The San Francisco call., 1895-07-18

revealed the fact that they had found q
channel over 800 feet wide and from five to
six feet deep, extending distance OF two
miles. The prospect at times showed as
high as 81 to the cubic foot, and for the
first three years of operation paid $50 to
the pick. Since then the average has been
much higher. Over hundred thousand
dollars was spent in fitting up, and the
mine is now working 120 men, under the
energetic supervision of G. ?. Wingate.
The work is incorporated as the Feather
Fork Mining Company, but is better
known as the Thistle shaft.
Next In Importance, in the matter OF re-
cent development of Plumas County, is
work Of considerable magnitude on the
middle fork of the Feather River, in
which capital to the amount of eight or
nine hundred thousand dollars has been
invested during the past few months. The
credit OF opening up this vast property be-
longs to A. q. Rugg, man of indomitable
energy and wide practical experience. IN
that required some years for solution and
Mr.. Rugg has at last the satisfaction OF
seeing his pet scheme brought to a success
tul consummation. This property consists
OF series of rich channel bars, stretching
along the Feather for a distance of about
six miles, between the mouth of Onion
Valley Creek and the mouth of Washing
VII sS1CCht dHu juSG dUOFC tAC AdAhouo
Butte Bar.
Men have travelled hundreds of miles to
look at this property and returned disap-
pointed, refusing to make the descent to
the canyon below, which, from the bound
Ing ridges, presents scene wild enough to
deter the most adventuresome. From this
dizzy height engineers eminent in their
profession have secuted the idea of putting
machinery down a grade of more than 1000
feet to the mile. Machinery, however, has
been jIst put into the Feather River can
yon during the last two months and is now
in successful operation. During the next
few months half dozen more big plants
will be set going and between 500 and 600
men will find employment here. The Gold
Bar Consolidated Mining Company was a
leader in the experiment. and upon the
success of this corporation in demonstrating
the practicability of working these bars was
based the activity now under way along the
middle fork of the Feather.
For some months past the company has
had in operation on one of the bars a fine
prospecting pant-engine, derrick and
pump-and 10x6 shaft has been sunk for
a distance of % feet. Bedrock is expected
at 25 feet, and here of course the pay
gravel will be found, though the prospect
all the way down has been excellent, and
sufficient to more than pay the expense of
sinking. Surface prospect on all of the
bars shows many colors to the pan, and in
some places a man could make wages in
the old-fashioned way-spade and pan.
The several companies have decided to
pursue uniform method of working out
these bars. As matter of fact there is
but one feasible method. This is by sys-
tenn of open pits, in which both steam and
water power will be used from the surface.
When the bars are exhausted it will be all
easy matter and small expense to wing
dam the river and work out the modern
channel. This, however, is a matter for
future consideration, as it will require
from ten to fifteen years to complete the
work now under way on the ancient bed of
the river. Many of the bars are heavily
wooded, having trees of such size as to
preclude the possibility of the ground ever
having been worked over before, and it is
known to certainty, SO say the experts
who have examined the property, that the
bedrock which stretches along this river
has never been touched.
Other companies at work on the river, or
about TO put in machinery, are the Middle
Feather River Gold Mining Company, or
ganized in Oakland July 16, 1894, the Griz
zly Placer Mining Company, the Rocky
Bar Gold Mining Company ana the Hill
hurst River Mining Company. A great
deal of lumb will be necessary. and this
will be procured from the heavily wooded
ridge above, where a sawmill is to be
located. The work of constructing q
wagon road leading down to the canyon
is to be commenced within few days. the
estimated cost having been fixed at $4,000
Packard q Kendel are working about
forty men in Slate Creek Canyon, where a
new machine for handling tailings is being
used successfully. This novel method
will be described and illustrated in a
future article. The Bald Mountain Con-
solldated Company, whose claim adioins
La Porte, has thirty-five men at work,
with a prospect of doubling the force
within the next few weeks. A tunnel has
been run for something over a mile, and
the prospect is excellent.
The Taber mine, the stock of which is
principally owned in Gibsonville and San
Francisco, is working two shafts, and just
above the town the North American is at
work on the widest channel in the county
with a large force. This channel is over
1000 feet wide and big results are expected.
Upon an adjoining claim the Bunker Hill
Company has opened up tunnel of rich
gravel. AT Grass Flat about five miles
from town, the Pioneer is in operation
with fifty men. The Excelsior and Happy
Hollow mines are also drifting. This lat
ter claim has already produced over two
millions, and is said to be good for as
much more. AT Port Wine, just across
the creek from La Porte, numerous small
claims have been reopened and are all do
ing well. The Fortuna Consolidated Min
ing Company is working large force.
Passing down the Port Wine ridge Pow
erty Hill is reached, formerly one of the
best paying hydraulic mines in the State.
But little can be done here at drifting,
though there is an immense amount of
territory that would pay well under the
hydraulic method. Just below is the Iowa
shaft, which shows rich prospect. This
mine was opened up several years since by
Messrs. Barnes, Mussey and Harris of La
rOrte oy an lhe1ine Siat sia.. Ena. az oetre' pig
from the town, Buckly will soon open up a
drift mine with a large force, and at Quig-
leys something is being done in running
tunnel.
At Onion Valley Poor Mans Creek and