Grass Valley telegraph., 1856-02-12
The silver mines of California.

The Silver Mines of California.
a-7 The fame of the silver mines of California
is quite as ancient as the knowledge of its
ra gold placers and it is the opinion of gentle
: o men well informed in the matter, that ere
aW many years shall elapse, we shall see the
business of silver mining stakaz high rank
among the mining interests vi Tie State 50
far as discoveries have been already made,
the presence of silver seems to be chiefly con-
''ssQ fined to the Central and Southern portions
% no of the State, and there can be little doubt
but that where the mountains of that portion
aa of the State are thoroughly explored, silver
ore will be found as abundant, and perhaps
as rich as in the most favored regions of Mex
-.-- leo or Peru.
We gave some two or three weeks since,
frOm the Monterey Sentinel" an article with
regard to the silver mines of Monterey coun-
r.r ty, from which it appears that there are not
less than six distinct views Of silver on one
10 ranch in that county, and it is also stated by
those who are we'll acquainted with the sill
yer mining districts of Mexico aud Peru,
that remarkably close resemblance exists
between those regions and the Sierras of Mon
terey.
-.. Rich placers of both gold and silver, were
-. known to exist in Monterey county more
than fifty years ago, and were worked to
some extent, Though in very loose and un-
skillful manner. The priests of those days
invariably discouraged the search aud work
ing for minerals, as matter of policy to
@ themselves; hence the loss of the particular
knowledge with regard to their location and
600 extent Sufficient however is known to war
rant the conclusion that the mines were both
extensive and valuable. Silver ore in Mon
terey county was so plenty aud so easily OBJ
tained about the close of the last century,
that it was frequently used for making bull
lets-the mineral being mixture OF lead and
silver, the silver forming about twelve per
u cent of the mass. The most reliable evidence
also exists with regard to silver mines on or
near Kings river, near the head of the Tu-
lare valley. Other veins are known to have
been worked to some extent in Santa Barbara
county 1t is also known that there are VAL
nabIe veins of silver ore in Calaveras and
Tuolumne counties.
Alizal ranch, the one from which it is sup
posed the early Californans obtained the ma
terial for making their bullets, is said to have
been re-discovered and worked for short
time by Mexican in 1881, who finally aban-
doned it on account of dispute about the
proprietorship. From that time it remained
. undisturbed until 1852, when party of Ger
and less capital, again took it in hand, but
for these two very sufficient reasons soon gave
ID 40 Again. They wrought it sufficiently
Aboeet, 10 tfSve chat 10 would be valuable,
undef proper management, with sufficient
l5iH capital. Two more veins have Since been dis
covered in the same immediate neighborhood,
which present every indication of being ex-
-7 tensiye and valuable.
roy . From these facts which appear to be au-
thentic, and the accuracy of which might be
thoroughly tested by inquiries and examine
tions, in the neighborhood alluded to, there
100 would seem to be very little doubt of the
m truth of the assertion put forth in the COM
. meneement of this article, that the business
of silver mining must become very i'm
5la portant branch of California industry. In
q. order to bring about this result, it is desira-
BILE that the first operations should be under
taken by experienced managers. A mine of
either gold or silver, which might be made
extraordinarily productive under an expegia,
enced and liberal management, ,mafa under.
the control of inexperienced managers, aln.
though with an abundance of capital, fail to
yield even paying return. tits therefore
to be hoped that the first experiments in sill
yer mining in California, will not, as has been
too frequently the case in gold mining, be en-
trusted to incompetent hands. 1t is desirable
Chat the attention Of enterprising capitalists
and practical miners may be turned toward
this promising interest. The occupation of
silver mining has ever been, in all countries
more productive and certain than that of
gold. There is at this time great demand
H2l for silver, both as circulating medium and
tAs arts and it will be most fortunate for
CAlihrnia II she should and it in her power
5 70 soppi3 this dsneiexsy. With gold and
quicksilver in abundance and inexhaustible
supplies Of all the grosser Minerals, we need
ri now but an equal deveIopmeht of the argen-
900 tiferous ores to Make ns9As nation, inde-
pendent of the world, IN neFerything which re-
lates to money and commerce
8aos With this end in view, we shall endeavor
to collect and lay before our readers, from
time to time, such facts as we may be able to