"LOCATING" MINERAL VEINS.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1273, 18 May 1883, Page 2

"LOCATING" MINERAL VEINS.

The Breckenridge (Colorado) Daily Journal of March 26th contains the following with regard to "a prospecting instrument for locating mineral veins on the surface " ; — Mr E. Beach, the inventor and owner of an instrument for locating veins on the surface, came to this camp direct from New York city in the spring ' of 1880. Soon after his arrival he became interested in mining. Observing the vast sums wasted in sinking shafts and driving tunnels off the veins or deposits in the vain hope of finding mineral, the idea occurred to him that it ought to be in the range of possibilities to invent an instrument of sufficiently sensitive nature to indicate the location of veins beneath the surface.- The thought remained with him, and began to take definite shape in March, 1881. He succeeded so well that in April, 1882, he returned to New York, and perfected the machine to such an extent that at any distance above large bodies of gold silver, lead or copper lie could locate their position with wonderful accuracy ; while iron or water — running or at rest— had no,-. influence upon it. He returned to this camp in June last, and experimented over veins and lodes whose locations were definitely known, and the accuracy of the instrument hot only astonished those who already believed in its powers, but convinced many who were thorough doubters. The instrument is sufficiently delicate to establish the width of veins, locate spurs, size of pockets, && In several of his own workings," where he has relied upon the direction of the instrument, the results have been astonishingly accurate, his tunnels striking the veins at the exact point indicated, and his shafts coming square on top of veins or deposits. As time permitted, he has during last fall prospected various properties for friends — some that had been worked before, and others that have since been opened, as the instrument has directed. His correctness in proclaiming barren workings and directing successful ones borders on the marvellous. We have not space to give the names and locations of the scores of lodes over which this little tell-tale has been carried with wonderfully correct results. Mr Beach does not claim to be able to indicate the depth at which mineral may be struck, but ho does

feel confident of locating the precise spot on the surface directly under which mineral will be found, and approxtnate the quantity large or smalL To start right is a great gain, as thethousand vainly-sank holes in these mountam sides sufficiently prove. Mr Beach has had the inventor's portion of ridicule and superoillioos comments to combat and overcome, but. with a true enthusiast's courage he has at tatned what he sought, and to-day-scores of men who two years ago ridiculed the idea as a chimera will not put pick in the ground unless Mr ■ Beach's instrument has- been invoked, and in its quiet way says "dsg;h«re. lr | We have known of this instrument for • some time but ft* the request of the inventor have refrained from mentioning anything about ft until It became i established beyond preadrentnre that its jH-wJictions irere correot, The* ■ subtlety of this machine, while it challenges credulity, is much less startling than? tire .telephone or telegraph. It is simply one of the stepa of progress for wJubh thfe age is noted.. .