San Andreas independent., 1857-08-15
A Hint to Miners Quartz Mining

/
The question is often asked, What are we
to do in the mountains when the gold is all dug
out? and this question, in many instances, is
treated by the newspaper editors and writers, as
one exceedingly chimerical and almost prepos-
ferrous, and it is not difficult to find many wise (?)
men who will lay off in the shade, or take their
comfort in easy chair and tell you there
is no danger of the mines giving out, and prove
their assertion by referring you to some of the
best claims ever known in their vicinity that
have been struck lately
Now, while there is no doubt this is true,
not only of our own but of all other mining To-
calities, that good paying claims arc being
struck at the present time, yet the question is a
pertinent one, and one that irresistably forces
itself upon IT'S what are we to do in the noun
tains when our great natural reSourcc--t!e
gold-bccomcs exhausted from the soil?
And first, is the gold to become exhausted
from the soil? There never was more self
evident proposition submitted to thinking men.
The placer diggings are bound to be worked
out, and that in very few years, and the
placers that now know the joyous and happy
miner, shall know him no more. The intelli-
/ gent reader needs no proof Of this. The thous-
ands of gulchcs and creeks penetrating every
| part of our mountains, that have been laid bare
| to the ~ bed rock from side to side and the
! gold taken from them arc incontroyertabe evil
denccs that placer after piaccr-whcther shall
/ low or dcep-will in few years he worked out
and abandoned, for miners will not long persist
in working in any placer when they become
satisfied that it will not pay them more than
the ordinary rate of wages in other branches of
labor.
| In view of this state of things, the miners and
others in many localities have turned their at
tcntion to Quartz Mining. Bat what arc we to
do in San Andreas? Prospcctin. quartz is a
heavy, laborouS and expensive occupation, and
various schcmcs are adopted for the prosecution
of it. In some places, associations arc formed
on variety of different basis, and by each one
paying in his proportion the outlay comes very
| light on each one, to contribute enough to keep
/ three or four men at work. In other cases the
merchants have, either separately or together,
! furnished provisions to companies, while they
were engaged in prospecting. and thereby talk
1 inr portion of the risk and bearing portion
of the expense.
Now, it is the opinion Of many old quartz
miners, and of other good judges in this matter,
that there is a true or main lode of gold-bearing
quartz passing near this place: on the cnortherly
side of the town, but that the cost of finding,
oneninr and proving it will be attended with
considerable expense. In view Of this fact, there
is no three or four persons among the quartz
miners here who are ready to commence SO ar
duous an undertaking, and incur all the expense
of time and money that would be required IN
its execution.
But. ON the other hand there are good miners
here who would be willing to join in some
scheme that would promise them !" falr
ishow" in case they struck any thing, or
would cheerfullv wipe the sweat from their
bro@s and try again if they did not sueccod.--
Our merchants, too, are as liberal, energetic
and Sagacous as in other places, ard arc more
Immediately interested in keeping up the busi-
ness Of tlAe place. shtn many others, and could
ahord to risk something in prosecuting such an
nndertaking for If successful il must rebound