204 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



twenty-five or thirty of fine rosin. The distillation is more 

 difficult and also more dangerous than that of common tur- 

 pentine. 



145. Silk. San Francisco has now a silk factory en- 

 gaged in the manufacture of sewing silk. The silk manufac- 

 urers are sanguine in regard to the profits of the business in 

 this State. They claim that the expense of living is less here 

 than in Paterson or Lyons ; that the warmth of the winters 

 will save the expense of heating the mills, (the threads snap in 

 cold weather, especially when the machinery is first started in 

 the morning) and labor is cheaper. 



146. Sulphur and Salt. The production of sulphur and 

 manufacture of its compounds in California, is rising in im- 

 portance. The chief supply of the world is obtained from the 

 sides of Mount ./Etna, in Sicily, and this State used the Sicilian 

 brimstone until lately. The sulphur works on the shore of 

 Clear Lake have at times produced four tons a day as much 

 as the Coast could consume. The freight from the Mediterra- 

 nean, the increased charge on account of the combustible 

 nature of the material, and the necessity for keeping large 

 stocks on hand, so as to prevent any disturbance of trade in 

 case a cargo should be delayed or lost, give decided advanta- 

 ges to the home manufacture. The Sicilian brimstone cannot 

 be laid down here for less than four cents per pound, and the 

 domestic article is sold for three and a half cents. 



The sulphur bed of Clear Lake is about eight miles from 

 the southern end, on the eastern shore, only a few hundred 

 yards from the water. There is a bank resembling ashes, in 

 which there are numerous alkaline and sulphur springs, and 

 also vent-holes, from which sulphurous fumes escape. These 

 holes are surrounded by beautiful crystals of pure sulphur 

 deposited by the fumes rising from below. The earth, con- 

 taining about fifty per cent, of sulphur, is placed in an iron 

 retort, which is heated to a high temperature, so that the sul- 

 phur is driven off in fumes into a receiver, where it settles in 



