Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-03-09
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.

Editor of the Monator,-A [ have
some leisure time, and am anxious to
koep myself out of mischief 1 thought
would write you. see by the Mon
rroR that you have been having some
very cold weather, which is a great
contrast from what we are having
here. We had some rain in January,
but all of this month has been much
like Vermont June. The lawn NOW
ers are at work in front yards, and all
vegetation is in its spring attire. L
often wonder why Americans will be
content to live in such a cold, frozen
country and let the perfect paradise
of our country be almost entirely oc-
cupied by foreigners.
This place has population of about
$4,000, mostly from Cornwall, England.
The only industry is mining, which is
carried on very extensively. The an
nual output of gold in this county is
greater than from any other county
in the State.
If I were able I would like to de-
scribe to you the way mining is done
here. However 1 will try and give
short description: In the first place
they find a quartz ledge, which looks
much like the white flint which is
common in Vermont. After giving
the ledge a trial and finding that it
will pay to work it, they erect large
hI1i1 n nd
houses, and for hosting, stamping,
crushing and melting; the whole
making what would look like small
country village. The ore is raised to
the surface in small cars from an in
clined shaft. AS fast as they sink
this shaft they timber it with heavy
timbers to make it secure from cav
ing in. The ore is broken by power
full rock breakers in pieces not larger
than mans fist; then it goes to the
stamps, where it is crushed to fine
sand. Sixty of these stamps are run
ming night and day and never stop
for Sunday. This fine sand from the
stamps runs in stream of water over
copper plates covered with quicksil-
yer, called amalgamators.
The gold will cling fast to the quick
silver and the sand run off with the
water.
Many of these mines have been
for over forty years, and are
down in the bowels of the earth. 300 #.
and many f.them have twenty miles of
tunnels underground. The pump
alone is wonderful, for the water has
to be pumped from great depth. Air
also has to be pumped from the sur
face to all apartments of the mine, for
without fresh air the miners could not
live. Every miner carries his own
candle underground, but the whole
works on top is lighted by electricity
at night.
There are more mines running now
town, and still more will be started in
the near future. Many think that
mining is yet in it's infancy.
We have about sixty saloons in this
town, where all kinds of liquors can
be had, and all do a lively business.
Strange to say, there is not SO much
seen on the streets as is
seen in a Vermont country town.
We have three daily newspapers
here, three breweries, three bakeries,
six or seven churches and plenty of
good schools. Ny son and 1 are keep
ing bachelors hall, and should be
pleased to have you come and dine
with us at any time, only give US a
little notice before you come, SO we
can clean up little and put things in
a little better shape. AS for cooking,
we can not be beaten; but we don't
make any great display of variety
of dishes. We have plenty of bacon
and eggs, potatoes, flour, corn meal,
etc., and good comfortable house to
live in. Last summer I got so fat
that had outgrown all my clothes,
but after I went to work l reduced
myself to my natural weight.
The MONITOR arrives here regular
ly every Saturday night, and l can as
sure you it is read more thoroughly
than it is in Vermont. Wishing you
success. JOHN ORD.
Grass Valley, CAL, Feb. 20.
Don't invite disappointment by expert
q