making very striking "phantoms," generally of green chlorite, or white quartz layers. Of still greater interest, however, are other quartz crystals, 2 to 4 inches long and half that amount in diameter (Fig. 1),

Fig. 2.

containing at and near their centers inclusions resembling groups or clusters of dolomite or siderite crystals, cream-white to brown in color, and consisting of many curved rhombohedra from 2 to 4 millimeters in diameter. On breaking the specimens, however, the curious fact appears that these groups are hollow cavities in the quartz, the spaces being lined with a layer of chalcedony, or when brown, occupied only by a brown silicious material. This would indicate that the original mineral must have been siderite or ankerite, afterward covered up by successive growths of the quartz, and in some manner decomposed during that process. The inclusions of green chlorite form interesting phantom crystals. (See Fig. 2.)

covery of a number of crystals of both octahedrite and brookite, some loose and some attached to the quartz. The octahedrite is in splendid crystals, from 2 to 5 millimeters in length, and varying in color from brown to almost a dark blue. Their form is that of the unit pyramid, slightly distorted by horizontal striation. The brookite is similarly implanted on the quartz, and partly or wholly overgrown by it, so as in some cases to be a true inclusion. The crystals are tabular, about 2 millimeters broad and one fourth of a millimeter in thickness. Their color is a rich reddish or yellowish brown, and they are free from inclusions. In form and association they closely resemble brookites from the Tyrol and from Maderananthal, Switzerland, lately described by P. Groth, von Zepharovich, and Zimányi. The following planes were kindly identified and the drawing (Fig. 3) made for me by Dr. S. L. Penfield, of Yale University:

The faces were small, but gave him sufficiently distinct reflections for the identification of the forms; the pinacoid a is vertically striated. A. distinct pleochroism was observed for vibrations parallel to a pale yellow, and parallel to c reddish yellow. Small crystals of an asparagusgreen epidote, 2 centimeters long and 2 millimeters in diameter, were also observed partly inclosed in the crystals of quartz.

Fig. 3.

After receiving some of these specimens, the present writer detected a small crystal of octahedrite adhering to one of the small quartz crystals. Search was then instituted at the locality, which resulted in the dis

14TM

Sand and flowing water.

50 feet. .290 feet.

5 feet.

56 feet.

9 feet.

4 feet.

4 feet.

FRESNO COUNTY.

By W. L. WATTS, Assistant in the Field.

Besides possessing a large area of the most fertile valley lands of California, Fresno County is rich in almost all the minerals of the State. In her eastern mountains extensive bodies of ore, yielding both the precious and useful metals, have been discovered, and in some instances are profitably worked; while in the portion of the Coast Range included within her western borders, the more recent sedimentary formations furnish both coal and oil. In the valley lands the disintegrated constituents of the mountains on both sides have given to Fresno County a productive soil, and the method of their arrangement allows a supply of good water to be obtained at no great depth. Part of the water in the mountain streams flows in its natural channel, or is diverted for the purposes of irrigation, and part joins the subterranean flow, which silently and unobserved finds its way through the porous strata beneath the orchard and wheat fields of the valley lands; and when this undercurrent is tapped under suitable conditions it produces flowing wells.

The California State Mining Bureau takes pleasure in recording a new discovery in the valley lands of Fresno County, viz.: the inflammable gas, which was struck at a depth of a little more than 1,000 feet, about 7 miles north of White's Bridge.

FLOWING WELLS.

As far as experiment has yet demonstrated the area throughout which flowing wells can be obtained in Fresno County may be roughly outlined, on the northeast by an imaginary line commencing about 2 miles west of Minturn, and extending in a southeasterly direction to a point a few miles north of Riverdale, where it bends farther eastward toward Goshen, in Tulare County.

On the western side of the valley the boundary of the artesian area may be regarded with approximate accuracy as commencing at a point on the northern county line about 1 mile east of the San Joaquin and Kings River Canal, and extending in a southeasterly direction to Firebaugh's Ferry, where it would cross the canal and continue in a southeasterly direction parallel to, and probably about 4 miles west of Fresno Slough, to the Tulare County line.

It is possible that flowing water may be obtained still farther to the eastward, throughout districts subtending the principal streams.

Near the northern boundary of the county, within about 2 miles of the eastern bank of the San Joaquin River, a flowing well was obtained at a depth of about 300 feet, which flowed 3 inches above the casing. On the New Columbia ranch, about 18 miles southwest of Madera, a well was bored and the following formation noted:

The water in this well is brackish.

1 foot.

In April, 1886, a well was bored on the ranch of Miller & Lux, about 12 miles west of Borden, to a depth of 280 feet; flowing water was struck at 246 feet. The character of the formation is alternate strata of sand and clay, but mostly clay; the water flowed three quarters of an inch over a 7-inch casing.

Also, on the Miller & Lux ranch, a well was bored in June, 1886, about 6 miles north and 14 miles east of the last mentioned well, to a depth of 250 feet. The formation is principally clay. Flowing water was struck at a depth of 200 feet, which flowed about half an inch over a 7-inch casing.

About 7 miles west and 3 miles north of this well a third well was bored on the same ranch, to a depth of 231 feet; the water flowed 3 inches over a 7-inch casing. Only one flow was observed in this well. The strata penetrated were nearly all clay, one stratum of blue clay passed through being 55 feet in thickness, extending from the depth of 176 feet to that of 231 feet.

About 2 miles north of the third well, on the same ranch, a fourth well was bored in August, 1886, to a depth of 278 feet, which flowed 14 inches over a 7-inch casing.

About 6 miles west of Madera, on a ranch of Miller & Lux, a well, which was 234 feet in depth, and flowed a quarter of an inch over a 7-inch casing, was deepened to 633 feet. This increased the flow to three-quarters of an inch. Below 234 feet, alternate strata of lightcolored clay and sand were penetrated, the thickest of which was only 40 feet, nearly all the others being less than 10 feet. The formation became much harder toward the bottom; all of the sandy strata yielded a little water.

On the western side of the San Joaquin, at Dos Palos, a well was bored several years ago; the formation is as follows:

The water flowed 14 inches over a 7-inch casing.

Sand, with flowing water. Clay

Sand, with flowing water.

The city of Fresno is supplied with water pumped from eight wells within the city limits, the best head of water being struck at a depth of about 150 feet. An experiment was made at the waterworks on one well, which was 200 feet deep and 10 inches in diameter, by pumping with a Worthington pump, which had a capacity of 2,000,000 gallons in twenty-four hours. At first the water was somewhat lowered, but after pumping about half an hour, the water became stationary at a depth of about 12 feet from the surface; and although the pump was run at its greatest capacity for several hours, it failed to further lower the water. The temperature of the water in summer was found to be 73° F.

In Fresno and vicinity, wells are usually bored from 60 to 80 feet, at which depth an abundant supply of water can be obtained.

From diligent inquiry the following seems to be the general characteristics of the superficial formations throughout an area extending on the south beyond the county line, and bounded on the east by an imaginary line drawn parallel to the foothills and cutting Centerville, on the west by the Fresno Slough, and on the north by a sandy ridge about 2 miles north of Fresno. Throughout this area, on the eastern side of the S. P. R. R., the soil is generally either a reddish clay loam, from 3 to 4 feet deep, or a sandy loam from 4 to 6 feet in depth. Along the base of the eastern foothills there is what is locally known as a "dry bog land." This appears to be a kind of adobe, which cracks open in summer and forms a clayey bog in wet weather. There is also a "white ash land," which is a light-colored, pulverulent sandy loam, of variable depth, but seldom exceeding 5 feet. This lies mostly on the western side of the S. P. R. R., between the railroad and Fresno Slough. Beneath the surface soil is usually a hardpan of indurated sandy clay, varying in thickness from a few inches to several feet. There are two kinds of hardpan, a "red hardpan," which underlies the sandy and clay loam, sometimes passing into a clayey stratum, and a "white hardpan," which underlies the "white ash land. Below the hardpan is a stratum of quicksand, from 6 to 10 feet in thickness; this holds a great deal of water in irrigated districts, but it is cased off. Beneath the quicksand is a white clay, from 10 to 20 feet thick, and beneath the clay a coarse sand with plenty of water. Beneath this is a blue or red clay, varying from 5 to 120 feet in thickness. The clay overlies a second stratum of coarse sand, from which a practically inexhaustible supply of water is obtained.

Some twenty years ago, before the land around Fresno was irrigated, the alluvial strata could be penetrated for 50 feet without obtaining water, but now the first water is struck within 13 or 14 feet of the surface. It has been observed in some places that the rise of the water plane has resulted in the hardpan being softened and formed into clay; Some loss has been experienced, especially in the "white ash districts," which are sub-irrigated, by the rise of efflorescent salts to the surface; this deteriorates the quality of the land and is prejudicial to plant life. The saline efflorescence appears to increase with continued sub-irrigation and the rise of the water plane.

In the foothills to the east of Centerville, water is obtained principally from springs.

Borings in the sandy ridge north of Fresno have shown:

Very sandy loam
Hardpan..

Coarse sand.
Cobblestones.

A good supply of water was obtained at a depth of 20 feet. Northward, from the sandy ridge before mentioned to the San Joaquin River, is the "hog-wallow country," and borings in this district have shown the following formation:

Red loam

Red hardpan. Coarse sand.

A small amount of water is obtained toward the bottom of this stratum. Blue clay

Sand, with plenty of water.

1 to 2 feet. 20 to 25 feet. 30 to 40 feet. 10 feet.

The water rises only a few feet in the casing, and deep pumps are used.

Around Borden surface water is generally struck at a depth of 20 to 30 feet, and a supply of good water is obtained at a depth of from 90 to 110 feet. The wells in this vicinity are deeper to the north and east and shallower toward the south and west.

Around Madera wells are usually bored to a depth of from 50 to 100 feet; and there is an abundant supply of surface water at a depth of from 12 to 18 feet. The variation in the depth of the wells results principally from the difficulty of finding a stratum sufficiently firm to make a good "landing" for the casing. The formation is:

Soil

Hardpan

Quicksand, with water.

4 to 20 feet. 2 to 8 feet.

The water supply is practically inexhaustible. Around Minturn the wells used for watering stock and at sheep camps are frequently only about 13 feet deep, and a sufficient supply for steam pumps can be obtained at a depth of from 35 to 45 feet.

Between Berenda and Minturn, on the Chowchilla ranch, about 3 miles west of the Southern Pacific Railroad, the water from a well 150 feet deep rose to within 3 feet of the surface of the ground.

To the westward, beyond the Fresno Slough, water is more difficult to obtain. At Lillis it is 14 feet to the surface water, which is generally brackish and hard.

From Lillis westward the rise in the surface of the ground toward the western foothills is about 7 feet to the mile, and the depth to the water plane increases proportionately, until at Huron it is 130 feet to the surface water, which is usually very hard. Still nearer to the hills the water plane is deeper and more variable, a depth of 150 to 200 feet being frequently attained before water is reached, and even then it is seldom good.

Fairly good water can usually be found in wells sunk in the creek beds, and in some instances in what appear to be beds of ancient creeks. Some miles north from Huron, the wells are shallower, it being only 70 feet to water, but toward Cantua it again becomes deep, the formation being a tough, unctuous clay.

The top soil throughout these southwestern portions of Fresno County

་

varies from a sandy sediment to a clayey loam, beneath which is usually a very dry adobe; and well-borers state that it appears that the bottom and top moisture never come in contact.

The drift from the mountains is filling the valley very rapidly, but of course the drift is intermittent and irregular in its distribution."

Along the western borders of the slough, the wells are naturally shallower and the water better. Skirting the western foothills still farther northward as far as the county line, wells are deep and the water supply uncertain. Various borings have shown:

10 to 15 feet.

50 to 60 feet.

200 to 250 feet.

deposits of both iron and silver ore, were The locations now made are as follows:

Fourth Iron King of the Minarets.

No. 6 Magnetic.
Mabel.

Thirteenth.
Second Jackass.

Third Jackass.

Magnetic.

Seventh Magnetic.

Sixth Magnetic Iron King.

Third Iron King of the World.
Seventh Iron King of the World.
Allen & Anderson.
No. 9 Magnetic.

Second Magnetic Iron King of the Woods. The Reynolds.
Iron King of the Minarets.

These twenty-nine separate locations constitute the group of the Minaret Iron Mines; they are situated about 75 miles northeast from Fresno, near the Mono County line. This group of mines was discovered and located by C. J. Beck, about eleven years ago. An analysis of the ore was given in the Tenth Annual Report of the California State Mining Bureau.

Although these mines are located in the names of various parties, in 1891 they were consolidated under bonded contracts held by Messrs. Allen & Anderson, of Fresno City, who informed the writer that they were in correspondence with a syndicate in Europe with reference to purchasing and working the mines. The Minarets offer a practically inexhaustible supply of iron ore.

and