1 8  .  Sulphur  Mining  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  { Am  jJa°nu"-I87h9arm' 
quartz.  The  greater  part,  however,  of  the  sulphur  produced  on  the 
coast  requires  to  be  purified  before  it  can  be  utilized  for  either  phar- 
macy, agriculture  or  the  arts.  For  illustration  I  shall  select  two  impure 
forms  in  which  it  occurs,  as  the  typical  crude  material  from  which  the 
sulphur  is  extracted.  A  sample  of  the  first  is  upon  the  table,  labeled 
No.  2,  and  is  from  the  Pluton  Mines,  in  Pluton  Canon,  Cal. 
This  mine  is  situated  near  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  which  rises 
rather  precipitously  from  the  bottom  of  the  canon,  and  is  evidently  the 
remains  of  an  extinct  "  geyser."  The  ground  in  the  immediate  vici- 
nity is  cinnabar  bearing,  and  the  breasts  of  the  mine  are  worked  directly 
into  the  reddish  gray,  semi  fused,  ashy  mass,  consisting  largely  of 
minute  sulphur  crystals,  interspersed  with  magnesium  and  calcium 
oxides  and  hydrates,  the  whole  deriving  its  color  from  the  ferric  oxide 
and  mercuric  sulphide.  In  many  places  are  fragmentary  masses,  several 
pounds  in  weight,  of  nearlv  pure  fused  sulphur,  but  the  largest  part  is 
a  gray  ashy  mass  of  easily  pulverulent  sulphur  crystals.  This  yields 
readily  to  the  pick,  and  is  transferred  by  cars  to  the  reduction  works, 
there  dumped  into  the  "purifier,"  which — the  invention  of  the  efficient 
superintendent,  Mr.  Eames — may  be  described  as  follows  : 
The  "  purifier  "  is  composed  of  wrought  iron,  about  the  thickness 
of  boiler  iron,  riveted  together,  and  shaped  not  unlike  a  percolator.  It 
has  a  diameter  of  about  four  feet  and  a  height  of  probably  eight,  and 
has  a  capacity  of  about  a  ton  of  charge.  The  bottom  is  perforated  and 
funnel-shaped,  while  the  top  is  covered  by  a  wrought-iron  lid  with  bolt 
attachments.  The  charge  of  crude  sulphur  having  been  properly  dried, 
is  dumped  into  the  purifier,  a  double  thickness  of  heavy  gunny  cloth 
having  first  been  carefully  spread  over  the  perforated  bottom  of  the 
cylinder.  The  lid  being  securely  attached,  superheated  steam  is  turned 
into  the  purifier  through  a  tube  in  the  side  of  the  cylinder,  and  the 
sulphur,  gradually  melting,  settles  to  the  bottom,  where  it  is  drawn  ofF 
by  means  of  a  stop-cock,  either  into  moulds  or  boxes.  The  greater 
part  is  run  into  wooden  moulds,  a  specimen  of  which  is  shown.  The 
specimen,  unique  in  its  way,  accompanying  the  moulded  portion,  has 
been  run  into  water,  this  accounting  for  its  peculiar  shape.  As  the 
whole  apparatus  swings  upon  a  pivot,  the  work  of  withdrawing  the 
charge  can  be  effected  in  a  few  moments.  It  may  be  readily  seen  that 
sulphur  is  here  extracted  at  the  lowest  cost  of  working,  while  the  cost 
of  erecting  the  entire  plant  is  a  merely  nominal  sum. 
