Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-01
PRECIOUS METALS.
The Domestic Gold Production in
1881.
The cficial Report of Director Burchard
Interesting statiatics-caH
fornia's N mes

forn1a'S N mes.
The RECORD UNION is in receipt of the
report of HI. c. Burohard, Director of the
United States Mint, which was transmit
ted to the Secretary of the Treasury in
June last. It concerns the subject of the
precious metals in the United States. The
letter of transmittal says that the report
is upon the production of the precious
metals for the calendar year 1851. The
Director says:
The official records of the Mint Bureau
show the amount and character of the
bullion Deposited and purchased during
the year, and what portion came from the
mines of the United Ssatss. They also
show the amount of gold and silver used in
coinage and the amount delivered back to
depositors in the form Of bars.
The Custom-house records give the
amount exported, and the reports from
manufacturers state approximately the
aggregate amount used by them in manu-.
features and the arts. By ascertaining
and adding the amount of domestic gold
and silver deposited at the minis and assay
offices aud the undeposited domestic bullion
exported and used in the arts, the total
production of the year can be estimated
and stated with sufficient certainty for
statistical purposes.
DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF GOLD IN 1881.
The deposits of gold at the mints and
assay offices during the year were sos, 763.-
426 OS. of which s34. ST.. $50 as were re-
ported to be OF domestic production.
The export of domestic gold bullion for
the year was only Sl60 l66. but wholly in
bars manufactured at private refineries.
The amount of undeposited domestic
gold used in the arts must, in part, be es-
timated. 1t may safely be placed at half
million dollars for while the msnufact-
urers' statements received at this bureau
show that fine gold bars to the value of
sc, 23O, 900 were used by them in manufact-
uring during the fiscal year 1881, the aggre-
gate value of the fine gold bars issued for
manufacturing purposes by the New York
assay office, and of all the fine gold bars
made at the Mints during the came period,
was only S. 960, 094 81. The remaining
$4,000 of fine gold bars reported by
manufacturers must have been obtained
from private refneries and assayers, by
whom fine gold bars are also prepared for
use in manufactures, consisting principally
of domestic bullion received directly from
mines and smelling works. The state
ments of the manufacturers did not include
the value of the native gold in the form Of
grains, ingots, Jumps, etc., used for orna-
mentation and in the arts, which would
amonnt To a considerable sum
Although this estimation is based upon
statements and reports made for the fiscal
year, the facts they disclose show that, to
ascertain the total gold production during
the calendar year, an addition TO the do.
nestle gold bullion deposited and exported
of, perhaps, half million dollars should
be made for bars manufactured at private
establishments and for native gold used in
the arts.
From these data the yield of gold from
the mines Of the United States in 1881
might be placed, in round numbers, at
S35, 600, 900.
As, however, the imports exceeded the
deposits of foreign gold bullion at San
Francisco by $34S, l0l, portion of which
refined by the Selby Works in that city
may have been reported at the Mint as do.
nestle bullion, / have added for unde.
posted domestic gold only the S270, 000
shown by the reports received at my office
to have been used in manufactures. This
makes the total gold production in the
United States for the calendar year 1881 to
have been
Deposited at the minis and assay Offices. s34 27o oOC
Undeposited exports Observation-Disclosures. 100, COO
Undeposited used in the arts. 27o,oOt
Total .s84, zoe, oOC
This is over four millions higher than
the estimated gold production west of the
Missouri river published by Mr.. Valentine,
who, from the amount of bullion carried
in various forms by express and other con
veyances and the estimated proportions Of
gold and silver contained, puts the gold
domestic production for the calendar year
1881 at $50, 653, $50.
In my former report estimated the gold
production for the calendar year 1880 al
$50, 600, 900. from which the production OF
1881 has declined over one and quarter
million of dollars.
SILVER PRODUCTION.
The mines Of the United States produced
of silver bullion during the year 1881, as
indicated by the receipts at the minis and
customs and manufacturers returns, S43,
600, 600, If computed at its standard dollar
coming value, or about S37 900, 600 at its
commercial value.
The purchases for coinage and deposits
for bars at the minis and assay Offices
amounted to $50, 326, S4S "a, of which
| $27, 500, 2l3 Is were of domestic produc.
tioL.
The exports of domestic silver bullion at
all the ports of the United States were
valued at Sl2, 796. $50, worth at the coinage
rate about Sl4, 500 600.
OF the $50, 326, S4S "a silver bullion re.
ceived at the minis and assay Offices, S25,.
leaving balance OF S., 300 600 deposited
for bars. These deposits were 500, DOC
less than the estimated annual consump
ton of silver bullion in the United States
for manufactures, which deficiency, while
undoubtedly containing some foreign coin
and bullion, was composed principally Of
| domestic bullion received from private re.
| fineries.
/ therefore add to the deposits and ex
ports of domestic bullion 5000. 600 for IN.
deposited domestic bullion used by manu-,
facturers during the calendar year, making
the total production of silver bullion de-
posted at the mints and assay offices S27,.
900, 600; exported, Sl4. 500, 600; unde'
posted used in manufacturing, 5000, 900
total, S43, 00O, 900.
The gain of nearly 81, 600 900, over my
estimate for the silver production in 1880
resulted from the opening of new mines in
portions of Colorado, which fully compen.
stated for the decline in the yield of the
Leadville region and from greater silver
production in Arizona, Utah, Montana and
idaho, Notwithstanding the heavy falling
off in the yield Of the silver mines of Ne
vada.
1t is impossible to determine with exact
meas the amount of gold and silver supplied