Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-07-22
SOUTHERN MINES.
New Mining Intsrests In Southern California
Sketohed.
[From the Sac. Record.union.

From the Sac. Record.Union.l
One of the most noticeable
changes in the business outlook of
southern California has been the
steady and hopeful development
of IT., mining interests. When
John Muir took walk through
The San Gabriel range, some three
years ago, he called it miners
county, and reported it as the
most difficult mountaineering he
had ever attempted. During the
following year he made careful
comparison of the geological condi.
tions of this section with
those of Nevada and Utah,
which, when published, will form
a most valuable contribution to
the comparative geology of the
Pacific slope. FROM my windows
l follow the line of the range from
Santa Monica to San Bernardino,
the richly forested fountain of un-
told wealth in orchards and vine
yards. Nearly the whole of the
Sierra Madre is a bare, rocky ram
part, relieved only by patches of
chaparral; yet without doubt hold
Ing In its forbidding canyons the
fortunes of the future. 1t is full of
springs, and there is still u consider
able supply of timber within reach
of the wag trails Placer gold has
been found in the San Gabriel
canyon, and. several valuable de.
posits of ore have been worked
within the limits of Les Angeles
county. As intend to make Sill
verado the subject of a special let
ter, l will not stop to describe it
here. The north western part OF
San BerDardino county is one vast
mass of broken
VOLCANIC RANGES
One hundred miles long by as
many in width, and so destitute Of
any other kind of natural wealth
than The precious metals that no
permanent mining settle ment has
ever been maize. Here the Anna
goZa, Potosi and other mines much
TALKED of ten Years ago, have sus-
tanned feeble life under infinite
difficulties. They are no doubt
capable of profitable Development;
some lai aiely-resuriecled mines are
now yielding rich returns. The
sub erranean forces which once
lifted ocean beds, or later dtopped
the plains below tho present sea-
level, as in the great Death valley,
are not yet quieled. Cones of eX-
tinct volcanoes, hot mud-springs
aud sulphur deposits Indicate more
recent vOlcan G action than in the
more northern counties. The
| s0utherusand southeastern portions
OF our State present the most inter-'
esting scientific problems at every
turn. The peaks of Iyno, clad in
perpetual snow, ampst overlook
the Arrange "a Sartarus, where jan
uraIy temperature Ia 90. There is
no water for man or beast, though
the surface is sasm-d by ancient
fIesbets, and terrible water-spouts
sometimes fu1ow the banks. The
people who could be 'oon eat to ss'-
tie down IN the gold gravels of the
'Fele:c re District, would coloni1s
"Hades" itself.
NEW MINING DISTRICTS.
But the new mining districts of
| San Berpardino county are neither
difficult af access nor uDiuvitiug
for human habiiation. Within
thirty-tive miles of San Bernariino
one may drive for whole day
under the shade Of pines, where
water Is abundant, and where the
MormoDs found pay dirt in 1852.
| The Teme-cal tin mines are within
forty miles of that great fruit gar
den, which ten years hence will
send millions of tons of canned
fruits to all parts OF the world. I
hear that the mining capitalist sur.
named the Lucky, and other oper-
ators, have large claims in the Bear
valley region.
Auriferous gravel and placer gold
was discovered over thirty years
ago on Lyttle creek, within two
hours drive of San Bernardiuo,
and all along the Csjon Pass are
old marks of the pick and shovel,
made by the wandering Jews of the
mining industry. One cannot but
picture to oneself the probable re-
suit had the MormoDs made their
New Jerusalem in the San Bernar-
dino valley, as they were fortu-
nateIy prevented from doing.
Very probably, had this occurred,
the Southern Pacific would have
been the only iron road way across
the continent Likely enough
these mountains would ere this
have been honey-com5ed like Da-
wilson, aud n Mexican MOI m IN
civilization stamped itself ineffa-
ceably upon the fairest pJrtiou of
Gods country. AS it Is, we are
thankful that the blossoming of the
Mobave desert Is copfided to other
hands. That this letter may be
more specific than general in it's
interest, let me tell what know OF
the newly developed
SILVER MOUNTAIN MINING DIS
TRICT,
In San Bernardino county. We
will take u covered wagon from
Los Angeles, and with good pair
of horses one days drive will take
Us to Cucamonga, where we will
camp for the night. Our second
camp may be within the limits OF
the district, but we will take the
Ctjon pass more leisurely, and re-
serve our visit to the mines for the
third day. The Silver Mountain
/ mines are about fifty miles north
east of Cotton, nearly on the di.
, rect line OF the Atlantic and Pscif
ic railroad, and few miles south
of the Cottonwood station on the
old San Bernardino road. The
Mohave river, taking a horseshoe
bend, nearly eDcircies the nest oi
MINIS on the west and south. A
year aEo the solitude was unbrokeu
! from the river to the timber line
which we see some twenty-five
: miles Off. Since then the Orc