Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-07-25


heat and is known as Stag, u crucibles are put
in the furnace until tie ore lithargc and silver
II fiux-then taken out one by one-cach kept in
order in every proocsa NO that each particular
sample has ita own place from beginning tn
end-then each sample when fiuxed is taken
out ut the furnace, the crucibie containing it
elnptied into an iron cooler looking some thing
like gem pans As soon as the mixture cools
sufficiently man takes the mass with tongs
land ,ulds it with hsmn .r, this releases the
mass from the alag. There appears to be q
leaden mass about the sz of hazel nut.
When the ~ have gone through this process,
each is put into cupel, solid cup made of
bone ahh and again put iuto the furnace, each
cnpci IN its place. The bone ash cupel sbso. Ia
the lead while being heated and there ia moth
ing left but y small silver bead or button" az
they are called The cnpels are then taken to
another room at once from the furnace.
II In this room there are little china cups all
ready with nitric acid in each Each silver
button is put in its own little cup, each cup
act back on the hot cupels from which the but
ton was taken, and the heat assists the nitric
left of the button that is solid is what goldj is
in the sample assayed. The tiny particle or
PARTICLES are weighed on We y exact scales which
shut out the air, and the value is determined.
If less than s2D per ton they do not ship it. If
taken from prospect hole the miners feel en- :
couraged to dig deeper, as the vein usually
wild ma - the depth increases. Now to go back
to the vast amount Of ore that is left after re-
moving the sample No ore comes TO the mill
that runs over SG0 to the ton a. it has all been
sorted over by baud by persons who know val
liable ore when they ace it. An exception to
this liz in the screenings or crushed ore of which
there is quite quantity.
i There are Is tons OF ore run into each Of the
large iron barrels running lengthwise-into
each there is put solution If chloride of lime
and snlphuric acid which form chlorine and ex-
tract the gold from the crushed ore. Hnlphur-
cited hydrogen is used to precipitnte the gold
The solution of chlorine il drawn off aud h.0re
chlorine put in with the is tons as long a. the
test shows gold in the chlorine drawn Off
The chloride Of gold passes to another room
through pipes. There are two thioknesses of
paper and two of cotton flannel to filter the
chloride through In these pipes sulphuretted
hydrogen perclpitated the gold aud when clean
ing up the pancakes of gold are taken out.
They are then heated to drive off the sulphur
and gold, GO or ~ per cent pure is then OBJ.
tanned.
The roasted ore drops down into an immense
barrel which is revolved in water to cool the
red hot ore.
Fiae dust collects over everything in the MILL
This is rich id goln and is swept up about
every other day and sacked and shipped to the
smelters.
There all has to be dried-wet a. it comes
from the mine.
| During our visit to see all these different
stages Of the gold ore we descended tan flights
of steps. and when we went to ascend to catch
our car going back to Victor we climbed over
400 steps. Twas very tired and am sure had
any one told me beforehand what task it was
to examine all this would never have at
tempted such trip.
| On Friday, July 10, we were very anxious to
go to Cripple Greek to nee the Trans. Mississippi
Congress and Elks Fair. We dressed up fit for
such an occasion, although our clothes weren't
an exact fit We proceeded down town, part of
our crowd being caught in the rain, and were
compelled to show their skill in foot racing Ii
raincd 30 very hard that we decided to remain
in Victor, 30 we sscended into Judge Huff's
office with his partner, Mr.. ]. E. Ferguson, at
whose home we had been staying and enjoyed
ourselves until the rain was over.
We will forget all these hardships when We
think how beautifully the sun ra.e next morn
ing. SO we again doomed our travelling clothes
and stared to the Greek again. We FASTENED
to the depot as fast as the Logan fire COM
pany' and found the depot platform crowded
with people who were .anxious to have their
necks little longer and also to throw confetti,
We seated ourselves in the depot, and it was not
long till we raced out of the depot that we
might get better view of freight trail and
have the sensation of walking back into the
depot again. But we finally did get on the
right train although our windpipes did not
have the usual amount of wind in them, for
there was such crowd that the aisles and steps.
and even men risked their lives on the tons of
| coaches. The curves we went around were
very sharp, and 30 were the knocks we got by
the people who we're standing IN the aisles.
Indeed, we passed through some very dangerous
places and q feeling of sadness came over me
IS thought of the train with it's eleven coaches
filled with people riding anywhere there could
be foothold. should it be derailed and fall
away into the valley beneath, what number of
Pleasure-seeking souls would be hurled into
eternity to meet their God so upprepared. But
we didn't have any accidents that were 90 very
'erious, although by the expressions on some
folks faces. Iknew their corn patches were be-
ing trampled on.
We followed the crowd whom We left the
train land pretended we knew all about it) and
soon found ourselves on Bennett avenue, push.
ing right and left, until we were alm.st far
enough into the street TO be in the parade. II
think We should have been INVITED to Join it,
for am sure we would have attracted ; great
deal Of attention With our hats on sideways. our
mouths wide open and our unh1ellas trailing
behind. Nevertheless We got to ace the Elks
and the Queen and her Maids, We even saw .
policeman. We didn't stop to take in the
Midway, as We had to catch the 1880 train hack
to Victor. 1t was raining very hard and We
were compelled to run to get to the station and
got in the oars at ell. The miners arose and
gave US seat, but Kate wss kind enough to
hold lady's little baby, but he got to crying go
hard she was willing to give the lady the seat
to get rid of the child. We were riding on the
very tops of some of the mountains and we
could see that shafts and prospect holes GOV.
ered most of their surface. We soon returned