Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-08

As used in this connection, is the process of
mining by which bank of gold-besriDg earth
and rock ia excayated by Jet of water dis.
charged through nozzle with great pres
sure, toe earth being carried away with the
same water and DISCHARGED into the national
water courses below. Where the material is
cemented, or where the bank Is composed Of
pipe clay, it ia shattered by means of powder,
sometimes fifteen or twenty tons being used
at one blast. In the early period Of hydraulic
miniug-in 1S65-the water was discharged
from rubber or csnvas hose with nozzea not
more thsn an iuch in diameter, but since the
invention Of the Monitor and Little Giant
tie pressure has been largely increased, and
the size of the nozzles is from four to nine
inches in diameter. At the larger mine sev-
eral Of these monitors were employed day
and night. In the night time light was fur
nshei by electric lights, the motor being
night was weird and startling, and well cal
culeted to strike a stranger with ad.
miration. The amount of debris dis
charged by this process can only
be conceived by actual observation. The
Yuba river Is the folrth river in size in the
Sacramento valley, sod it has 8 drainage of
about l, 800 square miles The elevation of
the basin above tidewater is about S. 900 feet
at the summit of the mouptain, and the gold
deposits are found from 4. 900 to 1000 feet, in
bed about forty OF fifty miles wide. The
river is divided into five principal branches
The auriferous deposits in these ancient chan
nels are elevated above the beds Of the Yubas
The Judge here gave q particular descrip.
ton of the extent and location of the ancient
river channels of the Yubas. The Yuba and
its branches have heavy grades. They run
through deep, rocky canyons and gOrges, over
rough, rocky bottoms, with frequent ravines
coming ia, and macy deep holes excavated
by the action OF the water. All cf
these streams, from the summit to
the mouth of the Feather river. a
distance of seventy.fv miles, has been filed
up many feet deep, and it is graded so that
q railroad track might be made in the beds
for the whole distance. Tha. is the case with
the main branches Of the Yuba and Deer
creek, and the different canyons which flow
into them. The heavier material is deposited
further up the lighter passing down, aud the
mass Of material is moved forward year by
year, finding It's way into the valley ultimate
ly. Ire streams have been apparently unable
to carry eff all the debris discharged into
them in year, and consequently it accumu-
lates in the water.courses until an extreme
food comes, and when such fl )od comes it
transports much larger amount into the
valley. Vast amounts are now accumulated
in the upper portion OF the Yubl and it's
branches, ard there beiog precipitated into
the valleys below, where they may be carried
by any extreme high water. With reference
to the amount of deposits in the Yubs and
the Feather above Msrysyille. Colonel Men.
dell says, in estimating on Manson's report
in 1879, that in the YuSa above the Falls
there were 46 600, 600 cubic yards and that
the total estimated quantities is