The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1893-11-18

In the past ten years any number of
machines have been constructed de-
signed to save the flour gold in the
sand bars of Snake and various other
rivers, but none of them until the pre-
sent time has stood the test of practi-
cal operation. 1t was therefore to be
expected that every new machine
should be hailed with considerable
doubt. Notwithstanding the repeated
failures, it has always been maintained
that sooner or later an apparatus would
be invented which would do the work.
For some months interest in this Sec
ton has been centered on the machine
which is now in operation on the
premises of Mr.. Paul, commissioner of
Canyon county. The faith in this
machine has been strengthened con-
tinually by the representations of Mr.
Paul, himself a practical and expert
enced miner and witness of the oper-
ations of the machines, while yet in a
crude state, last fall. Last Tuesday,
the writer together with DR.. Isham,
District Clerk Keegan and Sheriff
Ireton, all of this county, went down
to Lannan's Spur, a point on Snake
river about 16 miles below Caldwell,
to see the machine in operation. On
the same train were Mr.. j. B. Perrine,
of Shoshone Falls, who owns large
amount of rich ground and is deeply
interested in the fine gold saving prob.
lem; Mr.. Watson of Ogden, Superin-
tendent Bancroft's chief clerk, and
Mr.. German of Salt Lake City. Those
gentlemen were induced to come here
by the articles respecting this matter
which have appeared from time to time
in the TRIBUNE, and are all very much
interested in the proposition.
We arrived at the grounds about l
o'clock p. m. and found the machine in
operation. Here we ought to correct
ourself. The mac hine is not a machine
at all. 1t has none of the characteristics
usually understood when speaking of
machinery, as will be seen from the de.
scription. The ground being worked, as
before stated, is on MIR. Paurs premises
on the bank of Snake river, near the
firstSnake river bridge below Caldwell.
A threshing machine traction engine
is used for generating power which
runs q small dynamo. From the dyna-
mo an electric current Of about three
amperes is conducted to the amalga-
mator, or gold saving apparatus.
The gravel from the river bar is
scraped on dump and shoveled into
q sluice or flume which has perforated
bottom, called by miners grizzley, into
which small stream of water flows.
The fine sand, gold and water pass
through the grizzley, while the coarser
pebles are raked off and carried down !
shoot which holds larger stream of |
water. After the fine sand etc., passes
through the grizzley it is carried
through tiume over the amalgamator,
which opens out, fan-shaped and has
number of wooden checks, which
serve to spread out the water to a
lebth of about one eighth of an inch.
The water, sand and gold then flow
over copper plate and drop into a
little trough, about four inches deep,
in which is contained the sensitized
mercury, or quicksilver. The little
troughs are fitted with check gates
which cause the water, after falling into
hem and before escaping, to perform
! sort of rotary or churning motion.
The copper plates, arranged like ordin-
Try stair steps, are about IA inches wide
md five feet long, and there are five of
hem. The water, sand ETC., being
spread out before reaching the first
plate, flow over it and drop into the
rough and are brought into contact
With the mercury. This is repeated
i've times aud evidently every particle
II matter contained in the water must
,one in contact with the chemicals
deposited in the troughs. The chem
cal used is, of course, the inventors