Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-08
Report of the Secretary OF the
Inferior.
OUR MINERAL REsoURcEs.

ton with the Pacific route the importance OF
which to the country cannot be oyer-e estimated,
it will be found that Congress has dealt with the
measure with comprehensive spirit of lberality
ms the grant which awards to the work an amount
OF FIVE alternate sections per mile on each side of
said road thus comedies belt ct 6.4U0 acres for
every mile OF its length, embracing in all some
4 fifteen and half millions of acres. This meas
ure, with an existing thirty thousand miles OF
railway now spreading from the Atlantic beyond
the Mississippi, will form great continental sys
TEN, reaching from ocean to ocean. eventually
ntersectng every political subdivision of the
United States thereby giving impetus to domestic
trade and interests, opening new fields OF labor
and prosperity within limits, while our wealth
will be increased by the rich Eastern trade
| through our mercantile marine on the Pacific
with Japan and distant India Among these new
fields coal is found in great variety and abund
ance between the Mississippi and the Pacific
That important element, essential for domes-
TIC, mechanical and manufacturing purposes, af-
fecting our vast internal intercourse and trade
and our external commerce, is of course a very
prominent object of interest to our people The
extent OF 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 Dacotah. Kansas, Nebraska. Colorado.
Utah. Nevada, California. Oregon and Washing
ton.
Commissioner Edmonds names some reliable
coal deposits IN the region in question, and then
proceeds to the consideration of the specially at
tractive gold region of the public domain. 1t
stretches on the western portion of the continent
from 40 degrees north latitude to 81 degrees 80
min and from the 1924 degree of longitude to
the Pacific Ocean, embracing portions of Daco-
tab, Nebraska. Colorado, all of New Mexico,
with Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California Oregon
/ an az IFS hraa III III,
| 100 miles from north to south, and of nearly
equal longitudinal extension. making an area of
more than million of acres. This vast region
is traversed from north to 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 Wasatch, Wind River chain
and the Sierra Madre, stretching oDcitudinaIly
and in laternal spurs-crossed and linked to-
getner by intervening ridges. connecting the
whole system by live principal ranges, dividing
The country into an equal number OF basins each
being nearly surrounded by mountains and W.T.
tered by mountain streams and SHOWS thereby
interspersing 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 Will
minerals, gold and silver being interspersed IN
profusion over their immense surface, and daily
brought to light by new discoveries The precou,
metals are found embedded i'm mountains o.
qulrtz rich washings marking the pathways Of
rivers and foods. Besides their wealth in gold
no part of the world is rich in silver mines a:
Nevada and New Mexico; yet these may be est
mated only IL proportion TO the gold fields, which
are in process of development with amazing re
suits. The recent discoveries in the Colorado
region of California, and in the resi N stretching
thence away up to and north Of Salmon river, il
Washington Territory, every day stimulatin.
the mining enterprise of our people
Prior TO the gold discoveries OF lS4S in Cali
fOrnia, the gold product of the world was only an
annual average of SIS 900 900.
In 1883 the yield of California 'Fas $40, 900 900
and that may be set down as the presen
average from that State If our other gol,
fields we're worked with an equal ratio of labor
there would be annual product of between
three and four hundred millions. That an mad
equate amount of Labor will be at hand whel
peace returns is not doubted; and hereby Judy
Edmonds sees the easy step by which the mass u
our present soldiery may be restored to peaceful
avocatiuns Even now in the distant Territor
of Washington, the extreme mosaic block of IN
Union, the present product of the Salmon rive
min,s &c under every disadvantage OF access
weather &c is estimated ut 800 900 900
An immense revenue may be readily obtaine,
by subecting the public mines either TO lease
under quarterly payments or quarterly tax. -
scgnorage npon the actual product, under "a vel
regulated and efficient system, which would slim
uate the energies of miners and capitalists. o
securing 10 such classes an undiSputed interest /
localities for specified purposes (and when tn
conditions as to such fact are completely for vi
limited periods, and which, efecting this wit
. beneficial results to them, would relieve the ne
cessities of the Republic.
Commissioner Edmonds states that the ma
tured yield of the mines at eight per cent woul
pay an interest of four and "A halt per cent upo
$50 900 900 of NATIONAL debt Going into pal
ticulars, It J. stated that the usual size of "A mil
| ing claim in the quartz region is one hundre
, feet on each side, making one thousand two hur
dred claims to the square mile. Allow that onl
, a hundredth part of the mountain is occupied
paying leads or veins, there will be space f
three millions six hundred thousand claim
Governor f, ans. of Colorado, estimates that th
already discovered gold bearing region of tl.i
Territory affords ample for eight hundre
thousand claims. Assume this gold hearing r,
gion of Colorado is bat a sixth of the whole col
field of the continent. We have four million eigf
hundred thousand claims which would give wor
10 twenty millions of men. Quartz that Weld
Sl2 per ton, will pay in favorable circumstance
but there are many more that yield from 800
$500 per ton. There those that Weld fror
$500 To $4,000 per ton. Some Of recent disco,
cry are estimated as high rs 800, 600 per ton
In addition TO the deposits OF gold and silve
various sections of the whole mineral region Al
rich IN precious stones. marble, gypsum, salt, tir
. quicksilver. asphaltum coal. iron, copper an
lead together with mineral, medicinal. thorn;
aud cold springs and streams None of thes
mines have been worked for great length
time. except the pacers of California. and niue
The larger portion OF them are comparatively r.
cent discoveries; vet. the deeper the mine
worked, the richer is the or rock. Enormou
profits are derived from operations at a depth c
from $50 to 300 feet.
Time will sustain the positions that have bee
assumed to the mineral wealth OF the region
question and the revenues that may ultimately
derived from them. AT present, the annual yiel
OF the precious metal regions in question may b
set down at Sl00,'I00000. Under well ma
tured system of taxation or seniorage ten mi
lions of dollars would accrue TO the Treasury
As the results of experience i'm mining, il is e,
commended that claims shall be laid out in 'sma
parcels" varying from 100 to 81 900 square fee
according to the locality and value of the de
post, &c.
Referring to the paramount claims OF explorer
and actual miners in advance Of surveys. &c Oh
Land Office cannot recommend any measures fl
the sale of the mineral lands. but would adyis
the retention of the fee in the United States an
that they be held omen to the free occupation G
all our perpe, subject only TO a nominal annus
license, aud such monthly, quarterly or annus
moderate per centase upon the product sha
be prescribed by law Limitation to tn
quantity which mey be held by any one person
also advised.
Mcclellan is snug built little fellow, weigh
: ing about $50 pounds. But compare this wit
the following record OF the weight of the officer
of the Revolutionary army. as weighed at We
Point in 1888: