Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-11-25
A WONDERFUL INVENTION.
The New Cold saving Machine Docs
the Work.

The New Gold saving Machine Docs
the Work.
Caldwell Tribune. Nov. Is
In the past ten years any number
of machines have been constructed de-
signed to save the -four gold In the
sand bars OF Snake and various other
rivers, but none of them until the
present time has stood the test OF prac-
tical operation. II was therefore TO be
expected that every new machine
should be hailed with considerable
doubt. Notwithstanding the repeated
failures, il has always been maintained
that sooner or later an apparatus
would be invented which would do the
work. For some months interest In
this section has been centered on the
machine which is now in operation on
the premises OF Mr.. Paul. commis-
sioner OF Canyon county. The faith
IN this machine has been strength
ened continually by the representa-
tions OF Mr.. Paul. himself practical
and experienced miner and a witness
of the operations OF the machines,
while yet in q crude state, last fall.
Last Tuesday, the writer together with
DIR. Isham, District Clerk Keegan and
Sheriff Ireton, all Of this county, went
down TO Lannan's Spur, point on
Snake river about 10 miles below Cald-
we'll, tc see the machine in operation.
On the same train were Mr.. ]. b. Per-
rine. OF sbosbone Falls, who owns
large amount Of rich ground an d is
deeply interesten in the fine gold saving
problem; Mr.. Watson OF Ogden, Super
intendent Baucroft's chief clerk, and a
Mr.. German Of Salt Lake City. Those
gentlemen we're 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
O'Clock p. m. and found the machine in
operation. Here we ought 10 correct
ourself. The machine is not machine
at all. II has none of the characteristics
usually understood when speaking Of
machinery, Ms viii be seen from the de-
scnption. The ground being worked
as before stated, is on Mr.. Pauls pre- m
Uses on the bank Of Snake river, near
the first Snake river bridge below Cald.
well. A threshing machine traction
engine is used for generating power
which runs q small dynamo. From
the dynamo an electric current OF abou
three amperes is conducted to the
amalgamator, or gold saving apparatus
The gravel from the rivsr bar Is scraped
on a dump and shoveled into sluice
or fiume which has . perforated bottom
called by miners a grizzley, into which
small stream Of water flows. The
fine sand, gold and water pass through
the grizzley, while the coarser pebbles
are raksd off and carried down . shoot
which holds larger stream OF water
After the fine sand ETC., passes through
the grizzley ii carried through flum'
over the amalgamator, which opens Out
fan-shaped and has number OF wood
on checks, which serve to spread out
the water 70 depth OF about one eigtl
of an inch. The water, sand and gols
then tiow over copper plate and drop
into little trough, about four inches
deep, in which is contained the sensi
tined mercury, or quicksilver. TIL,
little troughs are fitted with check gate,
which cause the water, after falling
into them and before escaping, 10 per
form sort of rotary or churning mo
ton. The copper plates, arranged lik,
ordinary stair stsps, are about Ia in.
ches wide and five feet long. and Their
are five OF them. The water, sand etc.
being spread out before reaching the
fret plate, flow over 1t and drop int.
the trough and are brought into con
tact with the mercury. This is repeat
five times ami evidently every particl,
of matter contained in the water mus
come In contact with the chemical
deposited in troughs. The chemica
used is, of course, the inventors secret
but he does not hesitate TO say tina
sodium in some form is the basis
Perhaps common salt. No doubt, cleo
triciiy also plays an important part in
the operation. The practical working
OF the apparatus seems TO be extreme
iy simple. In order to test its efficacy
gentlemen who were present washed /
number OF pans oil the gravel takel
directly from the rivsr bar, each oil
which showed gold In more or les
quantity, but after repeated washing o
the sand which had passed through
the amalgamator. no trace OF gold VIII
found, except in one instance wher
single color was seen. but as th,
same pan had just been used for wash
ing bar gravel. it is supposable that .
narticla slf pOld had nIharaJ n, fha M :,