The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-26
IN RED ORE CAMP.
McCarthy's Cinnabar Mine
Yielding Well.
WORK ON THE SHAFT BEGUN.
A Possibility of Reduction Works Be-
ing Established Near by if the
Ledge Holds Out.

People WHO visited the place at the cor
ner of MrAllister and Devisadero streets,
where John Mccarthy is mining for quick
silver, at any time during the day yesterday
got just faint idea OF what a mining ex-
element IS like.
Most Of them got their idea on the outside
of the brand-new board fence; others more
favored were allowed to go upon the inside
of the inclosure. These favored ones came
away with well-matured notions in regard
to quicksilver mining in all its various
ramilicatiols, including lodges, dips, spurs
ana angle. ore. cinnabar, limestone, sui
phurets, pockets, raises, levels and some
other things.
Yesterday the work of digging the main
shaft was begun. a high fence has been
built around the place where the miners
are at work. and no one except those
directly interest ed is allowed inside of tais.
The shaft is being sunk directly on the
spot where the first discovery was made.
Mr. Mccarthy was there in person TO
superIntend the work and incidentally to
explain important points to favored Wis
itoTs.
I'VE will go down until we fully deter
mine the nature of the prospect" said he,
'and then we will drift with the ledge.
Probably the first level will be thirty or
forty feet below the level of the shaft"
Nh Mccarthy is getting the hang OF min
ing velnacular very rapidly.
Another hole was being dug further up
the hill on the same ledge. About the
middle of the afternoon, when a depth of
about FIVE feet had been reached, some very
rich ore was shOveed out.
stop the deal" said Mr. Mccarthy,
that's enough for me. l don't want to dig
up any more of that kind of stuff for people
to lug off. They carried away about a ton
nr1aV worth q the lpoCf GG5O fp GlQ0 -
Every man in he little crowd around the
hole clutched nervOusly Mt a pocket in his
clothes somewhere, as Mr.. Mccarthy made
this remark, and everybody tried TO look
innocent and the conversation driited to
other things.
When the miners Quit work for the day
the shaft was down about tNeive feet. The
pocket" was still there. L. is about two
feet wide and dips to the southeast.
One piece of solid ore weighing about
forty rounds was taken out at depth of
five or six feet below the surface. The
entire piece is streaked with almost pure
quicksilver. This piece will probably be
presented TO the State Mining Bureau for
exhibition at the Worlds Fair.
Old miners from all paris Of the city and
some from surrounding towns are tlOckiDg
TO the spot to get look at the prospect. In
fact on both sides OF the fence it looks as
though an open-air convention of miners
and old '49ers " as in progress The oldest
quick miner in California" showed up
to the number Of 10 or 100.
Early in the day the mere mention of the
fact that the person was the oldest quick
silver miner in the State served him as a
paSspOT: into the enclosure. but II soon
became apparent that the small grounds
would not Eold nearly all of them, so Mr.
Mccarthy barred all without whiskers.
After > o'clock no oldest quicksilver miner
IN TIE Stale under % years Of age was al
lowed to pass the gate.
James Mcmahon came In from Santa
Rosa. He is also the Oldest quicksilver
miner in California.
Il saw the account of the discovery in
The CALL yesterday" he said. and l
started this morning. have worked in
nearly every quicksilver mine in California.
This ore looks very much like the first ore
found IN the AImaden niue near San JOse.
am now working quicksilver mine at
HraldsOurg, but the ore there is not equal
10 his.
Quicksilver is n surface orc. The lodges
all pinch out when the level ground is
reached. That Is to say, ii Is found OF the
side Of hill, and the ledge may run both
up and down, but when the level OF the val
ley IS reached the quick silver ceases to pan
out in paying quantities."
What Is paying quantity, Mr.. Ne
Mabun"
Wen, quicksilver mines arc operated
when the ore yields per cent OF quickSil-
yer. This ore lrere Will yield 30 per cent"
Mr.. McAahQn wen: on to tell OF the
Almaden mine. THE ledge was discovered
away up on tho hillside. TIE first ore
yielded from 30 TO so per cent. The further
down the ledge was followed the less it
paid. and when the level of tile valley was
reached il pnched out.
An over this coast tie ore lodges dip to
the southeast and rise to the northwest.
The location OF this fini seems TO be in the
center OF the ledge, As it apparently extends
in both directions, Shauld the ore get into
the serpentine rock further down it will be
hard 10 follow, but quick silver ore differs
from all others in one respeft-it never
follows perfect ledge, but comes in packets
and basins. Some single pockets have been
known to yield several thousand dollars
worth OF quicksilver.
"Al quicksilver found iu cinnabar, ms
this is, must be burned before the quick
silver can be extracted. The early prospec-
tors used to burn il in old gun barrels.
Where 1t is found mixed with clay. as this
IS, it is made into bricks called 'adobips.'
ANY old California miner can tell you what
'adobies' are. These bricks are then
placed in TetOrt.
"a retOrt viii turn out from five 10 eight
TASKS o. quicksilver per day. These TASKS
contain seyenty-siX pounds Of quicksilver
each, worth 30 cents per pound. 4 patent
retort can be bought for about $500.
But the first thIng TO do" said Mr.. Me
Mahon, with peculiar wink of his left eve.
"is to ascertain whether the ledge is going
to hold out or not. a great many more Gin
nabar lodges have been discovered than
have ever been worked. and n great many
more have been worked than have ever paid
for the working"
Mr.. Mccarthy also winked when ap-
preached N regard to what lie intends TO do
with the ore that he Is taking out OF the
shaft.
us all can do now to keep people from
Juggling it off, he said. III find ont What
to do with 1t after lind-out how much there
Is Of II. II II turns out as | expect it TO,
there will be reduction works erected near
the mine, depend upon that"
Several tons of the ore frcm the shaft now
lie on The dump. and if not attended to very
soon the exposure to the atmosphere will
render ii yalueess.
Mr.. Mccarthy says people come there at
all times OF The day and night. Some nave
an idea OF starting saloons and gambling
houses, and dance halls on the ground.
They are old Caiforniaus, principally. who
don't see how the camp can ever be pros
porous without these things.
At one time yesterday knothoIes and
cracks in the fence, through which 4 view
of the operations could be had, were offered
for sale at various prices. but the market
was dull and sluggish ana the bottom event
ually dropped out Of it entirely.
People who have little idea of the mineral
resources OF California may be surprised 10
know that there are over 100000 pounds of
quicksilver produced in California every
year.
A piece of The ore weighing eight potnds
was tested at the State Mining Bureau, and
showed % per cent of quicksilver. ton of
this ore would yield $3.50. The State min
eralogist is greatly Interested in The find
and will investigate it further on behalf Of
the State Mining Bureau.
MORE STOCKTON PEOPLE.