The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-15
THE YIELD OF PRECIOUS METALS.

Mr.. Valentines annual report of the prod
net of the precious metals in the States and
Territories west of the Missouri Valley has
been awaited with eagerness, and now that
it has appeared it will be studied with in
tereSt. for, in point of accuracy. it is
mere trustworthy than the statistics which
emanate from the Mint. Long experience
has reduced the gathering of figures to sys-
TEN. EXaggerations in miners reports are
quickly detected. BY comparison with
former returns, the compiler is generally
able to arrive at accurate estimates where
sources Of information are untluStYorthy or
wanting.
The total product of gold, silver, copper
and lead in the States and Territories west
of the Missouri River during the year 1850
was the largest ever known in our history.
1t amounted to Sl26, S04, $50. This does not
include the product of Mexico or British
Columbia. Last year the figures were
nearly the same-$l26,7 23, 1874; but in 1855
the product was S14,OO0,OO0 less; in 1887 it
was S23, OO0000 less, and in 1885 ii was nearly
S40OOO,O0O less. The industry may thus be
said to be steadily progressing
The increase is chiefly in silver and cop
per. The gold product of the region in ques-
ton was S51, 79j, Sol in 1890. 1t was $500, 900
larger in 1889 and also in 1887. Curiously
enough, the gold product of 1SS0was about the
same as that OF these two years, but in 1884 it
fell off 100000 In 1856 1t exceeded S29,-
000,000, and since then it has been subject
to but slight variations from an average
equal to the product of 1890.
In 1880 the silver product of the Western
country was SSS, 100000. Last year it Was
SCI, $4,000, a surprising increase for the
decade. But in 1889 the product was $1,000
0C0 in excess Of that Of 1890. a year hence
we shall see whether the increased pur-
chases of silver by the Treasury have the
effect of swelling the product Of the mines.
1t Is noteworthy, as showing how small
figure particular localities cut in the general
result, that the aggregate product OF silver
now, when the carbonate mines OF Colorado
are small producers, is S20,000,000 in excess
OF the general product Of 1SS0-S2, when
those mines were in their glory. Four years
ago, When the British Government desired
to ascertain tie amount OF silver produced
annu ally in the world, its statisticians fig
ured the total quantity at S60,OO0,oO0. The
United States alone now exceed that out
put by over 100000, and there are be-
sides Mexico and South America to hear
from.
NNANNa
cents pound, was S20, 5G9O92 in 1890 In
1887 the product had risen to S10,00OOOO
In 1858, the opening of the Anaconda aud
adjacent mines, with their support, swelled
the annual yield to SIS coo, COO, but the col
lapse Of the copper cOrnerin France reduced
1t IN 1889 TO Sl4C00000. If copper had re-
manned at cents or 10 cents pound. that
yield would probably have remained sta
tiOnary. But the reaction which followed
the Secretan liquidation gave a new impetus
to copper mining, aud placed the United
States at the head Of cOpper-producing coun-
tries. 1t is curious TO observe that the gross
yield of our col per mines is equal to two
thirds of the total yield OF all our gold Mines
and that copper stands fifth in the list of our
valuable mineral products-coa, iron, silver
and gold occupying the places ahead OF it.
The lead product for 1890 was ST.. 500, 81,
a decline Of 100000 from 1889, and just
about the same as the yield of 1883. Twenty
years ago all the lead produced in the
United States was dug in Missouri and lii
nois; it amounted in value to about a
million dollars. In 1880 the discovery
of carbonates of lead in Colorado swelled
the product of the metal to S5,742, 900;
from that figure it gradually increased
until now it exceeds Sl1,0O0o00. The
price has not varied much for several years.
At the close of the war the Government sold
its surplus lead al 7 cents pound. Some
eight years ago it fell 10 something like 31b
cents; of late it has fiuctuated between that
figure and cents. The miners declared in a
petition to Congress in 1888 that they would
have to shut down their mines if the price
did not advance; but judging from the
present yield, the shutting down does not
seem to have been general.