equally advantageous for operation on an extended scale, as many of the more ancient beds of the Sierra Nevada. The limits of that district containing gold upon the plains, I should estimate as carrying a line parallel with the foot-hills, and at a distance of four miles west of the latter, and which should be considered mineral lands in the strictest sense in which that term is applied, and they should be subjected to the same jurisdiction that now obtains in the mountain sections. Such lands under our present system of laws, are not subject to entry, and the fact is thus mentioned that their position may be better understood. From the best information obtainable from all parts of the State, it is believed that the amount of ground in actual occupancy, and under improvement for mining purposes, does not probably exceed four hundred square miles, one-fourth of which area may be included in what are known as old placers, and which are still productive. From what has been said of the areas comprised within the lines of the different ranges, as given in the preceding pages, it will be seen that we have still enough and to spare for all who are present, and for all that may hereafter arrive, for at least the next half century. There need be but little fear of their failing to yield their annual crop of gold, as long, perhaps, as our valleys will yield their crops of grain. The aggregate areas amount to about eleven thousand square miles, that is known to contain gold; and when this is compared with the area actually occupied, the latter will be found to comprise but a mere mite of our available sources. With our present population of the mining districts, and the broad expanse of territory over which they are spread, they appear like mere specks dotting the surface of an inland sea, so indistinct as scarcely to be appreciable on the broad expanse by which they are surrounded. MINING, AND THE VARIETIES THEREOF. PLACER MINING.-Placer mining to California, is what coal mining is to Pennsylvania, and the great coal districts east of the Rocky Mountains; and we are fast approximating to that day when its subterranean operations will equal, and in many cases exceed, the latter. Should there be those who foster doubt on this point, and doubtless there are many such abroad, I would respectfully suggest to such, a visit to the upper portions of the counties of Placer and El Dorado, with those of Amador and Calaveras on the south, and those of Nevada and Sierra on the north. In these counties they will find an ample field of operations, on which they will find but little difficulty in forming an opinion of the character and extent of the workings beneath the surface and the means employed to consummate the end. They will find the engineer with his levels as carefully adjusted and applied, as though his survey was instituted for the leveling of a rail track, and the necessities of accuracy in the selection of the most feasible point to tap the heart of the mountain, is equally as great in the one case as in the other. The placer miner of the present day in this section of the State, estimates the costs of the operation in which he is about to enter with all that care and attention that would be bestowed upon any other enterprise where the sum of ten to thirty thousand dollars is the sum to be invested, and where his interests are involved to that extent. It is not uncommon to find amounts equal to the above, invested in our larger operations now in progress of working, and a few instances among many, may serve to illustrate the fact. I will mention but two or three in connection with this part of our subject. The cost of opening the Mameluke Hill, near Georgetown, by the parties interested, exceeded forty thousand dollars, while the receipts from the same during the period of little more than one year, have exceeded five hundred thousand. Another case is that of Jones' Hill, the opening of which has already risen above thirty-four thousand dollars, the receipts being above two hundred and eighty-four thousand dollars; and still another in the county of Nevada, (Laird's Hill*) the expense of opening was nearly forty thousand dollars, while the receipts from the latter in June last, had reached the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand-the resources of either are as yet in anything but an exhausted condition. The above are mentioned only for the purpose of conveying a better idea of the expenses and profits of what is denominated deep mining in this State; and the localities named, form but a small proportion to the aggregate of similar workings. In the counties of Nevada, Sierra, Placer, El Dorado, Amador and Calaveras, there are scores of adits and other workings of smaller dimensions, which have already cost sums varying in amount from ten thousand dollars upward to the figures given above, and from which proportional profits have been derived. The mining districts abound with evidences of wealth like those above, and they possess equally as strong evidences of permanency of character, and it would be no difficult matter for the incredulous to banish their incredulity, if they will but take the trouble to investigate the facts which nature and individual enterprise have placed before them. An idea of the necessary expenses that must be incurred in conducting these branches of placer mining, can be obtained only by an examination of the adits which have been driven, in prosecuting these labors. There are but few which are less than three hundred feet in length, and many that range from ten to twelve hundred feet, and of a size sufficient to use a horse within, for the purpose of delivering the earth to be washed at the sluice or the attle to the end of the tram-road. These adits are driven, in some cases, hundreds of feet through solid rocks, and when thus conducted, they often penetrate the very center of a mountain; or, as in the case of the high ridge south of Placerville, they have not only reached the center, but have passed entirely through the ridge." An estimate of the enterprise and perseverance of the mining population of this State may be formed from the character and extent of this branch of mining. The tunnel of the Table Mountain Consolidation Company, of Butte County, extends a distance of several hundred feet through a solid rock, six feet in hight by four and a half feet in width. Table Mountain, in Tuolumne County, has also been tunneled in many places to a distance of over fifteen hundred feet. One company alone has made an aggregate of four thousand three hundred feet of tunneling, averaging from four to six feet; fifteen hundred of which were so intensely hard as to require blasting before it could be penetrated. The estimated value of the labor performed on this work alone, is over one hundred thousand dollars. "HYDRAULIC MINING.-In other parts of the State, the heavier placer ope rations are conducted in a different manner. In place of the adit, a broad ditch is carried through the hill, and the entire hills removed to their base by hydraulic washings. This system of working, as conducted in this State at present, will compare very favorably in magnitude with any system of mining operations of the Atlantic States, or even in many parts of the older continent, and from the success which has attended it, bids fair to advance much beyond the limits to which it is now confined." RIVER MINING.-This branch of mining is extensively carried on for about six months in the year. During the summer months when the waters of the rivers are low, the streams are diverted from their natural channels by means * It is said that the gentleman from whom this hill derives its name, has taken out from the placers of this State, since 1850, over $500,000.-[ED. of flumes, tail-races, etc., and the beds of the rivers thereby exposed to the operations of the miner. In this manner a large number of persons find employment, and heavy amounts of capital are invested, which in many cases, yield large returns. As an illustration of the extent of these operations in a single county, that of Butte may be referred to. That portion of Feather River, in the vicinity of Oroville, was flumed during the last season for a distance of sixteen thousand seven hundred feet, at an expense of five hundred thousand dollars. Many of these river claims have proven exceedingly rich, while others have almost entirely failed. The Union Cape Claim is the most extensive enterprise of this character in the State. It is situated on the Main Feather River, near Oroville, and it extends five thousand feet. The flume is forty feet wide by six feet high, and cost to complete, two hundred thousand dollars. As high as twenty thousand dollars have been taken from the Cape Claim in a day, and seven hundred and thirty-six dollars from one pan of dirt. From two thousand feet the enormous sum of two hundred and forty-five thousand dollars was obtained during a single season. GULCH MINING.-This is a mode of mining introduced within the last few years, and in many counties it is becoming an important branch. The mode is to form a large flume below the surface of the earth through the entire length of a gulch, in such a manner that all the adjacent streams after being used by the miners in the neighborhood, may flow therein. By this plan the fine gold is saved without much labor, and in many cases yielding the owner a rich return for his investment. QUARTZ MINING.-There is no branch of the resources of California, that has received greater attention or made more rapid progress during the past year, than that of Quartz Mining. The increase in the number of mills and the energy and enterprise displayed in the opening of new veins and the erection of machinery thereon, may be referred to as the best evidence of the progress and present condition of this important department of industry. The success that has attended the operations in quartz, during the past season, has given great confidence to this branch of mining, and that it will ultimately become the leading mining interest of the State, is the opinion of those who have carefully watched its progress from its discovery to the present time. The number of quartz mills in operation in this State in April, 1857, was one hundred and thirty-eight, with an aggregate of fifteen hundred and twentyone stamps; the cost of erection of which, was one million seven hundred and sixty-three thousand dollars. At the present time, November 1, 1858, there are two hundred and seventy-nine mills in operation, of which one hundred and nineteen are propelled by steam, one hundred and fifty-three by water, and seven by mule or horse power, with an aggregate of two thousand six hundred and ten stamps. The cost of machinery is estimated at three million two hundred and seventy thousand dollars. In addition to the stamps here enumerated, there are employed five hundred and nineteen arastras, of which three hundred and ten are connected with different quartz mills, and the remainder are employed in different sections of the quartz region. TABLE OF QUARTZ MILLS,* With the Location, Owner's Name, Date of Erection, Number of Stamps, Cost and the Director's or Owner's Name of each. of Machinery 1858 12... 66 10,000 66 66 66 Evansville Boston Q. M. Co.'s.... 1858 2 ... 66 66 1858 1 2 water 3,500 Stein & Co...... 1852 16... 66 15,000 McCorkle & Co......... 1857 24 3 steam 25,000 Garst, McCorkle & Co.. 1857 ... 3 water 7,000 Crumpton & Co........ 2,500 Blackman & Blake..... Sparks & Smith's...... 1856 12 steam 30,000 Sparks & Smith......... Table Mountain......... 1857 12 25,000 Freer & Co.............. 66 1857 8 4 12,000 Hedge & Hannon...... 3,000 Nichols & Miller........ 12,250 Freer, White, Erskine 30,000 White & Nutter...... 12,000 J. W. Snooks & Harris 5,000 Whiteman, Call & Co.. 5,000 Comly, Cortage, Barry Oregon Q. M. Co.'s..... 1858 4 4 66 66 ... * We are desirous of exhibiting, in future volumes of the REGISTER, in the form and style set forth in this table, a correct list of the quartz mills of this State, together with such facts as will convey a reliable description of the progress and condition of the quartz interest, and we respectfully invite the correspondence of those interested in this branch of mining, to communicate such data as will best accomplish the object in view.-[ED. In estimating the cost we have only included the expense of erecting the machinery. No allowance is made therein for the opening or value of the different veins. There are 28 arastras in operation in this county. 66 1857 8... water steam 25,000 McDonald & Co......... 1857 6 1856 12 1857 12 66 66 66 * This list comprises all the mills in operation June 15, 1858. The Assessor's returns of Sept. 25, 1858, state that there are 53 mills having 231 stamps and 25 arastras. Our list contains 33 mills with 334 stamps; the discrepancy must be in the arastras which are probably included in the Assessor's Returns, as mills. See Addenda.-[ED. |