Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-06
Report Of the Secretary Of the
Inferior.
Our MINERAL RESOURCES.

The following passages are taken from the re
port of Judge EDMoSDs. Commissioner of the
Land Office. to the Department of the Interior:
In passing from the consideration of the pre-
lmnaty questions which have arisen i'm connec
ton with the Pacific route, the importance of
which 60 the country cannot he over estima ted
it will be found that Congress has dealt with the
measure with "a comprehensive spirit of liberality
AS the grant which awards TO the work an amount
OF five alternate sections per mile each side of
said road thus Comedies "A belt OF 8 400 acres for
every mile OF its length, embracing IN all some
fifteen and half millions of acres This meas
ure with existing thirty thousand miles al
railway now spreading from the Atlantic beyond
the Mississippi, will form great continental avs
TEN, reaching from ocean TO ocean. eventually
in,ersecting every political subdivision OF the
United States. thereby giving impetus to domestic
trade and interests, opening new fields OF labor
and prosperity within our limits. while our wealth
vii. he increased by the rich Eastern trade,
through our mercantile marine on the Pacific.
with Japan and distant India. Among these new
fields coal j. found IN great variety and abund-
ance between the Mississippi ana the Pacific.
That important element, so essential for domes-
tic. mechanical and manufacturing purpose If
tecting our vast internal intercourse aud trade
and our external commerce. IS OF course very
prominent object IF interest To our people. The
extent Ot the twelve coal bearing States east of
the Mississippi holds out a small proportion to
the immense coal fields west OF that region as
We have information reporting the existence OF
coal in Dtcotah. Kansas. Nebraska. Colorado.
Utah. Nevada, California, Oregon and Washing
ton.
Commissioners Edmords names some reliable
coal deposits in the region in question, and then
proceeds 20 the consideration OF the specially at
tractve gold region of the public domain Ii
stretches on the western portion OF the continent
from ~ degrees north latitude To 81 degrees 80
min . and from the 1925 degree OF longitude To
the Pacific Ocean, embracing portions OF Ddco-
tab. Nebraska. Colorado. all of New Mexico.
with Arizona. Utah. Nevada. California, Oregon
and W ashington Territory. Its breadth Is about
100 miles from north south. and OF nearly
equd longitudinal extension. making an area Of
more than million OF acres. This vast region
j. traversed from north 10 south on the Pacific
side by the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Noun.
tains then by the Blue and HUMBOLDT; on the
east by the double ranges OF the Rocky Noun
tain>. embracing the Wastich. Wind River chain
and the Sierra Madre. stretching longitadinaiiy
and lu iaierutl SpurS-crOsseti aud linked to
eetner by intervening ridges. connecting the
whole system by i've principal ranges. dividing
the cOunir, into "a equal number ct basins. each
being nearly surrounded by mountain. aud Wa
tered by mountain streams and SHOWS. thereby
inieTspersing this immense territory with bodies
of agricultural lands equal to the support of not
only miners. but OF dense population.
Those mountains are literally stocked with
minerals. gold aud silver being interpreted in
profusiOn over their immense surface. and daily
brought 10 light by new discoveries The precious
metals found embedded in mountains of
quartz. rich washings marking the pathways OF
rivers and floods. Besides their wealth in gold.
no part of the world is rich in silver mines n
Nevada and New Mexico; yet these may he esti-
mated only in proportion TO the gold fields. which
in process OF development with amazing re
suits. The recent discoveries in the Colorado
region of California. and in the regi N stretching
thence away up and north of Stlmon river. IN
Washington Territory, are every day stimulating
the mining enterprise Of our people
Prior TO the gold discoveries of le4s in Cali
fornia. the gold product 1T the world vas only an
annual average at SleOOO.0O0.
In 1883 the yield OF California gas SI0.o00 600.
and THAT sum may bs set down a. the present