The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-06-16
GRASS VALLEY GOLD MINES.
Some That Are Celebrated for Their
Heavy Yield.
The North Star, the Empire and
Other Big Producers
of Gold.
Grass Valley, June Il, 1897.

Grass Valley, June Il, 1897.
Mining in Grass Valley is prosecuted
on an extensive scale and visitor can
see methods and machinery that are
up to date. Although all are not as
perfect in appointments as the one /
win select as an example, yet the work
ings are similar and the
NORTH STAR MINE
will give an idea of the progress that
has been made from former methods
of mining.
This mine is situated two miles south
of Grass Valley on the old Auburn
road.
The underground workings are ex-
tensive. The mine is opened by an
incline shaft which is sixteen feet by
five feet in dimension. The shaft on
the incline is over $500 feet long
There are twenty-four levels, those on
the west extending over 1000 feet and
in an easterly direction about LOGO
feet
There are two main shafts of ore
their combined length being 1000 feet.
The ledge does not average over sew
enteen inches in width. The ore is
free milling. The mine makes large
amount of water to handle which a
heavy pump system is necessary. Two
of these are 16-inch plunger pumps.
Machine drills are used in running dead
work
The surface plant is extensive and
complete There is a fOrty-Stamp mill
equipped with all modern appliances,
including sixteen concentrators. The
hosting works are of large size and
capable of working to a great depth
The power used is water, with a steam
plant Of large boiler capacity and 16-
inch engine, in case of emergency. The
numerous buildings are kept well paint
ed and everything looks as neat as a
frst-class dwelling house.
The North Star Company own num-
erous claims adjoining, including the
New York Hill mine, and the Massa-
chusetts Hill. A central shaft is be-
ing sunk so as to reopen the former,
and on the latter there has been erect
ed a water power and compressed air
transmission plant, which cost $40, 600.
1t is the most complete set Of works in
the county, and probably in the State.
Very rich developments are expected
in both the new enterprises. The hills
through which these consolidated lodges
course, have been rich beyond COM
parison with the best mines in the dis
trict, and already in the Massachusetts
Hill, ore Of fabulous richness has been
uncovered. Tuolumnes specimen rock
shown at the Midwinter Fair finds a
competitor in the specimens already
taken out.
THE EMPIRE MINE
Situated on Ophir Hill, one mile south
of town is another Grass Valley mine
with a long and interesting history as
a producer Of rich rock. The incline is
down over =, 100 feet and reports say
that recent discoveries show the mine
to have lost little Of its former produc-
ing capacity. The hosting and mill
ing plant is complete. Residents al
ways rejoice when the Empire shows
Improvement.
THE NORAMBAGUA MINE
Is located at Forest Springs, five miles
from town. 1t was successfully worked
away back in the early days by a Sac
ramento company, consisting of New
ton Booth and his partners, at which
time there were 100 men employed
1t is small ledge but the old pay
chute was LOCO feet in length. Re
cent work has been done on another
chute which is 800 feet long. The rock
gays $50 to the load 1t is taken out
through a tunnel and it is hauled and
crushed at a mill one mile distant.
THE STATE LEDGE
Is another Forest Springs mine, owned
by the Perrin brothers. 1t was first
worked in 1862 1t was opened by an
incline SALTWATER being the motive
power-but now. ore is taken out of
a tunnel about 800 feet in length The
present workings are 327 feet below the
tunnel the rock being hoisted to the
tunnel by water power. The ledge
varies from fifteen inches to five feet
in thickness. The ore carries about
six per cent. of sulphurets, which as
say from $50 to $50 per ton The
average pay of the ore including sui
phurets, is SO. There has been about
100000 extracted from the mine
THE EUREKA DISTRICT
Is situated in Eureka township, TWEEN
ty-eight miles from Nevada City. There
are a large number of idle quartz mines
there, which have hosting works and
mills on them, ready for work, and if
the developments in the California mine
mention of which was made last week
prove good, as it is believed they will.
all these idle mines will be started up.
and the district will become lively
again. There has been rich rock found
and worked in nearly all these idle
mines, but at a certain depth an I'M
productive zone was encountered and
the mines were shut down without
sinking deeper to discover if pay would
come in again. The deep tunnel in the
California mine, which is in this dis
trict, if it strikes good pay viii prove
that the lodges do not give out with
depth and this will revive all the other
mines.
Near Eureka are several drift mining
claims which are being developed and
promise we'll.
The Live Yankee Company have two
and one-half miles on an old under
ground channel and they have run a
tunnel 1.100 feet which proved to be
above the grade and they have sunk
an incline to bottom the channel. the
gravel in which prospects we'll. Dun
don and Watkins are running a tunnel
on the Union claim, which is on the