The San Francisco call., 1895-12-01
Prospectors at Work in Several
Places in the Hope of Hand.
some Returns.
NOT HUNTING FOR POCKETS.
Kid. d.Gloved Bosses and Carpeted Engine.
Rooms Give Way to Practical
Development.

HUNTERS VALLEY, CAL, Nov. 3d.
At what is known as the ''old tol lhouse"
on the Merced and Mariposa road six
miles from Hornitos and four miles from
Bear Valley, Hunters Valley opens out
and stretches away down TO the Merced
River, eight miles distant. The whole Of
Hunters Valley is more or less auriferous,
and prospecting parties are at work in half
a dozen different places. These parties
are not looking for pockets. The attention
of prcspectors hereabouts is now mainly
directed to the discovery of large bodies of
quartz of payable quality. Mr.. Mckenzie
OF Coulterville has party of men opening
up an old mine with fair prospects,.
About four miles down the valley the
old Hunters Valley mills used to stand
twenty years ago. Not vestige OF the
works now remain. There was Zo-
stamp mill in those days and f1ourishing
little town around it. 1t was good little
engine-rOom and a kid-glOved superln-
tendeut, SO it shut down. 1t has since
been relocated and is likely to be heard OF
again.
About mile from the entrance to Hun
tiers Valley is the Horseshoe mine. The
owners are Frank Thorne, superintendent,
John Marshall, G. E. Nordgren, o. +:
~
is Public Administrator and Coroner for
Merced County. The Horseshoe has been
working since last March. 1t was an old
mine, formerly known as the Eureka. 1t
had two shafts forty feet each. Thirty
five years ago 1t produced some very rich
ore, but was abandoned when water was
struck.
The present owners have shaft down
105 feet, at an angle of IS degrees, and
have driven north 100 feet and south about
40 feet. The vein varies from to feet in
thickness. and has so far averaged little
over $11 per ton. About 800 tons have been
crushed. There is q good hoisting plant,
two pumps and a five-stamp battery, but
there is no gold-saving appliances, and the
Horseshoe owners are bit short on ma
chinery generally. This, however, is to be
re1nedled at once, and it is intended to
provide new engine next month"; in
crease the battery to ten stamps and add
the latest gold-saving machinery.
The Horseshoe is we'll situated for eco
nomcal working. Mining timber is to be
had on the ground, there is sufficient wa
ter at all seasons. and tirewood is delivered
at So 80 cord. The owners, however, look
for electric power before long from Merced
Falls, or elsewhere via the river.
The quartz is easy to mill, being of a
fine, "sugary" nature. AT the present
time at least 80 to 40 per cent of the gold is
being lost in the tailings. But the output
is paying small margin over the expenses
of the mine.
There is comfortable clearinghouse
at the mine and other buildings. Fourteen
men are employed, at average wages of 500
a month and board.
Frank Thorne, the superintendent, is
native Mariposan. His father kept the
hotel at Quartzburg, two miles from Hor-
nitos, in early days. Quartzourg has now
disappeared and nothing marks Che spot
where it stood but the ranch of Nose L.
Rodgers.
Mr.. Thorne's mother is still living and
enjoying her old age at her ranch few
miles distant.