The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-29

5EATTs e. THURSDAY, JULY 20


ORIGIN OF PLACER MINES.
SO few psepie understand the origin ~
tne placer mines and the conditions which
generally surround them. that glance
ae an interesting and valuable little
pamphlet by r, RI. Stretch of Seattle,
viii AMPLY reward the reader. From
this authority may be ascertained rot
only tha general information which viii
possess such fascination for many citi-
zena until they learn from the prospectors
they have grubstaked. but suggestions
OF vaiuo to the prospectors themselves.
Gold is very widely distributed over the
earth. and II is said that IL Philadelphia
were not built it's site would repay min
tng by hydraulics. Many other places
show Indications OF the presence OF gold.
bai Il is SO fine and thiniy scattered as not
Ia make II worth tho cost of collecting IL.
Cold Is to be found In the waters OF Puget
s1nnd, and plate placed short dis
tance from the shore would in q COM
paratlsely short time be covered with the
aoatinx PARTICLES. but here. too. the cost
woaid be greater than the value of the
metal caught.
One very remarkable thing about gold
is that. while II Is SO plentiful and is
found In SO many forms. 1t has never been
discovered In meteorite. Several metals
saye been found. and especially nickel.
and tbs poiarisccps has made It plain
that many OF the elements OF earth are
to be found In the sun, from which the
40 alt 49,
there IS no trace of gold.
Wherever there Is placer gold. II is
supposed that there must be quartz ore
body bat this Is not necessarily the ease.
Many of the very best plaeers in Cali
FerDsa were in regions where large quartz
veins were comparatively scarce The
reason for this is that gold survives the
aetlca O: the elements II might lie con-
tanned In mountain of rock. and the
roee I've crushed hy a glacier or rotted by
ti4e action Of water. bat tho gold would
So with Il. The fiae particles OF the gold
arc carried seward into the sand and
mud banks Of the lower streams, which
are to make the sanastones and states
% future geological etas. our loose
gold bearing gravel beds OF today viii
make the couglemerate betis OF the fu-
ture similar 10 those of South Africa,
stretch gives a very graphic descrip-
tian or tie process by which gold became
deposited 10 assures. and how II Is that
trero are golden eolors and olack sand
oa Tho beaches In ouch attenuation that
}6e so'i cannot be proatahly recovered.
waslo tn oshefs 1t Is 10 Ice found Ia mug
ats Gold can only have been oouceu-
tfatei In any region by continual dis
charges oI s0,d- laden rocka through vol
e#ute or eruPesve vents. or as In tn
c"asious hetween the strata OF existing
formation. and hessee II Is osly in regions
y h~ye such forces have been active that
W. md much gold
an Frazer river 'hs sold Is 30 fine that
II yields net even the tsnth part OF
cert 10 the pan. when Sold Is found
aneut hal' BE slze Of 8 aesd Of a pin q
sTasds encouragement TO the prospeciog.
"a }ts presence indca,cs the approach
is regions Tn which tie fine gold OF the
oas5nn rock has undergone concentra-
iieu ana affords promise OF larger guam
titles
Il Is shown by simple calculation
made fgoyn tae depths ~ she ravtne
whence some California pl&cess nndeuht-
et}y originated trst Tor every running
!oeG 1sa9 cuNye yards ~ earth have been
Tlaovea hy aasuve. II this amount Ct
earth contained cabs cno- quarter % cert
q SOLD per cahle gard as sn Average each
roaming soot & tha raylne would have
faraishcd 80 ana ere mile no less
sum- TRAN s. @s}, s@ Il does nos follow.
therefore. 'has because r,ch psacers are
faua.s t&sre mast bs yet il existence 4
mother la1e
Aas,he9 point breaxhs ogt by s,r@;cA
- tast e tos g@ate It the stream ee Wttts
tssfser tea-s Sag there wlu ee large ae-
eanaf<si7ns - sand an1 nne svzvef.
wase4 va re4acs ths vain. of the De-
Issst peg caa3c yard. whereas. e thr eur
Feat Is rs1i3 enough "a ~oeea1, %
b@aVssF fsl pep rsiie large pogtio- q
ta* sand ana Er&yel VIII - washed
s~~y- rt2s<ns ths greES.ffoa of Ec1d IN
ses F7avvi tsss remains This Gees uog
sfe. hseeves. q Save 3H3scaaoa. b.
s@se e8 rusy asso Accumulated s,s TIE
trsif es.e~e ta .utsae9 sas - water
eease3 ar ACES saa'ag-7a o seers@ wravsls.
A. 20 - ae4rer's. g fairly raaga slrfa.a.
w3.a re Ees&s a'as5ax aswa stream 50
a 50 peesert tae.v rasss4. broken -dxes
t. the sa~ ~ fNs Tts-=rs. q casually ia
test. wa:e gaeAs wht-s wear verr Szno0<a
saaerssy stvN ta~ nearest RESETS
fee g7c.es h4F Na2 maeA q, 60 wsse
s'rss oe-s sr5i.d aE awsv "a rs.,k 10
"aa 80 ress AEa tse-s Basseest- sn4
hss r~taezy a2Ftiessstea ia tae teveaa-
ssa - sao.s 4sz-@.sa aA.e1 @se &ssr41;-