The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-04-03
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
SAN Francisco, March 10th, 1875.

have been longitude. Such latitude as
that would have been we'll worth the atten-
ton of geographers, for We would be stu
ated not only at the north pole, but good
deal further north than that. We are in
fact on the same latitude about as Norfolk,
Virginia, but our climate goes ahead of any
thing in the Old Dominion. However this
is not my climate letter.
You have lately heard stories about our
bonanza, perhaps, and with true Eastern
credulity believe it was California story,
and great deal too good to be true. This
will give you little information on that
head. The word is Spanish and literally
means facoring freeze, and when applied to
designate body of ore in a mine, meta
phorically represents very large find Of
valuable ore. Such is the new bonanza in
the Comstock ledge in Nevada. Nevada
you know, is just across the Sierras, and
though stupendous mountains are to be
scaled to reach it, yet we speak of it as our
next door neighbor. Most of the Neva-
dams are from here, the mines are managed
from here, the States rich men live here
and even her two L. S. Senators reside
here, SO it it is just the same as if Navada
were in California.
This ledge is what was once an immense
fissure in the earth, which, by the deposit
Of mineral from running water, is now filled
up with silver and gold bearing rock. In
many places it is Of great richness and
value. 1t has been traced by its groupings
upwards of four miles, but it is thought
that only two miles of its extent is valua-
BILE enough to warrant exploitation. More
than five thousand men, and hundreds of
steam engines, are engaged in mining ore
and working it. 1t is mostly "milling ore, :"
or that which is composed mainly of native
gold and the sulphide and chloride of sill
yer, and can be economically beneticiated
by the ordinary mill process of amalgama-
ton. Fissure veins theoretically extend
downward to the center Of the earth, and
generally the ores become richer with depth
Mining is now prosecuted on the Comstock
at depth of 1900 feet, being the deepest
silver mines in the world. Many millions
of dollars were expended on some of the
mines before the owners realized cent
from them, but their reward is now exceed
ngly great. Scarcely any idea of mine
can be gained by simply reading about it.;
an hours sight seeing being worth weeks
reading. The late great discoveries were
IF ha1 lad
which was heretofore considered the poor
est part The bonanza, or ore body, is now
principally exposed in three great mines
consolidated Virginia, California, and
Ophir. 1t was struck in the former at a
depth of 100 feet, and was soon proved to
extend to the others. The actual extent is
not yet known, for it will take many months
to prospect it and show what its size and
reached. To get some idea of this great
body of ore, imagine building from one
to two hundred feet wide, thousand feet
in length, and five hundred feet or more
high; conceive it to be solid body of sill
yer ore carrying from one to four hundred
dollars per ton, and you can form slight
idea of what the new bonanza is. Incredi-
BILE as it may seem, the value of the ore
already in sight is estimated by experts to
be worth four hundred million dollars.
Less than a dozen men in this city own
nne-tenths of it. This month the owners
of the Consolidated Virginia divided over
hoir ,ri
dend, and will be able to keep it up monthly
for a long time to come. Nothing in the
world pays as well as rich mine; but
where one succeeds dozen fail. The
risks are SO great that less profit than
five per cent a month is considered hazard
Gus. That beats discounting notes at Elk
ton by good deal. Your shavers should
take courage, for now they may know that
out West their two per cent a month is
considered moderate. But there is differ
ence between the profits of mining and
regular business.
Nevada is rich, not in mines of gold, sill
metals, mountains of sulphur and SALT
beds of soda and borax, but also in agri-
cultural resources, and fine climate
Compared with California, Nevada seems
poor both in climate and in quantity and
quality of soil; but, as compared with the
Atlantic States, is really rich in soil and
climate. The State is principally success
sion of mountains, and rich valleys, with
dry and cool weather. These valleys are
very fertile when irrigated, and in the
course of time when more rain falls than
at present (the average rain, fall is increas-
ing) will be settled by farmers and mechan-
les, who will find their market right at
home among the miners. The soil will
more than support any future population.
A drawback is the lack of coal; there is
not even timber to be had in quantity, the
mountains and valleys being mainly COW
cred with sage brush. Lately small bed
of lixnite has been found near Carson,
which gives hopes that others may be I'M
earthed in due time. Lixnite is the only
form of coal west of Missouri river. 1t
answers very well for most purposes
There is no hope of finding true coal in
all this vast region; because, seologically
speaking, there are no older rocks exposed
than Devonian, the bulk of all the rocks
being cretaceous, and miocene tertiary
This country was under the sea millions of
years after the true coal of Pennsylvania
and other States was deposited in its lacns-
tripe marshes
At present Nevada is importing her
necessaries of life from California. Her
present people being mostly miners aud
adventures, do not take kindly to agricul-
ture. 1t is too much like work for them.
They are looking for silver mines, and feel
contemptuously toward ranches. In time
this will all be changed, and Nevada will
be inhabited by people who will force
her to front rank among the wealthy and
prosperous States of the Union. AS to the
character of the present population it is
enough to say that gambling is considered
a legitimate business and is licensed.