Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-09-14

They are Beginning to be Looked
After In Nevada.
Since ii has been fully demonstrated
that borax, especially the cotson-ball form,
cannot be successfully worked without the
use Of carbonate Of soda, says the Candel-
aria True Fissure, considerable attention
has been given to the search for deposits
OF II. A large and valuable piece Of ground
containing . very large percentage Of soda
was discovered ONE years ago at or near
the upper end Of Walker Lake. This Is
under the control Of B. F. Gray, who will
soon erect drying sheds, and put other
necessary machinery ct the place Of the
deposit. He estimates that be has one
OF the best soda marshes to be found
anywhere On the coast. He also con-
templates the manufacture Of potash.
which commodity Is largely in demand in
San Francisco and other manufacturing
towns. An experiment is now being tried
by James Gross to ascertain the value
OF soda contained in the waters OF Black
Lake, situated about three miles west
OF Benton, California. The water 10
unusually pregnated with slkali. The
lAk6 ~ BAbuAt0u Az - O0oAa ~
the surrounding hills, being fed by
syringe on the hillsides, and by several in
the lake itself. The atmosphere near the
water IL very disagreeable in odor, and ct
the lower or southern end almost intoler-
able. About 200 acres Of the land about
the lake, which 10 n and ~one-quarter
miles long by ar average width OF about
. third Of Q mile, has been surveyed and
located for soda. A number OF pits are
being dug near the edge Of the water into
which some Of the alkaline fluid will be
run, and then allowed to evaporate. This
will give . fair but crude test OF the
amount Of soda In the water. II the ex-
| pertinent proves good, . ditch will be dug
and Q concrete pipe laid to the railroad
| station. Q distance Of Ave or six miles,
| through which the water will be conveyed,
and the evaporation will then be done
near the shipping point, thereby saving
hauling. One curious feature Of the
water IL that in several places II 10 Of q
color almost as red a. blood. This may
be due to some mineral, but 1t 10 more
generally thought the presence Of ami
| malcule causes the discoloration. Within
q short time, enough will be known OF the
! value OF the discovery, and if it proves
successful there is Q lot OF money In 1t FOL
lilo uOLucT.
II soda is now an object. as explained
| above, the soda lake near Ragtown should
| come to the front. There pure crystalized
| soda may be cut in great squares, looking
for all the world like rose-colored ice
| Some years ago sheets Of this soda thret
| feet square, three or four inches thick and
| showing beautiful crystals on one side
were brought to this city. The parties
| who then claimed the lake and surround
| ing deposits asserted that they had an In.
exhaustible supply. By digging down
through q foot or two Of gray mud they
came upon = solid bed of soda OF unknown
depth. When saturated with water, as II
ia when first dug up, this soda presents
the appearance Of ice. The finding Of O
in this shape by the pioneers h crossed
the plains in the early days Of the Cslifor-
mia gold excitement gave rise to the story
firmly believed for many years among the
miners-that in places on the deserts there
was everlasting ice under the alkali sands.
The theory was that the white sand and
| chalky alksli dust reflected oil the heat OF
| the sun and preserved the ice beneath year
in and year out.
As the Ragtown deposit Ia at no great
| distance from the Carson 4 Colorado Rail
road, over which it can be cheaply shipped,
II NAV now be we'll worth looking after
There ia nothing to do but quarry out
blocks Of the pure soda and pile them "
on edge till they drain out and dry on
They are then ready TO ship.