Nevada County CA Archives History - Businesses .....Mines And Mills Of Grass Valley 1867
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Book Title: Bean’s History And Directory Of Nevada County, California

MINES AND MILLS OF GRASS VALLEY.
SKETCH OF THE MILLS.

Allison Ranch
  Situated on the Allison Ranch mine, was erected in 18oG and commenced running
in October of that year, with eight stamps, to which four more were added in
1863. The mill now runs twelve stamps, is run by a 35-horse power engine, and
when employed crashes for its owners, the Allison Ranch Mining Company. Blanket
process. This is an excellent mill.

Byers.

  Owned by John Byers, and erected on South Wolf Creek, three miles and one-half
southeast of Grass Valley, this year. Has eight wooden-stem stamps, which are
ran by water power.

Cambridge.

  Located on Howard Hill, at the Cambridge mine. Erected in 1866, at an expense
of about $12,000. Runs ten revolving, 900-pound stamps, the motive power of the
engine being 35-horse. Capable of crashing nineteen tons of quartz in
twenty-four hours. Blanket process. Owned by W. E. Dean, D. W. C. Rice, W. H. V.
Cronise, A. C. Peachy, Con. Reilly, and others, who also own the Cambridge mine.
The Cambridge mill crushes exclusively for the company.

Coe Company's,

  This mill was completed on the Coe mine in 1885. The crushing is on a new
plan—new at least for this place, being on the centrifugal principle. The
amalgamating process is the Ryerson. The mill, owned by Messrs. Coe & Davis, of
San Francisco, has not been tested to any great extent, and we are consequently
unprepared to speak of its merits.

Empire Company's,

  This magnificent mill, which is unquestionably the finest quartz mill in
Northern California, was erected in 1888, on Ophir Hill, at a cost of $100,000.
Suns thirty stamps, is propelled by an engine of eighteen inch cylinder and
forty-two inch stroke, and the capacity of the mall is sixty tons per day. The
main building is one hundred feet in length and ninety feet in width, with a
boiler house eighteen by thirty feet. All the improvements in gold-saving, such
as the newest styles of pans, settlers, etc., are here used. The Empire mill is
owned by the Empire Mining Company, consisting of Captain S. W. Lee, of Grass
Valley, J. P. Pierce, A. L. Morrison and A. H. Houston, of San Francisco.

Eureka.

  This mill, situated on the Eureka mine, and owned by the Eureka Company, was
put up in 1835 at a cost of about §20,000.   It runs twenty revolving stamps,
is capable of crushing fifty tons per day, and crushes exclusively for the
Eureka mine. This is an excellent mill.

Gold Hill.

  This mill, situated on the west bank of Wolf Creek, Grass Valley, was erected
in 1852, by the Gold Hill Company. It has twenty revolving stamps, (substituted
in 1863 and 1854 for old square stamps,) being propelled by a one hundred-horse
power engine, and is capable of crushing from forty to fifty tons of rock in
twenty-four hours. Under the new management, important improvements haire been
made in the mill, such as adding new boilers, introducing rotary stamps, etc.
This mill, which bears a first-rate reputation, is now owned by Hooper, Cronise,
and others, and crushes rock from the owners' ledge, on Gold and Massachusetts
Hills, and also does an extensive business in crushing custom rock.

Hartery.

  Located on the Hartery ledge, about two miles south of Grass Valley. Erected
in 1866 at an expense of about $10,000. Runs eight stamps, by steam power, and
can crush ten tons of rock in twenty-tour hours. Amalgamating done in the
batteries. Built for the purpose of crushing the rock of the Hartery Company.
Mill owned by E. McLaughlin, Joseph O'Keefe and William Loutzenheiser, who also
own the Hartery mine.

Ione.

  Erected in 1886, at an expense of $10,000. Runs ten revolving stamps, is run
by a 40-horse power engine, and is capable of crushing eighteen tons of rock in
twenty-four hours. Blanket process, and copper plates and pans used. Situated on
the Ione Company's mine, about two miles in a southeasterly direction from the
town of Grass Valley, and is employed in crushing rock for the Ione Company.

Lady Franklin.

  Located in Boston Ravine; was erected in 1856 by Rush & Laton, and is now
owned by John R. Rush. Runs eight wooden stamps, is propelled by a 35-horse
power engine, and can crush twenty tons of rock in twenty-four hours. Does
custom work.

Larimer's.

  Situated on Wolf Creek, a short distance below Grass Valley. Erected in 1851.
Runs nine square-stem stamps, is propelled by water power, and is capable of
crushing fourteen tons of quartz every twenty-four hours. Amalgamating
principally done in the batteries. This mill does custom work, and is owned by
John W. Larimer.

Laton & Son's.

  On Union Hill, north bank of Middle Wolf Creek, about two miles in an easterly
direction from Grass Valley, was built in 1865, and cost about $10,000. Runs
eight stamps, propelled by a 20-horse power engine. Capacity, fifteen tons of
rock every twenty-four hours. Blanket process in use, though the principal part
of the gold is saved on copper plates. This mill, which is owned by B. B. Laton
of Grass Valley, and C. A. Laton of San Francisco, is a custom mill.

Lucky.

  On Howard Hill, on the Lucky mine, about two miles east of Grass Valley.
Erected in October, 1866, at an expense of $13,000. Buns fifteen revolving
stamps, of about nine hundred pounds each, and can crush thirty tons of quartz
in twenty-four hours. Amalgamating done in the batteries, and blankets also
used. Bun by a 50-horse power engine. Crushes for the company. Owners, Hamilton
McCormick, E. A. Tompkins, W. D. Goldsmith, D. E. Osborn, G. W. Topliffe,
Michael Williams, Edward Nuttall, and W. B. Taylor, who also own the Lucky mine.

Merrimac.

  Located on Merrimac Hill, about two miles and a quarter from Grass Valley, on
the Merrimac mine. The mill was erected in 1864, and the first crushing was done
in January, 1865. It has ten revolving stamps, weighing about eight hundred
pounds each; is propelled by a 30-horse power engine, and is capable of crushing
fifteen tons of rock in twenty-four hours. The amalgamating is done in the
batteries. The mill crushes for its owners, Thomas Findley, Henry Scadden,
Joseph Woodworth, George D. Roberts, and A. E. Head. Cost of mill, about $15,000.

Norambagua.

  Situated on Wolf Creek, near the Norambagua mine, four miles south of Grass
Valley. This mill, which is moved by water power, running ten stamps, and
capable of crushing fifteen tons of quartz in twenty-four hours, was built in
1851. Crushes rock from the Company's ledges—the Norambagua and Lone Jack. The
amalgamating is done principally in the batteries, copper plates and riflles
also being used. The sulphurets here have paid as high as two hundred dollors a
ton. Norton's pans are used for grinding tailings. It is owned by A. C. Peachy,
Judge Hoffman, W. H. V. Cronise, William Campbell, Alexander Stoddard, and
others, who purchased the Norambagua mill and mine, last summer, for $100,000.

North Star.

  At the French Lead, about two miles south of Grass Valley. Erected in 1866, on
the mine of the North Star Company, at a cost of $30,000. Runs sixteen stamps,
with a 50-horse power engine, and is capable of crushing twenty-four tons of
quartz every twenty-four hours. Crushes for the North Star Company. Owners, John
C. Coleman, Edward Coleman, William Hoskin, W. H. Rodda, John Rodda, Josiah
Rodda, James Dodds, Richard Kitto, William Dunston, and Thomas Harper, who are
owners of the North Star mine.

Osborn Hill.

  This mill, on Osborn Hill, about two miles southeast of Grass Valley, was
erected in 1864, at an expense of about $22,000. It has three batteries of five
stamps each, and is run by a 50-horse power engine, which is capable of running
double the present number of stamps. The mill can be used either for dry or wet
crushing. Capacity, twenty tons of quartz (wet crushing) in twenty-four hours,
and ten tons by the dry crushing process. Owned by the Osborn Hill Company, who
purchased this mill and the Osborn Hill mine, from. Joseph Woodward and George
Voges, last winter.

Perrin's.

  Owned by Joseph Perrin, and situated near Wolf Creek Station, about five miles
south of Grass Valley, is a saw and quartz mill, combined, and is propelled by
water power. Was built in 1864; the stamps, five in number, being added in 1865.
First crushing in January, 1865. This mill, capable of crushing twelve tons of
rock in twenty-four hours, is engaged on quartz from, the Slate ledge, owned by
Perrin & Colvin, and located near Forest Springs.

Rocky Bar.

  Erected in 1856, on Massachusetts Hill, by the Mount Hope Company, of which
Michael Brennan was agent at the time. Is a sixteen-stamp mill, being run by two
engines, each 35-horse power. The mill, which is now crushing rock for the New
York Hill Company, is capable of crushing forty tons of rock in twenty-four
hours. Blanket process used. The Rocky Bar mill cost upward of $20,000. Owned by
the Rocky Bar Mining Company.

Sebastopol,

  This mill, originally located at Sebastopol Hill, was removed to the present
locality, Boston Ravine, in October, 1863. It runs twelve revolving stamps, is
propelled by a 30-horse power engine, and can crush twenty-five tons of rock hi
twenty-four hours. The Sebastopol mill—one of the best custom mills in the
township—cost about $25,000. It is owned by Benjamin McCauley, the Watt
Brothers, and Mrs. John Connolly. Blanket process used in this mill.

Smith & Northey's.

  On Little Wolf Creek, about one mile and one-half from Grass Valley. Erected
in 1864. Runs eight square-stem stamps, each weighing nine hundred and fifty
pounds, the motive power being a thirty-horse power horizontal engine. Blanket
process adopted, the .interior arrangements being similar to those of the
Sebastopol mill, with the exception that arastras are used for grinding
sulphurets and amalgamating rusty gold instead of pans. The mill is capable of
crushing sixteen tons of rock in twenty-four hours. Principally engaged on
custom work. Owned by Robert Smith, John Smith, Edward Northey, and. Henry Morgan.

Stockton's. 

  On South Wolf Creek, about twelve miles from Grass Valley, is the ledge of
Stockton & Co., who crush their own rock with an arastra, the machinery being
propelled by water power.

Union Hill.

  On Union Hill, about two miles from Grass Valley, erected in July, 1860. Runs
twenty stamps, having a fourteen inch engine with two boilers. Capacity, forty
tons of quartz in twenty-four hours. This mill, one of the best in Nevada
county, cost $21,000. Crushes rock for the owners of the Union Hill mine and
mil], consisting of G. D. Roberts, William McCormick, J. H. Gash wilder, and T.
Findley.

SKETCH OF THE MINES.

Eureka Hill

  This hill, through which the Eureka vein runs, is about one mile and
one-fourth from the town of Grass Valley. It was originally known as Eureka
Mountain, the first location being made February 7th, 1851. The Eureka, which,
as far as developed, has proved itself the richest gold mine in the world, is
among the earliest quartz locations of this township, but its richness,
notwithstanding it had been worked by various parties for a number of years, was
not fully developed until the winter of 1883. The mine was owned at various
times by B. L. Lamarque, Geo. D. Roberts and William Chollar, who failed to find
it profitable; Lamarque, who had purchased the interests of the other partners,
finally selling the mine in 1857 to Fricot, Ripert and Pralus, for a
comparatively small sum. During the years from 1857 to 1863, the ledge was
worked to a perpendicular depth of forty-eight feet, and during this period
large quantities of quartz were taken out, none of which paid largely, while the
greater portion of the rock failed to pay crushing expenses. Becoming satisfied
at last that the ledge was really a good one, Fricot & Co. commenced sinking a
vertical shaft in 1863, completing it to a depth of one hundred feet in 1864.
The vein at this depth was large and well defined, showing an excellent quality
of quartz. The company in sinking this shaft took out sufficient money to pay
the expenses of erecting hoisting and pumping works, building the present
magnificent mill, all at an expense of over $60,000, besides giving numerous
handsome dividends to the three partners. From 1863 up to the sale of the mine,
in the fall of 1865, the Eureka continued to pay largely, but the figures we
have not been able to obtain. The vein runs in a southeasterly and northwesterly
direction, pitching west of south at an angle of about seventy-eight degrees,
the upper wall being syenite, the lower wall greenstone. The lowest level
reached, which is now being worked, is at a perpendicular depth of four hundred
and twenty feet, on which drifts have been run from the foot of the shaft about
three hundred feet, one hundred and fifty feet each way, showing a vein
averaging three feet in width and yielding rock which averages $48 per ton. The
Eureka sulphurets, which are among the richest in Nevada county, are saved by
the company, and are worked by Mr. Deetken, for the owners, who uses the
Plattner, or as it is more generally called, the chlorination process. The
sulphurets are divided into three grades or classes, being numbered 1, 2 and 3;
No. 1 paying at the rate of $400 per ton, No. 2, $300, and No. 3, $214. The
sulphurets are worked to within five per cent, of fire assay. Since the present
owners purchased the Eureka, in the fall of 1865, as already stated, when they
paid $400,000 in gold coin of the United States for it, to Fricot & Co., new
machinery has been added, the working greatly increased, and an immense amount
of first-class ore has been taken out. The gross yield of the mine for 1866
amounted to $596,053, the dividends during the same period being at the rate of
$30,000 per month, or $360,000 for the year. With sulphurets on hand unworked
and with expenditures for machinery and improvements about the mine, the figures
show actual dividends paid by the Eureka in 1866 amounting to $432,000, or
$32,000 over the purchase money. A one-fortieth interest sold in 1868 for
$17,560. The mill has crushed on an average one thousand tons of quartz per
month during the present year, and the monthly dividends have averaged $30,000.
The monthly expenses of running the Eureka, not including repairs of machinery,
etc., are $18,000. Working at the present time about one hundred and sixty men.
A new incline shaft was recently commenced, which will be completed during the
present season, and which will greatly facilitate the working of this
extraordinary mine. The shaft is being raised from the three hundred foot level,
and is being sunk from the surface at the same time. There are eighteen hundred
feet in the claims. The owners of the Eureka, the best gold mine we have heard
of in modern times, are J. B. Dickinson, Thomas Hope and Benjamin Silliman, of
New York, Edwin Hull, W. II. V. Cronise, John C. Winans, Hilton Bulkley, James
Freeborn, A. J. Pope, Robert F. Morrow, N. J. Hall, George W. Beaver, L. S.
Adams, and Francis Berton, of San Francisco, William Watt, Robert Watt, J.
Fricot, A. Pralus and S. Ripert, of Grass Valley.

  The Idaho Company's claims, consisting of thirty-one hundred feet on the vein,
begin at the east line of the Eureka, on the left bank of Wolf creek. At the
west line of the Idaho the lode crosses the creek and rims into a spur of the
ridge dividing Little and Middle Wolf creeks, and thence into the main ridge.
The lode has been distinctly traced for about one thousand feet, and can
afterward only be traced by the country formation. Located in 1863. A law suit
prevented the development of the mine for more than a year. Late in the fall of
1864 the company commenced sinking a shaft on the creek, near the line of the
Eureka, and developed a large vein of quartz, twenty inches in thickness, which
increased as depth was attained. This was merely a prospect shaft. Under the
superintendency of Edward Coleman the plant for the permanent shaft and
machinery were made on the south side of the creek thirty feet above vertically
south from the croppings. This shaft was sunk to a perpendicular depth of almost
one hundred and thirty feet, and a level was run almost twenty feet toward the
lode, which has not yet been struck. The company stopped work when winter set
in, but will resume operations this season. They will undoubtedly find a large
vein, as the croppings immediately opposite the shaft are two feet in width,
showing free gold. The Idaho is owned by Thomas Findley, M. P. O'Conner, Edward
Coleman, Wm. Young, Capt. L. W. Coe, and others.

  The Maryland claims begin at the east line of the Idaho, running two thousand
feet on the lode. A chimney of the Eureka appears on these claims, at which
point the company have sunk a shaft forty-five feet deep, and have also made
surface excavations. The lode in the Maryland claims only crops out for about
two hundred feet, and then disappears. Owned by E. A. Fisher, E. W. Maslin and
S. P. Dorsey.

  Beyond the Maryland, on the line of the Eureka, is the Grass Valley
Consolidated Company's mine, more generally known as the O'Connor, a history of
which will be found under the head of "Union Hill."

  One feature of the Eureka vein is the directness of its course, never varying,
so that aside from the formation of the country indicating its course, it may be
traced by compass.

  On the west of the Eureka are the Roannaise claims, embracing two thousand
feet on the lode, commencing at a large out-crop on the fiat west of the Eureka
Hill, at the west line of the Eureka claim. The lode maintains its size. An
eighty foot shaft sunk, but no rock crushed. Quartz highly charged with
sulphurets. Sold by Fricot, Ripert and the Pralus brothers to a New York
company, about one year ago, for $25,000. No machinery erected yet. The
conformation of the country is such, after the Roannaise croppings disappear, as
to prevent the lode from being traced distinctly.

  The Coe Company, the Pendleton and the Moss companies, each having a large
ledge on their claims, are supposed to be on the line of the Eureka lode.

  North of the Eureka lie the Hayward or Richardson lode, the Golden Rule,
Golden Gate, Alabama, Baltimore, Last Chance, Mobile, and other quartz veins.

Massachusetts Hill.

  That the distant reader, unfamiliar with the magnitude of our early mining
enterprises may understand, if possible, the amount of labor expended, the weary
years consumed in opening, developing and carrying out to a successful
termination the working of a large quartz mine, we reproduce, with a few
alterations, the history of the Massachusetts Hill, or as it is commonly known,
the Watt mine, which appeared in the Directory of Grass Valley Township for
1865. The Massachusetts Hill having been a representative mine, and having
yielded, up to the time Watt, O'Keefe & Co. worked out the vein to their square
boundary lines, a little more than one year ago, three million dollars, and its
general history being the history, save in minor details, of other first-class
quartz mines in this township, we give it without further excuse or explanation:

  The hill lies about three-fourths of a mile southwest of Grass Valley. The
first quartz discovery on Massachusetts Hill was made early in January, 1850, a
short time after the first quart discovery on Gold Hill. Massachusetts Hill was
named by William Chollar, who figured extensively in its early history. M. E.
Baxter was the first Recorder, and the name of Wm. Chollar is the first on the
records of Massachusetts Hill. The first records of the hill bear the date of
January 13th, 1851, from which we quote:

  The lot shall be staked off with one stake at each corner, and the fifth one
in or near the center, with the number and name of owner, and said lot shall be
recorded when taken tip; and if sold, shall be transferred to the purchaser, and
if any lot or lots are not worked by May 1st, 1851, they shall be considered
forfeited.

  These formed all the laws of Massachusetts Hill which existed up to April 23d,
1851, when at another miners' meeting the laws were revised and these amendments
added:

  Voted—-That all new claims located may be one hundred square feet, not to
interfere with present claims.

  Voted—That all old claims be recorded by the 10th of May, or be forfeited.

  At another meeting the laws were more fully elaborated, and in the revised
code the claims were laid out thirty by forty feet; and till April 13th, 1851,
no alteration was made. The laws enacted on April 13th, 1851, allowing each
claimant or claimants one hundred square feet to the claim, remained unchanged
till the general district laws were passed in 1852, at which latter period
claims were authorized to be one hundred feet on the ledge, with all the dips
and angles.

  In the winter of 1850 the first quartz mill was erected by two Germans. It was
a small, rude affair, run by water power, and stood near the site now occupied
by the Lady Franklin mill, in Boston Ravine. It scarcely saved gold from
specimens, and was, of course, soon abandoned. The next mill, a decided
improvement on its predecessor, was built by Bacon and others, and stood where
the Sebastopol mill now stands. Considerable gold was saved, but not enough to
satisfy the too sanguine hopes of the quartz miners. Bacon's mill crushed custom
rock, charging at the rate of twenty dollars per ton.

  Massachusetts Hill was worked at an early day to the water level, by several
parties. Delano & Co., who were extensively interested on the hill, sold out in
1851 to Dr. J. C. Delavan, an agent of a New York company, known as the Rocky
Bar, this company supplanting the Sierra Nevada Company. Delavan, as agent of
the new company, erected a small mill on Wolf Creek, at the base of
Massachusetts Hill. This mill was a system of wheels running in a circular box,
crushing the rock on the principle of an old-fashioned bark mill. It proved a
failure. Dr. Delavan was succeeded as superintendent by a Mr. Whitney, totally
inexperienced in milling and mining matters. He was soon succeeded by Mr.
Seyton, who opened the mine and took out a large quantity of gold. Michael
Brennan, whose tragic history we give below, succeeded Seyton as superintendent
in 1856. In June, 1855, the Company took out a large quantity of ore which
averaged seventy dollars to the ton. The name was changed to Mount Hope Company,
an incorporated concern-Brennan, a member of the original company, having been
sent out from New York as superintendent. In sinking on a stringer, he took out
enough gold to pay the stockholders a dividend of one per cent, on a million
dollars. Elated with his success, he built the Rocky Bar mill, put on expensive
mining machinery, and sunk the celebrated Brennan shaft, which last piece of
work cost over thirty thousand dollars. Brennan worked the stringer down to a
depth of about two hundred and sixty feet, finding it, on the whole, a very
unprofitable job. In addition to the investments made on Massachusetts Hill, he
had erected machinery on New York and Cincinnati Hills, both of which
enterprises proved failures. He had borrowed large sums of money from Andre
Chavanne, giving Mr. C. a mortgage on the property. At last, driven to
desperation by a combination of business reverses, and in a morbidly insane
mood, he committed the crime of murder and suicide. On Sunday, February 21,
1858, Brennan, his wife and three children—embracing the entire family—were
found dead at the family residence. The corpse of the murderer and suicide,
Brennan, lay on the floor of his parlor, that of his wife on a sofa in the same
room, while the three lifeless children were in adjacent rooms. Prussic acid,
which Brennan had procured in San Francisco and Sacramento, had been the agency
in this wholsale life destruction. By Brennan's side was found a loaded pistol,
cocked, with which, it is reasonable to suppose, he either intended to take his
life in case he failed with the poison, or designed using should any parties
detect him in his fiendish act and attempt the frustration of his horrible
scheme. He left a letter explaining the cause of his terrible act, complaining
of his bad luck, asserting that he could not bear the thought of leaving his
wife and children to buffet disgrace and poverty, also expressing regret that he
was unable to take his mother and a sister in Europe, who were dependent upon
him for a maintenance, with him on his long journey. Brennan, who was an
Irishman by birth, was a man of extensive erudition, and for several years was
connected editorially with the press of New York City, officiating at one time
as phonographic reporter for the New York Herald.

  In December, 1857, Chavanne, who had purchased a judgment against the Rocky
Bar Company, came in possession of the property — about two months before
Bren-nan's death. After Brennan's demise, Chavanne worked the mine unprofitably
until April, 1858, when the Massachusetts Hill Company leased the pumping and
hoisting machinery which had been used by Brennan on the Pratt shaft. This
company, consisting of William and Robert Watt, Joseph O'Keefe and the late John
Judd, commenced work in the latter part of 1855, under a lease from Joseph
Woodworth. In November, 1853, the company purchased Mr. Woodworth's interest on
Massachusetts Hill for $20,000. They had struck the ledge in April, 1856, and
had had their mine drained by the Mount Hope Company, tinder contract from
Brennan, paying for drainage at the rate of one dollar and one-half per ton of
quartz from the time of striking the ledge to leasing the machinery from
Chavanne. Their levels being worked out, and the machinery proving incompetent
to do the required work at a greater depth, operations were suspended in this
portion of the mine in September, 1858. The company then commenced operations in
the northern portion of their ground, on Boston Ravine Flat, sinking a shaft,
and pumping the mine by horse power. Worked successfully here till May, 1859.
This year the company leased the Brennan shaft from Chavanne, and commenced the
expensive work of connecting their mine with the shaft, consigning nine months
in running tunnels, opening up new levels, and putting on machinery — completing
this extensive job in February, 1860. During the remainder of this year, and up
to January, 1862, when the mine became flooded, an average force of one hundred
and sixty men was daily employed. While negotiations were pending for a renewal
of the Chavanne lease, and while preparations were being made to erect large
pumping machinery, the Mount Hope Company, of New York, brought suit against
Chavanne for possession of the Rocky Bar mine and mill. This proved for a time a
severe blow to the interests of Grass Valley, as work was suspended by the
Massachusetts Hill Company, and a large force of laborers was thus thrown out of
employment. Owing to the tardiness of litigation, the Massachusetts Hill Company
remained comparatively idle till June. 1863, when (Chavanne having beaten the
Mount Hope Company,) the lease was renewed, and preparations were at once made
for erecting machinery at a cost of $30,000. In November, 1863, the
Massachusetts Hill Company commenced taking out ore, and worked almost
constantly up to 1865.

  In April, 1864, the Massachusetts Hill Company struck the ledge in the bottom
of the Brennan shaft, at a point but a few feet from where Brennan had
hopelessly abandoned work.

  The lowest perpendicular depth attained in the Massachusetts Hill Company's
mine has been about three hundred feet. An idea of the immensity of the work
performed in this wonderful mine may be found in the fact that the company have
run over two miles of tunnels. Since November, 1863, about one thousand tons of
ore on an average were extracted monthly from this mine, three hoisting engines
being employed a portion of the time, while two were constantly at work. The
ledge, like all master mineral veins, varied in size, pitch, and quality of
quartz, yielding enormously at times, and again not paying the expense of
extracting the ore. Taken as an entirety, however, the ledge proved itself one
of the best in this State. The expenses of this mine, since November, 1863,
averaged one thousand dollars per day. The ground was taken up in square claims,
and not, as now, with the dips, angles and variations of the ledge.

  After the ledge was struck in the Brennan shaft, which we have already
mentioned, the Rocky Bar Company commenced to work their mine thoroughly,
continuing the work until a few months since. During the past two years between
5,000 and 6,000 tons of rock have been taken from this mine, a large quantity of
which was first-class ore. The Rocky Bar Company own sis hundred by three
hundred feet on the lode, the mine being under the management of A. B. Brady.
The Rocky Bar, which is not being worked at the present writing, is owned by the
Chavanne Brothers, of Paris, Hentch & Berton. Abel Guy, John B. Felton, and
others, of San Francisco.

  The Stockbridge claims are on the east extension of the Massachusetts Hill
lode, embracing six hundred and sixty-three feet on the vein, including dips,
angles and variations. Located in August, 1860. The work of sinking a
perpendicular shaft commenced in November, 1864, is now down 242 feet, and will
have to be sunk about forty-five feet further before the ledge is struck. This
shaft, when completed, will cost upward of $25,000. The sinking of this shaft
was suspended when the company purchased the ground and hoisting works of the
Massachusetts Hill Company, about one year ago. Shortly after this, work was
commenced on an incline shaft, through which Watt & Co, worked, and the shaft
was continued to the lowest level of the Rocky Bar claims. After having made
arrangements with the last mentioned company for drainage, the incline shaft was
completed and a level was run in about fifty feet, when the stoppage of the
Rocky Bar Company's pump brought the labors of the Stockbridge Company to a
premature conclusion. The ore taken out in sinking the perpendicular shaft paid
at the rate of twenty-two dollars per ton. Owners of the Stockbridge are, Henry
Silvester, John Trenberth, M. Langstaff, W. H. Rodda, Henry Fuchs, L. B. Clark,
George Gephard, Robert Patterson, James James, and W. H. Mitchell.

  The Boston Ravine Company's claims, which are also on the Massachusetts Hill.
ledge, were located in March, 1864, by Dan. Collins and others. These claims,
which are in an excellent locality, embrace two thousand feet, taking in dips,
angles and variations. Not yet opened.

  The Discovery claims, recently located by Con. Reilly, are also on
Massachusetts Hill, and consist of ten square claims of one hundred feet each.
Bounded on the east by the Boston Ravine Company, on the west by the
Massachusetts Hill Company, and on the south by the Donald Davidson ground.

  The Ford and Reilly Company's claims, on the Massachusetts Hill ledge, bound
the Massachusetts Hill Company on the north, Scadden, Northey & Co. on the west,
and the Stockbridge on the south. On April 1st, 1864, the owners, having
determined to work their mine in a complete manner, commenced sinking a
perpendicular shaft, which was continued to a depth of one hundred and fifty
feet, where the vein was struck. It was worked on the Massachusetts Hill
Company's line for a distance of about one hundred and ninety feet, from which
six hundred tons of good quartz were extracted. The company have worked to a
point below Watt & Co.'s level. This mine is owned by Con. Reilly and Martin
Ford, of Grass Valley, and Patrick Riley, of San Francisco.

The Shanghae claims, on this hill, are in high favor, and during the past year
have paid several handsome dividends.

Boston Ravine Flat.

  This section lies between Massachusetts and Gold Hills, north of the former
and south of the latter, and about one-half mile south of Grass Valley proper.
The principal mine in this flat, which is a continuation of the Massachusetts
Hill lode, is generally known as the Scadden, being owned by Thomas and Henry
Scadden, John Treaberth, W. H. Ciift, and Edward Northey. Located, in square
claims, in 1852, by Conaway, Woodworth and others. The mine has been worked
extensively since 1857, during which time it has turned out immense sums of money.

  East of the Scadden mine are the Pratt claims, consisting originally of
thirteen claims of one hundred feet each, the owners subsequently purchasing
five hundred feet from the Dubuque Company. This mine has not been worked
extensively, as compared with other quartz mines in the vicinity, yet it has
paid well for the labor performed, showing a vein of excellent quartz wherever
it has been stripped. The Pratt ground is owned by Medcalf Pratt, William
Edmonds, and others.

  The Reiily claims adjoin the Pratt ground, and consist of six hundred feet on
the ledge. Not opened yet. Owners, Con. Reiily, Dr. G. G. Tyrrell and David Murray.

  West of the Reilly ground are the claims of Joseph Williams & Co.

New York Hill.

  This hill, two miles south of Grass Valley, is on the west side of Wolf Creek,
on the Massachusetts Hill range, and is one of the earliest quartz locations in
this district. The New York Hill Mining Company, whose claims embrace nearly the
entire hill, is the result of a consolidation of the Larimer, Wilde, Fricot and
Chrysopolis claims, giving to the company between three and four thousand feet
on the New York Hill ledge, including dips and angles. From the claims, since
1852, not less than $500,000 have been taken. The present company purchased the
ground about twenty months ago, and have been engaged ever since in pumping out
the mine, erecting hoisting and pumping works, sinking a new incline shaft, and
opening levels for future work. This shaft is now down to a depth of five
hundred and seventy-five feet, the average grade being thirty-three degrees, the
vertical depth being three hundred and ten feet. Dimensions of shaft, six by
twelve feet in the clear, giving a double track. The company have a twelve inch
pumping engine, a ten inch hoisting engine, a ten inch plunger-pump, and two
bucket pumps, one an eight and the other a six inch. The company are now opening
their third level, giving three sets of "backs" on each side of the shaft, and
will soon be in condition to take out five hundred loads of rock monthly. Over
thirteen hundred loads of quartz have already been taken out, yielding on an
average $45 per load. The New York Hill rock is rich in sulphurets, giving at
least three per cent., and the sulphurets ra,nge in value from $100 to $220 per
ton. The mine is now pretty well opened, is paying handsomely, and from the
extent of ground in the claims, together with the excellent facilities for
working, it is justly ranked among the first quartz mines of Grass Valley
township. Working at present about forty-five men. The owners are J. I. Sykes,
John Anderson, A. B. Brady, George Johnston, P. H. Ford, R. Leech, Donald
Fraser, H. Vignon, J. Vignon, L. MolRoguier, A. B. Dibble, and James K. Byrne,
of Grass Valley, and E. G. Waite, of Nevada. John Anderson, superintendent. 

  Between New York Hill and Massachusetts Hill is South Massachusetts, through
which, runs the Black ledge, the property of David Watt and others. On this mine
is extensive machinery, but the mine is not being worked at present. In sinking
an incline shaft on the Black ledge, excellent quartz was found, and from this
mine were taken some of the richest quartz specimens ever exhibited in this
district.

  Running in a southerly direction, a half or three-fourths of a mile from New
York Hill, and on the west side of Wolf creek, are a number of quartz veins,
none of which have been thoroughly developed, but the conformation of the
country is such that there can be little or no doubt that some of these ledges
will one day be extensively and profitably worked.

Wisconsin. Flat

  About three-fourths of a mile south of New York Hill, and lying between the
latter and Wisconsin Hill, west side of Wolf creek, is Wisconsin Flat, in which
is the celebrated Wisconsin ledge, located in 1854 by Joseph Davison, who gave
it its name. Soon after the location the Wisconsin mine was purchased by Con.
Reilly. In 1850, Mr. Reilly, Joseph Woodworth and three others erected a
nine-stamp quartz mill, a pump and hoisting machinery on the ground, which cost
$11,000. The same year a perpendicular shaft was sunk to the depth of sixty
feet, and a drift was run for the ledge, from which seven hundred tons of quartz
were taken out, yielding the splendid average of sixty-eight dollars per ton. In
1857, the shaft was continued to a depth of one hundred and ten feet, the
expense of sinking a portion of it being as high as one hundred dollars per
foot. The ledge was again found in the bottom of this shaft, and three hundred
tons of quartz were extracted at this point. The following year work was
temporarily abandoned on the Wisconsin. The mine became entangled in the meshes
of litigation, and E. McLaughlin, George A. Montgomery and William
Loutzenheiser, who had bought a judgment against it from one Woodville, came in
possession of the Wisconsin in 1856. It was leased the same year to T. W.
Campbell, of the Lone Jack, who, owing to the vast quantities of quicksand and
water with which he had to contend, gave up the contract. For several years the
Wisconsin, like other good quartz mines in this vicinity, was left comparatively
unworked, the owners performing only sufficient labor on it to hold the mine
under the quartz laws of Nevada county. Last year (1868) it was sold to Charles
Leech, Nathan & Hoffman, Wm. Launder, George B. McKee, and Robert Smith, of
Grass Valley, Col. Geo. A. Montgomery, now of Canada, retaining an interest in
it. A one-eighth interest was sold in the Wisconsin, about eight months ago, for
$10,000 cash. The owners have erected hoisting and pumping machinery, in the
present year, at an expense of about $9,000. The mine was recently leased to a
party of twelve experienced miners, for a term of three years, the lessees doing
all the work, defraying all the expenses of mining and reducing the quartz, and
giving the owners forty per cent, of the nett proceeds of the mine. The
contractors have sank an inclined shaft to a depth of two hundred and
twenty-five feet to the lowest level, drifting three hundred feet on the lode,
from which they are now taking out rock which averages $100 per ton. The vein in
this level is eighteen inches in width on an average, and the ore is
first-class. The ledge has given an average yield of $45 per ton since the mine
was first opened. The company own thirty-four hundred feet on the lode. In the
last twelve months, the books of the company show that 1,400 tons of ore have
been taken from the mine and worked, the different crushings ranging from $18 50
to $76 25 a ton, the average being $51. The sulphurets were sold at the mill,
where the rock was crushed, at $90 a ton.

Missouri Hill

  A short distance above Allison Ranch is Missouri Hill, the principal mine of
which is the Hartery, consisting of nine hundred feet on the lode. Located in
1853 by Thomas Hartery and others. The mine was worked to a perpendicular depth
of one hundred feet along the entire length of the ledge, paying well and
regularly. Hartery purchased the interests of his partners, erected a mill, at
an expense of $30,000, in 1857, put on extensive hoisting and pumping machinery,
and by thus involving himself, and through general mismanagement of the
business, he failed in 1858. William Loutzenheiser and Edward McLaughlin, of
Grass Valley, who were among Hartery's creditors, attached the property soon
after the failure. The mine was subsequently leased to George Lord & Co., who
found the pump insufficient to drain the mine, upon which discovery the pumping
project was abandoned. The contractors next commenced running a drain tunnel,
which they abandoned, and which was completed by Messrs. Loutzenheiser &
McLaughlin to a length of seventeen hundred feet. The Hartery mill was destroyed
by incendiaries in August, 1860. Over $200,000 was taken from the mine previous
to Hartery's failure. In 1865 McLaughlin and Loutzenheiser commenced working the
Hartery on an extensive scale, and in that and the following year they erected a
quartz mill and pumping and hoisting works, at an expense of about $15,000. In
November, 1865, Loutzenheiser sold a one-fourth interest in the Hartery to
Joseph O'Keefe, for $15,000, the former retaining a one-fourth interest. During
the years 1865-6 the company reached a perpendicular depth on the lode of one
hundred and forty-seven feet, drifting from their incline about four hundred
feet. The rock was found to be unusually hard, very heavy expenses attending the
taking out of quartz, and the company suspended operations last fall. The
Hartery is now owned by Edward McLaughlin, William Loutzenheiser and Joseph
O'Keefe.

  In the neighborhood of the Hartery are the Wigwam, Potosi, Omaha, Homeward
Bound, and John Doran & Co.'s claims.

Lafayette Hill.

  About two miles below Grass Valley, in a southerly direction, lies Lafayette
Hill, through which runs the lode of the North Star Company, on which are
erected very extensive mining and milling works. A history of this wonderful
mine, which is certainly a first-class one, deserving to rank at least as the
second quartz mine in this district, will prove interesting to the readers of
this work, for which reason we re-produce a few facts concerning its earlier
history, which have already-appeared in print, as well as giving a few new
particulars kindly furnished us by the superintendent of the works. The lode was
discovered in 1851 by a party of Frenchmen, H. Pellatier, now of Grass Valley,
being of the number, and was early known as the French Lead. The vein was
remuneratively worked by these parties until the fall of 1852, when
six-elevenths of it were purchased by Messrs. Conaway & Preston, who at that
time owned a twenty-four stamp mill on Boston Ravine Flat, .which had been
erected in the fall of 1851. In the fall of 1852, immediately after the
purchase, Conaway & Preston formed a joint stock company of the concern, under
the name of the "Helvetia and Lafayette Mining Company." Into this company all
of the shares in said mine, as well as the mill of Conaway & Preston, together
with several of their claims on Gold and Massachusetts Hill, passed. The mine
was worked by this Company from 1852 to September, 1857, in which latter year,
owing to heavy expenditures, the company became deeply involved, their property
passing out of their hands by Sheriff's sale, E. McLaughlin, of this place,
being the purchaser. From 1853 to 1857, as we have been informed by one of the
early owners of the mine, the yield was about $250,000. In February, 1860, the
mine was purchased from Mr. McLaughlin by J. C. and Edward Coleman, J. C.
Pascoe, and others, representing twenty shares, for $15,000. At the same time
the name was changed to the North Star Company. Since 1860 up to the present
time, embracing a period of nearly seven years, the North Star mine has been
extensively worked, has had large sums of money expended in developing it, and
has paid its owners large dividends. An inclined shaft, through which the
greater part of the work has been done, has been sunk to a depth of seven
hundred and fifty feet, giving a vertical depth, on the lode of about three
hundred feet; a drain tunnel, commenced in 1862 and finished in 1864, running a
distance of twenty-five hundred feet, was completed at a cost of $15,000; and to
increase the working facilities of the mine a perpendicular shaft is now being
sunk at a distance of five hundred feet from the incline, to strike the ledge,
which will reach the vein at a distance of about one hundred and forty feet from
the surface. This shaft will be completed in a very short time, and will enable
the company to increase their force of miners about twenty. On the mine is a
magnificent sixteen-stamp mill, now running twelve stamps, but which will run to
its full capacity on the completion of the vertical shaft; besides which there
are several engines, one sixty-horse power, for pumping, one ten-horse power,
for hoisting, one twelve-horse power for hoisting and pumping, and a twenty-five
horse power engine, erected recently, for hoisting at the new shaft. [To the
credit of the owners of this mine be it said that all their machinery was
furnished by Grass Valley foundries.] The machinery and works erected during
last and the present year cost about $25,000. The lode runs in what our miners
call greenstone, pitching at an angle of about twenty-seven degrees, the vein
varying in width from one foot to six feet, showing an average width of about
two feet. The North Star Company, for over six years, crushed at the rate of one
hundred tons of quartz per week, using their old mill, but since the completion
of the new mill, in August last, the average weekly crushings have been one
hundred and fifty tons, or six hundred tons per month. The company own
twenty-one hundred feet on the lode, with the angles and variations, besides one
hundred claims on Weimar Hill, south of and adjoining Lafayette Hill; and they
have sixteen hundred feet east of the new shaft, on the lode, nearly all of
which is new ground. Now working five levels, and in the fifth or present lowest
level, which, as already stated, is down three hundred feet perpendicularly, a
drift has been run one hundred and fifty feet in an easterly direction from the
inclined shaft. It is estimated that fully 30,000 tons of ore remain untouched
in the reserves or backs, opened by means of drifts from the main shaft. For the
five years preceeding January last the nett profit of the mine was over
$500,000. The gross product for the last five months of 1866 exceeded $100,000,
the yield for December of the same year being $26,000. The mine is now yielding
a monthly average of $24,000, the expenses being $12,000 a month, showing a
monthly profit of $12,000. About one hundred and fifty men are employed about
the mill and mine. The sulphurets are saved by rockers and sold by the North
Star Company to sulphuret workers at from $80 to $120 per ton. Following is a
list of the owners of this most excellent mine: J. C. and Edward Coleman, Wm. H.
Rodda, Josiah Rodda, John Rodda, Richard Kitto, William Hoskin, James Hoskin,
and Thomas Harper. Edward Coleman is general superintendent of the North Star
Company, and Wm. Hoskin has charge of the underground department of the mine.

  Other mines in this vicinity will be found mentioned elsewhere.

Allison Ranch.

  About two miles and one-half south of Grass Valley, on Wolf creek, is the
village of Allison Ranch, noted the world over for having one of the richest
quartz mines yet discovered. The village itself, for which we now have room only
for a passing notice, contains two stores, one meat market, two boot and shoe
making establishments, three or four saloons, the works of the Allison Ranch
Mining Company, and an excellent public school. The business of the village is
supported, or rather has been supported in the past, by the laboring force of
the mine. The mine itself is at present under a cloud, and owing to questionable
management, as well as a lack of harmony among the owners, work was suspended
early last fall, leaving the Ranch in a languishing condition. What policy the
present owners of the mine may pursue, we have no means of knowing, but it is
more than probable that under some management Allison Ranch will again resume
its place among the representative mines of this district; for a ledge from,
which millions of dollars have been extracted, which has been worked for years
with great profit, and which has never been lost even in the lowest depth
attained, must again prove rich and extensive unless every theory of geology is
incorrect, every practical principle of quartz mining at fault. We will give an
epitome of the history of the Allison Ranch mine from its discovery up to 1865,
together with a few later items of interest furnished us by Philip Gallwey, late
superintendent of the works:

  As early as 1852, John and William Daniel, and four others, who subsequently
returned to Missouri, worked in the creek adjoining the present town. In 1853,
in digging a tail-race, which was done by several of the present company, the
ledge was found, but no particular attention was paid to the discovery. In July,
1854, Michael Colbert and James Stanton bought into the creek claims. The ground
at this time was worked with "long toms" and paid well. During the same year,
while working toward the upper end of the claims, the ledge was again struck. At
this point, the ground was found exceedingly rich, but the owners, somewhat
inexperienced in quartz mining, failed to attribute this to its true cause, the
immediate vicinity of an extensive quartz ledge. One day in the fall of 1854,
two of the partners traced the ledge a short distance down, but on losing it
became discouraged, and all the company, excepting Colbert and Stanton, ceased
work for the day. These two, having again found the ledge, took out during the
day, from, the opening their partners had left, about a ton of quarts. An
extensive "cave" occurred during the night, covering the ledge as well as a
portion of the mass of rock thrown out. Work was now resumed on the creek, the
exhumed quartz remaining untouched, until exposed by the action of the fall and
winter rains, when, on examination, the rock was found studded with free gold.
This pile of quartz, together with fragments forked from, the toms, amounting to
about one and one-half tons, was crushed at Lee & Simpson's mill, about a mile
below Allison Ranch, and yielded about three hundred and seventy-five dollars.
Con. Reilly was employed to open the ledge, and at once erected a water-wheel
and sunk an inclined shaft, following the ledge, to a depth of eighteen feet, in
doing which, he demonstrated the correctness of his own views by taking out
enough gold to erect the present Allison Ranch quartz mill. In October, 1855, a
lot of rock, about eighteen tons, which was crushed at the Gold Hill mill,
yielded about $6,000; and in December of the same year, sixty-two tons produced
$23,000.

  From 1855 up to last year the mine proved wonderfully rich, during which time
large sums were expended in erecting machinery, sinking shafts, etc., the
owners, the meanwhile, receiving liberal dividends. The gross yield of Allison
Ranch from its opening to the close of 1866, as the books of the company
demonstrate, was between $2,300,000 and $2,400,000. The product for the three
years ending December 30, 1865, was $1,000,000, and in 1866 about $200,000. [It
should be borne in mind that only eight months work was performed in 1860, the
company virtually suspending operations in September last, and entirely
abandoning work early last winter.] The lowest depth reached on the incline is
four hundred and seventy-five feet, giving a vertical depth on the lode of three
hundred and forty feet. In this level the vein was drifted on a distance of four
hundred and thirty-four feet, northerly and southerly, two hundred and twenty
feet in a northerly direction, and two hundred and fourteen feet southerly. In
the south drift the vein showed an average width of fourteen inches, and in the
north drift eighteen inches. The ledge, which had been considerably broken up in
this level, in fact showing for a tune what appeared to be two veins, came
together in the bottom of the level. A portion of the quartz in this level
proved very rich, but the greater part was found barren, running the company in
debt. Assessments were required to defray the expenses of sinking for another
level, but such assessments came not, and a majority of the owners concluded to
suspend work, carrying their conclusion to an unfortunate end. The mine, as
already intimated, must at no distant day be re-opened. The owners of the
Allison Ranch property are Michael Colbert, William Daniel and John Fahey, of
Grass Valley, James Stanton, of San Francisco, and James O'Donahue and Chas.
Field, of Bangor, Maine.

  The first extension north of the Allison Eanch ledge (recorded as the Stanton
ledge,) was located on February 23d, 1855, by the Franklin Company, consisting
of twelve hundred feet. The mine was leased in 1860, by Orlando Jennings, who
soon afterward erected hoisting works and two pumps on it. An inclined shaft was
sunk to a depth of two hundred and thirty-four feet on what was then supposed to
be the ledge, but which, according to the opinion of experienced miners, was in
reality only a stringer. Work was continued until June 1st, 1882, from which
time to the present, the mine has been idle. The sum of $24,000 was taken from
the ledge, which amount fell greatly short of the expense of working the mine.

  The south extension of Allison Ranch (Stanton ledge) was located in 185S, by
George Wallace and others, who toot up eight hundred feet. Several prospecting
shafts have been sunk, the lowest perpendicular depth of any being about
seventy-five fest. The croppings of the ledge were struck in the bottom of the
deepest shaft, and about the same time, water was found, which caused a
temporary abandonment of work. A drain tunnel, commenced in 1861, from the west
bank of Wolf creek, has been run a distance of three hundred feet, and will be
continued during the present season two hundred and fifty or three hundred feet
further. The present proprietors are, George D. Roberts, Con. Reilly, David
Watt, Wm. Daniel, and Samuel Wittengenstein, the latter being an owner by
purchase. Not being worked.

  In Vail's Ranch is the Phosnix ledge, which runs parallel with the Allison
Ranch ledge, at a distance of about fifty rods. The Phoenix was located in 1861,
by P. Hennessy and others, claiming one thousand feet. Several crushings of the
Phoenix rock have been made, the lowest perpendicular depth from which ore has
been extracted being thirty-five feet, and the average yield has been
twenty-five dollars per ton. The owners of the Phoenix are, P. Hennessy, P.
Gallwey, John Colbert, Richard. Barry, John Fahey, and Thomas O'Rourke.

Norambagua Mine.

  This mine is situated at Forest Springs, one mile south from the celebrated
Allison Ranch mine, and three and a quarter miles from the town of Grass Valley.
The vein runs nearly north and south, and dips to the east at a very low angle—
from twelve to seventeen degrees. It is incorporated as the "Forest Springs
Quartz Mining and Lumber Company." This company now own 4.800 feet on the
Norambagua vein, and 3,000 feet on the Bourbon, a parallel lode, which lies a
little west of the Norambagua.

  The inclosing rock is a very large-jointed variety of green stone syenite,
which drills and breaks readily in mining—a very fortunate circumstance in the
economy of working. This rock is considerably decomposed at surface, but assumes
its true character below water level.

  The Norambagua vein has been extensively explored since 1855. It is a narrow
vein, being rarely over ten inches and averaging, perhaps, four or five inches.
It is composed of a blueish-white quartz, seamed and banded with arsenical and
white iron pyrites arranged, in parallel zones, producing a ribbon-like
structure. The gold is seen in delicate parcels interspersed in the mass,
requiring careful observation to detect it; but sometimes it is seen more
conspicuously, as a thin fibre wire cleaves in the vein. Its tenor of gold is
high, ranging from $40 to $100 to the ton. This vein is unlike the general
character of the Grass Valley veins, which, as a rule, are destitute of arsenic
and white iron pyrites. Similar ores are seen, however, in Osborne Hill.

  The Norambagua vein has been opened by an incline shaft, sunk to a depth of
five hundred and sixty-seven feet (to the fifth level) and is now going down,
but the extremely low angle of easterly dip (12° to 17°) gives only about one
hundred and fifty feet of vertical hight over the level named. The levels have
heen extended about one thousand feet south and five hundred feet north of the
incline, or in all, fully one thousand and five hundred feet on the horizon of
the main tunnel. The lower level was, in March, 1867, about two hundred and
thirty feet north and two hundred and twenty feet south of the incline. The
ores, especially on the south, were remarkably rich, yielding in mill over $70
per ton, and assaying very much more.

  The drain tunnel, which connects with the vein at four hundred and ninety feet
from its croppings, was opened through on the 7th of March, 1867, eleven hundred
feet in length, and four hundred and sixty feet north of the incline, having
been in process of driving for four years, or since 1882, and at a cost of over
$40,000. This is an important work, offering an exit for all the ores in nearly
five hundred feet of backs, and a passage for the waters above and below this
level, thus reducing the task of the pump to hoisting from the lower levels to
the drain level. From this level the ores can be delivered by gravity to the
proposed new mill site.

  The mine is furnished with a new 60-horse power hoisting and pumping engine.
The ore is hoisted tip the incline on a tram way by wire ropes. Most of the dead
rock broken in taking up the vein is used to fill up the old stopes, thus saving
the use of timber. The levels of this mine are walled up in solid stone in the
most substantial and workman-like manner. The cost of mining and milling the ore
is about $30 per ton. The reserves of ore appear to be very great in the
Norambagua. The vein has exhibited remarkable constancy in its general
characteristics-and gold tenor, but is said to have grown richer to the south in
descending. The mine has been worked in former years in a very unsystematic and
temporizing manner, exhausting all the available ores and then pausing for some
months while the incline was sunk and new levels were driven. A short time since
the property changed hands, and now, under the energetic management of Mr. W. H.
Rodda, formerly superintendent of the North Star, the incline is being
vigorously sunk, the drain level has been opened through, and the levels are
being extended "both ways to explore new ground.

  The Bourbon lode, which is some five hundred feet in front (west) of the
Norambagua vein, has remained, until lately, quite unexplored, except that from
a shaft sunk upon it for a short distance, the ore was found of a promising
character. Recently, work has been commenced on the Bourbon by tribute, the
miners furnishing their own supplies and dividing the product with the owners.
This is evidence that the miners entertain a favorable opinion of the value of
the ledge, or they would not risk their labor and expenses on it.

  The Norambagua ores are reduced at the mill belonging to the Forest Springs
Company, situated on Wolf creek, near the mine, and driven by a water wheel of
twenty-eight feet diameter and four feet breast. This mill was built in 1851,
has ten stamps, in two batteries, square heads and wooden stems. Amalgamation.
in battery is used, with copper plates and concentration of the tailings on
Bradford's vanning tables or concentrators; also with Norton's pans, to grind
the sulphurets. The copper pans of these machines are found to act well in
saving floating mercury and amalgam, as well as in effecting a satisfactory
concentration of the sulphurets. It is surprising that they do so good word, for
they are charged far beyond the capacity for which they were designed, are very
poorly attended, and by neglect have become much worn and disarranged. It is a
machine which, with good management, is capable of doing excellent work.
Although this mill is one of the most venerable in California, it has lately
been repaired and its performance in treating gold seems more satisfactory than
its rude exterior would indicate. The pile of tailings collected near the mill,
carefully averaged yielded only about $7 per ton in gold. The concentrated
sulphurets are worth about $50 per ton. The amount of sulphurets in the
Noramhagua ores is considerable, probably as much as three per cent. The
capacity of this -mill for treatment is about fifteen tons per day. It is run on
custom work when not fully occupied on Norambagua ores. Now that the Norambagua
mine is opened by its drain tunnel, and has also ample hoisting power, it will
be the policy of the company to mine ores to the full capacity of the mill. A
new mill site has been selected and a new mill is talked of.

  The product of the Norambagua mine from September, 1864, to the same month in
1865, was $80,643. About four months of the year very little ore was crushed;
eight men on a shift being all the force employed in taking out ore. It is the
policy of the present owners to develop the mine in such a way as to have the
explorations well in advance of the work of extraction, and at the same time to
bring their mill up to its full capacity.

  Not one-fourth part of the ore-ground owned by the company on the Norambagua
has been prospected, and the Bourbon ledge is as yet hardly opened, and yet the
work of exploration on the former mine has been in progress for about twelve
years. There is hence good reason to believe that this fine property will soon
be productive, more productive than ever before. The advantage possessed by this
mine in respect to drainage and the amount of ore available within a moderate
depth, will be understood when it is remembered that (if the mean dip of 15° is
preserved) before a vertical depth of five hundred feet under the drain tunnel
is reached the incline shaft must be sunk over twenty-one hundred feet from the
mouth of the shaft, measured on the slope. We find in this peculiarity as well
as in the high tenor of gold, a compensation for the small thickness of the
vein, which, it should be added, has all the characteristics of a true fissure
veia, likely to continue unchanged in depth.

  The Shamrock ledge runs parallel with the Norambagua, being southeast of the
latter about twelve hundred feet; located in 1860. Two thousand feet in claim.
Vertical depth reached on vein, about thirty feet, and the ledge worked at
various points for an entire distance of thirteen hundred feet. About seven
hundred tons of quartz have been extracted, paying from $14 to $50 per ton;
average pay, $26 per ton. Ledge averages about ten inches in width. Owned by
John Tierney, James Harrigan, Patrick Reilly, Patrick Hayes, and Anthony Copeland.

  The Perrin ledge, owned by Joseph Perrin and B. F. Colvin, runs parallel with
the Shamrock, and is now being profitably worked. Water wheel used for pumping
and hoisting purposes.

  The General Grant, same course as Shamrock, is a narrow vein, but is rich in
gold. Last crushing, a few weeks since, showed an average yield of $50 per ton.
Owned by George Little, James Harrigan; and others.

Gold Hill Mine.

This mine is on the hill after which it is named, and the claim calls for one
thousand feet upon the vein. This mine has been celebrated for the large amount
of gold which at various times since 1850 it has returned. It has had more than
its share of the vicissitudes attending gold mining, but its history has not
been recorded. At times the quartz has been knit together with gold which seemed
to be distributed in this portion of the Massachusetts Hill vein in pockets.
Those best able to know assert that there is a continuous communication in
quartz between, the workings on Massachusetts Hill and Gold Hill, leaving,
apparently, no doubt of the identity of the vein. Mr. Attwood, who worked the
Gold Hill mine for a length of time, informed the writer that at times the
quartz was completely barren or contained less gold than would return the costs
of mining in one thousand tons, which, without any assignable reason, would
again yield an almost fabulous product. Vast sums in "specimens" are known to
have been stolen by the miners during the run of these bonanzas, in spite of all
vigilance. It was this mine that supplied the quartz for the so-called Gold Hill
mill, memorable and venerable among the quartz mills of California. It is a
popular belief that Gold Hill, during the fourteen years of its history prior to
1865, had returned not less than four millions of dollars in gold bullion. From
September, 1865, until September, 1866, this mine was idle. Since then
explorations have been resumed with good unvarying result. This mine is explored
by an incline shaft, which descends south 86 1/2° E (magnetic) to a depth, on
the slope, of three hundred feet. For the first one hundred and forty feet this
shaft dips at an angle of forty-fire degrees, until it strikes the vein, which
it follows for one hundred and sixty feet more at an average dip of twenty-eight
degrees. There is an adit or drain tunnel at the depth of ninety feet from the
mouth of the shaft. The former explorations of this mine appear to have been
extremely unsystematic and irregular, producing the impression to an experienced
eye that the ups and downs which have attended it may be, in part at least,
chargeable to want of skill and good judgment on the part of those who worked
it. The older workings above two hundred and twenty-four feet are mostly filled
up or inaccessible, and no trustworthy tradition of them are preserved.

  At two hundred and twenty-four feet depth on the incline is a drift running
northerly one hundred and fifty-nine feet from the shaft; at two hundred and
thirty-five feet depth is another drift running south three hundred and
seventy-seven feet from the shaft; and at two hundred and eighty-seven feet is
another, south eighty-six and a half feet, and north fifty-nine feet. Course of
the vein and ore very crooked. In the two hundred and twenty-four feet drift
north the vein is irregular, all the drifts below varying in size from a mere
stringer at points near the shaft to six feet at one hundred and eight feet from
it—but split into two parts with a mass of bedrock between—making an average of
about two and a half feet of quartz. Over this drift it is believed the ground
is mostly unbroken to the surface north of one hundred and eight feet from the
shaft. The end of this drift is pretty wet. The two hundred and eighty-seven
feet drift north shows stringers of quartz having bodies at times of
considerable extent, and averaging about fifteen inches, the walls of the vein
being from five to eight feet apart. No stoping has been done in this drift,
which is very wet. South on the same drift, passing a block of twenty-five feet
of ground from the shaft, believed to be of no value. The vein curves in
irregular, mixed with perhapes eighteen inches of quartz, and some stoping has
been done, averaging twenty inches from the bottom of the vein. About twelve
feet from the end of this drift, or two hundred and seventy-five feet from the
shaft, there is a fault, called by the miners, a "cross course," beyond which
there is no vein matter, so far as explored, the hanging wall of the vein having
dropped on the foot wall, which retains its position. This fault is nearly
northwest and southeast, and dips steeply at about seventy degress. It contains
no ore, being a mere seam, and the end of the drift is dry.

  The vein in the two hundred and thirty-five feet level south shows some good
stoping ground, and the vein varies from two to three feet in thickness, being,
in some places, as much as four and a half feet thick and very highly
impregnated with sulphurets—as is also the hanging wall for a considerable
distance over the vein. The vein carries in its wider portions a good deal of
rock but is there also more highly sulphuretted.

  The tenor of gold in the vein at present is not very high, averaging about
$15. The books show that 2,887 tons of ore, crushed from September, 1862, to
March, 1867, gave an average yield of $13 05 per ton, the yield from the
individual crushings varying greatly.

  This mine is furnished with .an engine, rated at 100-horse power, for pumping,
and a hoisting engine rated at 25-horse power; both supplied from the same
boiler at a consumption of about three and a half cords of wood in twenty-four
hours. The pump is eight inch to the adit level, above that point to surface it
is ten inches.

  The strength of the Gold Hill vein and its well known richness in former
times, encourage explorations in depth and extent, with the reasonable
expectation that the mine will at an early day resume its place as a dividend
paying mine. There are now reserves standing in the stopes of about eight
hundred tens of ore, and it is reputed that a considerable amount of good ore
remains available also in the upper workings, which may swell the reserves to
one thousand or twelve hundred tons. Meanwhile the incline is being sunk under
the present management.

Union Hill.

  This hill is two miles east of Grass Valley, and is separated from Howard
Hill, with which it is parallel, by Middle Wolf creek. The Hill was made a
matter of record January 30, 1851. The first and chief location on the eastern
end of Union Hill ledge, was made by Dr. McMurtry, David Brooks, G. W. Woodward,
and others, who afterward purchased several other claims. The company erected a
Mexican arastra mill, and took out enough rock to defray all expenses. The mine
was badly managed, as nearly all other mines were at that time. With heavy
expenses and no experience in quartz mining, the company became involved.
Judgments were obtained, executions were issued, and the mine was sold on April
6th, 1854, to Dr. Wm. McCormick, H. Hannah, and others. But little work was done
on the mine beyond enough to hold it under the mining laws. Dr. McCormick, in
1865, became sole owner, selling interests the same year to Geo. D. Roberts,
Thomas Findley and John Gashwilder, who are now the owners of the property. The
latter part of 1865 the company put up hoisting and pumping works, and in the
winter of 1866 sunk an inclined shaft one hundred and ten feet, and during the
summer run drifts at that depth about seven hundred feet, two hundred feet west
and five hundred feet east, the lode varying in width from one to sis feet,
averaging about two and one-half feet in width, the rock paying from $12 to $80
per ton by mill process. In June and July of the same year the company built a
twenty-stamp mill, which was kept running during the day time, from August 1st,
the mine not being sufficiently opened to run the mill day and night. In
September last they started the incline and sunk eighty feet deeper, and the
tunnels were run on the lode east and west about one hundred and fifty feet each
way, the rock being richer and the ledge wider—averaging nearly three feet. The
company, at this time, were making preparations to run the mill day and night.
When the severe winter set in they were obliged, on account of water and some of
the machinery giving way, to temporarily abandon the mine about February 1st,
1867, until spring. They have now resumed operations at the mine and will run a
drain tunnel, connecting with the upper level, which will take off all surface
water and save the mine from being filled with water another winter. The average
pitch of the ledge, which runs in slate, is at an angle of fifty degrees. The
lowest perpendicular depth attained has been about one hundred and thirty feet.
The company own three thousand feet on the ledge, with all its dips, angles and
variations; in addition to which they own three hundred square claims; and they
also own Wolf creek, for mining purposes, the entire length of their claims.
They have on their claims, besides the engine for running the mill, one 12-inch
engine for pumping and an 8-inch engine for hoisting, and two primps, one eight
inch and the other fourteen inch, plunger and bucket. The machinery erected and
attached to the mine cost about $40,000. The proceeds from this mine since
starting the mill until work was suspended last winter, by water, were $74,413 41.

  Near the summit of Union Hill, and running in a north westerly and
southeasterly direction, is the mine of the Grass Valley Consolidated Mining
Company, now solely owned by Col. William O'Connor Sidney. This lode runs in
hornblende, dipping westerly with an average inclination of about fifty degrees.
The claim embraces twenty-five hundred feet on the vein, including, of course,
all the dips, angles and variations of the lode. This is an early location, and
was known at different periods as the McGrann, and the Murphy and the Bulger
ledge. Colonel Sidney purchased the mine in January, 1883, from George D.
Roberts, who had bought it from the original owners. A number of years ago the
ledge was superficially worked by its locators, paying from $13 to $36 per ton,
the rock having been crushed at the Gold Hill, the Lady Franklin and Laton &
Son's mills. A tunnel was started about seven years since, and was run a
distance of five hundred and twelve feet, where the vein, which was here narrow,
was struck at a perpendicular depth of one hundred and twelve feet from the
surface. In October of last year, an inclined shaft was started on the summit of
the hill, at a distance of about five hundred feet northwesterly from the end of
the tunnel. The incline is twelve feet by five in the clear, is splendidly
timbered throughout, having a double track, and affording ample room for a large
pump. The shaft pitches at an angle of fifty-five degrees, not varying the least
in the inclination from the head to its present terminus, which is about one
hundred and eighty-sis feet from the surface. At the foot of the incline, where
a splendid looking ledge was exposed, the water came in with discouraging
rapidity, and having no pumping facilities, work was temporarily abandoned. That
no time should be lost, the labor of cleaning out the old tunnel, referred to
above, was commenced. The tunnel, as already stated, had reached a distance of
five hundred and twelve feet, under the old ownership, when the owners, who, by
the way, were poor men and unable to thoroughly work the mine, became
discouraged. Under the present management work was recently resumed at the end
of the tunnel, the needed repairs were made, and upon putting in the first set
of timbers, the ledge, showing a width of ten inches and looking very well, was
discovered. The vein has been followed in this drift about four hundred feet in
a southeasterly direction, the lode increasing in width and improving in the
character of the ore as the work has progressed. A drift, started by the
original owners, had been run about one hundred and eighty feet in a
northwesterly direction from the head of the tunnel, and along this drift are
several "chutes," from which the crushings already spoken of were taken. The
northwest drift has been connected with the incline shaft, leaving the vein
exposed for a distance of about nine hundred feet. The lode for the entire
distance will average about two feet and one-half in width, showing generally a
good character of quartz, and in the southeast drift is presented an excellent
quality of ore, strongly resembling the Eureka rock, and strengthening the long
accepted belief among practical miners that this is really the Eureka vein. The
rock in the south-east drift is liberally filled with fine sulphurets, a portion
of which sulphurets will yield at the late of $420 to the ton. The vertical
depth of the present level will not average more than eighty feet. The work of
sinking for another level, to a depth of one hundred and fifty feet below the
present one, was commenced a few weeks since, and will probably he completed
before this work reaches the public. Drifts will of course be run on the lode on
this level for the entire length of the Consolidated Company's claims. A
splendid 10-stamp mill, which can be increased five stamps when occasion
requires, and extensive hoisting and pumping machinery have been erected within
the past few months at an expense of $20,000. In the first level an immense
amount of quartz, which could only be roughly estimated at thousands upon
thousands of tons, is exposed—enough to keep a large, first-class quartz mill
crushing for years. The second level, when thoroughly opened, will undoubtedly
reveal another splendid body of quartz. Colonel Sidney has expended a large sum
of money in purchasing this mine, erecting machinery, sinking shafts and doing
what our miners call "dead work," but we believe that he is in possession of a
first-class quartz mine, which will soon prove itself such. Dan. Collins is
superintendent of the Grass Valley Consolidated Mining Company.

  The Pike Tunnel Company have one thousand and eight hundred feet on their
claims. Located in 1883. Tunnel in a distance of one thousand feet, and the lode
drifted on for one hundred and fifty feet, showing an average two foot ledge in
width. Incorporated August 4th, 1865. Owned by E. Caldwell, Frank G. Beatty J.
Newman, Nathan & Hoffman, and others.

  On the same hill are the claims of the Burdett Company, concerning which we
can candidly say nothing of a favorable character, hence we prefer to dismiss
the Burdett with the simple remark that it was sold for an enormous sum in the
East, about two years ago, and the general impression is that the mine sold for
every dollar it was worth.

Howard Hill.

  This hill lies opposite Union Hill, on the south of Middle Wolf Creek, the
western end being but a short distance east of Grass Valley, and it is a gravel,
cement and quartz deposit. The first mine on the east end of Howard Hill is the
Town Talk (gravel claim) which has paid handsomely in the past.

  East of this are the Independent claims, which have paid well as gravel
diggings, and through which runs a quartz lode, on which the Independent Company
claims two thousand feet. Incorporated December 10th, 1864. Owned by B. Nathan,
H. Hoffman, J. Newman, Frank G. Beatty, H. Robitscheck and E. Caldwell.

  Traversing the hill easterly we next come to the Lucky Mining Company's works,
situated on the company's ledge, the Cambridge. This location consists of about
fifteen hundred and fifty feet. The vein, which was reached through a four
hundred foot tunnel in 1862, runs in an northeasterly and southwesterly
direction. In 1865 an incline shaft was sunk, and hoisting works were erected at
a cost of $9,000. In 1866 a 15-stamp mill was erected at an expense of $13,000.
The total amount of quartz taken from this mine has been 10,800 tons, and within
the past two years the mine has turned out ninety-six hundred tons. About forty
men are employed in the works. The company reduce about seven hundred and eighty
tons of ore per month, at a monthly expense of $4,500. The inclined shaft, to
which we have above referred, is down two hundred and seventy-five feet, the
vertical depth being about two hundred and forty feet. In the lower level the
lode averages three and a half feet in width. The Lucky is owned by Dr. E. A.
Tompkins, D. E. Osborn, W. P. Goldsmith, M. Williams, E. Nutall, W. R. Taylor,
and Major Topliff, of Grass Valley, and H. McCormick, of Nevada. W. R. Taylor,
superintendent.

  Adjoining the Lucky on the east is the Cambridge mine, in which the former
company first discovered their ledge. The Cambridge, this being the name of the
lode running through both claims, was discovered in 1852. The Cambridge Company
own sixteen hundred feet on the lode under the quartz laws of Nevada county of
1852. Prior to 1855, up to which period this mine was but superficially worked,
and without the aid of machinery, fifteen hundred tons of quartz were extracted
and crushed, showing an average yield of $25 per ton. The mine was sold to the
present owners in February, 1866, at the rate of $5,000 a one-sixteenth
interest. Since the change of owners the mine has been systematically and
successfully worked. An inclined shaft has been sunk one hundred feet on the
vein, at which point drifts were extended on the lode, easterly and westerly,
for a distance of about six hundred feet, showing an average width of vein of
twenty inches.   The shaft is now going down for another level, one hundred feet
deeper than the present one, and at a point now reached by this shaft, a
splendid three-foot ledge shows itself.   During the past year a substantial
10-stamp mill, together with pumping and hoisting works, have been put up at an
expense of $22,000. Since December, 1866, (making allowance for stoppage by
water, in February of the present year,) up to the present, about twelve hundred
and fifty tons of rock have been taken from the mine. The mill is now crushing
seventy-five tons of rock per week. The quartz has averaged $20 per ton. Lowest
vertical depth from which crushings have been obtained, about one hundred and
seventy feet. Working at present forty-seven men in the mine and mill. The
Cambridge Mining Company was incorporated in April, 1867, with a capital stock
of $256,000, divided into two hundred and fifty-six shares. Trustees, D. W. C.
Rice, William Blanding, W. H. V. Cronise, W. E. Dean, Milton Bulkley and W. B.
Cummings.

  The Oxford, consisting of eight hundred feet, and owned by Thomas Loyd and
others, all of Grass Valley, runs parallel with the Cambridge. In these claims a
tunnel is now piercing the hill for the lode.

  South of the Cambridge, on the summit of Howard Hill, is the ledge of the
Frankfort Quartz Mining Company, consisting of two thousand feet. Located in
July, 1862. Lowest perpendicular depth reached on the vein, through a tunnel,
seventy feet. Now in with another tunnel five hundred and twenty-five feet,
which will be continued sixty feet further to strike the lode. This will tap the
vein at a vertical depth of two hundred feet from the surface. About two hundred
tons of rock have been crushed, including croppings, showing an average yield of
$14 to the ton. Work will be vigorously prosecuted in this mine during the
present season. Owners, J. J. Dorsey, G. D. McLean, J. M. C. Walker, William
Hobby and Charles T. Duval.

Ophir Hill.

  This mining locality, one of the most generally known quartz sections in
Nevada county, lies about one mile east of Grass Valley; and the principal lode,
the Ophir Hill, which is now owned by the Empire Mining Company, was located by
George D. Roberts and others in 1850. The vein runs in greenstone, in a
northwesterly and southeasterly direction, dipping westerly with an incline of
30 degrees. The ledge was purchased by Woodbury, Park and others, in 1851, who
owned a quartz mill where the Sebastopol mill now stands. Ophir Hill yielded
liberally, but, owing to mismanagement, its owners failed in 1852. A short time
after, this mine was sold at auction to John R. Rush, who bought one-half the
concern, the remaining half being purchased by the Empire Mining Company. They
built their first mill on Wolf Creek, in the winter of 1851 and '52, a short
time before purchasing the Ophir Hill mine. Rush sold his interest in the mine
for $12,000, to his late partners, on May 4th, 1854. The Empire Company worked
the mine with gratifying success from 1852 to 1864, during which time it yielded
over $1,000,000; and since it came in possession of the present owners, in July,
1864, (work being commenced by them in September 28th of the same year,) up to
the close of 1866, $300,000 was extracted. In the same year 8,750 tons of quarts
were reduced, producing $175,000, or an average of $47 per ton. A magnificent
thirty-stamp mill was erected last summer, involving an outlay of more than
$100,000, and $50,000 additional was expended upon a new shaft, hoisting works,
etc. This shaft was unfortunately sunk in the wrong place, and the development
of the mine thereby much retarded. Another shaft, sunk in the right place, has
now attained a depth of four hundred and sixty feet on the incline, and drifts
running along the lead six hundred feet—two hundred and twenty feet northerly
from the old shaft, and three hundred and eighty feet southerly—connecting with
the new shaft, show a splendid reserve of fine ore, the vein averaging three
feet wide for the length of the drift. The present lowest level is four hundred
and sixty feet deep on the incline, giving a vertical depth of about two hundred
and sixty feet; and from here a shaft is being sunk one hundred feet deeper, to
strike another level in the mine. The design is to keep sinking this shaft,
opening other levels from time to time, thus supplying large quantities of
reserve ore, and consequently increase the working force of this immense mine.
The new thirty-stamp mill, of which we have given a description in another
department of this book, has been crushing night and day for the past two
months, reducing ore at the rate of forty tons every twenty-four hours, the rock
yielding from $44 to $49 per ton. Notwithstanding the facilities afforded by the
reduction works of the Empire Mining Company, which are unquestionably the best
and most extensive in Northern California, the rock is now accumulating on the
dump-pile, or in plainer language, the mine is daily turning out more quartz
than the mill can crush. The force of men now employed about the mill and mine
is one hundred and thirty. The mine of the Empire Mining Company ranks, and
justly, too, among the first-class quartz mines of Grass Valley township. The
company own about 1,500 feet on the ledge with its dips, angles and variations.
The sulphurets pay from $80 to $100 per ton. The owners of this valuable
property are J. P. Pierce, A. L. Morrison, A. H. Houston and Captain S. W. Lee.

  The Ophir Hill Mining Company's claims, lying north of the Empire Company's
ground, and adjoining the latter, consist of five ledges, having one thousand
feet on each in length. The company consists of sixteen shares, which are
principally owned by George M. Norton ann Thomas Hardy. A vertical shaft, two
hundred feet in depth, has been sunk by the present owners, striking the Ophir
Hill vein. Drifts have been run about three hundred feet on the lode from this
shaft, in northerly and southerly directions. The vein in the drifts averages
eighteen inches wide, is of blue-ribbon rock, heavily sulphureted, and showing
free gold. No crushings made at the present writing, but ore is now being
extracted for reduction purposes. Messrs. Norton and Hardy have expended over
$48,000 in opening this mine, and will have at least $10,000 more to lay out
before the Ophir Hill is thoroughly opened. The mine is in an excellent
locality, and we expect before 1867 closes that the energetic and enterprising
owners will be well paid for their investment of money and time.

  Adjoining these churns on the north is the Donahue ground, which consists of
eight thousand feet on the Ophir Hill lode. From their claim, which has only
been, superficially worked, and without machinery, to a depth of thirty-six
feet, over $60,000 has been taken out. Owned by Thomas Donahue & Co.

  In the same neighborhood are a number of square locations, but we have found
it difficult, impossible even, to obtain any reliable data of Ophir Hill beyond
what is given above.

Hueston Hill

Lies about midway between Ophir and Osborn Hills, being on the same range with
these well known quartz localities. Hueston Hill, named after the Hueston
Brothers, was located by Messrs. Stackhouse, Montgomery, the Hueston Brothers,
and others, on December 14th, 1853. It was worked to the water level, paying
well from the year of its discovery up to 1855. E. L. Tuttle, now of Grass
Valley, purchased the mine in 1859, and in 1861 he sold to John Trenberth and
others, who soon afterward erected machinery on it. William Clift and the Smith
Brothers bought a one-third interest in the Hueston Hill in 1863. The
explorations on the mine were shallow up to 1861, from which period the new
owners began to go deep on the vein, their labor being rewarded by rich returns
of gold bullion. The lode, of which the Hueston Hill Company own twenty-eight
hundred feet, runs in hard blue slate, is small, not averaging over eight inches
in width, but is exceedingly rich. The course of the vein is northerly and
southerly, with a westerly dip of about thirty-five degrees. A depth of three
hundred feet on the incline has been reached, in which level drifts have been
run about five hundred and fifty feet. The vein being narrow, and the encasing
rock very hard, the cost of extracting and reducing the ore amounts to about $45
per ton, notwithstanding which the company, in 1866, erected new hoisting works
at an expense of $30,000, besides dividing about $60,000 among the members of
the company. Since June, 1864, up to the present writing, (April, 1867,) the
Hueston Hill mine has yielded upward of $500,000. In the lower level, ore worth
from $130 to $170 is now exposed. Working sixty men. The Hueston Hill Company
has had several tilts at litigation, but has been victorious in each case. The
Hueston Hill is justly included among the first-class mines of this district. It
is owned by Robert and John Smith. S. D. Bosworth, the Coleman Brothers, and S.
W. Lee, of Grass Valley, and A. H. Houston, of San Francisco.

  North of Hueston Hill is the Madison Hill ledge, consisting of eight hundred
feet, and owned by Rush & Laton. Worked but superficially, yet the quartz
extracted, amounting to about one thousand tons, showed a gross yield of
$80,000, or average yield per ton of $80.

Osborn Hill.

  Osborn Hill, which lies about two miles southeast of Grass Valley, may be
described as an immense spur or mountain ridge running north and south, being
parallel with Wolf Creek, and covering an area of about one mile square. Through
it run a number of quartz veins, the principal one of which is the Osborn Hill,
located in 1851. The lode has been traced farther, perhaps, than any other in
this district, preserving its characteristics through a distance of nearly two
miles in length. The Osborn Hill mine proper has turned out as much money in
proportion to explorations made on. it as any of our quartz mines—paying almost
fabulously for years when the quartz interest of this section was considered on
the wane—but we have been unable to obtain any reliable figures as to its gross
yield. It was tolerably well opened in 1852, from which period up to 1857 it
annually brought its owners large returns. But bad management ran the company in
debt, there was a want of harmony among the managers, costly machinery had been
erected, the mine became mortgaged, and in June, 1884, it was sold to Joseph
Woodworth. The new proprietors erected a splendid mill on the mine in 1865,
which, together with other improvements, cost $84,000. The ground has been
extensively tunneled, shafts have been sunk on the lode, but the mine has not
even to this day been well opened. The lowest perpendicular depth reached on the
vein by an inclined shaft has been four hundred feet, giving a vertical depth of
about two hundred feet, at which depth a drift was run one hundred and
seventy-five feet, showing a lode of an average width of two feet, and of a good
quality of quartz. The Osborn Hill Company own two thousand feet, according to
the locations of 1852, on the lode, which runs in a northerly and southerly
direction, with an average inclination westerly of forty degrees. Woodworth sold
the mine, a few months since, to Robert and John Smith, Campbell & Stoddard, S.
W. Lee, W. H. Hooper, and others, who will doubtless soon work it to good
advantage.

  North of the Osborn Hill mine is the "Wheal Betsy," being on the Osborn Hill
vein, and consisting of five hundred feet. This mine was purchased about six
years since for $9,000. Several thousand tons of ore have been extracted at a
comparatively superficial depth, showing an average yield of 040 per ton, some
of the quartz reaching the high figure of $90 per ton. Hoisting and pumping
machinery on the mine. Owned by John Byers, S. W. Lee and A. H. Houston.

  The Orleans claims, owned by the Smith Brothers, Edward Northy and others, lie
north of the Betsy, and are in good repute, although not extensively worked at.
present.

  On the summit of Osborn Hill are the claims of the Wide Awake Company,
embracing four hundred feet. Four hundred tons of ore from this mine have
yielded $26,000. On the mine there is an engine, also a pump, as well as an
inclined shaft two hundred and seventy-five feet in depth, running with the
ledge at an angle of forty-five degrees. The ore is of a bluish color, and is
rich in sulphurets and galena. The vein has varied in width from four inches to
four feet, and at the bottom of the incline it is five feet in width. Machinery
put on in 1859. Owners, A. Salaman, B. McCauley, D. Watt and J. Brown.

  On Osborn Hill proper are a number of other claims, including the McCauley and
Lee, Greenhorn, Alleghany, Jefferson, Lafayette, Cariboo, Daisy, etc., all of
which have been more or less worked, several of them being regarded as full of
promise.

  The Redan, owned by Dewey, Robinson & Co., is on Redan Flat, lying at the
eastern base of Osborn Hill.

  The Sebastopol ledge runs parallel with the Osborn Hill, lying several hundred
feet east of the latter. This mine, owned by the Watt Brothers, Mrs. Ellen
Connolly and Ben. McCauley, was worked for several years quite profitably, and
would probably be worked at the present time were not its principal owners
engaged in other extensive mining enterprises.

  Before proceeding to the next division of this part of Grass Valley township,
we will inform the reader that in the vicinity of Osborn and Ophir Hills are a
number of other quartz veins, including the Lawrence Hill, Prescott Hill,
Franklin Hill, Daisy Hill, and countless others.

South Osborn Hill.

  Following is a brief account of mines on the Colfax road from Grass Valley,
running parallel with the west sides of Ophir and Oshorn Hills:

  ONTARIO MINING COMPANY — On Smith's ranch, one mile south of Grass Valley.
Located in 1864; length of claims, twelve hundred feet: average size of ledge,
fifteen incites. Owned by W. K. Spencer, Dr. McCormick and Reuben Leech. Located
on the west side of the Colfax road.

  ORLEANS LEDGE — Was located in 1858. Length of claims, thirteen hundred feet;
average size of ledge, eighteen inches. Several tons crushed yielded $15 per
ton. Situated on the west side of the Ontario Mining Company.

  FAIRPLAY MINING COMPANY — Formerly owned by Julius Fricot, is an early
location; now owned by the New York Hill Mining Company. Several thousand tons
of ore worked at a profit to water level.

  CHESAPEAKE COMPANY — Is a southern extension of the Fairplay. Size of claim,
twelve hundred feet; located in 1865. Several tons of ore worked at a profit to
water level. Size of ledge, six feet.

  THE DIAMOND LEDGE — Located in 1865: size of claims, one thousand feet; steam
engine and pump at work. Work progressing favorably.

  UTAH MINING COMPANY — Located in 1858; size of claims, eighteen hundred feet;
several tons of rock crushed; contains a long drain tunnel, steam engine and
pump. Owned by Nathan & Hoffman, and others.

  BATON ROUGE LEDGE — Located in 1866 - size of claims, sixteen hundred feet;
average width of vein, one foot. Prospects rich.

  STATE OF MAINE COMPANY — Is a north extension of the Galena claims; size of
ground, one thousand feet; located in 1865.

  GALENA COMPANY — Adjoining claims to the Ione; located in 1856. Size of claim.
eight hundred feet; partially worked to the depth of ninety feet; several
thousand tons of rock mined. Now owned by the Watt Brothers.

  THE IONE MINING COMPANY. — The Ione ledge is a tolerably early location,
dating back some ten years; was formerly owned by the Empire Mining Company, and
sold with the Ophir Mine to Messrs. Lee & Co., in July, 1865. Captain Lee sold
the lone ledge to Messrs. Curtis & Hunt, for $10,000. A vertical shaft was sunk
in August, 1865, and the vein struck at a depth of one hundred and forty feet,
and several thousand tons of ore were crushed, averaging $20 per ton, the vein
varying from one to five feet. In March, 1866, a 10-stamp, first-class mill was
erected, and an inclined shaft sunk at the bottom of the downright shaft to the
depth of one hundred and sixty-five feet, carrying a body of ore three feet
thick. The mine is now owned by Messrs. Sloss & Co., of San Francisco.

  THE UNION JACK COMPANY — Is the first southerly extension of the Ione; was
located in January, 1865. Size of claims, sixteen hundred feet; worked
profitably to water level, twenty-one feet; one thousand tons of ore crushed;
ledge averaged four feet; was sold in April, 1866, for $50,000. The ledge is at
present being mined to the depth of eighty feet, showing a continuous strong
vein. Rock is now being crushed at the Ione mill, at a profit. Its present
owners are Castle Brothers, Sloss & Co., and C. Felton, of San Francisco, and
Judge Sykes, of Grass Valley.

  RAILROAD MINING COMPANY—Is the south extension of the Union Jack; located in
1865; size of claims, one thousand feet; but little work done—only sufficient to
hold the claims according to the laws of the county.

  PKESQUE MINING COMPANY—Is situated on Le Bar's ranch, south of the Railroad
Company. Size of claim, one thousand feet; was located in 1853, and has been
mined to water level—a depth of thirty feet from the surface; carries a well
defined ledge of one foot thick, and is pitching east into Osborn Hill. The last
crushing paid $49 per ton.

  Extending farther south, to the southern boundary line of Nevada county, are
veins or quartz lodes without number, some of which have been but superficially
worked, while in others even the croppings have not been disturbed, and all
these appeal eloquently to capital and labor.

  THE BEN. FRANKLIN-An early location, is on South Massachusetts Hill, the lode
running northeasterly and southwesterly, dipping westerly at an average angle of
forty-five degrees. This mine was formerly owned by the Empire Mining Company,
who, from 1855 to 1857, according to the company's books, extracted $75,371 83
in gold bullion. It was purchased by George D. Roberts, who, in May, 1866, sold
four-fifths of the mine to W. H. Bivens, W. H. Howland, W. H. Graves and O. F.
Griffin, Roberts retaining the other fifth interest. The money taken out by the
Empire Company ($75,371 83) was mined out without the aid of machinery, the
hoisting being done with windlass. During the past year, under the
superintendency of Mr. Bivens, a tunnel has been driven six hundred feet,
leaving about one hundred feet to be run before the lode is tapped. The lowest
vertical depth attained on the mine has been but seventy-five feet. The vein, on
which the company own twenty-two hundred feet, varies in width from ten inches
to four feet. The last ore extracted, taken from the old works, paid $90 a ton.
Machinery will probably be erected on the lode during the present season, and a
systematic and extensive development of the mine may be expected during 1867.

  Adjoining this mine on the north is another Ben. Franklin, a later location,
and on the same vein. It has yielded well in the past, is now being explored on
contract, and promises to give a good return. Owned by Michael Casey and others.

  The Washington Company's claims, which are also in this neighborhood, have
been satisfactorily prospected during the past and the present years, and the
owners have every reason to be satisfied with the result. Owned by Michael
Colbert, Martin Ford, 3Dan. Collins & Co.

Lone Jack.

  This mine, on Missouri Flat, about one mile south of Grass Valley, was located
in 1855. In 1856 the lode was reached by a tunnel at a depth of fifty feet from
the surface. It was purchased from the locators in 1857, by Lee and Simpson,
who, in the following year, erected machinery on it. In the same year, 1858, it
was incorporated under the name of the "Wisconsin Gold Mining Company," becoming
a portion of the "Forest Springs Quartz Mining and Lumber Company," The Lone
Jack was not included in the sale of the Norambagua, made a few months since,
but is now principally owned by C. T. Wheeler, of Sacramento, one of the former
members of the Forest Springs Company. It has been explored to a vertical depth
of about three hundred feet, or six hundred and twenty five feet on an inclined
shaft, where the lode averages eighteen inches wide. A small engime, 25-horse
power, was found insufficient to perform hoisting labor, being able only to do
the pumping of the mine; and work has been temporarily abandoned, to be resumed
when, heavier machinery is erected on the mine. The Lone Jack is under the
management of A. H. Murdock. A crushing of thirteen hundred tons of roek, made
in 1862, paid at the rate of $62 per ton; and the gross yield of the Lone Jack
up to the present time has been upward of $500,000.

Greenhorn District

  This district lies about five miles east of Grass Valley, on the right bank of
Greenhorn Creek. There are quite a number of large and prominent ledges in this
district, the principal one being the Monroe, probably more generally known as
the Greenhorn lode. Located in 1861. The Monroe was worked for silver, assaying
largely, but returning meagerly. In. fact, it has been hinted that a liberal
supply of silver half dollars came into requisition in forming a Greenhorn
silver brick, but this is evidently an invention of the evil-minded, and we give
the report without indorsing it. The claims adjoining the Monroe—Greenhorn
proper—were worked for gold, one hundred tons of quartz yielding $6,000. None of
the owners feeing practical miners, the claims were leased to Aughey Brothers,
who commenced a tunnel, and sunk an incline forty feet from the bottom of the
tunnel, taking out a considerable quantity of gold. It is in contemplation to
erect machinery on this mine during the present season. The country is virgin
forest, is well supplied with water, presents excellent mill privileges, and
offers rare inducements to capital and labor. The Greenhorn lodes lie south of
the celebrated Banner mine, which is in Nevada township, the Banner and
Greenhorn Districts being separated from each other by a cement and gravel hill.

General Mention of Mines.

  Below we notice briefly, and with less order and regularity than would be
shown were we not now crowded for time, a number of quartz ledges in this
township, soine of which have been explored with gratifying success, while,
others have yielded prospects such as to warrant their owners in investing
liberally in money and labor to develop them:

  The Bowery claims, on Lafayette Hill, consist of thirteen hundred feet, were
located in 1864, the lode running parallel with the North Star Company's, "being
seven hundred feet north of the latter. The owners are erecting hoisting works
on the Bowery, and intend to thoroughly explore the mine through an incline
shaft, which has reached a depth of over one hundred feet. Vein averages twenty
inches in width. A crushing of three hundred tons of ore showed an average yield
of $15 per ton. Owners of the Bowery, Childers, McGuire, Blodgett, and others.

  The Inkerman, on the same hill, is a modern location, (1864,) is near the
2forth Star, and is favorably regarded by quartz men. Claim consists of thirteen
hundred feet. Worked through a vertical shaft to a depth of sixty feet, and also
pierced by a tunnel, opening the mine for a length of four hundred feet, showing
a well denned vein of an average width of twelve inches. The Inkerman, which
will soon be extensively worked, has turned out some beautiful specimens. The
Inkerman is owned by Joseph Clark, William K. Spencer, A. W. Campbell, W. H.
Bailey, Dr. W. G. Millar, M. W. Boss, C. C. Smith, L. Childesr, of Grass Valley,
and H. P. Jones, of San Francisco.

  The La Grosse mine, situated in Rhode Island Ravine, was located in April,
1866. An inclined shaft was sunk to the depth of twenty feet, showing a splendid
lode of free gold and being rich in sulphurets. Had to abandon the working of
the claims on account of too great a volume of water issuing from the vein. The
claims embrace fourteen hundred feet, and run in a northeasterly and
southwesterly direction. The owners are Wm. K. Spencer, Samuel Lock, H. J.
Paine, M. Perrusich, J. H. McCrory, S. W. Gamble, Isom Smith and Thomas Cassin.
The company have recently incorporated under the name of La Crosse Mining
Company, with a capital stock of $140,000, divided into fourteen hundred shares
of $100 each. The company have entered into articles of agreement with San
Francisco parties to put up pumping and hoisting machinery on the claims, to be
running by the first of July, 1867.

  The Diamond Company's claims, located on the southwest side of Osborn Hill,
and consisting of one thousand feet, were relocated by the Norton Brothers in
1865. Discovered in 1859, when some prospecting was done, but operations were
suspended on account of the mine becoming filled with water. A drain tunnel was
run a distance of three hundred feet, striking the lode at a depth of sixty
feet; forty tons of quartz, extracted from this tunnel, paid at the rate of $22
per ton. Encouraged by this yield, the owners last season put up machinery at an
expense of $6,000, purchasing the machinery—from the Watt Brothers—formerly used
on the Galena mine. An inclined shaft is now being sunk, showing a splendid vein
two feet wide, the quartz being well filled with free gold. The owners
contemplate erecting a 10-stamp quartz mill as soon as the mine is well opened.
The members of this company are persevering, practical miners, who do all their
own work, and the prospect is good for giving them a good return for their
investment of time, money and labor. Members of the Diamond Company are, John
Norton, William Norton, Reuben Norton, H. H. Rollins, Silas Whiting, E. Ricker,
_____ Power, and William Noble.

  The Homeward Bound, located in 1854, is the south extension of the Lone Jack,
and the claims embrace eleven hundred feet. Not developed below forty-five feet
from the surface, where a well defined lode of two feet in width shows itself.
The Homeward Bound is in an excellent quartz range, and as an evidence of the
high favor in which it is held by experienced quartz men, we mention the fact
that its recent owners, A. D. Tuttle, C. C. Smith, M. W, Ross, W. H. Bailey, C.
C. Townsend and Albert Shepherd, have made a conditional sale of the mine to D.
B. Hunt, late of the lone, for $15,000. Hunt is to open the Homeward Bound as
soon as machinery can be got on the ground and erected.

  The Golden Rock Mining Company's claims, consisting of one thousand feet, are
situated about one-fourth of a mile north of the village of Forest Springs, on
the range between the Ione and the Norambagua mines. Almost $2,000 worth of work
has been performed on this mine. Explorations have been made on the lode to a
depth of eighty feet, showing $30 ore, the vein at this depth being about three
feet wide. Machinery to be erected this season. Owned by A. H. Murdock, P. H.
Brogan, and a party of San Franciscans, the latter being owners by purchase.

  The King Bee ledge, situated near the head of French Ravine, two miles
southward from Grass Valley, was located in 1864, and embraces twenty-five
hundred feet on the ledge, running northerly and southerly. This is a large
sulphuret vein. At a depth of sixty feet, the ledge is three feet thick and
solid, between good walls; the rock is very seamy, and may be denominated ribbon
rock. The principal owners are Wm. K. Spencer, Thomas Loyd, M. P. O'Connor and
E. R. West. The company intend putting up pumping and hoisting works during the
present year.

  The Pacific Company's claims, Dromedary ledge, are on Wolf Creek, in the town
of Grass Valley. Paid well formerly, but are not being worked at present.

  Union Company No. 2, consisting of twelve hundred feet, adjoining the original
Union Hill. A shaft is now being sunk to strike the vein, and arrangements are
being made to put up machinery. Owned by Joseph Reed, C. M. Willard, G. A.
Jordan and Con. Murphy.

  The Badger Hill lode is half a mile east of Grass Valley. Located in 1853. Has
paid splendidly at times, but has never been extensively explored. The lode is
"spotted," and has yielded an immense amount of the richest of gold specimens.
Owned by E. C. Webster, P. J. Brogan, Lind Brothers, A. Morehouse, B. Nathan and
others.

  The Good Hope Company's ledge, on Rhode Island Ravine, a short distance from
Grass Valley, on the west, was located in 1861. It lies one-fourth of a mile
north of Gold Hill, and the opinion obtains that it is an extension of the Gold
Hill. Several crushings have been obtained from the Good Hope, which have
yielded from $25 to $36 per ton. Owned by a company of Germans, consisting of F.
Schrakamp, J. Bruneman, and others.

  The Cincinnati Hill claims are located about one mile southwest of the town,
embracing twenty-six hundred feet on the lode. Leased to William Chollar, John
Bennett & Co., who are running a drain tunnel. Are taking out $40 rock.

  The Narragansett Company's mine, owned by Thomas Hardy, E. V. Hathaway, H. B.
Potter, of San Francisco, and H. Woodcock, of Grass Valley, lies directly west
of Kate Hayes Hill. Purchased, a few months since, from Fred. Jones. Hoisting
works erected on the mine this season at a cost of $12,000.

  Hope Company's claims, thirteen hundred feet, situated on Echo Hill, and owned
by William Beal, R. Simonds, E. Jeffery and R. Sampson. Will be thoroughly
prospected this summer. Last crushing of Hope rock showed a result of $25 per ton.

CONCLUDING REMARKS.

  Before concluding this department of the Directory, the compiler feels it
incumbent on him to offer a few words of explanation to the readers and friends
of the work. The history of the Grass Valley mines, which, if given in detail,
would fill a volume much larger than BEAN'S HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, have been
collected and written at intervals stolen from pressing business, and our mining
sketches have been necessarily condensed, partly from a want of time to
elaborate on our wonderful mineral greatness, and partly in consideration of Mr.
Bean, whose volume already contains more reading matter than is usually given in
a business directory, and more than is profitable to furnish. The compiler is
aware that ALL the mines of Grass Valley Township are not mentioned in these
pages, but the fault is not his. An effort was made to get a history of every
mine in this district; invitations were extended to quartz men through the
columns of the local press, as well as through other channels, and a majority of
our quartz operators cheerfully answered the invitations, and gave such
information as they possessed, while others, either through ignorance or some
selfish motive, preferred reticence in regard to their mines. The object of
giving a mining history of Grass Valley Township was to let people abroad know
something of our real quartz wealth, and not to distort facts, or "write up"
mines for speculation; and this object has been, as far as our personal
knowledge extends, honestly carried out. The mines not included in our histories
were probably not worth mentioning, and perhaps it is better that composition
was saved by having them left out. In the following able article, by Professor
Silliman, three of our principal mines, the Eureka, North Star and Allison
Ranch, are treated scientifically and practically; and the careful reader will
probably detect some discrepancies between the Professor's article and our
briefer sketches of these mines, which were written before Professor Silliman's
manuscript reached us, or before we were aware that he intended to contribute a
paper to this work. In justice to Professor Silleman, we here publish the fact
that he personally examined the mines alluded to, made his examinations
carefully and correctly, and his article, which was submitted to experienced
quartz men of this place, is correct in every particular.      W. S. B.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Bean’s History and Directory of Nevada County, California

CONTAINING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY, WITH
SKETCHES OF THE VARIOUS TOWNS AND MINING
CAMPS, THE NAMES AND OCCUPATION OF
RESIDENTS; ALSO, FULL STATISTICS
OF MINING AND ALL OTHER
INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES.

COMPILED BY EDWIN F. BEAN.

PRINTED AT THE DAILY GAZETTE BOOK AND JOB OFFICE,
1867.

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