The hydraulic press., September 25, 1858, Image 2

About The hydraulic press. (North San Juan, Nev. Co., Cal.) 1858-18??

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
the hydraulic press
6. P. AVERY, EDITOR.
SATURDAY, - - SEPT. 23. 1858.
New Mail Routes.— We spoke
in our last issue a few words concern-*
ing the need of a daily mail between
Marysville and this place, and were
not at that time aware that Congress
had established a post road from Ma
rysville, via North San Juan, to Forest
City. Yet such is the case, and we
hope a contract may bo soon conclu
ded for a daily mail over the new
route.
Two other post roads, in which
many of our readers are interested,
are also established, as follows : From
Nevada City, via Woolsey’s Flat,
Orleans Fiat, Chip’s Flat, Allegheny,
Forest City, Downieville, Monte
Christo, Eureka, North Pokor Flat,
to Mariposa City ; and one from
Nevada City, by Alpha, to Washing
ton, Nevada county.
Three Wonders in the Set. —
One evening this week we gazed upon
three heavenly objects that are not
often seen together ; —the round, full
moon, yellow as gold and shorn of all
her tresses, just rising from her grey
chambers behind the eastern hills ;
Venus, the evening star, the effulgent
planet of love, glistening in the wes
tern sky like a hnge diamond ; and
the comet, —a jewel-Lilted sword with
its point presented at the breast of
the Great Bear, —falling towards the
horizon in the north west.
The Almighty afforded this item, —
a mere hint of the magnificence of
space, furnished, as that is, with myr
iad many-colored suns, with fleecy
embryo worlds, with strange, erratic
messengers that do His will, with
belted globes, and zones of powdered
stars, and astral systems numberless,
that move harmoniously around the
center of an infinite circumference
which has no outer rim !
A World of Ringing Bells.— -By pre
concerted arrangement, J. B. Stearns, Super
intendent of the Boston Fire Alarm Tele
graph, rung all the bells of Boston, connect
ed with fire alarm, from the ofii o of the
American Telegraph Company in Portland!
This extraordinary feat in licatcs the practi
cability of a simultaneous ringing of the bells
ihfonghout the world.— Exchange.
When this globe of oars is girdled
by the magnetic wire, and subordinate
nerves of electricity radiate from the
grand trunk, or “ spinal cord,” to
every place where swings a bell ; and
when the signal shall be given, and
the general tintinnabulation burst in
concord forth, the staid earth will start
at the sound, and plunge through
space a starry courser girt with ring
ing bells.
JKaf* We giro editorial matter on
every page of this week’s issue, as
indeed we have done in nearly every
number of our paper; though some of
our exchanges have appropriated por
tions of it without duo credit.
We shall endeavor to continue this
custom, so as to make every part of
the Hydraulic Press interesting to
subscribers, and more valuable as an
advertizing medium.
It will demand much more labor on
our part, but we hope to be rewarded
by the approval of our friends, and
by an increased list of subscribers.
Severe Accident. —We are
pained to announce the occurrence of
another mining casualty to an es
teemed citizen of this place.
On Tuesday morning, while Mr.
Jno. H. Effinger was washing in
the “Deadman Cut,” a small piece of
earth fell and broke his leg, making a
pojmminuted fracture below the knee.
He is under the care of Dr. G. W.
Noble, who set the limb, and thinks
it can be saved.
Sierra Valley. —A party of
gentlemen from this place lately visi
ted the above locality on a hunting
and pleasure errand. They report
that about two hundred persons have
been there during this season, that
they found no fish, that game is not
plenty, but that the atmosphere is
pure and bracing and the water deli
ciously cool. While on the summit
they sent a challenge to Mr. Grizzly,
and went forth to meet him, but found
him not. Old hunters say the true
grizsJy bear is now to be found most
ly on the Coast Range of mountains,
the Sierra Nevada being tenanted by
the cinnamon bear.
Trulli Stranger than Fiction.
Edgar A. Poe told a story illustra
ting the wonders of modern science
and mechanism, under the title of the
“ The Thousand and Second Night.”
Many years have passed since we
read it, but we can give its substan
tial features: The Princess Sche
herazade, after charming the jealous
and sanguinary Sultan by her beauti
ful fables for a thousand and one
nights, and inducing him to forego
the execution of his dreadful vow, is
persuaded by bias, on the thousand
and second night, to tell another of
thetales which had so fascinated him.
She consents, but premises that she
will now relate a true narrative,
whereas all the others were fictions.
She then describes, in a manner ex
quisitely poetical, the art of printing,
balloon ascensions, steam navigation,
the locomotive and railroad, Daguer
rcotyping, and the electric telegraph,
besides many lesser wonders. Her
despotic lord listened with a tolerable
degree of patience to the close, but
when she again affirmed that these
things were all true, he flew into a
terrible passion and had the unhappy
princess slain for presuming to prac
tice upon his credulity.
The world has known many similar
instances of scepticism and ferocity.
Galileo was imprisoned, Columbus
sneered at by the learned Council of
Salamanca, Fitch and Stevenson pro
nouced insane, Goodyear treated with I
contumely and neglect, ocean steam |
navigation declared impossible by an
eminent savan, and Gisborne, the or
iginator of tho Atlantic Submarine
Telegraph, esteemed no better than
a visionary. But we are wiser now ;
the last great wonder, the climax of
all previons achicvments, has con
verted us to unbounded faith. The
common mind is now educated to an
appreciation of the sublimest novelties,
and bar-room cronies project the most
magnificent schemes. The project of
a telegraph to connect Russia and
America by way of Asia and Behring’s
Straits, was talked of in village stores
before it found its way into the public
press. Like Henry Ward Beecher,
we are now prepared to believe almost
anything, provided the story shall be
big enough ! Ordinary people alrea
dy believe in the ultimate navigation
of the air—it is the next thing they
bok for. For ourselves, we shall
throw poetry and romance to the dogs,
and study tho annals of science and
invention.
Advertising. —We have labored
as hard to deserve public patronage,
during the short time our paper has
been in existence, as any other paper
in the mountains ; yet a glance at
our advertising columns will prove
that, in that direction at least, we
have not been successful. Our ad
vertising custom is less than that of
any of our exchanges. Why is this ?
In order to induce business men on
the ridge to advertise, we shall not
promise them a fortune as the result,
; though we believe it would benefit
them pecuniarily ; hut we will say
that persons looking for a location,
and perusing this paper in their quest,
will pay more attention to the number
of advertisements than to laudatory
editorials. The editor may lie, ad*
vertisements can not. If people would
make less use of bulletin boards,
when they wish to notify the public of
anything, and more of the local paper,
they would find the change advanta
geous to themselves and the town.
The Comet whiffi is visible in the
north-west every evening and morn
ing, is said to be an old visitant to
our earth, being no less than the so
called comet of Charles Yth. We
have reliable accounts of Its appear
ance so long ago as 1261, and when
it disappeared the Pope Urban IV.
also made his exit, whereat the super
, stitious world greatly marvelled. It
I came again in 1556, when Charles
V., who knew ho ought to die, tho’t
| it was a portent of his demise; but it
1 wasn’t. And now, after another 300
years, it comes again, just in time to
see the success of the Atlantic Cable.
It is supposed to have been seen on
at least three other occasions, earlier
than those given; in A. D. 975,395
and 101.
Tho old fellow used to frighten
people awfully by his former visits,
but he cannot come it now. We hope
he will stay long enough to let the
I astronomers become intimately ac
quainted with him; as for ouiselves,
i wo prefer a distant acquaintance.
Cherokee. —The miners at this
rich locality are prevented by want
of water from taking out much gold,
but they are busily employed in pre
paring for the wet season, when the
needed element will be plentiful.
There are claims immediately sur
rounding the town which yielded,
when last worked, from fifty to sixty
dollars per day to the man, and they
will no doubt yield as well hereafter.
But the citizens do not allow the tem
porary dullness consequent upon mi
ning inactivity to prevent them from
enjoying life. The place is favored
by the presence of many agreeable
families, and more pretty little chil
dren can be seen sporting in its
streets than in any other mining town
of the same size that ve are acquain
ted with. There is a regular atten
dance at Mrs. Spoor’s school of some
25 pupils.
In common with Camptonville and
San Juan, Cherokee is considerable
of a sporting town. On last Satur
day the race between “ Cub ” and
“ Sheep,” the particulars of which
we have already given, was run, and
resulted in “ Cub ” winning by elev
en feet. It is proper to state, in ex
planation of this second triumph of
“ Cub,” that he was trained by “Tea
broeck,” late of the Union Course,
Long Island ! Another race is ar
ranged, to come off two weeks from
to-day between Turney’s “ Roan ”
and Nichol’s “ Bay,” for §I,OOO a
side. The race is made by McMul
len k Turney and D. Brown—dis
tance to bo run, 410 yards.
Columbia Hill. —The miners at
this locality, as at every other on the
ridge just at this time, are mostly em
ployed in preparing for the advent of
the rainy season. The diggings there
are of the deep hydraulic character.
Three companies only are washing,
and those arc making excellent wages.
The miners will be in better condition
to improve the wet season this fall
than ever before.
Camptonville.—We have not
been able to obtain any mining intel
ligence from this place, but as the
diggings are known to be excellent,
and water is abundant, we suppose
the miners are doing well. A friend
writes us that on last Saturday night
the school children, under the charge
of Mr. Foster, gave a public exhibi
tion of the usual character, which pas
sed of very pleasantly. These school
exhibitions, in the rugged mountains
and among the yawning gold mines,
form a delightful feature of California
life, and are full of promise for our
future. It is pleasant to know that
the mental wants of children are not
overlooked or neglected by their
wealth-pursuing elders.
Brhlgepoit Llbraiy Associa
tion.
The semi annual meeting of this
excellent institution was held last
Sunday evening, and resulted in the
re election of the old officers. Al
though it has not met with that liber
al support which it deserves from our
citizens, it has prospered sufficiently
to be beyond the chance of failure.
There are about 500 volumes already
on the shelves, among thorn the com
plete works of Cooper, Irving, Willis,
and Scott, the great historical works
of Bancroft, Macauley, Prescott, Gib
bon and Hume, besides many English
literary classics. It is hoped the
number of books will be doubled, at
least, the coming year. The Asso
ciation now occupy a commodious
room on Flume-st., which is well
lighted every night, and supplied with
a large number of California and
Eastern papers and periodicals, and
with all the foreign reviews. The
public generally are invited to visit
the Library. It is in contemplation
to reduce the dues to fifty cents per
month, and this, with the low price of
membership—ss for a subscribing,
and $lO for a shareholding member
ship—ought to induce every person
who has the least desire for mental
cultivation to become a member. No
thing will tend more to elevate our
town in the opinion of strangers and
visitors than the fact that it supports
a respectable public library. Every
man of family, in particular, ought to
contribute to its support, and have
some of the books in his house. Cal
ifornia would not seem half so dreary
a place if all would take some of
these quiet friends to their bosoms.
The Mines about Town are yield
ing better than ever. Last week the
Deadman Company cleaned up §7,-
490, as the result of their week’s
washing. Lowe’s Company made
from six days’ washing the respecta
ble sum of §4,828. These two claims
ure paying bettor than others on San
Juan hill chiefly for the reason that
they are working on the bottom, have
their tunnels completed, and can thus
command the entire depth of the bank.
The new iron pipe has recently boon
introduced into Spencer’s claim. It;
will be universally adopted in time. |
Such other companies as are washing
are making excellent wages —that is,
from ten to twenty dollars per day ;
so we arc informed on reliable au
thority.
It would amply repay our citizens
who are not miners to visit the dig
gings oftener than they do. They i
will see how the solid bank of a hun
dred or more feet in depth has grad
ually slid away into the Yuba, until
now the bare rock is exposed for hun
dreds of feet in width, and the pine
trees nod over yawning chasms where
the water is dashing and the earth
tumbling before it.
New Poems. —The California pa
pers abound with original poems of
considerable merit recently. The
Union publishes a.long amatory dec
asyllabic poem by “Glycus”—qui est?
—which might have been written in
the time of Pope, it is so much like
the poetical compositions, of his day.
Pollock’s Anniversary Poem be
fore the Pioneers entitled “Gold is
King,” strikes us as a failure,lacking
pertinency to the occasion, and clear
ness.
The California Farmer has a song
to the telegraph from Mrs. Lcsdern
ier, which is entitled “Sing to the
Age a Song!” It is not remarkable
above many others on the same sub
ject.
The Marysville Democrat of
Thursday contains a poetical address
to the Atlantic Cable, which posses
ses considerable merit. The ideas
are in a measure original, and ex
pressed with force and propriety.
So far our favorite California poets
are Wells, the author of “Mary
Brown,” and Frank Soule.
The Latest Experiment in Hy
draulic Mining is the employment
of powder for the purpose of loosening
the bank by blasting, which leaves it
in a condition to fall more readily
when subjected to the action of a
stream of water. This idea has re
cently been put in practice at Junc
tion Bluff, in the claims of Trcvethick
k Co. A short drift is run in at the
base of the bank, and from that a little
side drift is made, into the side of
which a quantity of powder, in the
keg, is placed and packed in firmly
with dirt, a fuse being attached by
means of which the blast is fired.
The explosion opens the pores of the
bank, so to speak, to such an extent
that it crumbles and falls very readily
under the streams of water powerful
ly projected against it. One such
blast has furnished sufficient earth for
a week’s washing, and the use of pow
der in this manner saved the above
company, it ia said, a considerable
amount on their water bill for a short
period. This is quite likely, for these
deep banks are sometimes as hard as
cement, and the water will dash
against them in one place for a long
while before a sufficient cavity is worn
out to cause the fall of the mass above.
From one hundred to two hundred
inches of water are used by many
companies, and at 30 cents per inch,
this indispensable agent is excessive
ly costly in such large quantities.
If this application of blasting upon
being generally tested, as it doubtless
will be, should prove successful, a
great saving will result to the miners,
yet without prejudice to the interests
of ditch companies.
Accident at Manzanita.—A mi
ner, whose name we could not learn,
while working in a shaft at the above
place, had his lefi hand, which hap
pened to be lying on a rock, struck
by a falling stone and badly crushed.
Three fingers were stripped of their
ligaments to the bone, and the little
finger so much torn and broken that
amputation was necessary. The op
eration was performed by Dr. Noble,
the poor victim bearing it with the ut
most apparent indifference.
The first number of the Weekly
Butte Record reached us this week.
It is full of reading and readable mat
ter.
A True Salt. —The S. F. Bulle
tin tells an amusing story of a weath
er-beaten old tar, who bought a rum
shop known as tho “ Hole in the
Wall,” on Pacific-st. lie no doubt
expected to do a crowding business,
ayd to make enough money so that
he could have easy sailing for tho
rest of life’s voyage. But after drink
ing the greater part of the stock, and
trusting for the balance, he got dis
gusted with the business. When the
St. Marys left for Panama, recently,
and Jack saw her spread her white
bosom to the breeze, he swore he was
ashamed to be in such a lubberly
trade, fit only for lazy land-sharks,”
and smashing the battles, kegs, glas
ses, and rigging of his shanty, ship
ped into the service again.
The Chinese are having great
times this week about something best
known to themselves. The week
was ushered in with the usual explo
sion of fire-crackers and slaughter of
pigs and chickens. John eats pork
and fowl on about the same principle
that we eat turkey—making of them
a sort of festival dish, sacred to great
occasions. The rascals have been
gambling night and day. They play
a very noisy game with their hands
alone, gesticulating and shouting vio
lently yet monotonously for hours to
gether. It appears to be a kind of
| “ odd and even ” guessing game. It
is usually played for tho kt drinks all
; around,” and the man who is beaten
is not allowed to drink himself —which
causes shouts of laughter. If you
ask John what these festivities are
about, he will answer —“ Shabby four
July ? all-eo sem ! Welly good !”
Important to Miners. —Under
this head, the Sierra Democrat pub
lishes a communication from Dr. Cy
rus D. Aiken, on the subject of pre
mature explosions in blasting. The
Doctor says he has ascertained that
“ the majority of accidents occurring
in the process of blasting arc in con
sequence of the want of precaution
in putting the tamping compactly
upon the powder, in such a manner
as to fill up the tube and exclude at
mospheric air.” His theory is, that
the condensation of air by tho sud
den driving of the tamping iron gene
rates sufficient heat to ignite tho pow
der ; and he o.Ters the following as
an illustrative proof: “ Obtain a glass
cylinder, two or three inches long
and an inch in diameter, closed air
tight at one extremity, and put a
piston in tho other end, air-tight;
then place a small piece of punk in
the bottom of tho cylinder ; fit tho
piston in the open end of tho cylinder
| and drive it down suddenly, and tho
I punk will be set on fire by the heat
| given from the condensed atmospheric
: air.” Dr. Aiken is satisfied “ that
| as many as three out of five accidents
occur in consequence of neglecting to
exclude the air from the blast-hole
before striking with the sledge. Many
| persons arc under the impression that
the cutting of the fuse is the cause
of the accidents attributable to the
sudden condensation of atmospheric
air.” There is no doubt but what
; this is really the cause of many acci
dents which might be avoided by a
little precaution.
From the Plains.
Placerville, Sep. 21—Hi a. m.
—The Overland Mail arrived at 12
o‘clock last night, in charge of Hun
tington and Lindsay.
INu news of importance from Salt
Lake. A portion of the Utah array
arc en route foe the Shoshone coaib
try, for the purpose of protecting the
mai's and the emigrants. Dr. For
ney, the Indian Agent, accompanies
the troops, and will demand of the
Shoshones all the mules they have
stolen, and adopt measures that will
secure their friendship.
The Placerville and Hurabolt Tel
egraph Company have reached
Brockliss‘ bridge with their line, and,
if the weather continues favorable,
expect to open an office at Genoa in
three weeks —Bee telegraph.
The Southern Overland Route.
—The second coach by this routs
via Los Angeles, loft San Francisco
early Monday morning, with seven
passengers, five of whom are bound
through to Teun. and Mo.
Henceforth the mail coaches by
this line will leave San Francisco on
Monday and Friday of each week.
The Sens from China,
By recent arrival?, is of great im
portance. The Allies had sailed up
the Hong-ho to the Peiho river, de*
atroyed the city of Ilouts, and thus
had Pekin, the Capit of the Empire,
at their mercy. This critical condi
tion of affairs induced tho Chinese to
treat for peace. They first, perhaps
for the sake of saving their dignity
—heaven save tho mark!—concluded
treaties with the Americans and Rus
sians, with whom they have not been
at war, and then the Emperor sealed
one with Great Britain; which is to
be conveyed to London for ratifica
tion. The leading features of the
several treaties, which are similar in
their general provisions, are thus giv
en in the Union s Telegram from S.
F.
Five more seaports are to be open
ed; the free navigation of the river,
as far as Peiho, is conceded; Chris
tianity to bo tolerated throughout tho
empire; Resident Ministers to be at
Pekin, and heavy duties and other
commercial restrictions are to be abol
ished.
ISimonson, well known to early
Californians as a violinist in the Sa
loons, is playing at iiong Kong to
large houses at five dollars a ticket.
Celebration of the Cable Tri
umph.—lt is proposed by some of our
citizens to show that wo are not dead
to the importance of this event, by
having “ a feast of reason and a flow
of soul ” over it on Monday evening,
and everybody who would like to as
sist is requested to bo at tho new Li
brary Room this (Saturday) evening
at early candle-light.
Tlie State at Larvc.
The Atlantic Telegraph, and ccdebtations
of its success, and schemes to connect Cali
fornia with it immediately, are the chief top
ics discussed in our exchanges this week.—
Impromptu demonstrations of jjy over the
great event have occurred in many places
throughout the State, and prcpaiations are
being made fur more systematic rejoicings.—
Sin Francisco, Sacramento and Marysville
have selected next Monday night for a grand
j .bilee, and other towns will Jiubtless fall
into the arrangement The posts for the
Piacerville and Carson Valley lino of tele
graph are set tor 20 miles beyond the former
place. When the line is completed and ex
tended to Silt Lake, we think there is little
doubt but what a line will be at once started
from s -me point on the Eis'ern borders to
meet it Col. Biker deliveis the address
at the S. Franclsc > Celebration The So
nora sailed on Monday with a large miil,
$1,757,651 in treasure, and 351 passengers.
She brought to this country the enormous
numb rof 1,600 passengers ! No doubt most
of them we;e bound lor Frazer, but they
w ill be apt to stay hero There is the usu
al large amount of crimes and c.isu iltics,bac
we take no pleasure in retailing such thing 3.
If cur readers want details of crime, they
must seek them in other papers; we shill not
make a practice of publishing them.. .There
have been several much needed clipper arri
vals at San Franc sc •. During the past week
there has been quite ascatcay cf many arti*
cles largely needed in mountain trade... The
Navy Agent contracted for sevcr.il millions
of bricks at sll 90 t per thousand, when he
knew he could get them from State Prison
Commissioners tor sll. What’s wrong?..,.
The navigation of the San Joaquin river is
to be improved.... .The Marysville Demo
crat amusingly chronicles several thieving
dppred ttioas on the craft in that city.. .Tho
Mechanic’s Fair closed on Thursday Sam
Brannan has returned from the East....Ac
cor ding to the Shasta Courier, 12,673 cattle
have anived in this State from Oregon du
ri g the past summer Gen. Kibbo has
returned from tho scene of Indian difficulties
and reports that they have nut been ex air r Pj .
rated. That’s singular ! ...Tiro San Fran
cisoans are wasting their energies on a Sou
thern Telegraph to the States, instead of ai
ding the line already commenced at Placer
viile. One at a lime is the best plan T.
D. Judah, Chief Engineer cf the Central
Railroad, repurts that he think' . practica
ble mute can be found to Aubun. with a
grade of nut over 8J f?et to tho ■ ilc. lie
found Auburn to be 1,150 feet higher than
Sacramento.... .Capt. Say ward, of the Sin
Francisco Police, beat an intoxicated woman
with a cuwhide for using abusive language to
him. What a virtuous, brave Christian!....
Agricultural and horticultural Societies are
being formed in the difife: eat counties
The 1 reka Union says: “It is now an un
doubted fact that \ieka is built upon a bed
of gold. Several comp mies have succeeded
in getting down to the bed-rock, where they
I ave found rch deposits. From present in
dications it is fair toe me u le that the town
will eventually be comple ely undermined,
and a greater number of men employe I fac
tion h the surf ice than upon it.’’ San Fran
cisco is not the only city that is built upon
pi'm!. .The \ reka Ditch is paying dividends
of 2i per cent, a mouth on a capital of S2OO
- .... The Oroviile Record states that a
sou and heir weighing 18 pounls has been
burn to one Pence, cf Mesilla Valley. If
Peace is married, the hoy must have been
burn to two Peace, alrd in that case be does
not care a farthing; hut it Pence is not mar
ried such a Weighty responsibility must make
him ra'hcr pensive I'he U. S. Mint atS.
Fr .nc tea coined $572,000 t.om Sept. Ist to
Ib.h Upwards of -10 N. Y. thieves arc
said to have arrived ou the two or three last
steamers. They must be seeking office. —
Look out for them!... .The Assessor reports,
so far us received, show a large increase ia
the substantial wealth of the several coun
ties, in spiie <■{ thh Frazer river depletion...
Oa the 18tfa inst., 2.0U0 school children at
tended tnu lair of tae Mechanic's Institute.
~. .The newspapers throughout the Sta f c are
expressing thcmtelves pretty generally a
gaiast duelling. W ould cot the most of them
neglect to j raise a m in lor declining a chal
lenge? The tt uth is, must men do nut like to
figh,, baton a wcli known principle they ad
mit e ih se who do light, and the moral cour
age chat oates refuse to do wrong, meets
with lit*l - sympathy from them The
Dowuievil!* folks are raising excellent grapes
in their gardens, says the Citizen. They
must have some strong n.en up N rib, for
one has lately thrown a large bridge across
the Upper Sacramento! Tuis is the second
bridge over that uver Urapcsare for sale
at Mokelumue Util which were raised iu that
vicinity, undone bunco on exhibition weighs
seven pounds! The mountains refuse to be
outdone by the vallies Such a fact as this
bunch of fruit is worth mere to the State
than a seven pound lump of gold.