The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-02-08
BUSINESS FOCUS OF GREAT MINING
DISTRICT.

ritory tributary to Los Angeles that this
city has the most encouraging prospects
of becoming the business and financial
focus of one of the richest and most ex-
tensive mining regions in the United
States,
The HERALD has given its readers ex-
elusive reports from the Vanderbilt
mines which are turning out to be very
rich and give every evidence OF perma-
nency. These mines are in the vicinity
Of the present terminus OF the Nevada
Southern railway. But east of Wander
bilt reports are received that new mining
districts have been opened which give
promise OF large outputs in the future.
Indeed, all along the projected route OF
this railway is virgin mineral country
which is being carefully prospected and
which may turn out to possess lodes that
will vie with the Comstock in their
richness and extent. a very important
fact must also be borne in mind, and
that is that all there mines are gold
bearing. AT the present conjuncture,
when silver has been so terribly depre-
ciated in value by artificial means. this
fact ought to be considered one OF grea.
Importance and of SURPRISING weight in
estimating the bearing upon the business
development and growth of this city.
We should not forget, when discussing
the effect of these discoveries, that for
two hundred miles lsterally from the
projected line OF this railroad there is
mineral country of great richness, part
of which has already been partially de-
veloped. Colonel Brooke has familiar
ICED our readers with the treasures OF
this region, not only in the precious
metals, but in great variety of valuable
chemicals, salt. soda, borax and other
deposits that will open up number of
new and prosperous industries to the
enterprising men who will develop that
frontier region. ALI these industries
will be tributary to Los Angeles. They
will draw their supplies from here, and
the usufruct of their wealth will natur-
ally go to enrich, adorn and amplify our
growing city.
In the meantime, in q direction out of
the line OF the Nevada Southern road,
there has been gold placer district
opened which is attracting general at
tention from the fact that it is in its
early output recalling the days of '49 in
the old California mining section. We
hear OF miners making the richest kind
( of ctrikes in the Goler mines, and OF new
| discoveries which show that the limit
of the auriferous country is far more
extended than was at first supposed. In
| these diggings lucky men are finding
every now and then chispas that recall
the chance findings of Corral Flat ana
Downieville in 1.-THE good old days." a
nugget weig hing 56 ounces is now on
exhibition at the midwinter fair, taken
from these diggings. A number of large
chispas have also been brought to this
city and exhibited. Indeed the whole
character of the gold taken out at Goler
shows it to be coarse and nuggets. In
such diggings the miners are liable at
any time to come across a lump that
will place the 96pound specimen found
near Oroville in 1858 in the shade.
Twenty miles from Yuma there is
iuet now great excitement over the dis
covery of gold mines that are reported
to be very rich. The reports from there
are somewhat mssgre; but the latest
news received from the Gold Rock mine
in that district says that it has yielded
well in free gold from the start. Last
week, however, at the depth of 100 feet
| the miners struck q chamber OF ore
running into the thousands of dollars
per ton. During the week the body
opened wider and richer, and it is con-
sidered one OF the greatest strikes ever
made ON the coast.
1t will be seen that all the new dis
coverieH in the regions tributary to Los
Angeles are Of gold. bearing mines. The
depression of silver has turned the at
tention OF prospectors entirely to the
discovery of placors or lodges carrying
the yellow metal. No prospector now
looks for silver lodes. 1t will not pay to
open them, and they are therefore neg
lected. But prospecting for gold mines
has 30 increased the activities of mining
men in their search that we shall not
be astonished if other valuable discov-
cries in ores or minerals should be
made. We have already been made &C.
quainted with the fact that very extern
sive and valuable deposits of nitrates
have been made in the region through
which the Nevada Southern will pass.
These will be OF great value to the
orange growers in the near future.
They are now spending great deal of
money in securing composts for their
orchards. Nitrate as fertilizer is,
however, far more valuable and effective
in enriching the soil when its nourish-
ing properties are exhausted than any
OF the ordinary composts now used.
We have only glanced casually at a
few of the actual and promising gold
mining districts that have recently
been discovered in the vast extent of
territory tributary to the business OF
Los Angeles. Discoveries will continue
to be made and new districts will be
opened from this time on. Some OF
these will. in the natural course of
chances, turn out to De very rich, and
| weld great fortunes to the men who