Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-23
OUR Ell DORADO.
PRECIOUS METALS IN SOUTH
ERN MINES.
The Total Yield Thus Far Reported
The Gold Fields of GsOTeta-The
Companies Now at WORK.


Tennessee, SS6,511 81; total, $22, ,O46, ,703 65.
This does not represent the whole pro6uc-
tion Of these States, considerable portion
undoubtedly having been used for
other than coinage purposes or hav-
ing lost its identity as to Iocali-
ty of its production before being
deposited at the mint. During the last year
the production of the Carolinas and Georgia
was about $275, 900. The total gold produc-
ing area of North Carolina comprises up
wards OF $4,000 square miles in which gold
is found at intervals, but the portion pro-
duclng on working scale is embraced by
the western half, or about 1900 square
miles. The production of North Carolina
during 1881, was, approximately, $115,000.
VI this amount, S5e, ,483 was deposited at
the mints and assay offices as native gold
from that State. The identity of other de-
posits as to locality was not ascertained.
a considerable amount was shipped directly
abroad.
SOUTH CAROLINA.
The State of South Carolina, in common
with the whole mining ar rea of the South,
suffered last year from q drought which
| seriously retarded work In every locality.
The cultivation of cotton having become
more remunerative than other pursuits, it
has almost entirely diverted miners of small
means from their mining work. Notwith-
standing these adverse circumstances the
| condition of the gold industry In South
| Carolina is favorable, and the yield is evil
IDENTIFY increasing. The production of the
State in 1881 was $50. 600.
| THE GOLD OF GEORGIA.
The gold belt of Georgia is upwards of
one hundred miles In width, extending
across the northern and part of the eastern
| section of the State from northeast 20 south
west. Mines have been discovered from the
line of Tennessee in Fsnnin county ON the
north to Columbia county on the
south. The area of production has
steadily increased year by year. Off the
main belt but little has been done, miniAg
having been conducted principally In the
| counties of White. Union, Lumpkin. Chero-
kee, Dawson and Rabun, situated in the
northern section OF the State. After the
most careful inquiries the yield of Georgia
In 1881 is ascertained to have been but
| $685. In estimating this yield two
methods have been adopted First, by care
full inquiry at the producing points, and,
| second, by ascertaining the amounts
shipped. Mount Airy, Gainesville and At
lanta are the three main express points for
the shipment of gold. The express agents
| at Mount Airy and Gainesville reported the
shipments as 81, 1888 and S93,S5S lespec-
lively. The agent at Atlanta de clined
to furnish any statement, but from
the best information obtained the
| amount cannot be large-probably
| not over $4,000, as Atlanta is somewhat
| remote from the principal producing area.
| The agent at Gainesville estimates that at
| least $4,000 was carried awav during the
year In private hands. Considerable gold
Il, 1G
| Mount Airy Is transported by mail, So, 700
being officially traced. A summary Of the
movement of gold from Georgia is as fol-
| lows: From Mount Airy, by express, 81. 1888;
| from Mount Airy, by mail, 50 700: from
| Gainesville, by express, $93.858; from
Gainesville, by private hands, $12 900; from
Atlanta, by express (estimated), 1000;
| total $l19,S91. This amount substantially
| agrees with that ascertained from indepen-
dent observations at the mines,
In Rabun county the J. P. Will
son mine, four miles from
| Barlow, has been opened and will soon be at
work on large scale. This property, con-
sisting of two sections of 490 acres each,
| has been worked on q small scale for many
years with rude and scanty apparatus, but
the return has amply paid for the time con-
sumed. From assays made of the many
samples of the ore at the United States As
say Office at Charlotte, it seems to be in
richness full up to the standard of the aver
age OF Georgia ores. Steady operations
| during the present year on an extended
scale will produce very respectable Weld.
The mining from Ra6un county to Nacoo-
chez valley, in White county, is conducted
almost exclusively by the country people
and on q small scale. They have been re
warded better than they would have
been by other occupations. At
Nacoochee valley great activity is
manifested. The work done is almost
| entirely hydraulic. The Bradley mill has
| been closed and is likely tGremain so, as it
is in litigation. The Nacoochee Company is
| at present working on the grounds of the
Lumsden Brothers, but as their lease is
short and the company is involved in legal
troubles, the result of their work In 1882 is
quite uncertain. Johns q Company are
opening up at the junction of Dukes Creek
and the Chattahoochee river for hydraulic
treatment. Lot 3S has been vigorously ex-
plotted on the Chattahoochee slope of the
Handy Mountain belt. The Lumsden
Brothers are etfecting arrangements for put
ting their property at work or of disposiDg
of 1t to other parties. In 1880 very slight
amount of work In their kitchen garden un-
covered a remarkable deposit of nuggets
to the extent of several thousand penny
weights; and old miners conversant with the
course and character of 'fancient stream.n
In this neighborhood think that other simi-
lar discoveries are probable. Half a mile
| to the southwest E. r. Trimble is operating
the Thompson place. The common run is
regarded as satisfactory in quality, but rich
chimneys are reputed as existing. The
craige near j. r. Deans is being opened.
but work cannot be so sufficiently forwarded
as to allow production of gold in 1882.
Many evidences Of large resources are in
this city, but none except possibly the Jar
rett lots, Nos. % and "a, in district 3, are
likely to be worked except by individuals.
The amount produced In this neighborhood
can hardly be less than 900 in 1881. The
yield is likely to be one-half greater this
year II the ordinary conditions of water
supply are maintained.
LUMPKIN COUNTY.
Between the Nacoochee valley and Louds-
vile, mining is conducted on q email scale.
The principal mining operations of the
Georgia gold regions are in the vicinity of
DahlOnega. Barlow and Hand mine, two
miles southwest of this town, has not ma
terially changed, except so far as the lack
of water has checked work. The quartz is
of good grade, and the average yield will
probably be maintained through 1882 The
lay is adjacent to Dahlonega, and on the
same belt as the Barlow and Hand. It's
yield has been satisfactory, and the pros
peritY Is likely to continue The Findlev.
one and half miles southeast of Dahlonegs,
has been worked with little change. The
ore appears to be of a slightly inferior grade
to that of the year before. 1t is not as ad-
vaDtageously situated for hydraulic pur-
poses as many others. The Bast, on
the same belt, adjoins the Find
ley. 1t has been consolidated with
the Joy aud worked under the same man
agement with reported success. The Lock-
hart temporarily suspended operations for
lack OF water. A new shaft is sinking to
meet the ore body at a greater depth. For
s small mine 1t has unusual prosperity. The |
Singleton, one and a half miles east of
Dahionega, is under the same management |
as the Lockhsrt. The White, or Pigeon |
Roost, adjoins the Barlow and Hand, and |
the ore is much the same. Its stamp mill |
was stopped during the greater portion of |
theyear. The following summary shows |
the mines about Dahlonega and the number |
of stamps viz:
FindleY, so stamps; Bast, 20 stamps; JOY,
20 stamps; Lockhart, Is stamps; Singleton, |
10 stamps; Barlow and Hand, 40 stamps: |
White, 10 stamps.
More reticence than usual was shown in |
communicating the production for 1881, but |
from the best sources of information the |
yield of this district was $50, 900.
The work at Auraria, six miles southwest |
OF Dahlonega, and on the same belt, is not |
so extensively conducted, nor has there |
been so much prosperity. The Chicago ana |
Georgia, adjacent to the village, employs |
ten stamps. The ore does not seem so /
favorable on the belt, and operations were /
less vigorously conducted than during the |
preceding year. The Auraria, one and 4 |
half miles southwest OF the town Of that |