The San Francisco call., 1897-05-22
San Franciscans Seek
ing for Riches in
the Sands.
Party Headed by the Inventor
of a Novel AmaIgamat-
ing Machine.
Yellow Flakes and Traces of Quick
silver Found on the Ocean
Beach.

MILL VALLEY, CAL, May 2L-Far
away from the prying eyes of the public.
at the mouth of the great redwood can
yon, party of three is searching for gold
washed upon the rocky coast of Marin.
E. ]. Verrue. Mrs. Verrue and J. D. Gra-
ham compose the party, and they are
"roughing it" in order to put an ANAL
gamating machine invented by M. Yer
rue into practical operation. They se-
lected the isolated spot where their camp
has been pitched SO as to be away from
the world at large while they watched the
workings of the mechanism set up by
Verrue.
The route to the prospectors' abode
leads one over wild section of country,
where the great fogs from the ocean sweep
in and envelop the hills in cold embrace
and the winds howl continually. Bend
ing over couple of pans when THE CALL
representative arrived to-day were the two
men, while the woman was preparing din
ner on stove erected on the sands.
E. j. Verrue is by no means unknown
to the world of science, and has already
placed a number of inventions on the
market, one OF them being an lnstanta-
neous water-heater. and another being a
rotary force pump used for mining pur-
poses. Verrue said to-day that he had
come away from the city SO as TO be free
10 experiment and prospect without an
noyance. He was just washing out pan
of sand, and after moments examina-
tion said that it contained quantity of
quicksilver. Since the party has been at
the Laguna. as the spot where they are
| camped is known, the washings have re-
veaed traces of gold and much more
quicksilver.
"My machine" said Verrue, ''is differ
ent in some respects from those now in
use. / have never exhibited it in public
and the only tests have made with it in
San Francisco have been in my back
yard, where no one has seen it. am not
prepared to explain the principle beyond
that l do not use the gravity system used
in other amalgamating machines. | have
had it IN successful operation for about a
| mouth, and before put il before the pub
lie wish to test ii practically. l intend
to visit other beaches on tie Marin coast
and will also go to Bolinas Bay.
''The gold here is in fine particles and
is being constantly washed up by the
ocean. 1t is found in the dark sand.
have discovered since l have been here
that this country is rich in quicksilver ana
find quantities in every pan prospect" !"
The outdoor life OF the party is such as
the early settlers led in the good old davs
of gold. 1t took them two days to make
the journey from Seusalito over the hills
and through the wooded canyons leading
to the ocean. Their tent has been erected
by the side Of a.running stream of oun-
tain water. and. the incessant, roar of the
ocean as the huge breakers roll on the
white sands or crash against the great
cliffs to the north and south is a strange
music.
The party intends to remain about two
weeks, but the report that it is searching
for gold on the shores of the Marin coast
has gone forth, and it is not likely that
the prospectors will be allowed to con-
tinue their search alone. Verrue hopes to
find spot where the tiny particles of gold
will be found i'll sufficient quantities to
justify him in working his new machine
on large scale, scooping up the dirt by
the use of horses, and running it into the
machine In large quantities.