The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-11-26
MINES, M|LLsANDDRY WASHERS
Some Points About a Nearby
Mineral Country.
ITS Present Development and Future
Possibilities.
4 Dusty Tramp Across tho Desert
and the Way Gold IL OBJ
tanned in Paying
Quantities.
PINoN MINING DISTRICT,
RIVERSIDE COUNTY.
Noyem Der 81. 1894.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY.
November 81, 1894.
On the first day of the present month
companied by Mr.. William Sippy,
1T Los Angeles for the purpose of max
ng an examination Of the mineral re-
Iources along the eastern extension oi
The San Bernardino range to the Colo
RADIO river. Proceeding via the Southern
Pacific railroad to Glaneis station, 80
miles west OF Yuma, and thence by
private conveyance distance of eight
miles, Mesquite Flat is reached.
1t is one of the old dry washer placer
districts of the country, where fabu'
lous amount OF gold was taken out by
means of hand power dry washers, in
years past.
In some instances it is reported that
IA ounces OF gold per ton OF gravel has
been taken out. One, Mr.. Cobb, took
out $500 in few days, and as is well
known to parties in Yuma, two Next
cans in three dava by hand washing
took out 1888.
These placer deposits occur near the
base of the main range and in direct
llOo Vi bno klChb &Old PioAoSihk boAs 80
which Holcomb valley, the Rose mine,
the Lost Horse, Gold Rock, etc., are
situated. The placer deposits and heavy
washes from the mountains have,
to q great extent, obliterated and
hid from view the quartz ledees.
Occasionally a cropping is seen and
q little work done by sinking shafts.
The greatest amount of work appears on
the Woolly West, which has two shafts.
one 20 feet and the other 10 feet. The
development includes the surface crop
pings and has exposed q large body of
quartz that is known to be rich. In no
instance have / observed stronger proof
of this source of the placer gold than in
this locality. The hillsides and gulches
of this immediate locality are very rich,
and in following the trend OF the placer
gold as distributed in the gulches and
hilisdes, it was followed directly to the
Woolly West, and paying nothing be-
yond.
Relative to this extensive placer re-
gion. it should be stated that the more
accessible parts of the territory for
many miles have been worked out by
hand or man-power dry washers. That
there is now being introduced moet
commendable principle of rapid work.
ing, and of handling the deep and more
expensive deposits. is gratifying fact
that will command the watchful eyes of
hundreds of miners who are cogniZant
of large and rich deposits of gravel else
where upon which this new method OF
dry placer Waiting may be successfully
operated.
MeHers. r. Carpenter and Lackiro of
Vineland, Los Angeles county, are the
first to introduce extensive machinery
propelled by gasoline engines, for ex-
tracing the gold from the bed of gravel,
in the absence of water. by dry washing.
At Mesquite Flat they have arranged with
q company owning 4S0 acres of land to
work the same on percentage, and
having arrived upon the ground with
ak machines and ample engine power,
IL men. IL horses, plows. scrapers. etc.,
it is hoped that the public will ere long
de apprised OF their success.
Their machinery 10 very perfect and ia
said to have capacity OF 400 tons per
IL hours. If the material contains only
80 cents per ton the result OF 800 days
or one year would be 0,000. Should
this company not be successful! the cause
or reason why should be known.
Having spent three days in the camp
we returned TO Indio, where we left the
palace cars of the Southern Pacific and
took deck passage upon the backs OF
small Indian ponies for Paisano noun
tain. 1t ia hard trip. The distance is
rs miles. over q hot, sandy desert,
through cations and up a mountain 5000
ieet above the starting point. The
ponies being saddled, our blankets at
tached and canteens filled with water.
we proceeded on our journey. Mr.. Sips
py taking the lead we followed behind
and reached the camp OF Messrs. Hol-
land and Tingman ut the hour of night.
We were met by Mr.. Holland in that
courteous and hospitsbls manner char
acteristic OF the mining fraternity.
The camp is situated in Pif1on mount
ain district. Riverside county. 1t s the
central part OF the district, at which q
part of the principal mines are operated.
The camp is reached from Los Angeles
via the Southern Pacific railroad in q
run of five hours to Indio, and thence by
private conveyance over a wagon road
a distance of % miles, and by trail Il
to Ia miles.
We here found an example OF the
work of Messra. Holland & Tingman.
Having erected the frat quartz mill in
the district, they are the pioneers OF the
camp. They own large group OF
mines, in eleven of which free gold ia
readily obtained by boring, and being
the owner of the little mill, they have
proven by actual mill test the ore from
the varioue mines to have an average
value, according to mines and locality,
varying from SIS to $40 per ton.
Relative to the bodies OF ore, they
vary from half foot to five feet. Many
of the veine or lodges are accompanied
by porphyry. which is often found 10 be
rich. This large group of mines is
legally represented and developed by
open cuts, shafts and tunnels, varying
from 10 to 70 feet in depth.
The gasoline mill, as it is generally
termed. is q two stamp mill, supplied
with water pumped from a ell; is situ.
sted two miles from the mines now be
ing worked. The ore ia transported by
train OF burros, making two trips per
day. The ore now being worked ia from
the 70'foot level Of No. 2 mine, and pro-
duces S33, exclusive OF q loss of sll
caused by the repeated use of the water.
1t lie, as before stated, two stamp
gasoline power mill. with 75U-pound
stamps, and has on the rock of this
camp capacity of four tons per day. 1t
IL run at an expense OF one man and
$3.50 per day paid for gasoline. In
Guiding miners, millman and sack.
master, the pay roll con ssts OF five men.
from this camp and 10 miles due north
from Indio, station ON the Southern
Pacific, and over comparatively level
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