The San Francisco call., 1903-12-26

1Oot dam VIII be built, which viii flood
the water over the old Soulsby and
part of the McAuley ranches, on Curtis
Creek.
MINING IN THE NORTH.
According to the Grass Valley Union
forty-fiVe men are pushing work on the
Yuba or Ell Orc mine, near Maybert
The mill is to be repaired and an aerial
tramway is to be constructed. The
same paper says about hydraulicking
al the Liberty Hill mine:
Superintendent William A. Mcguire
of the Liberty Hill mines has received
the cheering intelligence that the Cali
fornia Debris Commission has granted
permission to his company TO construct
restraining dams in Bear River and in
Stump Canyon, which are outlets to
the mines. Several years ago attempts
were made to get permits to operate
the mines, but for some reason the Cal
ifornia Debris Commission refused per
mission, although great influence was
exerted to that end. The news that the
commission has permitted the construc-
ton OF the dams is favorable. The
work OF construction of the dams will
proceed as rapidly as possible under the
perienced hydraulic miner. 1t is to be
hoped that the mines can once more
resume operations without injury TO
the property of Others and with the
substantial barriers which it is planned
to erect there is no reason why this
cannot be DONE
The Amador Ledger says that the
sixty stamp mill at the Bunker Hill
mir ,4-;n
on the first of February. The Oneida
is taking out much rock from the 2000
level and progress is satisfactory. The
Argonaut shaft will not be entirely un-
watered but only sufficiently TO permit
operations on the 400 and 1900 levels
A site for a mill has been surveyed at
the Valparaiso mine, which lies north
of the Monmouth mine, near Middle
Bar Facilities for dumping will also
be acquired.
The Tuolumne Independent also re-
ports that unwatering of the shaft of
the Bell mine at Tuttletown is pro-
crossing a new hoist has been put
up ard a new blacksmith shop and a
20-stamp mill will soon be added to
the plant. Tankage has been provided
for oil fuel. A new shaft will be sunk
south of the present shaft. All the
personal property on the Philadelphia,
Rhode Island and Boston claims near
Carriers, according TO the same author
ity, will be transferred by the Goldwin
Mining Company to the trustees for the
reorganization of the company.
NEW BUILDING MATERIAL.
OF the diatomaceous earth that will
l. ot
California, the Santa Barbara Press
says:
Diatomaceous earth, a product of
Southern California, heretofore little in
demand, has recently come into prom
inence as a building material where a
fire-proof deafening is desired. Santa
Barbara County has the largest known
deposits of this peculiar substance in
the State. Attention was first called to
it by the late Prof. Ford fully twenty
five years ago. 1t is yellowish- white
deposit, resembling what is commonly
called chalk rock. 1t has been shipped
from the northern end Of the county in
small quantities for many years, for
manufacturing purposes, and more re-
Gently the Balaam Bros. of Lompoc
have done quite an extensive business
in suDplying the increased demand
since it's value as a building material
was discovered. There are several
large deposits in the range Of noun
tains next to the coast, and as it comes
into more general use, as it promises
10 do If is posi- BILE it may become an
important item Of export.
"In character the new material re-
ser1obles ground asbestos and is only
one-eigi1th as leavy as sand or clay.
consequently it floats. The registered
name of sil-o-cel derives it's oddly from
tho fact that the article contains sill
con oxygen and the infinite cells of the
diatom The value Of any sound
deafener. fire-proof orI non conductor
is the fact that it contains cells, or
chambers that serve to hold air IN
Mace. Southern California has one OF
only three or four places in the world
whore diatomaceous earth may be
mined in quantity.
New oil lands in Southern California
are coming under the pump. but the
southern oil miners aS- not wholly
pleased with the market conditions in
Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Her
aid makes the following general state
ment:
Market conditions here remain about
the same. The report that the Stand
ard had shut down its Bakersfield
pump station and would not take any
more Kern River oil to Point Richmond
had a depressing effect on local oper-
ators, as it was thought that oil might
be put on the market here, and as
much Of it wac bought by the Standard
at prices ranging from ten to fifteen
cents per barrel it was feared it would
have a tendency TO hold the price of
local oil down. And tn y is just what is
likely TO occur. 1t is Known the Stand
ard is trying to sell I'arD River oil in
Los Angeles, and has n ade several con-
tracts, but so far as Slown no cut in
the price has been mage. The fact re-
mains, however, that4local producers
.l..NA LA =.