San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-12-15
A NEW GOLD ERA.
u Has Been Opened by Modern
Mining Me thods.
Renewed Activity in the Gold Fields of
Chhfornts-It Lacks the Excitement
of Early Times, Rut Has
More Solid Basis.

The golden lining to the silver clouds
tbat hung over this country year ago
ts1Bst becoming apparent. When this
government ceased its purchases Of
silver, and the mints of India were
slosed TO the white metal, the financial
outlook was dark indeed. But out Of
svil good often comes, and, whatever
other effect these measures may have
had, they have resulted beneficially In
causing a greatly increased activity in
gold mining. Never before in the his
tory of this state, says the San Fran.
cisco ArgOnaut, have the prospects been
20 dattering. The spectacular effect
nsI accompanied earlier mining ex-
elements is wanting, but there is in
its place an element of greater stability
and permanence. The romantic era,
VIXEN the population, red-shirted and
roughly clad, wandered among the
gnlches and foothills of the Sierras,
with pick and pan, searching for the
precious particles among the gravel of
the river beds, has passed into history.
The more intensely dramatic era, when
Abe fever of speculation coursed
.. through the veins, when every fluctua-
Ton in the prices OF stocks was watched
with eager interest by millionaire and
pauper, by the clerk in the counting
house and the serving maid in the
kitchen or nursery, when fortunes
were made and lost IN n day, and when
everybody was rich whether his wealth
was evidenced by comfortable bank ac-
count or by scrap of worthless paper
s-this second and more unwhOlesOme
IRA has also passed, to return no more.
The mining of to-day, while it lacks
Che element of wild exciteme Mt, is on
a more solid basis and has far more
substantial prosperity. Mining meth
DDS are more scientific than they were,
wasteful and extravagant processes
have been laid aside, new and inn
proved machinery has been brought
into use, and private companies, oper-
Hting quietly and soberly, are reaping
. harvest undreamed of even in the
days when the delirium Of speculation
was among u.s. The placer mines have
been diligently worked over. There
are still golden grains and nuggets in
tbe river beds, but not in sufficient
quantities generally to pay corpora
lions for working them, although in
dividual miners can still make grub
But the placer mines at best held
only the overflow of the richer original
deposits. The wealth in the hillsides
poured over and the surplus was car
81
From north to south, throughout the
whole stretch of the Sierra range. are
lodges laden with their golden treas
uTe as yet untouched. Quartz mining
Is still in its infancy despite the vast
stores of wealth that have already
been wrested from the earth; drift
mining will yet add untold millions to
the wealth of this state. The output
of gold this year will far exceed any
thing of recent years.
Not in this state alone, but through
out the world this same renewed ac-
tivity is seen. Colorado, Frustrated
last year by the repeal of the Sherman
law, stands to-day as one of the wealth.
producing states of the world. This
year California will be closely pushed
for first position among the gold-bear-
Ing states of the union. Two years
ago the gold pro duct of Colorado was
less than 5000. OOO-S4, 743, OO0-while
California produced more than twice
that amount. The next year Colorado
Increased its output sixty-five per
rent, while the increase in California
was only eight per cent. This year the
difference between the two will be
still further decreased. In Montana
twice as many properties are being
worked this year as last; in Au>tral liza
there is unusual activity. and the out
put of South Africa. which a few wears
ago contributed practically nothing to
the worlds supply, is estimated for
this year at S4s, 100000.
When California. Australia and Rus
sia first began. in the early ifties, their
immense output of gold. prices were
seriously affected. Prior to 1850 the
annual product had never exceeded
100000, or slightly more than will
be produced in the two states of Cali.
fornia and Colorado this year During
the next five years the annual average
was Sl37 100000, the highest point
reached being in 1853, when the output
was Sl55, 100000. After that date there
was decline in production. In 1873,
twenty years later, the output was $685.
100000; in 1888 it was S94, 100000. Last
year, however, the effect of the in
creased demand for gold was felt, and
the output reached and passed the fig
ures of 1853. The most careful estI-
mates place this years production at
$4,000, O6O. For the four wears since
1890 the annual average exceeds that
Of ls50-'55 by Sl2 100000.