Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-01-14
POWERFUL WATER JETS.
The Enormous Force Of Streams
With No Other Power Than That

The Enormous Force of Streams
With No Other Power Than That
OF Gravity.
In some parts Of the west there are
great banks Of pebbles and boulders in
which gold is to be found. It is not
there as nuggets, or even as ore, but as
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 by the
usual methods Of the miner; it would
not pay him to adopt them, because
the particles are 80 fine and are so
scattered that the time consumed in
getting them out would be worth more
than the product.
To the successful working Of these
great pebble cliffs the miner has adap-
ted stream of water, which does the
work thoroughly unaided by any force
except it's own.
In many directions, away up on the
surrounding hills, sluices and water
ways are constructed, so that the lit
tie stream and rills will send their wa
ters down to a reservoir which is built
somewhere within 300 or 400 yards Of
the cliff that is to be worked and 100
or $50 feet above 1t. The reservoir
having been built, an iron pipe, vary
ing in diameter from six to twenty
inches, according to the work that Is to
be done, is laid from 1t to what is
called the working level; that Is to
say to the point from which the work.
men will direct the stream thus con-
veyed to them.
At this point piece Of machinery
is built, which weighs from one to
three tons. and the frame on which it
rests Is not only securely anchored to
the ground; but is weighted down with
ten or fifteen tons Of rocks. And yet it
is merely nozzle joined to the iron
pipe that brings the water from the
reservoir. Why 1t Is so heavily weight
ed down will soon be seen.
The nozzle, heavy as 1t is, is 80 con-
structed that 1t may be directed at any
part of the cliff by the hands of one
man; yet If 1t should, by any unfortu-
nate accident, get out Of the mans con-
troll, and the water be not instantly
turned Off at the reservoir, 1t becomes
as unmanageable as a tornado.
When everything is ready the sluice
gate at the reservoir is opened and the
water begins to run with headlong
force down the iron pipe and out at
the nozzle, which generally has
diameter Of about eight inches.
The pipeman turns the stream on the
Of the latter weighing more than ton,
are knocked down and scattered about
like corks in the fury Of hurricane.
The force of this stream is almost
incredible, 1t has no. power behind 1t
but its own gravity, and as 1t strikes
the cliff 1t make roar that may be
heard for more than a mile. 1t will
wash down more 'pay dirt" in one day
than 10, 900 men could handle with the
old-fashioned rockers"
AS the water comes from the nozzle
1t is like solid Ice. Try to stick knife
blade into it and the knife will be jerk
ed from the hand. Try to thurst a
crowbar into it-and a strong man may
succeed in getting the point half an
inch in; but the bar will be wrenched
violently from his hands. Nor could
the strongest man that lives drive an
axe into the stream further than half
an inch.
Sometimes a nozzle will tear itself
loose from its fastenings, and when
that happens the stream deals destruc-
tion and death all around 1t until some
one shuts off the water up at the reser-
Record.