Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-23

EXTENT OF THE MINING REGION IN CALIFoR-
NIA.-Under this caption the Sacramento Union
has the following remarks: "There is not the
remotest possibility that the mines will be ex-
hausted during the present century. All who
are disposed to work them diligently will be
pretty certain to find fair reward for their
labor:
That surface diggings may become worked
out in particular localities, is not denied by in
teligent miners; but we must remember there
are thousands of acres in the State of surface
diggings yet untouched, which will pay good
wages whenever water can be obtained to
the dirt. 1t is found that gold is scattered in
rich profusion over the thousand hills which
lie scattered between the plains and the base
of the Sierra Nevada. For some FIVE hundred
miles in length by from twenty to forty miles
WIDEN direction from south tonorth through
the State-pay dirt is often found upon the
very tops Of tEese hills, and in some instances
for an indefinite depth in downward direc-
ton. But the vast majority of these hills can
not be worked for years, because a long time
must elapse before water can be carried into
their vicinity. Within the past year it has
been ascertained that great portion of these
hills-many Of them little mountains-were
originally deposited upon rich leads of placer
gold, which are now being discovered by tun-
neling and sinking shafts. In many instances
the deposits are found as rich as they were in
the creeks, ravines, and rivers in lS49.
This species Of mining has just COM
menced in California, and the extent to which
hese hill deposits exists is beyond mans esti-
mate. With the present evidence before
him, the geologist decides that the same class
of deposits will be found through the full ex-
tent Of the mining region; and if so, who can
presume to estimate the centuries which are
yet to roll round before these gold deposites in
the hill diggings' in California will be ex-
hausted? Years upon years must pass upon
the wings Of time, before even the placer Dig
gings will refuse to yield fair return for the
labor Of the miner. Even in the plains of
this country there are acres upon acres which
will pay good wages, when plenty of water can
be obtained In the language Of friend who
is an experienced miner, as well as practical
geologist, gold, and the certain evidences that
it can be found, may be traced from the plains
back of Sacramento to the line of perpetual
snow on the Sierra Nevada.
But the eternal source of gold hes in the
immense and countless leads of gold bearing
quartz rock, which extend in northwest and
southeast direction the entire length Of the
gold region in the State. In these, and SINH
lar leads decomposed by the past action of the
elements through countless ages, we have the
original maxim-the great mother Of gold.
Whatever may have been the success which
has attended the labors expenses, and expert
ments Of quartz miners, up to the present time,
enough has been developed to prove many Of
these leads very rich, and that in a few years,
quartz mining in California will employ tens
Of millions of capital, and produce annually
millions Of gold. The extent Of these leads
precludes the possibility of forming an idea as
to the time man will require to work them out,
with all the aid Of steam and machinery he
can bring to bear upon that kind of mining"