New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-04
CALIFORNIA GOLD MINES.
THEIR PRESENT AND FUTURE VALUE.

IN ANY PREVIOUS YEAR SINCE lSG0-TRIyATE
COMPANIES NOT DISPOSED TO MAKE PUBLIC
THEIR BULLION RECEIPTS.
IRON An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or rIrK TR1BuNE
SAN FRANCISCO, July l7-Au impression has be
come prevalent among people who have only a su-
perfcal knowledge OF the magnitude or facts Of
mining operations IN California chat interest IN
mining enterprises is measured by the volume of
business transacted at the Stock Exchange in San
Francisco. There never greater ialacy and
II is probably the fruit Of system of education by
which the masses have been led to direct their spec
ulative energies toward the shares of mines rather
than toward The mines themselves With the eX-
ception Of the BodIe mines only a small number of
those of California are listed the stock boards m
this city. Out of the extreme depression Of the
stock market here, and the consequent discourage
dent Of dealers whose vocation for the past ten
years has been operate a the Exchange. has come
a reaction Of popular sentiment in favor of the
goid-mning interests of California. The C0mstock
seemingly has passed Us zenth and has now
reached point, according to the fate of some OF IT'S
earliest and staunchest supporters, at which the
local historian may with propriety begin the history
OF lts rise and fail with all its startling tragedies
and grand development OF mineral wealth
INTEREST rRANsFERRED FROM TIE COMsT0CK LODE
TO CALIFORNIA MINES
The trans-mouutan world may wonder that the
great Comstock lode has moral history or char
acter but such is the case "a moral character too,
which if written in ali its details OF motive ana
action. would present a chapter Of speculation as
dark a. any that has yet been delIneated. But
TO return from this dgressIon 1t may be stated
that whether the last bonanza of the Comstock
ms been unearthed or not, 1t at the present mo-
meut cutting sorry i-ure in the bullion world
compared with its early period. AID yet. though
10 has passed INTO sem-ecllpse. the elect is likely
To- prove OF great general benefit. The thousands
who have been so long depending upon tie rise and
fall Of its fortunes are now forcing their way into
other and more promising fields of enterprise. All
the way from Alaska TO Mexico, these old spec
/ ul4for, Of tl. ComstOcl be found among the noun
taus and canJns searching for new mineral
wealth. A far as California L. concerned the de
/ cIi.e of the Coustock viii prove a vast and per-
manent benefit. The truth is, through the concen-
uation OF san Francisco capital upon the Comstock
/ lode the enterprise Of California has been drawn
I away from Llr own Mines held of far more IN
frin.Ie merit than that of the Nevada b0nauzas.
Vow however that's shadow has fallen upon the
deep mines Oh Washoe. many of our people are be-
ginning GO seek for fortunes among tae gold mines
Of California Hence all along the great auJferous
deposits covering the OLD beds of tine forgotten
pas and 30 tie principal points o. early quartz dis
covery. rs at Nevada city, Grass Valley, Suffer
Cr.eil. Au-c.s Camp sonora, and numberlcss other
old centres of niAing acIvrT IS now being Wit
messed new life that promise, ia the near future
ar Important au-m -ntltion ot our bullion exports.
L Iv az no TIME ia history has there been such
a General disposition 20 secure gravel and quartz
interests tlrou ghout the STATE and indeed through
3lt the whole great mineral belt Of the Pacific, as
now. New districts are constantly opened and Old
and abandoned mines are daily relocated orreyved.
Atlantic and foreign capital as well as domestic is
qrie.lv absorbing with great upiditY the most
valuable portions IF our mining lands. At the ra.c
at which this movement is going OBJ 10 VIII NOT Dee
very long tim. before good mineral grounI. I'D Cali
f3ruia especially will become exceedingly scarce
and valuable THIS Is clearly seen by shrewd
and enterprsing persons and therefore tins IN con-
rcctou with the growing uuD0Dularitv of the Com
stock leads TO the general desire on the part of Our
mimi masses 10 secure permanent patrimony I'D
this certain source OF permanent wealth. patr.-
rnony to be- transmitted To heirs more valuable
even than four per cents or metropolitan corner
GREAT ACTIVITY AND ENTERPRISE.
As an illustration OF the activity in this line of
enterprise since the decline of the COmstOck COM
neuc.d some two years ago il may be stated that
IN Tuoumne County, where eighteen months ago
there were only TWO quartz mills ID steady opera
. tiog there are now 30 less than fifteen constantly
running or quartz yielding handsome profits. And
he same NAV be said of Caayeras. Amador Placer.
Sierra and Plumas Counties, ana especially Of Ne
vada County. where within radius Of three miles
of Nevada City there has been an increase. unul
now there are forty mills producing bullion. The
processes for the profitable working Of the ores Of
California have been SO vastly improved since the
early period Of her history that those who aban-
| don4d the mines eighteen years ago for the Com
stock are surprised at the results which now
follow their labor They are now confirmed
in the belief that. had the money and
energy which have oeeR appIopTT1hieu 10
! the DEVELOPMENT Of the CONS ock l'de been
centralized upon the gold mines OF California, the
/ product Of bullion would have Tar exceeded that
which has ever 40 any time Yet been accredited TO
tins region. Therefore the reaction which has set
in will undoubtedly result IN great publlc as well
as private benefit inasnuch as IL Will Iead 10 an ~
creased product of gold bullion for the worlds
trade Further proof that the volume OF business
al our exchanges does not properly gauge the real
mining interests of this state, Is seen II the IN
crea-lng demand for quartz mllls ana apparatus l9r
/ "hvdrauhciug' gravel beds. while transactions In
! the share market have shown a steady shrlnkage
/ for over three months.
Private mining companies do not seem disposed to
make public their gold productions. This may, per-
/ haps be attributed TO "A desire 10 eyade taxes. A
| small number Of these mines, comparatively are
| owned by residents of san Francisco, and
/ hence il is almost impOss BILE 10 obtain more
| than general outline of their operations
! through occasional visitors from the remote dis
tficts TO tins clty The quiet II not secret. man
ner IN which large proportion Of these mines are
worked prevents the general Furthermore especially
that OF he East-frOm gaming intelligent idea OF
/ the wealth OF gold that Is stored WITHIN the
rock bound hills and gravel formations along the
/ base Of the western slope of the Sierra Nevadas.
Il is well known. also that the present scarcity of
/ industrious miners Is one OF the results OF this
/ lack Of information.
PRODUCTIVE GOLD MINES.
/ Among the gold mnes that are now producing
largely or are about ready 10 commence operations
in quartz lode, in gravel beds that have warranted
by previous prospecting large OUTLAWS of
money. are the Sierra Buttes Idaho and
Providence Of Grass Valley. Nevada County, Trinity
JIvdrauiic of TRINITY; tne Murray Quartz. OF
Shasta Steep Hollow Gravel, OF Nevada County