The San Francisco call., 1899-12-25
STATE MINING BUREAU
HOW TWO OF 1T WORKS.
THE MINERS BAD ROADS,
CALAVERAS MOVEMENT.
NOTES FROM THE HILLS

tom. But the same is true of most noun
tain roads in the mining regions. They
were often laid out by the first fellows
that came along In early days. the pom
derous freighting outfits characteristic OF
those regions grind them up like stamp
mills and Supervisors have TO stretch
little money a long way
Yet nowhere are good roads more need
ed than m those mining regions and no.
where is the tax of bad roads so heavy.
Mining supplies are usually hauled long
distances ana the price as surely ngures
In the cost Of development or of mining
and milling per ton of ore as does wages.
Each year the freighting charges from
railroad points 20 skyward when The
roads get bad and each year hu-dreds OF
mining enterprises pause or cease because
OF the cost or absolute impossibility or
getting in machinery and supplies. Ma
chinery often lies AT a depot or stuck IN
the mud en- route for weeks or months,
while WAGES and production "a, at
mine mir n Lessen fSe ,O or stop 1t is Ike eor
munity is concerned that depends on the
mines operation. The developing mine
waits that much longer for production
and the community for the circulation or
money. The good roads people have fig
ured out in cents per ton per mile and all
that what the wheeling means TO the
farmers load but not what L means 10
the miners new stamp mill. needed tim
hers, broken hoist. boarding house table
and balance sheet or TO the local public
that gets most OF the gold that is dug.
contain frequent news items about this
and that mine stopping operations because
the teamsters can't get things through.
The mining process that most needs adj
vancement in these progressive days Of
the industry Is that OF getting through the
canyon as well the hill and Calaveras
county has taken hold OF big and wor-
thy problem.
With all It's tremendous mining possi-
bilities. its untold undeveIoped mineral
wealth and its unrivalled possibilities for
success IN mining, California's mining
field needs Judgment to guide investments
as II is needed everywhere. Failures are
Few but mistakes are made and failures
result. recent one Is that OF the Griffi;h
mine, at Diamond Springs. FL Dorado
County. which has not turned out the way
II was 10 do. Work has stopped and the
old iron will be sold. OF It the Placeryille
Democrat says:
The failure OF this mine TO be a pro-
ducer reflects no discredit upon the able
management OF Superintendent James
RICHARDS. for IL is a we'll known fact by
all miners OF experience that the prop
erty never was and never would be a
oiNldend-paying proposition. Any one
mat wishes may go out and view a hole
IN the ground that cost some people $iO0,-
600. and II all came through making peo-
pie see as some others would have them. ="
In the Sunset oil field. IN Kern County.
which has been producing maltha and
similar heavy oil products for some years.
new refinery was recently installed and
is just getting into operation According
10 the bakersfield Californian. THE dis
tillation shows that 80 per cent of the
crude oil is lubricating oil of the finest
quality, and 20 per cent of this Is cylinder
oil equal 10 any in the market When IL
Is said that cylinder oil sells for 80 cents
a gallon wholesale. some idea may be
formed of the great commercial value OF
the products OF the Sunset Company's
output The percentage OF illuminating
oil Is very small. and the process of dis
tillation completed the residue is the
finest quality of liquid asphalt"
The order for the ironwork OF the
Oneida sixty-stamp mill has been placed
with Fraser & Chalmers OF Chicago. A
compressor is TO be added TO the plant TO
be put on the Oneida, which will be the
largest machine erected I'm this county rs
capacity being thirty drills. 1t IS TO be
used, however TO operate pump OF suffi-
cient capacity to handle the water in the
power drills. The new shaft is down 20SO
feet and sinking is practically completed
for the present, the next underground
work TO be done being the opening Of the
levels at 1900 feet. The grading Is all
completed for the new mill and the pits
for the mortar blocks are dug.-Amador
Ledger.
The copper mine at Copperopolis. Cal.
has been unwatered to the fifth level
which leaves 400 feet yet 10 be cleared
OF water AS the largest slopes are vet
TO he reached the heaviest work Is vet
to be finished, says the Angels Record
The Santissimo mine at Jackass HILL
Tuolumne County, yielded a $500 pocket
last week. ]. o. DENNY.