Year: 1861

HuFrAKErs Ranch, z. r., March A. 1851.


EDIroR DEMocnAT:-In my last, gave
you description of the Spanish Mil, be-
cause it is considered the best of any i'll the
Territory. This time | will give you de- |
scription of the Ophir Companys lead, it be-
ing also considered the mine par ereellencc


BY the courtesy extended me hy Mr. Titus
in conducting me through it, | was enabled
to spend several hours in its exploration
passing from drift to drift and from SLOPE to
slope, until more than half mile of such eX-
cavntions had been travcrsed


The entrance to the mine is through the
engine house, 10y an inclined plane of about
hundred aud fifty feet in depth; descend
ing into the mountain at an an auge of six
ty degrces-jumping into the car, we were
in minute at the bottom of the slope, where
we lighted our candles, and began our pcre-
grinations The lode has a width of about
seventy feet, with dip corresponding TO the
slope of the inclined plane, and where eXca-
waited, is timbered in most excellent man





timbers are framed and fixed sodly TO sup
port the Sides and form strong contrast
with the slovenly tmbering of the McXicaus
in the Spanish Lode, which joins on, or rath
er cuts off one hundred feet Of the Ophir
ground. In every drift throughout the
whole extent Of the mine, the rich sulphurets
abound, mingled with the white quartz,
which sometimes contain native silver, alor-
ding the most beautiful specimens; One was
taken out the morning of my visit, and was
shown me in the office 1t was about ten
inches in length hy five in width, and about
six inches thick, and exhibited the richest of
the blue suphurets upon one side, while the
other consisted OF crystaIized quartz, contain
ing large quantity of native silver. That
specimen will most likely find its way into
the office of the Company at san Francisco.
The Company are still shipping their best
sulphurets to the Bay City and will conin-
ue to do so until their own mill at Washoe
Valley, is in successful operation. In the
meonwh lille their pile of ordinary rock which
is sufficiently rich to pay well for working is
being rapidly augmented, and now has an
extent of some thousand of tons.


The Potosi have recently got into their
Lode; but have not yet crossed it in its full
breadth. They are hauling rock to Brooks
mill, at Silver City This mill works on the
Bartola process, embracing chemical as well
as mechanical means in amalgamating The
rock taken from the Potosi tunnel is rich in
gold, a little PANIED upon shovel gives a
splendid prospect; how much silver there
may be, cannot lie told until the result of the
crushing is made known. But in gold alone
it is rich enough TO ensure good pay


In day or two; or as soon as We can find
the horses, l will, in company with Mr. Huff.
fakcr, 20 to Red Bluff, some twenty miles
down the Truckee, whore it is reported that
rich strikes have been made. In the mean
time pass the hours in the pleasant, but uot
very profitable occupation of loafng, varied
however, by an occasional spasmodic fit of
industry, when | go out to the field, take
hold of the plough handle and follow three
yoke Of oxen, in breaking up sage brush
land, for you must know that Aloth was a
plough boy in Lis youth, and has not yej
| forg )tlen how the trick was done.


These valleys are settling up rapidly
| When have seen more of them, and become
better acquainted with their productive
qualities, | will give you the result ofmy ex,
perience, lie it what it may


This ranch is an excellent one, and the
host and hostess make all around them fat
at home. A stream of the coolest water,
runs close by the house, which is entirely
free from the alkah so prevalent in this re-
gion. In close proximity to the house, Sew
ell, formerly of Camptonville, has a black
smithshop, whose anyils ring out song of
industry from sunrise until the evening twi-
light. Yours,


ALIoTH.


NAPOLEON NOT HAPPY WITH JosEPHINE-A