Gilpin observer., 1909-10-28
TOLD OF THE
GULCH MINER

1
the section tributary to Clear Creek,
but in these latter days of infini-
tesimals in mining they would be
unable to realize to what extent the
miner goes in his endeavor to show
good results for the work accomplish
ed.
| Mining in the old days was on a
generous scale and satisfying to the
gold seeker. The seemingly crude
method Of stacking ore in cords and
burning the sulphide and residue
treated, proved successful enough
| after treatment as performed by Prof
essor Hill.
The stamp mill, too, was a success
in larger sense. No need for con-
centrators or like contrivances for
| catching the gold. All was on a happy
| go-luck system and seemed to pay.
At the same time the gulch miner
was only satisfied with nuggets. The
finer goldcolors and anything below
that-were waste Of time. But in
| their seeking there was pretty sue.
cessful cleanup. After the Cinnamon
went through the creek, for the Sec
ond time, man was lucky if he got
a trace Of the elusive stuff in his
pan.
1t is common to pick up in the
bed Of the creek great chunks of
Stag, the results of the imperfect sys-
tenn orce in vogue in and around
| Black Hawk in the old smelter days,
that when again treated return good
results for the saving.
The stamp mill, concentrators and
and amalgamators and other devises
may be on less generous scale
but they are not perfect by any
means. for much Of the precious met
al escapes, to be again returned to
the creek bed.
The ore having been pounded to a
powder releases a great deal of fine
I, gold. The per cent must be great for
a panning along the creek most any
where will display a streak of fine
flour gold that must have escaped
from the mills.
To save this loss many devises
have been tried. 1t remains for the
miner or the infatuated gold seeker
to produce something that will aid
him in his quest for the yellow metal
as distributed in the creek. Every
hr;,
supply until layer after layer of de-
trites lay covered or exposed. The
experienced placer miner knows these
formations as they lie in the creek
bed. He can tell by the looks OF
!, things whether gold can be washed
from any particular sand bar.
Being independent-tha is. not car
ing to work for wages in the mines
he rigs up a box to mine for the
flour gold found in these peculiar look
| ing sands in the creek. He may make
fifty cents a day up to two dollars
Other times he may strike pocket
netting him considerable. But there
is a system about 1t that must be
carried out or no results follow.
Just right flow OF water is necessary
The box must be inclined just SO
The box must not be gorged! with
dirt. A right kind OF seive, carpets
Of the regulation style-that means
any old thing that will work success
fully. Last but not least 1t Is reQuir
ed that the black sand, so essentia
, in the indication of the presence Of
, free gold. must be washed clear oi
, the carpets as must also gravel ant
sand or there will be no place where
!, the gold can lodge on the carpets.
Skimping would be a good word t
: apply to mining Of this sort. But the
! gold Is there, lots Of it, and II work
. ed on a large scale-but how, depo
I nent sayeth not-there is millions II
q it.
: After the days work the skimpin,
e placer miner washes the carpets in ;
!. pan that sets in a tub. The carpets
are sectional-about half yard loni
j and the width OF the box, so the.
may be handled more successfully
The panning there begins. The wash
ing and panning shows streak o
o the yellow metal as fine as flour
II Quicksilver is then poured into tn
= pan. This acts Immediately and take
+ UP the precious metal retaining
until time IL found to strain the sam
through chamois skin. This process
results In a pulpy like substance cal
ed amalgam. The quicksilver havin
4. been strained through the chamois
Y. ready for the next days work !