Nevada County CA Archives History - Books .....Quartz Mining 1867
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Book Title: Bean’s History And Directory Of Nevada County, California

QUARTZ MINING.

  It was not until the spring of 1850, when the placer mines of California had
been worked two seasons, that attention began to be directed to quartz veins as
the matrix in which the gold was originally formed, and the sources from which
that found in the surface diggings was derived. The early settlers, and those
who first flocked to this coast on the announcement of the discovery of gold,
had no knowledge of vein mining, and were too much absorbed in collecting the
precious particles which were found mixed with the gravel on the bars and in the
beds of the streams to give any attention to the sources whence they came. The
discovery of gold imbeded in quartz pebbles led to an examination of the ledges,
and the first quartz location in the State, probably, was made in Butte county,
not far from the present site of Oroville.

  At that early date there had been no excitement about quartz in Nevada county.
The first quartz location in the county, of which we now have any information,
was at Gold Hill, near Grass Valley. This was early in the summer of 1850.
Quartz was discovered on Massachusetts Hill soon after, and in October of the
same year the Gold Tunnel ledge was located at Nevada. The latter was struck by
four young men from. Boston, while engaged in their first day's work at mining.
Other locations were made the same season, both at Grass Valley and Nevada, but
the three above mentioned have become especially famous for their immense yield
of gold, amounting in the aggregate to nearly, if not quite, double the present
property valuation of the county. The first mill erected in the county, and
probably in the State, was built by two Germans, the following winter, at Boston
Ravine. This was a poor affair, and of course was a failure.

  In 1851, we date the first quartz excitement. The shallow surface diggings
were beginning to show signs of exhaustion, or at least were not so readily
found as in the preceding years, and prospectors were running over the hills in
every direction in search of ledges. Numerous mills were projected, and during
the fall and winter eight or ten were erected in Nevada and vicinity, and as
many more at Grass Valley. All the Nevada mills, with the exception of the Gold
Tunnel, and the most of those built at Grass Valley, proved disastrous failures,
and in 1853 the quartz interest had fallen to its lowest ebb. With our present
experience in quartz mining, we can readily perceive the causes of the early
failures in the business. The mills were erected at enormous expense, in many
cases the projectors paying an extortionate interest for money; they had been
deceived by professed assayers, or deceived themselves, as to the amount of gold
the quartz would yield, had no knowledge of amalgamating, and there were no
miners in the country who knew how to open or work a quartz ledge.

  The disappointments and ruin occasioned by the quartz failures led to some
deplorable results. Captain Peck had located a ledge, and in connection with
other parties erected a mill, at the place now known as Peck's Ravine. With
other quartz operators he failed, having expended his own fortune, and become
deeply involved. Driven to distraction, and aggravated beyond endurance by the
complaints of his partners, he put a pistol to his head and discharged it. The
unfortunate man lived twelve hours, though the ball had passed through his
brain. A still more shocking tragedy was enacted at Grass Valley some years
later. Michael Brenan, the superintendent and part owner of the Mount Hope
Company, on Massachusetts Hill, had involved the company beyond redemption, and
the property was levied upon by creditors. Of a sensitive disposition, and
lacking the courage and fortitude to face poverty and endure the reverse of
fortune, the unhappy man poisoned his wife and three children, and then himself.
Prussic acid was the poison used, but by what means he succeeded in
administering the fatal drug to his victims could not be ascertained.

  In Grass Valley, where some Eastern and English capital had been invested, a
number of companies continued operations on their ledges, several mills were
kept running, and the quartz interest slowly revived. "But in Nevada, where the
failure was more decided, the business was almost entirely abandoned, and miners
turned their attention to the hill diggings, then just beginning to be
prospected. The Gold Tunnel mill was kept running, and the Wigham and Canada
Hill mills were run at intervals, the former yielding good returns, though the
amount produced by all was quite insignificant compared with the yield of the
placer mines. Still, at the period of lowest depression, the pioneer quartz
miners had faith in the speedy revival of the business, and predicted that the
veins would be worked successfully, long after the placer mines were exhausted.
The present generation will not live to verify the truth or falsity of the
prediction, for late developments indicate an extent of placer mining ground
that will require centuries to exhaust; and of which the miners at that early
day had no knowledge.

  By 1857, the Grass Valley raises were in a flourishing condition, and the
business was beginning to revive in Nevada. The Allison Ranch and other mines in
the former district had begun to pour forth their treasures, and the Soggs and
Oriental mills were erected in the vicinity of Nevada, both of which proved
successful. The former mill has been in operation with little interruption
nearly ten years, yielding in that time some $600,000 in gold; and although the
yield of the rock probably has not averaged over ten dollars a ton, at times it
has afforded the owners large profits. In the succeeding two or three years, the
business continued to prosper in Grass Valley, becoming the leading interest of
the town, while it steadily improved at Nevada.

  The development of the quartz interest, however, was destined to experience
another period of depression, though by no means so disastrous and discouraging
as that of 1852. The discovery of silver in Washoe was first made public in this
county in the summer of 1859, and quite a number of our most energetic quartz
operators hastened to the new mining field. The wonderful richness of the
Comstock lode was fully determined that fall, and the next spring witnessed the
exodus of many of our best; working miners, who abandoned their claims here for
what appeared to be the more promising field of enterprise east of the Sierra
Nevada mountains. For three years there was a constant drain of population and
capital from the county —the capital, especially, being much needed in the
development of our own mines. Added to this drain upon our resources, the most
of the best paying mines of Grass Valley were flooded during the severe winter
of 1861-62, requiring many months to place them again in working condition,
during which time the expenditures were heavy and no returns. From these causes,
business of all kinds was depressed, and for two or three years Grass Valley and
Nevada were among the dullest of the mining towns of the State.

  In 1863; the population of the county had decreased nearly one-third, and in
the fall of that year, when Nevada, for the fourth time, was destroyed by fire,
many were of the opinion that the town would never recover. But, in 1864, the
adventurers who had left for distant mining regions began to return, satisfied
that this county presented the best field for mining enterprise on the coast,
and the tide of emigration has since been in our favor. At the present time,
Grass Valley is the largest and most prosperous mining town in the
State—probably on the coast—and her prosperity is due entirely to the
surrounding quartz mines. Nevada stands second to Grass Valley, depending about
equally on the quartz and placer mines of the vicinity.

  We have now in Nevada township, including one cement mill and another recently
completed, seventeen mills, running an aggregate of 134 stamps, yielding about a
million dollars annually, and giving direct employment to some six hundred men.
In Grass Valley township there were, in October last, some thirty mills, with
284 stamps, and sixteen or eighteen hundred men were employed in the mills and
mines. The annual gold yield of the township is estimated as high as four
million dollars. While Nevada is behind Grass Valley in the development of the
quartz interest, it is far ahead of any other town in the State.

  In reviewing the progress of quartz mining in the county, we have thus far
confined our remarks to Grass Valley and Nevada, for the reason that but little
attention has been given until recently to the development of the quartz veins
in other parts of the county. The discoveries in the vicinity of Meadow Lake, in
the spring and summer of 1865, created considerable excitement throughout
California and in Nevada State, causing a rush of adventurers to that locality.
Numerous ledges were discovered and located, in some of which ore of
extraordinary richness was found.

  The real work of developing the Meadow Lake mines was commenced in the summer
of 1866, and considering the many drawbacks, including the deep snows of winter,
has progressed as rapidly as could have been anticipated. The ledges are
inclosed in a belt of syenite, are of large size as compared with those at Grass
Valley and Nevada, but much of the gold is contained in sulphurets, which will
require practical experience before it can be economically reduced. The U. S.
Grant Company have kept a five-stamp mill running since September, 1866, and are
making rapid progress in the development of their property. Some other companies
have also been working their mines during the past winter, but operations on the
most, of the claims were suspended last fall. The history of Meadow Lake, and
the progress made in the development of the mines of the district, will be given
more fully in another part of this work.

  Lying half-way between Nevada and Meadow Lake, is another belt of gold-bearing
veins, extending through Eureka and Washington townships. The veins are numerous
and of good size, run nearly north and south, corresponding with the range of
the mountains, and the country rock is a compact granite, which greatly enhances
the cost of prospecting and opening mines. The ledges, or at least many of them,
are "spotted," containing large amounts of gold in places, while the most of the
quartz is barren. Some years ago a ledge was discovered on Gaston ridge, the
owners of which made enough money, by crushing the rock in a hand mortar, to
erect a mill. But the mill was a failure, the rich pocket having been exhausted. 

  In 1863, a mill was erected on the Tecumseh ledge, in Washington township, by
a company organized in Nevada. Wonderful reports were circulated of the richness
of this ledge; but the ore, by mill process, yielded only about twenty dollars a
ton, and in consequence of the great cost of mining the rock, and perhaps bad
management, the enterprise was not successful. The mill was kept running for a
year or more on rock from the Fidelity ledge, near by, but is now idle. The mill
of the Star Company, in the same township, was built a little later. This
company have seven ledges in the vicinity of their mill, two of which have been
prospected and found to contain gold in paying quantities, and are still
carrying on operations, with a fair prospect of developing a good mining property.

  Within the past year or two, considerable interest has been taken in the
development of the quartz mines of Eureka township. The mill of the Jeffersonian
Company was erected near Bowman's, in 1864, on a ledge supposed at the time to
be remarkably rich, but either from bad management, or some other cause, the
enterprise has not been successful, though the company are still carrying on
operations. A mill was erected last fall by R. C. Black on the Young ledge, and
another by James M. Pattee, superintendent of the Eagle Company, on the Grizzly
ledge, three miles below the town of Eureka. These mills have been in operation
only a short time, but the first crushings were favorable. The Eagle Company
have several ledges in the vicinity, of their mill, one or two of which, if they
hold out equal to the anticipations of experienced miners, will take rank among
the most valuable mines of the county. Two other mills, one on the Jim ledge and
the other intended as a custom mill, have also been erected in the township
within the past year, and there is every indication that Eureka will soon become
an important quartz mining district.

  Last summer, the Hawley Brothers erected a mill at Grizzly Ridge, in
Bloomfield township, where they have, beyond question, a remarkably rich mine.
The ore, however, is refractory, and they have not yet been able to work it
successfully. There is but one quartz mill in Rough and Ready township, which is
now idle. No progress has been made in developing quartz mines in Bridgeport or
Little York townships.

  The quartz business, notwithstanding the many failures and drawbacks, has been
gradually improving since 1853, and the yield of gold from that source has
steadily increased. The operations have generally been conducted by practical
men, who have successively discovered and brought into use all the improved
methods of reducing the ore, and amalgamating and collecting the gold. Very
little foreign capital has been invested in the development of our mines,
although there is not a mining district in the world that offers better
inducements for judicious investment. The comparatively small amount that has
been invested by capitalists in our county has generally been in dividend-paying
mines, and which of course was no assistance in developing our resources.

  At no period in the history of our county, since the wild speculations of
1852; has quartz mining been in more favor than at present, or the prospects
more flattering. A number of new mills will be erected during the present
season; many of the ledges formerly abandoned will be re-opened, and new
discovaries are of almost daily occurrence. There are now in the county over
sixty quartz mills, having an aggregate of about five hundred and fifty stamps.
The most of these are kept steadily in operation.

  The country rock around Grass Valley is slate, and the ledges run in every
direction, though the principal mines that have been opened and worked usually
approximate an east and west or a north and south course. Tunnels and drifts
have been run for considerable distances on ledges lying nearly at right angles,
yet hardly an instance is known in which two ledges have crossed each other. In
some instances, where two ledges would intersect if both were continuous, one
has been found perfect, while the other disappears for a greater or less
distance on each side of it. In other cases, both ledges are broken and
disappear before reaching the point of intersection. Perhaps a further and more
careful examination of the intersection of cross ledges may lead to a plausible
theory of the formation of mineral veins. The Grass Valley ledges would be
called small—varying in size, from a mere seam to five or six feet in width.
They are rarely found of the latter size, and those that have teen worked the
most successfully probably will not average over a foot in width. The most of
the north and south ledges have an easterly dip—the inclination being at all
angles, from nearly horizontal to perpendicular. Some of the best mines,
however, like the Allison Ranch, dip to the west. An impression has obtained
among many miners, that ledges situated in slate are more even and reliable than
those in granite, and that those having a westerly dip are richer than those
dipping easterly. But the facts brought to light by the quartz development thus
far, will hardly sustain these theories. The miners have an expressive adage,
that the "gold is where you find it," and it is sometimes found in the most
unexpected places.

  From a very full review of the operations of the Grass Valley mines, for 1866,
which appeared in the San Francisco Mercantile Gazette of January 9th, 1867, we
condense the following:

  The Eureka is now universally conceded to be a mine of extraordinary merit,
and is one of the most valuable in California. The gross yield of bullion for
the past year amounted to $596,053, and the dividends declared $360,000, an
average of $30,000 per month. The company have now on hand seventy-five tons of
sulphurets, worth at least $30,000, and a large amount of wood, timber, and
other supplies, valued at $15,000. In addition, $27.000 were expended a short
time since for new machinery and other improvements. It will thus be seen that
the earnings of the mine, including actual dividends paid, have amounted to
$432,000 for the year 1866. During that period 12,200 tons of ore were reduced,
giving an average yield of more than $48 per ton. The Eureka has thus far been
worked to a perpendicular depth of only 300 feet, and a length of 725 feet on
the vein in -sloping from the lower level. A new level is now being opened at
100 feet greater depth, and a new shaft is also under way. A one-fortieth
interest in this property was recently sold for $17,500.

  The North Star has the advantage of being not only very thoroughly opened, but
is also a mine of great prospective value. The main shaft is now down 750 feet,
with a vertical depth of some 210 feet. The third level from the bottom extends
850 feet east, on the vein, the next above about 600 feet in the same direction,
and the lowest or new level is just being drifted upon. The width of the vein
throughout the mine will perhaps average two feet, and a very considerable
portion above the three lower levels is virgin ground, extending to the surface.
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. This company has
declared dividends at irregular intervals since 1852, and during the past five
years a net profit of more than 8500,000 has been realized. The gross product
from their new 16-stamp mill for the past five months has exceeded 5100,000, and
the net profits, in dividends, now range from $12,000 to $14.000 per month.

  The Allison Ranch mine has not been very judiciously or profitably worked the
past year, owing to a lack of harmony among some of the owners; but of late,
certain discordant elements have been overcome, and a more vigorous policy may
now be anticipated. The gross yield of this mine during the past ten years,
since it was first opened, has been about $2,300,000—the product for the three
years ending December 30th, 1865, being $1,000,000, and for the past year less
than $200,000.

  The Ophir mine, from 1852 to 1864, yielded about $1,000,000, and since it came
into possession of the present owners—the Empire Company—more than $300,000 have
been extracted. During the past year some 3,750 tons of ore were reduced,
producing about $175,000, or an average of $47 per ton, A magnificent 30-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.

  The basin of Nevada is situated on a granite formation, extending
south-'westerly into the slate, somewhat in the form of a horse shoe. In this
formation is a series of quartz veins, nearly parallel with each other, and
having many points of resemblance. Their general course is about fifteen degrees
east of south, and all dip easterly, at angles not varying far from thirty-five
degrees. At irregular distances along the ledges are "ore chutes," or
"chimneys," containing rich rock, while in other places the rock will barely pay
for working. The ore chutes extend in length from a few feet to several hundred
feet, and downward indefinitely, inclining at various angles with the plane of
the ledge.

  The Ural, or Cornish mine, is situated on the northwesterly rim of "the
granite belt, and the Union mine on the southeasterly rim—the two mines being
about three miles apart, and both of them in places cutting into the slate
formation. Between these, are the Gold Tunnel, Soggs, Pennsylvania, and other
well known mines The Gold Tunnel yielded upward of £300,000 previous to 1855. In
that year Captain Kidd sold it to a company of Cornish miners, who worked it
with little interruption for eight years longer. The mine has been re-purchased
by Captain Kidd and some San Francisco capitalists, but is not now worked. The
California claim, now owned by the Eagle Company, is an extension of the Gold
Tunnel, on the south side of Deer Creek. The Providence mine, which has been
worked many years, is the southerly extension of the Soggs.

  South of the above mentioned series of ledges, and near the apex of the
granite formation, is another series having the same general characteristics,
with the exception that they dip to the west. The most noted of these are the
Sneath and Clay, and Mohawk. The former has been worked steadily since 1863, and
at times has yielded immense returns. It is now owned and worked by the New York
and Grass Valley Company. The same company has invested a large amount in
erecting hoisting works and opening the Union mine.

  Among the best mines in Nevada township are the Wigham and Banner, both of
which have yielded large returns during the past year. The former is situated
south of the town and the latter southeast, both being in the slate formation,
near its junction with the granite. The Lecompton mine, which in the course of
two years yielded a profit of $60,000 to its owners, is situated between the
granite and slate, in places passing from one rock to the other, and retaining
its course and dip.

  In the north and south veins that have an easterly dip, the ore chutes, or
chimneys, generally incline to the north, and in ledges dipping, west they
incline to the south. There are probably exceptions, but this is the rule with
the mines around Nevada. The chutes are more or less irregular, sometimes
expanding in length, and again contracting, at different depths. In opening
mines managers now make it their first business to ascertain the position and
course of the ore chutes, and when found follow them down. A neglect of this,
through ignorance of the character of mineral veins, was the cause of many of
the early failures in quartz mining.

  In the Ural mine the ore chute at the surface is sixty feet in length, and at
a depth of a hundred and twenty feet its length is nearly a hundred feet. •The
mine is now opened by a tunnel at a depth of over, three hundred feet, but the
length of the chute at that depth is not ascertained. In the Soggs mine several
distinct chutes of rich ore have been worked to the lower level. The Gold Tunnel
paid very largely from the mouth of the tunnel, at Deer creek, for a distance of
six hundred feet north—averaging, probably, fifty dollars a ton. Beyond that,
the yield was only six or eight dollars a ton. The mine has never been worked
below the level of the creek. There are two or three extensive and rich chutes
in the same ledge south of Deer creek, which is now being opened in a systematic
manner by the Eagle Company, of Hartford. In the Sneath and Clay mine, the ore
chute in the upper level is a hundred and fifty feet in length; it contracts to
a hundred feet in the lower levels, and possibly will again expand at a still
greater depth. The Wigham mine has a rich chute of about two hundred feet in
length, and on either side the rock will scarcely pay for crushing. The Eureka
mine at Grass Valley is worked for a distance of over seven hundred feet along
the ledge, and the Allison Ranch about four hundred. Large amounts of money have
been sunk in endeavoring to find pay rock in other places on the Allison Ranch
ledge.

  An important consideration connected with the mining interest, and upon which
in a measure depends the permanent prosperity of the mining districts, is the
question of the quarts veins carrying sufficient gold to pay for working to
great depths. The gold mines of Europe are understood to decrease in richness
the deeper they are worked. Some geologists have laid it down as a rule, founded
upon a thorough examination of the mines in the Ural mountains and in Hungary,
that gold-bearing veins will not pay for working at a greater perpendicular
depth than three hundred and fifty feet. The developments in California are not
sufficient to enable us as yet to form a decided opinion on this question; but
so far as developments have been made, they tend to show that our mines will
prove an exception to the rule laid down for the gold mines in Europe.

  The deepest mine in California, and probably the deepest of any gold mine in
the world, is the Hayward mine in Amador county. This is now being worked to the
depth of twelve hundred feet below the surface, and the ore has steadily
improved with the depth. The Jefferson and Pennsylvania companies, at Brown's
Valley, Yuba county, are working their mines at the depth of nearly five hundred
feet on the incline of the ledges, where the ore pays much better than nearer
the surface 5 what .the perpendicular depth is we do not know. Notwithstanding
the length of time the mines have been worked in Nevada county, we believe there
are none that have been opened to the depth of three hundred and fifty feet. The
deepest that we know of is the Eureka, which is three hundred feet. This is now
regarded as the leading mine in the county, and the ore has steadily improved
from a yield of four and five dollars a ton, near the surface, to fifty dollars
a ton at the depth above stated. The Banner mine, near Nevada, has also improved
with the depth, as well as some others that might be named. But in other
instances the reverse has been the case.

  It is the opinion of some who have carefully investigated the subject, that,
taking the average result of the developments in this county, the mines show a
slight improvement in quality of ore, with the depth reached, and the ledges
also increase in size and become more regular. Others contend that the increased
yield of the ore is due to the improved methods of working and amalgamating;
that where changes occur in the character of the rock it is occasioned by
striking upon, or leaving, the ore chutes,-and that by following the incline of
the chutes the -ore on the whole will vary but little in value for an indefinite
depth. The latter theory is plausible, and many facts could be cited tending to
sustain it. A large number of mines in this county have been opened and worked
to the depth of two hundred feet and over; and these, taken as a whole,
certainly show no indications of -decline in the quality of the ore, but if
there is any change with the depth, it is for the better. If decrease of yield
with the greater depth is the rule with gold mines, we have good reason to
believe that those of California will prove an exception, and that like the
silver mines of Spain and the tin and copper mines of Cornwall, our gold-bearing
veins will continue to yield their treasures in undiminished quantities long
after the pioneer workers shall have been forgotten.


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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