Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-04
THE AVALANCHE OF sLICKENs.
Eagineer AIlar,it Makes an interesting


Report from Recent Investigations.
The Marysyille appeal Of Sunday pub
lishes the following official report from G.
f. Aliardt, civil engineer. concerning the
work Of dumping slickens upon
the valley
To he lion. Board q Supervisors q l'UbG
eo,jRili-GENTLEN II accordance with III
structions from your Chairman, B. F. Dam I
have made an examination of the hydraulic
mines on Bear river, aud lind as follows:
Owing to the lateness of the season (the mid
die of Jtlyl there was no mining going on at
the time OF my visit, the miners being engaged
either in cleaning up he seasons nan. or pre-
pairing their ground, siuices, fumes, bitches
etc, for next season 5 work. 1t appeared evil
dent to me- however that the mines embraced
in the Hardt suit with few exceptions have
succeeded in making fun run notwithstand-
ing The efforts of the valley people to cnjoin
them. Following is g statement OF the opera
tions during the past season, and their present
condition and prospects
The Liberty Hill mine is situated at Liberty
Ilill, on the right bank OF Bear river. About
5D.W0 cubic yards OF material were washed out
this season, consisting principally OF cobbts
and boulders, with but little sand or light ma
terra. Probably ten per cent. Of the material
washed out has gOue down to the valley this
SEA Gu, the remainder, being very coarse ma
terliil. having lodged in the river within a shoft
distance OF the duoP. In course Of time con-
siderable portion of this heavy material will
slack or disntegrate, and eventually he carried
down 10y the annual freshets. Piping has been
suspended for the season. The ground vet 10
be worked is very heavy.
The Polar star and Southern Cross are sit
u0ted at the town of Dutch Fiat / estimated
that about $4,000 cubic yards of material have
| been washed from these mines the past season.
| The material Is not 50 heavy as that at Liberty
| Hill, containing somewhat more sand but no
| top dirt. -Four monitors are in position and di-
rected against the banks, which are from 10 "a
| 30 feet in hight. The cleanup was completed
ON July Sd. These mines still have large area
of ground that can be profitably worked by the
| hydraulic process.
| The mine of Rablir brothers. at Dutch Flat,
was worked out in the season Of 1SS3->l aud no
! work was done the past season. The mine OF
| 3aily brothers and Davis, at Dutch Flat has
| mate that about 10000 cubic yards have been
washed ont, mostly light material.
The mine of William Gray, about half mile
| below Dutch Flat, was worked to Il limited ex-
tent, having discharged about 10000 cubic yards
| this season.
The Elmore Hill mine, at Eimorc Hill. about
| two miles from Dutch Flat, was worked he past
| season, and cleaned up July list. Had piped
| against u heavy bank of gravel from u to Il
| feet high, and washed out about $4,000 cubic
| yards. The mine was recently sold ont for a
| debt of 6G00 to the California Powder Works OF
| San Francisco. large area OF ground vet re.
! mains to be worked but it IS claimed that it
will not pay. One monitor is in position in thi,
| The Cedar Creek Mining Company own and
| York a large claim about half a mile below
| Dutch Flat This mine was not included in the
1 Hardt suit as they We're not working il at the
| time. Have used two monitors against a bank
| twenty to thirty feet high, and are now clean.
| ing up. They have probably washed out some
| $1,000 cubic yards this season. The abOve-men-
I Toned mines comprise all the hydraulic mines
| ut Dutch Flat and vicinity. Only at a few
| points has bedrock been reached, and l am in
| formed that long tunnel is in process of con
| struction for the purpose of washing out the
| lower levels to bedrock containing many hun.
| dred thousand yards of good pay-dirt the
| greater portion, however, consisting of cobbles
| and boulders.
| The Doe Alpine mine at Little York was
| worked the past season, and cleaned up on July
| 18th. Here special care was taken to impound
| the tallings 10y running them into one ofthe old
| mining pits | examined the works carefully
| and am satisfied that no tailings worthy of men
| ton can escape to Bear river. The water was
| furnished by the Liberty Hill Mining Company
| under the express provision that Mr.. Alpine
| should take care of his tailings. The mine is
| however quite small, the banks not being
| over ten feet in hight Only about 2O0 inches 81
| water were used, under pressure of less than
| fifty feet.
| The Birdseye mine, near You Bet have quit
| hydraulicking for the season. \ large amount
| OF light material was washed out the past sea.
| son-probabiy 100000 cubic Yards The mine is
| now in the hands of Il gang of Cinnamon. who
| are crevicing and cleaning bedrock but are
| not piping against the banks Two monitors
| are used for the purpose. A large area OF
ground, with banks over 100 feet in hight. still
| remains to be worked in this mine.
| The Blrdseye Company. at Red Dog. is not in
| operation at present material very heavy re.
| curing much blasting l was unable to de.
| termlne the quantity washed the past season
| but it was not large.
| The hydraulic process at IIavWard's mine
| Chalk Bulls, seems TO be practically abandoned
| ihree extensive drllt works are now in opera
| ton. they are run by water power, and the
gravel Is crushed by meaus of stamps
| At Jacobs mines, Quaker Hill owing to a
lack OF grade, 1t has been found impracticablC
| to continue working by the usual hydraulic pro
cess. An attempt was made to work them by
the elevator process but after a few 1nontbs'
trial it was found improbable. In future these
mines, If worked at all, must be worked by the
GTlit process. llndermans mine, near Quaker
| HilI, Is worked out and abandoned, and Ne
cloud mine, on the right bank of the Green
| hoIn, near the Nevada stage road, has not been
worked this season.
Comparing the foregoing statement with my
report OF last year. ii will appear that there has
| been a marked decrease in the volume of hy-
| draulic mining on Bear river. Still the aggre-
! gate OF material discharged into the river aud
It's tributaries in the past season is large-tO0
large, indeed, to be permitted in the future. At
Dutch Flat, notably, the miners seem deter
! mined at all hazards TO work their mines the
| ensuing season Their mines are fully equipped
and ready to resume operations as soon us they
can get water. There is considerable talk ol
erecting restraining works of some kind but
thus far. with single exception the Doc Alpine
direction.
VARIOUS plans we're suggested TO me, but
whether they would afford the protection the
valley people have right to demand remains
an open question. OF course, the miners have
the option to erect any restraining works they
may deem advisable, but it will be for the valley
people, or the Courts. to decide whether such
works, after they are erected, would enttle the
miners TO continue working their mines by the
hydraullc process. Respectfully submitted,
&. F. ALLARDT Civil Engineer.
San Francisco, July %, 1855.
In connection with the above the appeal
says: Mr.. Allardt says there has been a
vast decrease in hydraulic mining on Bear
river during the past season, yet he est.
mates there have been deposited $4,000
| cubic yards of debris. These mines, but
one or two, are all under injunction, and
the Importance of pressing on the work be-
gan must be plain to all. Sacramento CITY
7 n ctaI in, Ia -