Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-10-03
A VALUABLE INVENTION.
The Johnson Dry Washer, Now Being Set
Up at Golden, Promises to Work
Wonders.


How to get the best results from gold
washing processes has long been the
aim and purpose of mining operators,
and hardly a month passes but what
some genius has invented an appliance
or process whereby this class Of mining
operations is facilitated, and more, il
not all the dirt freed from the golden
metal. Every issue Of the Engineering
and Mining Journal and other publica-
tions have illustrated notices Of new and
valuable inventions; and the difficulties
that in the past have hedged about and
circumscribed mans efforts to get at the
treasure. are steadily being mitigated.
One notable effort in this line, and n
which present appearances indicate Will
| work Il genuine revolution in placer
mining, is the invention of a Chicago
man named Johnson, whose genius a
evolved what is known as a dry washer.
A clear and comprehensive description
of this wonderful machine has been
CLEANED from Hon. j. II. Mclaughlin,
| the well known county commissioner OF
this county, a mining man Of years of
| experience, and a first class mining en-
| gineer. Mr.. Mclaughlin said recently
to a reporter of the New Mexican, in re-
Spouse to inquiries about the new inven-
ton: Four of these machines are at
work in Montana. Utah and elsewhere,
and the fifth is now being set up on the
| placers of the Monte Christie Mining
| placers of the Monte Christie Min
ing Company in the southern part
of this county. 1t is a huge, box-like
affair 25 feet square in sectional area,
and 30 feet high. 1t is movable upon
wheels set at the four corners which run
on special rails laid in a straight line on
a slight incline. In the center Of the
machine and half way up from the floor,
is built a hopper in which the dirt from
the placer ground Is dumped by a car
arrangement called a giraffe, which is
run up an inclined plane into n side
Of the machine structure and emptied
through the agency Of this giraffe" In
to the hopper. Running from the hop
per at an incline through the side of the
machine on the lower side, is a sluice
way with an exterior extension nova
bic on a universal joint. In this exterior
part of the sluice way are placed any
number of rifles wherein is scattered a
small quantity of quicksilver to aid
in catching the gold from the dirt
or gravel. Entrance from the
hopper is through a perforated plate
SO graduated that only dirt that can
pass through a half-inch opening will
enter the sluice way. Connected with
the hopper also, and on the opposite
side Of the house, is a sluice way In
which runs an endless bucket belt, the
exterior of the sluice way swiveling at
the exit from the machine structure, as
in the case with the opposite sluice, and
OF any exterior length to suit the loca-
ton or circumstances. Into this latter
conduit drops all gravel or pieces of
solid dirt over half an inch in size, and
as this latter stuff is free from the pre-
cious metal, the debris is run off to one
side as nay be convenient. The num-
Der and size of the rifles in the first
mentioned conduit is determined by the
character Of the location and the nature
of the soil to be handled, SO that what
comes out of the snout of the funnel is
entirely free from anything Of value.
The gold is found settled in the bottom Of
the rifles. There is an engine and boiler
whereby the work is done, and through
the same mechanical power, by a block
and fall connected with a snubbing post
a little up the grade, the machine Is
pulled along the rails to any desired
point. So the engine operates the work.
ings of the hopper, hauls the dirt sup
plying car up the incline, and moves the
machine itself. A steam dredge moves
alongside of the machine and fills the
car. When the limit or end of the track
is reached, the dredge is shunted over on
to a track laid just to n side Of where
it has just travelled, and the machine It.
self is shunted over on to the recent
dredger track. and the operation then
continues.
The inventor expects to secure Is
cents in gold per cubic yard Of earth ex-
cavated, which is a very profitable re-
turn, as there are many placer camps
| where a return Of 5 cents Is considered
profitable. The Golden placers have
been worked for the last 200 years by
the natives, who have depended upon 1t
entirely for their living, and there is a
great deal Of gold to be secured there by
economical working.