

Miscellaneous Intelligence. 297 



the boxes through the grates, and thence through troughs to the amal- 

 gamating rooms. The bowls are supplied with runners, which move 

 horizontally ; in the center of these runners is an eye or opening, like 

 that in the runner of a corn mill. The ground, or fine-stamped ore, 

 gold, and water pass into this eye or center, and by the rotary motion 

 of the same, are brought into contact with the quicksilver deposited in 

 the center, and form an amalgam, the affinity of the one for the other 

 being very great. To the east, and near the eighteen amalgamating 

 fnills, are three dolly-tubs, or catch-alls, about five feet in diameter, 

 into which the ore, &c, after passing through the amalgamators run, 

 depositing any quicksilver or gold that may have passed off, should the 

 machinery of the former not work as it ought. After this the whole 

 mass passes to the strakes, or inclined planes, where the sulphurets, 

 &c., are deposited, and the earthy matter washed away. On the south 

 ot the stamp or amalgamating house, there were formerly two heavy 

 j^exican drags, or araslres, for the reduction of sands and sulphurets ; 

 out, not answering so good a purpose, they have been altered into three 

 heavy Chilian mills, like the six described in the north wing, but rather 

 Aeavier.^ Besides the buildings for the machinery, which are all of 

 substantial frame, there are dwelling houses for agents, superinten- 

 dents, boarding houses, carpenter's shop, store-house, blacksmith and 

 machine shop, grist-mill, cabin for one hundred to one hundred and 

 nfty workmen, stabling for twenty horses, and all necessary out build- 

 ln g s > as bake house, kitchen, &c. The buildings are all in good order 

 and new. The ore is raised from the pits, or shafts, which vary from 

 thirty to eighty feet deep, by hand windlasses and horse-whims, in iron 

 bound buckets, to which are attached well tried iron chains, imported 

 for the purpose, instead of ropes. The ores, on arriving at the sur- 

 face, are divided into but two classes— coarse and hard ore for the 

 stamps, slate and fine or small ore for the Chilian mills; this is done 

 by means of a large screen. The ore which passes through this 

 ^reen is sent in carts, or by railroad, to the milt-house, and the coarse, 

 or large pieces, N to the stamps ; the very large pieces are first broken 

 ^ ll h hammers, 6ut this is seldom required. The water is raised from 

 me different shafts or pits, as it accumulates in the mines, and runs 

 from thence to the dam, or great reservoir, where all the water from 

 the various branches, as well as the pits, is concentrated, and passes 

 through a tunnel to the large well-room, in which are located one seven- 

 inch and one four-inch lift or pump, to raise the water into a large 

 cistern, containing 7000 gallons, for the steam-engine, mills, stamps, 

 and all other purposes required in the working and washing processes. 

 Attached to the steam-engine by a connecting-rod or joint, and raised 

 on a heavy frame-work above the working beam of the same, is a large 

 balance-bob made of heavy oak timber, the out end of which works 

 outside the engine-house. There is connected or attached a large sli- 

 di ng-rod, passing down into the pit or well-room ; to this is connected by 

 offsetts the two lifts or pumps as above mentioned, and likewise another 

 or second bob, connected at pleasure, which drives the line of flat-rods, 

 leading to the different pits, where they are connected by the different 

 bobs, to the lifts or pumps in the shafts, from which the water is raised 

 to the surface. 



Second Series, Vol. VII, No. 20.— March, 1849. 38 



