The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-28
POWERFUL WATER JETS.
The Enormous Force OF streams With No
Other Power Than That Of Gravity.
From the Phandeiphia Record.

From the PhHrdeiphid Record.
In some parts OF the Wrst there are great
banks of pebbles and boulders in which
gold is to be found 1t is not there as mug
gets, or even as ore. but a fine particles
that have been washed down into the depths
of the hills by the long-continued action OF
natural forces
This gold cannot be obtained bv the usual
methods OF the miner il would not pay him
to adopt them. because the part cles are so
fine and are 20 scattered that the time con-
sumed in getting them out would be worth
more than the product
To the successful working of these great
pebble cliffs the miner has adapted stream
OF water. which does the work thoroughly
unaided by any force except : own.
In many direct ion-, away up on the sur
rounding hill, sluices and waterways are
constructed so that the little streams and
rs will send their waters down to a reser-
voir which is built somewhere within 800
or 400 yards OF the clir that Is to be worked
and 100 or $50 feet above IT, The reservoir
having been built an iron pipe, varying in
diameter from six to twenty inches according
to the work that l. to be done. Is lai from
II to what Is called the working level: that
Is to saw. to the point from which the work.
men will direct the stream thus conveyed to
them
At this point piece of machinery is built
frame on which it rc-ts is not only securely
anchored to the ground. but Is weighted
down with ten or fifteen tons of rock And
yet II Is merely a nozzle iointed to the iron
pipe that brings the water from the reservoir
Why il is 20 heavily weighted down will soon
be seen.
The nozzle heavy AS II is Is 20 constructed
that II may be directed at any part Of the
clif by the hands OF one man: and yet II IL
should. by any unfortunate accident. get
out of the mans control, and the water be
not instantly turned OF at the reservoir.
IL becomes as unmanageable "a tornado
When everything j. ready the sluice g. ate
at tho reservoir is opened and the water
begins to run with headlong force down
the iron pipe and out at the nozzle which
generally mas diameter OF about eight
inches.
The pipeman turns the stream on the cliN
and p"bbl"- and boult"rS. some Of the latter
wei hin moro than ton, are knocked down
aud scattered about like cork> IN the Jury
of hurricane
Tn" force OF this stream is almost incredible
II ha- no power behind II but it, own gravity
and "a il strikes tn" 'lin i makes roar that
NAV BE- heard for moro than mile. 1t will
wash down more pay dirt in one day than
10 600 men could handle with the old-insi,-
As the. water comes FROM the nozzle It is
like solid ice. Try to stick a knife blade
into Il and the knife will be icrkcd from the
handle. TRY to thrust a crowhar into il
and u strong man may succeed in getting
tho point half an inch in, but the bar will be-
wr"nchrd violently from. his, hands. Nor
could the strongest man that lives drive an
AK, into the stream further than half an
inch
Sometimes II nozzle viii tear. itself loose
the stream dans de"rc M e tr' d ea' III
around II until some one shuts on the water
up at the reservoir,