HELVETIA AND LAFAYETTE MINE, LAFAYETTE HILL, GRASS VAL 

 LEY, NEVADA COUNTY. 



The above mine was located in 1851, and soon after its location the company 

 commenced operations in the opening of their lode. It was not, however, until 

 the early part of 1852 that any considerable amount of excavation was made; and 

 it is from this period that the mine should date its beginning. 



During the general crash that befel most of the gold mines in that year, this 

 company pursued a uniform and continued course of working throughout the 

 panic, and carried their operations through, almost uninterrupted, up to the pres 

 ent date. It is therefore one of the oldest established mines in the State, and 

 ranks one of the first among the pioneers of gold mining in California. 



From the first opening of the lode on Lafayette Hill, up to the close of 1855, 

 the reduction works of the mine were situated nearly two miles from their vein ; 

 they have, consequently, been subjected to a heavy expense in transporting their 

 ores to the mill. During 1855 they have erected a new and capacious mill di 

 rectly upon their lode, the machinery of the reduction works doing nearly all the 

 labor of hoisting of ores, pumping, etc., that had previously been done by hand, 

 on the mine. 



During the years 1852 and 1853 the workings on the lode at Lafayette Hill 

 consisted in the following amounts : 



An adit was carried from the north side of the hill to the length of two hun 

 dred feet, and from the end of this a level was commenced and driven on the vein 

 to the length of eleven hundred feet, at an average depth of nine fathoms below 

 the surface. On the strike of the vein some eight shafts were sunk, four of which 

 were nine fathoms, three eleven fathoms, and one thirteen fathoms ; each of 

 these shafts were supplied with a hand-windlass, and from most of them ores were 

 delivered to the surface alternately. 



After the level had been carried through, and a connection formed with the 

 surface by means of the adit, the shaft delivery of ores was abandoned, and the 

 mineral matter taken to the surface by the latter means. During 1854 all the 

 ores were taken out by this channel on train-ways laid for the purpose. 



During 1854 the underground workings consisted in breasting down the lode 

 for nearly its entire length, which was carried to the depth of seven fathoms. 

 The walls of the lode being for the best nine fathoms, a very compact and hard 

 greenstone trap, the lode and walls requiring blasting every foot that was exca 

 vated. 



During the year 1855 the company have' completed the erection of their new 

 mill, as above mentioned, and the subterranean workings to connect with it, are 

 as follows : 



From the end of the adit a heavy cross-cut has been carried northward forty- 

 six feet, at an average expense of forty dollars per foot ; at the end of this a shaft 

 (engine shaft) six feet by eight, has been sunk to the depth of fifteen fathoms, 

 heavily timbered and planked throughout. The cross-cut connects with the 1,100 

 feet level, and thus easy and efficient communication is established with the sur 

 face of the mine throughout. 



From the bottom of the engine shaft a level is to be driven during the coming 

 year, the end of which is to be equal to that of the main level of 1,100 feet, and 

 at its completion a body of ore will be placed in position to be sloped down, hav 

 ing an average depth of twenty-eight fathoms below the present line of workings. 

 This, it will be seen, will afford facilities for obtaining ore to any amount that may 

 be desired for at least three years to come. 



The reduction of ores during the past year, have not been as extensive as for- 



