The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-17
correspondence of the Daily Exchange
MINING IN CALIFORNIA
BALTIMORE ENTERPRISE.
SAN FRANcIsCo, February Is, 1853

SAN FRANCIsCO, February Is, 1853.
To Editors Daily Ecchange, Baltimore
GENTLEMEN The article of Quicksilver is be-
coming of the chief productions of California.
The New Amadin Mines, about 60 miles South of
this city, have been worked since 1850 and in seven
years and a half, have produced about S,5OO,OOO
pounds of Quicksilver, the value of which, at about
sixty cents per pound, (the present price of the
article here,) is So 100000; the largest portion of
this immense product, has been sold here at enor-
nous profits to the proprietors. Some idea of their
present production may be arrived at, when the
quantity exported in 1857, is considered, and added
to the large home sales. The exports according to
custom house books, for that year. were 81 2G7 iron
TASKS, the value of which, at $50 per flask, is ST.
3G3,25O. OF this large export, upwards of II 900
TASKS went to Mexico for in the Silver Mines of
that country, which have lately been operated with
renewed energy, owing in great measure to the
reduced price of the indispensable article of Quick
silver; the remainder went to New York, China and
Chill.
recent visit to the Quicksilver mines of the
Santa Clara Company ofyour city, about four miles
from the New Almadin mines, enables me to give
you some information to the condition and pros
poets of this formidable young rival of the New
Almadn Company. These mines have been opened
apouC 10 inohIsJ anu nave already produced, prln-
cpally from surface Ores which are always of poor
quality, upwards of 10000 pounds Quicksilver the
value of which, at 60 cents per pound, is $4,000;
but learn large part of their product has been
sold at 60 cents, and some high as 20 cents per
pound. The ores are raised and crushed, and the
mine drained by steam power, which has lately
been put in operation, greatly reducing the expens
es, the smelted in cast iron retorts put up
in what called "Benches," each Bench contain
ing three retorts.
The product of two of these benches for the last
two weeks working was S,490 pounds quicksilver
two other benches are nearly ready for work; so
that the monthly production is expected shortly to
reach about 35 900 pounds, worth in the San Fran
cisco market, at 60 cents per pound, S2l 900 The
average per centage of metal is about II per cent
The cnnabar or quicksilver ore is found in pockets,
one leading to another; and the recent workings
show very large deposits in the Santa Clara Mines
having disclosed upwards of so feet of what is called
'metal ground containing ore of extraordinary
richness; these results have not been attained with
out great patience, energy and strong faith in the
ultimate success of the enterprise, with the large
outlay of capital inseparable from the opening of
new mine. The principal owners of the Santa
Clara mine learn, reside in Baltimore and are
among her most respectable and enterprsing citi-
zens; and their success has been well earned and
promises a most brilliant reward. The officers of
the company here and at the mines are all Bati-
moreans. The principal superintendent is Mr. Eben
Faxon; cashier and clerk Mr.. Gabriel Winter; agent
here, Mr.. Henry F. Thompson.
Yours, truly;
4 BALTMOREAN