The San Francisco call., 1899-11-27


which operates the greatest drift mine
in the State, has Just had the luck 10
strike a new and rich buried channel in
the Hidden Treasure ground on the For
est Hill Divide in Placer County. This
channel is thirty-two feet lower than the
main tunnel in the channel now being
worked and is reported to yield rich
gravel. at places going IS to the car. The
strike was made 5000 feet from the mouth
Of the tunnel. which is now about two
miles long and through which the gravel
is hauled out by an electric underground
trolley system.
The Hidden Treasure property consists
OF over 1000 acres, in which have been
found several ancient river channels run
ming at various depths at directions about
1000 feet below the summit OF the lava
capped divide. The equipment and the
engineering methods OF the Hidden Trea-
sure have been Of widespread interest 10
mining men. The electric plant is COM
plete and unique. and with its aid over
900 carloads OF gravel are hauled out daily
In long trains. The extent OF the opera
tions and the richness of the property
the product of which has reached into
the millions. have made the States crack
The property is chiefly owned by Harold
I. Power and family. few weeks ago
Mr.. Power and associates added the
Morning Star drift mine TO their hold
ings, and now comes the discovery Of
new and yet older riches below the main
channel, where once flowed a river 400
feet and In which the gravel is mined TO
width of from 400 TO 500 feet.
In its formation and richness the Forest
Hill Divide is remarkable. Its ancient
channels have yielded about $50 900 600 and
yet but comparatively small part or It's
gold has been taken out, and II will af-
ford scene OF still greater mining ope-
rations for fifty years.
During the week a connection was made
between the extremeties of the Morning
Star and Big Dipper tunnels on the Di-
vide, which are together over 10000 feet
In length, and IL is nearly a two-mile trip
from the mouth Of one TO the mouth OF
the other.
There are several important drift mines
undergoing development with promise OF
being great properties in the future. The
buried ancient channels OF this State hold
hundreds OF millions OF gold and are but
slightly prospected yet; They offer an
of large capital and drift mining, which
last year produced over 81, 900 900. or more
than hydraulic mining. is destined to
greatly increase its output in future
years
The Azalea drift mine Of Placer County
has closed down for the winter. During
the past nine months the tunnel was eX-
tended l0I6 feet, giving total present
length Of 2256 feet. IL IS expected that the
channel Will be struck within 750 feet far
ther.
The OIL field is more noisy than ever
with news" and hustling. II is still the
preparatory season OF the mastering OF
many investors and a good many derricks
and the flotation OF companies before
failures begin TO make people more wary.
The week has produced some reports OF
oil strikes. especially IN the McKittrick
and Kern River districts Of Kern County,
where II seems likely that valuable oil
deposits will be found. A report OF an
or source from ten TO 1000 barrels a day,
as have the reports from a Kern County
well within the past few days.
A Kern County oil man from Los An
geles is looking for water as well as oil.
and II water supply is found by boring.
he proposes TO pipe II about the Kern
River district TO supply the rigs now ope-
rating or planned. In boring for oil, wa
ter is generally. everywhere in the oil
fields Of the world. an expensive nuisance.
requiring pumping and casing with pack
ing below the water stratum to keep II
from the oil-producing bottom. In some
OF the districts Of the semi-arid San Joa-
quin valley, however no water supply is
for steam power and, in sufficient
amount. for the bottom OF the we'll, to
facilitate boring; The oil men want wa
ter, but know when they have enough. In
the Coalinga field the boring OF many
wells has waited for a water supply.
which is now partially secured by piping
from the hills. The Coalinga Water Com
pany is laying five miles o. water pipe 10
supply the want. Two miles OF pipe are
laid and when the supply arrives pros
]
Coalinga oil Company sells $500 worth of
water per month 70 the operators Of the
district, and water wells are being sunk
on lie plains.
A reliable correspondent OF the Mining
and Scientific Press writes from Coalinga
as follows:
About a dozen outfits are sinking wells
in various parts Of the oil City district
and a dozen more are on the ground
ready TO begin. The present output Of the
district is 2000 barrels Of crude of per day
This is conveyed TO tanks on the line OF
the railroad by a pipe line owned by the
Union oil Company. which company is
also prosecuting development work on
acquired oil lands in the district The
Coalinga OF Company have completed a
large tank. with pipe line leading thereto.
a mile or more below their wells and II
Is probable they Will extend their pipe line
to the railroad. Altogether there IS a
tankage in the district 10 the extent OF
nearly 70 900 barrels. 5000 OF which are
the property Of the Coallnga Oil Com
pany.
1.-The principal part OF the output from
the district comes from eight wells, three
or four Of which are flowing wells. Coal