Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-19
eed at himself. ended it with a shot no

5 posln 1t was me and JOCK Whlned
voily.
The madrone trees had scattered their
blossoms like snow drifts along the noun
tain trails and roads, and visitors were
coming in relays to the springs; the rat
Ting stage was loaded each day with pas
sengers, and before they reached their
destination | am sure they would wish
they had provided few springs for the
stage before attempting such trip. for
stage contractors don't contract to provide
comfortable seats, and their victims are
hurled hither and thither as ships in a
heavy sea. Like David of old, at the end
of a ride, "You can tell all your bones,
by the ache" When requested to alight.
they would gladly do so with alacrity; bur.
alas, alacrity is not theirs, it has departed,
bounced away in the general jar, and a
stiff-jointed passenger is left.
On one of the last trips an elderly lady,
with one married daughter and single
young woman stepped, out on the block in
front of the Western View House. They
were from the East, and every scene was
novel and pleasant, especially the delight
full weather and clear, unclouded skies.
They registered as Mrs. Sedgewick, Mrs.
Boles and Miss Sedgewick, of New Haven,
Connecticut. The old lady was comely
and active, and did not show her 60 years
of life. She was evidently well Of, and in
conversation one of the other guests ascer-
tanned that she made her money by taking
boarders, when times were good back East.
"a widow? Well, yes, as far as any one
could find out, for the father Sedgewick
l,o,,I,, L. to
owner, remarked when talking them over
in the office, and Brown generally heard
everything.
A few days after their arrival the guests
at the hotel suggested a party for inspec-
ton and visiting the works. and Mrs. S.
and her daughters went, all attired in COM
Portable dark serge suits, suitable for such
an expedition. They reached the borders
of the ravine, and Mrs. Sedgewick glanced
down the long flights of pine steps. They
really looked perpendicular to her unac-
customed eyes, She shuddered and turned
to Mr.. Brown, and said plaintively:
rs that the only way to those mines %
Eyes, marin, and none better could be,
Pm sure" replied he.
81 am certain" said Mrs. Sedgewick,
glancing helplessly at the party, 'that if
attempted that descent my remains would
have to be collected with carpet sweeper
or soaked out Of that soft pine with ben
zine"
"No danger" said Brown encouragingly
'see | will attempt it. / don't know Pm
sure what could be collected with, and
yet don't mind venturing."
What attracts brass particles? said
one of the young men laughingly.
"Belle metal" said Brown, CALAMITY of
fering his hand to assist Miss Sedgewick
and after some hesitation her mother went
with them, grasping the handrail with
unnecessary vigor. She gave sigh Of
relief as she landed safely at the bottom
of the steps.
'If | had quartz mine," she declared
stoutly, "Pd have it all on top Of ground
and not in such bottomless pit"
After seeing how fine rock could be
pulyerized in the quartz mill, they stood
by the vanning machine and watched the
rapid rotary motion that caused the sui
pilates to settle, large revolving belt en-
abling the sulphates to seek its lowest
point to be carried off by means of a spout
passing on to the dump. They admired the
glistening ore spread out to drain before
roasting; like dark sand it looked, and as il
dried the glittering specks showed to adj
vantage.
Sam was attending the furnace when the
party came into the furnace-room, and
men were shoveling the ore on top of the
long brick furnace, whose top had opening:
in to shovel the ore inside. Sam was quite
accustomed to sight-seers, who invariably
visited the works. He had long iron
spoon-shaped, with which he opened the
doors OF the various hearths. "The sui.
pilates start in at the first hearth" he said
land are moved along till they reach
the third, or finishing hearth, near
the fire, where we take it out" As he
said this he opened the first door and
stirred up the burning mass that emitted
rainbow-hued flames that called forth
warm admiration from the ladies.
"Ain't it lovely, Emily" said Mrs. Sedge-
wick. Sam started as she said Emily, and
his usually ruddy face turned pale.
"Umily, Umily," he gasped to himself
"the same name as, as Just then Brown
turned to him, and they went the length Of
the furnace GLOW long do you roast the
sulpbates ?" he asked eight hours on the
last hearth" he said, "and there we raise
the heat to drive off the remaining sui
phur, and salt is put in to deeompose it.
We work three or four tons in twenty-four
hours, but it depends on the character Of
the sulphurets. l stir them all the time
to present fresh surface to the fames," he
added.
"What makes the flames SO pretty ?''
inquired Emily.
arsenic, copper, anthony, zinc all flies
up that way, miss said Sam, looking
keenly at the young woman. Ceases, you
know, are powerful light. We shovel it
out and sprinkle the dust with water next"
"The gases ?" said Brown facetlously.
"No, sir; the ore that's roasted" said
Sam gravely, "and screen it to take out
Jumps. When its ready we shovel it into
vats, five feet deep and four in diameter.
Here they are, sir, each of them fitted with
close cover. The casing vat has false
bottom, raised two inches, bored with
holes, and over this we put burlap to filter
it through and prevent the ore from get
ting below the false bottom. The watts are
inclined, to allow the liquid to be drawn
off with spigots. In the casing vat
chlorine gas is introduced below the false
bottom and allowed to disseminate through
the ore, a cover is put on tight and luted
with dough to prevent the gas from es-
Gaping. 1t remains from thirty-six to
forty hours, efecting the chlordizing of
the gold, then water is put in, percolating
the ore, dissolving the gold"
The party listened in pleased interest to
Sam. and as the smell of sulphur reached
them in overpowering quantity, Brown
said, 'Should think you fellows that work
here would make good matches and catch
fire easy"
"Most of us don't need sulphur to make
us fiery" said Sam dolefully, as he sighed.
what do you do next?" said Mrs.
Sedgewick.
"Draw it off into vat. During the
teaching process the ore is covered with
water, then the gold is precipitated by
sulphur of iron. The gold is leached out,
and the remaining ore contains silver and
copper, and is saved, too, for sometimes it
is in excess of gold, and it takes eight
DAYS from the time the ore enters the
furnace" said Sam.
"What makes gas-the chlorine, /
mean ?" asked Emily.
"The young man as makes that is in
the other room," said Sam. And they
followed him to where the young man
kindly showed them the lead generators,
and the black oxide of manganese, sui
oo,l ealt o,J xrota, tIot t1a,r ,,.o