*** Source: Thompson, Robert A., Historical and descriptive sketch of Sonoma County, California. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1877, 122 pgs. Notice: This data is donated to the Public Domain by TAG, 2004, and may be copied freely by anyone to anywhere. *** ---page 34--- Just after the case was settled, quicksilver again fell in the market to fifty cents a pound. This at once checked the work of development, as most of the claimants were prospectors, hoping to pay their way from the products of the mine, and it cost them as much to get the metal out as it would bring in the market. Of the number of claims taken up, two have proved very valu- able,—-the Oakland and the Cloverdale. The Oakland mine is situated near Geyser peak, which we have elsewhere mentioned. It is at the head of a deep gorge, on the north side of the mountain, known from its wild and sombre depths, as the "Devil's cañon." The Oakland, from the opening of the mine, has had good ore, and more than paid its way. It is now working in the three- hundred-foot level, in a seven-foot seam of exceedingly rich ore. The furnace at the mine is a small one,-—the product, about two hundred flasks a month, is up to its full capacity, and metal for at least one hundred and fifty flasks more per month is left upon the dump for a time when a larger furnace will be built. The ore is cinnabar, sulphate of mercury, and specimens are found which will retort seventy-five per cent of metal. The average of the ore worked is about four per cent.; lower grade ore is laid aside for the reduction at some future time. About seven miles from the Geysers, on Sulphur creek, four miles northwest of the Oakland, the Cloverdale mine is situated. The hill in which this mine is located has all the appearance of an extinct geyser. The metal is diffused through the hill, and is found in the country rock, and in fine dust. There is a furnace at this mine, made with the view of working the latter kind of ore, which is rarely found. The Cloverdale is working two hundred flasks of metal per month, with very limited furnace capacity, and its production might be largely increased. It is regarded as one of the most promising mines on the coast. In a different part of the county, near Guerneville,-—the reader can locate the place on the map,-—two other valuable mines are located; one is known as the Great Eastern, and the other as the Mount Jackson. They are four miles north of Guerneville. The Great Eastern and Great Western mines were located in the spring of 1874, by Messrs. Gum, Zane and Lewis, of Healdsburg. The two mines are separated only by an intervening cañon, through which a small stream has cut a deep channel. The Western was sold by the locators to a company of Healdsburg gentlemen, and the name was changed to Mount Jackson. The Great Eastern was leased by the owners to Messrs. Parrott & Co., of San Francisco, who are wealthy merchants and deal largely in quicksilver for the Mexican and South American trade. Their lease was for six years, commencing August 1, 1874. Operations were commenced in September following, and have been steadily continued up to the present time. A bench of retorts was erected in the summer of 1875, which were used to burn the selected ore. The retorts were kept running until the building of the Eames furnace was commenced in 1876. There are ten thousand feet of tunnel in the mine, and five shafts, mainly for prospecting purposes. The ore now worked is taken from a body ten by forty feet in size, in which a shaft has been sunk to a depth of eighty feet into ore averaging about four per cent mercury. The ore is brought to the furnace *** end ***