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PLACER GOLD
I,
The Gold Pan
Situated as we are in one of the A3.a3kan placer gold districts,
the -flords "Panning,""sluicing" and "Cradelling" are faniliir to us all*
‘The actual process, however, of using the above means to separate the gold
from the auriferous gravels 13 somewhat hazy except to a few* Iherefore a
series of articles on these three means of ' poor nan’s mining' wall be
written in order that we members of the Post may speak with due solemnity i
authority an 1 dignity of mien when called upon (on our return to the State*.
for an explanation of these term3, so that we may rise, wr^h^a gracefu
brushing back of the hair and a clearing of the throat, end e*.uc\aa,e oo
brilliantly that our "States" audience will be held ?P®^cund ca
grasp of the subject. Tne first of these articles mil deal with .he P*os
pec tor’s gold pan*
The pan is usually made of pressed steel, circular in form, re
sembling a frying pan ,r3ansM handle. It is from 10 to lb inches in diamctei
at the bottom, sloping outwarl to the top to a diameter three to five in
ches larger* The sides are about five inches deep.
Choosing some likely looking stream, where the current has made an
off-set, we sat our par down and fill it about two*'thirds full of gravel,
and dirt; taking the pan we next place it under the water and stir the •
contents so that the complete mass becomes thoroughly wet and disinte
grates* i/hen the first has been completely softened, the pan, still under
water, is lightly rocked and tipped so that the water ‘fill carry off the
light earthy particles# Taking the pan from the water we find that, the
larger nieces of gravel, go! i nuggets and clay ?.umos areon top# These we
pick by'hand, the gravel is thrown out, the clay lumps crumbled by rubbing
between the hands and returned to the pan* Again the process of washing
is gone through* This time upon taking out the pan there will oe lfefu ||old
dust, heavy black aan.d and a little earthy matter* Carefully wash this
clean by oscillating the pan in a circular motion so that the water forms a
whirlpool effect, the nan being hell in the hands, one on each' side and
aboutTialf-way up. 'lith a flip of the wrist allow the muddy water to
escape in driblets over the depressed outer edge« Having washed the con--*
tents clean we find we have left gold du3t and black sand. There are two
means of separating the two, by ama?.ganation anl by heating. ?or the first;
a couple of pounds of mercury are dropped into a bucket of water and the
fine gold and said are lumped into the bucket* The gold amalgamates with
breath the sand can be blown completely jarora^^leavingJthej*cld.
FORNANCE ICE LAEEU
/hen the U. S, Harbor Boat Romance'1, on it z Wednesday trip ts
Skagway, hit the first rolling billow outside ftissicn Bay. the spary dash
ed over the wheel house and. instead of washing army as usual, staved right
there in the form of ice, Ihe windows of the wneei hoase.^ the decks and
railings were ice-sheathed by the tine the uChill:oot Navy arrived at Sk&g
town——so much so that Charlie tfalker of the up-canal town turned out to
take numerless photographs of the crystal -coated crafts fe can imagine
next summer's tourists looking over these pictures with awe and comparing
the frozen winter climate of Lynn Canal unfavorably with their own middle
west where the thernouetor only touches 40 degrees below zero.