The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

put forward for president of the California
Miners Association by Secretary Julian Sonn-
tag and others since it has bee. me certain
that Jacob H. Netf will positively refuse a re-
election at the State convention on the 1S h
inst. Harold I. Power of Placer County and
Judge E. A. Belcher of this city have also been
mentioned for the position.
The indications now are that the coming
convention will be the largest in the history
of the association. The affiliated counties
have wakened up the time has approached.
elected delegates amid much interest and
have raised the money due from them, Nevada
County contributing $3.50 10 the treasury.
The Southern Pacific Company has annouDc ced
one and a third rate to dele gates. 1t is ex-
pected that Governor Budd will attend and
there will be papers of scientific in
terest by eminent mining men, in addi-
ton to the large amount of practical
business before the two days meeting. River
improvement will be an important theme. II
is probable that a committee Will be appointed
to secure cooperation from all the mining
States and Territories in a revision of the Fed
eral mining laws thus enlarging on the scope
and work of the committee created at Denver.
Steps will be taken TO push the movement for
the creation of department of mining in
the Federal Government. and the California
delegation will be f>ked to be present and 10
is now confidently expected that the mineral
lands bill W IL be pussed, since a secretary OF
the treasury and land commissioner favor
able to the industry have come into power.
The Mining Bureau and many other practical
themes will come up.
Quicksilver has in petroleum a close rival
for The position of second place in the list OF
the States mineral products, and present de-
Velopment promises to largely increase the
output. The great Altoona mines at CHINA
ber, which are now being pumped out at grea
cost, will soon be n operation on large scale.
At the New ldria mine, in San Benito County,
important progress is being made, the follow
ing notes OF which taken from an ex-
tensive article in the current issue of the San
Be nito Advance:
For upward OF forty years the New Idria
mines, in the extreme southern part of this
county, have produced a supply of quicksilver
that has found It's way to the various marts OF
trade And yet how few of our peopIe know
that the mines to-day are capable of producing
more of the liquid metal per annum than any
quicksilver mine in the world save he famous
mines OF Idria, in Austria, which have been
worked since the year 1897. The mines are
situated sixtY-seven miles due south OF Hol-
lister.
Ten years ago the mining company was
working about six men and the to al output
OF silver was about twelve TASKS per month
The superintendent reported that the mine
had petered out and preparations were mad e
10 abandon the famous old camp. The mine
was owned largely by the Thomas Bell estate.
Quicksilver rose In price and the experts of a
Boston syndicate sent to New Idria.
Upon their report the mining property was
purchase for SAC, coo and E G. Holmes in
stalled as superintendent. The syndicate also
owns the Santa Ysabel gold mine in Mexico
and the 4Etna and Napa Consolidated quick
silver mines in the northern part of the State.
With unlimited capital preparations were
made to develop the mines upon large scale
The new furnace was recently completed at a
cost tf So, 600. 1t extends with its eondensers
q distance OF 500 feet up the hill and has a
capacity of handling seventy-ive tons of ore
every twenty-iour hours. tramway has
been bull, TO the various tunnels and mule
trains haul the ore to point 1000 feet above
the furnace. From this point gravity railroad
lets the e-loaded cars down the mountain
direct 10 the furnace, the loaded ear drawing
the empty one up.
The furnace fires are never allowed to die
out. The most intense heat being kept up nigh
and day. About forty men are EMPLOYED
getting out the ore, the gravity road running
night and day. TGere is ore in sight TO work
the furnace TO its fullest capacity for twenty
years At the furnace twenty men are en-
pioyed in various capacities. The shipment OF
silver to Tres Pinos aggregates 400 TASKS a
month. Each flask contasins 761S pounds OF
clear quicksilver. The return freis mt averages
about fifty tons of general merchandise and
supplies per month For supplies. freight and