The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1881-08-13
THE PRECIOUS METALS.
History OF Gold and Silver AKinin r
ON the Pacific Coast.

1t is now a little over thirty years
since mining for the precious metals
began to be actively prosecuted on
the Pacific Coast. At no time rel
atively considered, has she number
of people or the amount of capital
employed been large, yet the value
of the bullion produced aggregates a
little over 1000, 900, 900. The exact
official computation of the gold pro-
duct of the United States from 1547
1874 was 81, 24O, $50, 600, and the silver
product from l849 to 1874 was $780,
100000. The average annual pro-
duct of gold and silver on the Pacific
coast, since the beginning OF mining
in the year 1849, has been S67 ,OOO, 900;
the annual yield at this time is about
81 20, 900, 900, and this output Is con-
stantly and rapidly increasing. No
one who is moderately well-informed
as to our mining capacities entertains
a doubt that this yearly product will
soon rise to $3.50, ,o00,0 900, and even to
$4,000, 100000.
1t is a commonly accepted opinion
that the opportunities for embarking
capital in mining are not so favorable
at the present as in times past. This
opinion is wholly unfounded, being
based upon an entire misconception
of the actual condition of affairs.
Everything considered, the very re-
verse may be said to be true. Not
only labor, but all the other factors
of production are much cheaper now
than afortime, while the mines them
selves have undergone no cores
ponding depreciation as regards either
number or value. They have in fact,
been greatly multiplied, exploration
having every year largely extended
the area of our metalliferous domain,
which now covers, in a scattered
way, very nearly 100000 square
miles.
During the thirty wears that people
of the Pacific countries have been en-
gagged in mining for gold and silver
they have learned the business In all
its branches thoroughly and well
none know II better. From the mnl-
titude that thronged to the Pacific
coast in the time of the gold fever has
sprung a class of men who are the
master miners of the world. They
comprehend its difficulties and know
how to meet them. They have, in
fact, advanced 1t beyond the point
reached in any other country. The
mistakes aud errors and costly expe-
riments of the past have led to inven-
tions and Improvements which have
made the mining of to-day as truly
wonderful as they are effective, and
all that is now required to make this
branch of mining an eminently prof
itab and every way satisfactory bus
mess is the observance of the same
caution, close supervision, and exact
ing economy that is absolutely nee
essary in the Inauguration and con-
duct of any other business pursuit.
Gold and silvar mining have gradu-
ally been reduced to as thorough a
business basis as any art or trade in
the country; while in wise, resolute
and skilful hands, they prove to be
far more profitable than any other
branch of manufacture, commerce or
trade. The profits attending pru-
IDENTIFY conducted, legitimate mining
are apt to be large. Money judic-
iously invested in this business pays
from 200 to 500 per cent. more than in
almost any other. The net earnings
of well managed mining enterprises,
while equally certain. are, compared
with those of most kinds of manufac-
turing industries, as 10 to l.