The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1892-09-24
AFTER THE GOLDEN SAND
A Successful Process for Saving Flour
Gold Discovered at Last.
A Wealthy Company That has Been
Experimenting Mt Riverside for Two
Years Makes a Good Showing.

One year ago last May, we are in
formed by Mr.. G. w. Paul, of River
side, the chief engineer of the Oregon
Pacific railroad, MIR. A. y. Eckelson,
stopped at his ranch over night. For
some years past, Mr.. Paul has occupied
his spare time in mining with rocker
on the Snake river bars adjacent to
his place. At the time of Mr.. Eckel-
sons visit he was so engaged and to-
gether they prospected and talked of
the possibilities of a machine that
would save Snake river gold. The
upshOt of the matter was that Mr..
Eckelson informed his host that he had
a friend who had been working OH
such machine for years and that he
had unbouhded confidence in his ability
to master the proposition. When he
left for Portland he took with him two
hundred pounds of gold carrying sand,
and about two months later Mr.. Paul
received an order for several hundred
pounds more. Things remained in this
shape until several months ago, when
Mr.. Paul was again visited by Mr..
Eckelson. who was accompanied by
Mr.. N. L. Raber, Raber, of Corvallis,
Oregon. In quiet and secret manner
they went to work experimenting with
their machine-not even allowing Mr..
Paul to witness their work and after
some time they departed. Last August
they again appeared at the ranch and
resumed operations and later were
joined by Mr.. L. L. Scott, president of
the Portland Loan & Trust Co., who
was summoned by telegraph. Mr.. Paul
was then taken into the confidence of
the operators and witnessed test run
of the machine. Eight cubic yards of
sand yielded over s2O-and ne made
thorough search of the tailings by pan
ming, but not color was found, The
quicksilver process also failed to show
any gold in the tailings. The princi-
pie of the machine consists in forcing
the gold carrying sand over a silver
plate and through three separate mer-
curry baths, which amalgamates all the
gold. The main feature of the process
lies in the mercury bath, which being
charged with some secret compound
enables to amalgamate anything-even
greasy iron, as shown by several trials
by Mr.. Paul. Patents for the process
have been obtained and stock corr
pany to handle the same will be organ
lied in Portland soon. Our informant
says that all the parties that have Wis
tied his place are men of wealth and
influence and have developed this pro-
cess on strictly scientific lines. Mr..
Paul is an old miner and not a man
given to enthusing over anything but
what shows results, and he is confident
that the gravel beds of old Snake river
will have to give up their treasures. file
shipped ten tons of sand to Portland
today, and the company will make
public exhibition of the process at the
Mechanics Fair in Portland. Outside
of labor the machine can be operated
for ton cents a day, and as any of the
gravel bars will pay from 81 to $50 per
day to the man, when the gold is saved,
the magnitude of the invention is at
once apparent'to those who are fully
acquainted with the extent of the
Snake river gold beds.