The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-07
FIG STORES OF GOLD
Reward the Projectors OF Wonderful
Mining Enterprise.
From the Pitfsburg DisDdtcE

Reward the Projectors OF a Wonderful
Mining Enterprise.
From the Piitsburg DisDGtch.
SAN Francisco. Sept. 27.-Succsss seems
at last to have crowned one Of the most
gigantic enterprises ever undertaken in the
state of California. Dispatches from
Oroville say that men at work in
the Golden Gate aud Golden Feather
mines in the bed Of Feather river in Butte
county. which was diverted from its course
after many unsuccessful attempts to dam
it. are now making enormous elean-ups.
The gravel is literally sprinkled with gold.
A large force OF men are employed In
moving the enormous beds of gravel and
cleaning the bedrock Of its gold.
the exact amount that is being taken
from the river bed is not made known to
the public. 1t Is the general belief, based
upon weli-known facts, that immense guam
titles of gold are being taken out. As
usual in such cases, the management pre-
fers TO keep the actual results secret. TIE
miners are kept dry by enormous pumps.
and elevators are kept running, while both
day aud night Suits are busy at work. The
effect is striking at night when viewing the
long line of electric lights, where but a
few weeks ago great river was flowing
DRAINING THE RIVER.
When the river bed was worked by the
Argouauts the greatest difficulty was in
draining it, and this was accomplished by a
dam that was washed away at the first high
water, so that ali the work of one summer
WAS lost before the mining season Of az
other ear began. In the Golden Gate AID
Golden Feather niue this was toe smallest
part Of the labor undertaken.
The river was successfully damned last
year, and the dam was so strong and secure
that il withssood the winter floods. Heuce.
the stream was turned some weeks earlier
this summer than ever before known. HAD
the manager found the river bed in the
same condition as in 1857 and 1853, the task
would taye been easy; but on turning the
water from the channel migutler problem
was presented than that OF draining the
channel. This was TO remove the enormous
quantity of gravel that filed the bed from
twenty to forty feet deep. Had pioneer
miners found this situation when they at
tempted to mine the Feather river they
would have ceased work at once; but Man
ager Mclaughlin went to the task with the
utmost energy.
REMOVING TONS OF GRAVEL.
A large force Of men was set to work with
wheebarrows and shovels to remove the
mass OF compact grave. averaging % feet
deep, and from 60 to 100 feet wide. lie
mines are in narrow channel between
high and parcipitious hills, and there was no
place to move tho gravel. Hence il became
necessary TO dig down into the bed and pile
the gravel on top of one portion. As soon
as this excavation was made, and the bed
rock on the bottom Of the river was cleaned
of its gold, the great hole thus made was
used for a dumping ground for the next
section, AMI it is in this manner that the
mines are now being worked.
This is slow and laborious process for
it is impossible to use water upon the gravel,
for there is no pla to wash it to. Teams
cannot be used owing to the narrow and
cramped situation of the mine in the can
yon, and this compe,s the handling of mum
berless tons of gravel by hand labor. Ow-
ing to this slow process only a small portion
Of the mine has thus far been stripped Of its
gravel covering.
THIS ONE IS EASIER.
In the Golden Feather mine the work will
lie done more expeditiously, for three n.y.
draulic elevators will be placed III i5, to be
run by water power, and the gravel can be
lifted from the bed and moved very rapidly
in slulces, which will carry it down the
river over the foot of the dam. A perma-
nent dam is beng built at the head Of the
Golden Feather mine, which will last for
many years, and as gigantic canal instead
of flume will be used. it follows that work
uPOh bLO INN n1AA GOLtlluO AOL q pCk ACo Vi
yearS
The Feather river was the richest gold
bearing channel known in mining history
in the early days Of California. Oresville,
on its bank. became the third town in Cali
fornia during the early gold mining period.
Its annual output for years added many
millions to the circulating medium of the
world. Where the river could be turned
vast treasures were obtained. In its bed
khaf 70 SailOV White u oc,
and Union Cape mines. From the Cape
mine in a single day $4,000 was taken
Owing to the lack of organized capital
engineering skill and tle enormous diHicul.
ties to be encountered, some of the richest
portions of the Feather liver were left un-
touched.
HE SECURED ENGLISH CAPITAL.
This was the case with that strip now
known as the Golden Gate mine. The at
tention of Maj. Frank Mclaughlin was
called to this rich river bed. he became
interested, and prepared maps, plans, speci-
fications and drawings of the river and Will
these won't to England, where two coupa
MES were, by his efforts, organized. The
first is known as the Golden Gate, with {
capital of $3.50, 900, and the other is know
as Golden Feather, with a capital Of 81 100
600. Maj. Mclaughlin was made resident
manager of both miles, and for the p st two
years an immense amount of preparatory
work has been done.
The portion of Feather river scught to b,
worked was in narrow canyon. To reach
! it roads had to be constructed a. large ex-
peuse; buildings erected and tools aad ina
chinery provided. A fume go feet wide
! 5000 feet long was completed and tic
pumps were quickly rugged out before the
channel could be drained, early and sever,
rains set Ia and the dam crunbled 60 piece:
/ a. Al.A I'D
whole labor for the season was irretrievably
lost. The company set to work the follow
ing spring ana second dam was built
Everything now being shipshape, there /
nothing TO prevent the speedy con umma-
ton Of the great en- terprise.