ApCAI
The slicsens case-the case Of The People
vs. The Gold Run Ditch and Mining Com.
pany-was resumed in Department Two OF
the Superior Court yesterday at $50 a. M.
Walter A. Skidmore. being called and
sworn on behalf of the defendant, in answer
to questions by Mr.. Dibble, testified as fol.
lows: Reside in San Francisco. Have re.
sided in California since 1857. 1 am Secre.
tary of the Miners Association. My busi-
ness is mining expert. For sixteen years I
have been engaged in various capacities-as a
deputy of the Commissioner of Mining Statis-
tics, and specially employed by the Treasury
Department. waseight years with the Com
missioner of Mining Statistics, and subsequent
ly held other positions under the Government.
am thoroughly familiar with mining and
the condition OF the mining industry in Cali
fornia. have had occasion in my business
to examine hydraulic mining. Have ex-
thousand. fIy examinations have covered
the drainage area of the American and Sacra-
mento rivers.
Question-What is hydraulic mining!
Answer-It is projecting water by hy-
draulic force upon bank of earth.
Q-What is drift mining?
A-The term drift is simply mechanical
Drift mining is hydraulic mining. The term
drifting relates to the method Of extracting
the dirt from the mine. The same force is ap-
piled to it. 1t is washed by water and run
through fumes.
Q.-Explain what you mean by the same
flrce?
A head of water ia used. and under
pressure it is projected against mass of dilt
that has been taken out The term drift
refers simply to the mechanical operation.
Q.-What is the difference between placer,
drift and hydraulic mining?
A.-The placers are surface grounds that are
mined. They are washed sometimes in long
toms, without the projection OF this foTce of
water. The gold exists on the surface of the
ground, and it is very easily removed.
Q-What are necessary elements in min
ing?
A.-Water: as far as 1 know.
Q-What with reference to outlet and
dump?
A.-Well, an outlet is absolutely necessary
to the successful operation of mine. There
must be fall That is the case in all mining.
Necessarily there must be an outlet, elss your
mine would be closed.
Q-What do you mean by dump?
Al mean place lower vertically than
the placs where the pay dirt is found. There
must be some place lower, where it is de-
posited. call that dump. There must
be some place of that character else mining
could not be continued.
Q.-To what extent has the dump-right
been recognized in the State
Alt has been acknowledged without any
dispu.e-the right to dump. 1t is the COM
mon practic. and habit of miners to 80 use
their ground.
Q.SThe words chickens and debris have
been used in this case. Explain what they
mean?
A-The word slickens, think, is synono-
nous with the term silt or alluvium. It it
material-more in the nature of boulders and
sands.
Q.-Where do these materials emanate
from?
A.-They emanate from various causes.
Partly they come from the processes of
nature they come from agriculture they
are the effects OF civilization, the cultivation
of the soil, and incidentally of mining.
/ have been acquainted with the American
river since 1865. Examined it in 1865.
In that year / purohased claim at Gold
Run, and subsequent to that I examined the
county with the staff of the State Geologi-
cal Sur ey. My acquaintance with the Gold
Run mine extends back TO 1865. TIE head
OF that staff was Prof. Whitney. Made
that examination in 1901, and for several
years subsequent to that assisted
the staff and CO operated with them
l examined the mines with the Prussian Com
mission sent out here in 1876. l was con-
nected with Professor Raymond for eight
years, from 1869 to 1876, and subsequently,
have bsen in the employ of the Treasury De-
partment of the United States. Made re.
port last year. Am still in that employment,
making reports to the Government of the
United States. Have examined the Ameri-
can river with reference to the formation of
the country.
Q.-Where do granite belts appear in the
American river?
A.-There is granite belt extending from
Folsom to very near the junction of the Mid
die and North Fork of the American river
a very extensive granite belt-and q very ex-
tepsive granite belt in Ell Dorado county, that
is on the South Fork. The line of the granite
belt on the North Fork of the American river
ceases about Auburn. There are extensive
quarries at Penryp, Rocklin, and back of
Pine.
Q-What is tie character of that granite
formation with reference to decomposition,
wash and mica?
Alt is very easily deoomposed by the
action of the air--natural action. Ths natu.
raj wash of it, after decomposition has taken
place, goes into the American river and its
branches. There is great deal OF mica in
granite. The rocks have very large per-
Of T bav ha A ri
can river at almost every bar and every ford
ard every trail, up to Warmers Bar.
never found any granite formation north of
the junction Of the Middle and North Forks
of the American river. Have visited the
Gold Run district two or three times every
year since 1865 probably oa some occasions
only once year. Visited it as the agent of
the United States Commissioner of Mining
Statistics and also in the capacity of mining
expert also as the owner of claim adjoiu-
ing the Gold Run Company also as the
agent of the Treasury Department. Visited
last during October of the present year.
Visited it in 1865. At that time they were
working what we called there the upper
benches. They are called technically benches.
There were successive beLches. From 1865
to 1870 they were working eff the top
Q-Describe more particularly the char
acter of the material with reference to sand,
stone, cobbles, powders, and material of that
kind.
A.-The material on the surface was of q
loamy character. 1t had evidently been a
heavily timbered country. There was great
deal Of loan. Underneath that loan there
were different grades of gravel. As the
benches were SUCCESSFULLY worked off the
gravel became harder and more impact, SO
to speak-contained more quartz.
Q.-Was there any material in the shape
of pipe.clay?
A.-Yes; pipe-clay was quite common
there before 1870. It is material that is
almost destitute of grit. and il is great en-
emy of the miner. It is very tough. II
causes a great deal of trouble. The miner
don't like it. 1t is tough. like putty. never
saw any since there. The sand there was
mainly grains of quartz, but no mica
Q What Kind of sands carry mica, and
especially whether quartz sands carry mica
A.-Quartz sands do not carry mica,
Mica may result from the decomposition Of
granitic rock.
Odd you find eranitic rock there,
Al did not. / was specially engaged II
searching for granite belt above there, ir
connection with the Geological Survey.
Q.-Are you acquainted with the duty o.
an inch of water upon such material as is te
be found there in the top?
Al know the relative duty of an inci
Of water. know what it would do approx
mately as well as anyone can. 1t would re
move material of soft nature-perhaps tx
the extent of say ten or twelve cubic yards
to The miners inch of the aofter material, anc
even more. have had measurem ments mad.