Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-16
Mining Excitement i'm This
County.

Heretofore it has been supposed by
mining men that Fresno county was an
off county in mineral belts in regard to
deep mining. for the simple reason that
most of the ledges did not 60 down.
This impression gained credence by the
ledge pinching out within forty feet of
the surface or groupings; but such is
not the case as has been proven within
the last three years. In past years
quartz mining was exclusively done by
poor men or prospectors of little means
that could not afford to sink below the
water level as pumps and engines are
necessary to keep the numerous shafts
clear of water-this industry has been
kept back until the last three years. In
the past it was waste of time and folly
for prospector to go into San Fran.
cisco with quartz specimens Utterly
covered with coarse gold and tell the
mining capitalist that he owned ledge
in Fresno county. The same rock, if it
was stated that it came from Inyo,
Mono or Merced would create an ex-
citement to the hearts content. The
same expression Of the mine hunters has
been that Fresno county was worthless
in a mining sense. But this is all
changed within few years. Since such
men as Haggin, Hearst, Grayson, Ewing
Pfeifer, Mcdonald, McNally and a
score of others have invested hundreds
of thousands of dollars in mining prop
critics, it has caused revolution in tie
idea of the mining population of this
State, Arizona and Nevada, aud to that
extent that prospectors and mining men
are focking into this section daily, and
from the number of gold bearing quartz
ledges that are being found hourly,
show to the outside observer that more
ledges are to be developed in the near
future. The great trouble at present is
locators and prospectors are holding
their ledges too high for the amount of
work done, with the idea that they all
have a McNally, Hildreth, or James
mine to be opened up. The average
prices range as follows: For 500 worth
of ore in sight, $1,000 and for $1,000 in
sight, $4,000 is asked. OF course the
Hildreth mining district in this respect
is no different from others. This dis
trict is populated with miners princi,
pally from Bodie, Nevada, Arizona and
Utah, and for miner is cheap camp
which rates at $2.75 per day. Being in
a symmetrical formation which does not
break well, and what we call wet
camp. the Cornish element predomi-
mates. The cause of low wages is from
the class OF meA that the late Thomas
Hildreth tried to develop the noted
Hildreth Mine" (which las since been
bought by Haywards & Hobert) which
was composed of ranchmen and sheep.
herders; that had never seen mine,
and at the time of the purchase of the
"Abey Mine" by Geo. w. Grayson, j.
Pfeiffer and McNally, men were plenty
at that price, and have continued so.
Since the starting up of the Grayson
Company mill some six months ago,
about $24, 900 in bullion has been
shipped Before the death of the late
Thos. Hildreth. as near as can be cal
culated, something like $50. 900 was
shipped-the results of the Huntington
mill. The Hanover mill shipped $40, 900
and Ewing Il Zeilitte have shipped $751;
600, all coarse gold, and from an aver.
age depth of 4S0 feet below the surface,
with ledges at the present day that are
from three to six feet between walls that
will mill S35 to 65 per ton. In this dis
trict there are five mining proper.
ties that are below the depth of hun
dreds of feet that have proved the con-
tinuance Of quartz ledges where hereto.
fore the theorem of laid down positions
have been otherwise.
The majority of lodges in Hildreth
district are regular without breaks. the
mineral being evenly distributed
through the quartz, and salvages in
cased in walls of syenite and granite,
with an average dip of 40 degrees, bear.
ing between 20 and 60 degrees east of
north, while other lodges are decom-
posed quartz property with roof and
hanging walls Of two to four feet of
white and blue tale, and and are very
rich. Such are the Francis & Jones
mine, that is wonder to all mining
men. The owners of this property are
dumping over rock on the waste that
will mill SIS to $40 per ton. While
grading their ore in three classes ore
that mills $40, $50 and 5000 per ton.
Last week from their arastra on a clean
up of run of four and one.half tons
they retorted $1,000 in coarse gold.
Their incline is down $50 feet all the
way in ore and no foot wall-this is the
elephant mine of the district.
The McNalley mine is sinking to the
600 foot level, and running drifts at the
500 on five-foot ledge of rock that
mills $35 per ton free gold with five per
cent. sulphuret and shipping about
S4, 900 per month. Development and
discovery are going on with great stride.
l am in receiSt weekly of letters from
San Francisco mining men in quest Of
information of prospects, formations
and prices, aud through the medium OF
the Fresno Erpositor the public will he