Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-10-06
Col. FrcmOnf,s California Gold
Mines.

MIucSs
i. Frequent notices has been made of Col
Fremonts California mines, and vet th
public have but little idea of their true val
ue and condition. Mr.. Greeley spent mos
of day in the examination under Col
Fremont's guidance, of the mines he il
working in Bear Valley, and of the mill,
In which he reduces the rock, to separate
the gold; and in his letter of August 18th
to the Tribune, Mr.. G. gives the following
interesting account of them.
The public are generally aware that Col
F. purchased from Mexican at an early
day large tract or grant of wild noun.
tain land lying among the foot hills of the
Sierra Nevada, called by the MexicoDs Los
Mariposas (the Butterfly, after a wild
flower known to abound here. 1t is known
also that this tract was some years after
discovered or presumed to be rich in gold
the first piece of rich vein-stone having
been taken out by the proprietor's own
hand. 1t is further known that all man.
ner of difficulties and distractions were
interposed to defeat the confirmation of the
grant under which Col. F. holds his title,
and that a protracted and most expensive
litigation was thus forced upon him.
Meantime the property was wholly unpro-
ductive-that is, to its owner-and the
most inviting portions uf it were clutched
by squatters, who claimed, as they still
claim, right to dig its soil into utterly
worthless chasms and heaps in quest OF
Gold, to cut down its timber and feed off
its grass at their own discretion, leaving
to the fortunate owner only the privilege of
paying the taxes, which under the man.
agement of public affairs by officers politi-
cally and personally hostile to him, have
been swelled to no less than $4,000 per
annum-his taxes, remember, on an estate
which every body used or wasted as they
saw fit and which was yielding him no in
come whatever. For the feeble efforts at
quartz mining made in his behalf in his
years of absence-in the absence, too, of
all successful experience in such mining
only served to involve him still more deep
ly in debt, which was further swelled BY
unfortunate agencies and business connec-
tions, until the aggregate of his liabilities
on account Of the aggregate of his liabili-
ties on account of this property can hardly
have fallen short of half million dollars
Such were the circumstances under
which he determined, in 1857, 10 return to
his California estate, and here, surrounded
by his family, devote all his time and ener-
gies to its improvement and renovation.-
In the spirit of that deterni' alton he has
since lived and labored, rising with the
lark, and striving 10 obtain a complete
knowledge and mastery Of the entire busi-
ness, taking more and more labor and re-
sponsibility on his own shoulders as he
felt himself able to bear it until he is now
Manager, Chief Engineer, Cashier, Ac-
coantant, and at the head of every other
department but that of Law, for which he
finds it necessary still to rely on profession
al aid. And his mines are at length be-
coming productive and profitable. His
first (steam) mill, near his dwelling, runs
eight stamps night and day; his second
(water) mill, three miles distant, on the
Eerced, at the north end of his estate, runs
twelve stamps, also constantly, and the
two are producing gold at the rate of at
least S250,000 per annum, at an absolute
cost, | am confident, of not more than
Sl50,o00. Of course be needed all prof
its, if not more, to extend and perfect his
works, haveing already much larger wa
term-ill nearly ready to 60 into operation
beside that on the Merced, in which he ex-
poets, believe, to run fifty six stamps, and
he hopes 10 have one hundred in all run
ming before the close of 1860. With that
number believe he would I've able, by CIV
ing bis constant personal attention to the
business, aided by faithful and capable as
sistants, to realize profit of at least slO,-
900 per week, which would very soon clear
him of debt and leave him uniuculnbered |
in the ownership of perhaps the finest Min
ing property in the world.
Still, the Spanish proverb, alt takes a
mine to work a mine," is exemplified in
his case as in others. A large additional
is needed to render bis proper
ty as productive as it might be. For in
stance: he has just contracted for the
of 10000 tuns of vein
stone from his great mine 10 his mill ON
the Merced (barely mile and half down
hilD for 100000. One-half of this sum
would construct railroad from the heart
Of the mine down to the floor of the mill,
and take down this amount of rock, leav-
ing the railroad $4,000 clear gain. But
he must have the rock at once, while the
railroad would require time, and heavy
outlay of ready cash. A Rothschild would
build the road forthwith, ard save $40,-
300; but Col. F., not being yet Roths-
,hild, whatever be may in time become,
must bide his time.
His great mine, though not the richest,
s probably the most capacious of any in
California. It's thickness varies from eight
% thirty-eigh feet-I believe it is in one
place sixty feet wide. II is in fact cliff
,r pyramid of gold bearing quartz inclosed
q a mountain ofslate-a mountain deeply
yashed and scanned in various directions by
he water courses which run down it to the
Merced. These ravines, this river, aided
~ proper engineering, obviate all the usu-
lily heavy, often ruiuous, expense of pump
ng; the NINA, properly opened, will not
,nly clear itself of water, but the veinstone
nay be easily run out on inclined tram
oads instead of beino' hoisted IN the surface