can only get it.

The ways and means are accordingly devised; sometimes by making up a company of eight, or ten, or twenty, or any other desirable number; and as the cost will be about so much, each member of the company has to contribute his share of the amount agreed upon, as the work progress

es.

Should it cost less or more—generally it is the latter the proportion is diminished, or increased by assessments according to the number of shares. At other times, a number of men who live together on the same bar, and who, being well acquainted with each other, and tolerably well inform ed of what the other possesses, will raise whatever timber or tools may be required, from among themselves, and "get along as well as they can, for the balance " which often is but very indifferently--and go to work with a will to accomplish their object.

To to do this, sometimes, a race has to be dug; at others, a flume has to be built, requiring to be of sufficient capacity to take in the whole amount of water running in the river. This being done, a dam has to be constructed across the river, that shall be water-tight, or nearly So. To build this dam, very often requires that men work in the water, which is generally very cold, for, as it comes from the melting snows, it cannot be expected to be very warm; at least, before the river is very low, and men seldom wait for that they therefore enter the river; and by rolling up large boulders into a line for building a wall, they turn the water from the one side towards the flume on the other, and when one wall is thus rudely but substantially constructed, another is built behind it; when all the light floating sand is cleaned out, that it may not be in the way of making the space water-tight between the walls; a clayey soil is then filled in and well tramped, until the dam is tight; and the water is running through the race or flume. Sometimes a tree or

be found long enough to reach, and in the right place,) when slabs or split timbers are put in, in an inclined position, and either nailed or pinned to the log, when the whole space in front is filled up with clayey soil and fine boughs of trees until it is made water-tight.

The river now being turned into the race, wheels are erected across it; and pumps are attached by which the water still remaining in the river's bed is pumped out. Now river mining is commenced in real earnest; men begin to remove boulders, wheel out rocks, fix toms, or sluices, and take out the precious metal-if there is any. (The writer has seen as high as five thousand two hundred and twentyseven dollars, taken out from behind a boulder, in a single pan of dirt.)

Should the fall rains be late before commencing, every opportunity is given to work out the river claims to advantageor at least to test them sufficiently either to work or abandon them. If on the contrary-as frequently occurs the rains should come early, the whole of the summer's labor and expense are swept away before a dollar can be taken out. Many men are thus left penniless, after the toil and hope of a long and scorching summer. Taking the losses with the gain, it is very questionable if more gold has not actually been invested in river mining, than has ever been taken out.

Some more comprehensive plan of op erations than the present is much needed before the streams can be thoroughly worked to profit and advantage. We pro pose a plan, to be accepted or modified according to circumstances, which would in our opinion, accomplish the object i question.

Water is the great want of all kinds surface mining. To supply this want the whole of the water in a river during t summer season, be conveyed in one more flumes on one or both sides of t river, as may be most desirable, to mini

RIVER MINING.

1859

MEN ENGAGED IN WORKING OUT THE RIVER'S BED AFTER TURNING THE STREAM INTO THE FLUME.

ground; and let the dams be so constructed that the highest stage of water during the winter or spring season cannot in the least damage, much less destroy them, as at the present time.

There will be no less than eight hundred thousand dollars expended in flumes and dams on Feather river, above and within ten miles of Oroville, this present

season.

Now had even twice that amount of money been invested in constructing one or more substantial flumes, above high water mark, it would have been an investment of profit, as well as permanency, from the amount of water sold for mining purposes, besides accomplishing the work of turning the river, not only for the present but for many summers to come.

Supposing that a dam be constructed to each mile of river turned (as at present);

each dam will cost, upon an average, about eight thousand dollars; in the ten miles mentioned of course there would be ten in number, making eighty thousand dollars; now should that sum be used to construct one permanent dam that should last not only for one, but for many seasons,-besides the advantages it would offer to other claim owners by not backing the water upon them, as now-it would be a piece of economy that must commend itself to the thoughtful consideration of all persons interested in river mining. Should all the companies on a single stream unite for this purpose, even though the claims in the river should fail, they would have an important and profitable interest in a flume; which, while it drained the river, would also supply the dry mining districts with water. We ask you to think the matter over and let us hear from you.

The above works are situated in the town of Sutter, Amador county, and, with similar ones at Grass Valley, Nevada county, are the only works in the mining

districts where all kinds of machinery, in brass and iron, are cast for quartz mining, and without the delay and expense of sending to the larger cities, as formerly.

The above beautiful and romantic little mining camp is situated on the South Fork of the Stanislaus river, about four miles north-east of Columbia, Tuolumne county. Deep down in the rocky chasm of a mountain stream, and shut out apparently from the great heart-pulse of population, it has fostered a hardy, and somewhat improvident class of men, and who have an uncomfortable style of living. Attracted thither by the wealth slumbering undisturbed in the stream, they began to pitch their tents and build their cabin homes; and as their prospectings gave hope of a golden reward, they built dams, turned the river, and pumped the bed of it dry; scarcely commencing when a fall of rain and snow began to swell the stream, and one by one to remove the results of so much labor and faith and patience.

Men who had staked their all upon the success or failure of this uncertain under

taking, lost it. To succeed would make men rich for life to fail, "why, oh! we shan't fail," they felt and believed, — was to begin life anew and pay perhaps a heavy bill due the store-keeper-often unfairly called "working out a dead horse."

Time after time has this experiment been tried with and without success, not only here, but in numberless other places. Men whose home - no, their "stopping place" is in such out-of-the-way localities have, too, to forego many of the comforts of life. Every pound of provision has to be packed upon their own back or upon that of some favorite donkey or mule. As you descend towards the encampment, the steep mountain sides almost make your head swim, lest, by some mishap of your animal or yourself, you may "fall overboard," down the rugged and almost perpendicular rocks at your side. Men who thus live, and work, and strive, earn every dollar they may make, even though it should comprise a very large fortune.

THE INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

On the opposite page we give to our readers a view of the building in which the first exposition of the products of California industry will be made. It is a somewhat capacious structure, in the form of a Greek cross, covering an area of about eighteen thousand square feet. The dome in the centre, with the towers, cornices, and other appropriate ornaments, gives it an air of singularity and importance which is highly creditable to the authors of the design.

No pains have been spared by the officers of the Mechanics' Institute, under whose auspices and management it has thus far progressed, to bring together the various productions of California industry for exhibition.

Already manufactures have been extensively produced in this State which formerly we used to import, such as furniture, oil, buggies, all kinds of soaps, glue, candles, stoves, salt, pickles, preserves, vermacilli, brushes, cordage, leather, pianofortes, billiard tables, jewelry, regalias, embroidery and crochet work, wagons, all kinds of coopers' work, such as tubs, barrels, buckets, &c., bookbinding, sugar refining, children's toys, hats and caps, mathematical, surgical and chemical instruments, matches, in quantities sufficient to supply the State, willow ware, imitation marble, asphaltum, saddlery of all kinds, pumps and blocks for ships, all kinds of the finest flavored wines, brandy, &c., steam engines, wire work, and paperwith a host of others which might be enumerated, and all of which are manufactured in large quantities, of as good if not better quality, and cheaper than they can be imported.

Then there are various important California inventions, such as grain reapers far excelling in utility any similar inventions in the east,-an improved electrical clock, a machine for making mouldings which planes four sides at once,-an inven

tion for measuring the depth of the sea, the steam wagon, apparatus for accelerating fermentations, improved methods of assaying metals, a machine for drilling rock by mospheric air, improved models of steam engines and machinery, agricultural implements, newly invented quartz crushers, a dentist's chair of singular mechanism, ingenious fire-arms, &c., &c.

The fine arts will be represented in their various and interesting details. California curiosities; and an endless variety of the products of the soil; and, though last not least, various specimens of the skill, taste and handiwork of woman.

Judging from the interest so generally manifested in this enterprise, a new era is about to dawn upon our glorious young State which, while it teaches the great virtue of self-reliance, will give a new and powerful incentive to the direction and developement of mechanical genius, and which, while it will invite men to return to their former and more congenial occupations, will become a new source of wealth to the State, by fostering and encouraging the manufacture of those articles we now import, and for which many millions of dollars are annually sent away that should be retained among us. It is now generally conceded, too, that even at present prices a judicious combination of labor and capital would in most cases enable us to com. pete successfully with Eastern manufactures.

It is our earnest hope that the influence incited by this and similar institutions will extend far beyond the passing moment of excitement, by turning our thoughts to the developement of those resources which a generous Providence has so bountifully bestowed upon our highly favored land, and prove that although they are intended for our individual and personal benefit, we thoroughly appreciate the favor; and as a result, are desirous of improving these advantages for the present and future benefit of the masses, and of the State of our adoption.