The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-12-29
A NEW GOLD ERA.
e Has Been Opened by Modern
: Mining Me thods.
8AneWed Activity In the Gold Fields Of
CaHfornia-It Lacks the Excitement
Of Early Times. Hut Has
More Solid Basia.


government ceased its purchases Of
silver, and the minis Of India were
closed to the white metal, the financial
outlook was dark indeed But out Of
evil good often comes, and, whatever
other effect these measures may have
had, they have resulted benefcially in
causing 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
so flattering. The spectacular effect
that accompanied earlier mining ex-
elements is wanting, but there is in
its place an element Of greater stability
and perrnanencc. The romantic era,
when the population, red-shisbed ard
roughly clad, wandered among the
gulchcs and foothills of tho Sierras,
with pick and pan, searching Tor the
precious particles among the gravel Of
the river beds, has passed into history.
The more intensely dramatic era, when
the fever OF speculation coursed
through the veins, when every fiuctua-
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
every body was rich whether his wealth
vas evidenced by comfortable bank &C
count or by scrap OF worthless paper
this second and more unwholcsome
era has also passed, to return no more.
The mining of to-day, while 1t lacks
the element Of wild cxcitemc Mt, is on
more solid basis and has far more
substantial prosperity. Mining meth
DDS are moro 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-
ating quietly and soberly, are reaping
. harvest undreamed of even In the
days when the delirium Of speculation
was among us. The placer mines have
been diligently worked over, There
Rre atill golden grains and nuggets In
the river beds, but not in sufficient
quantities generally to pay corpora
tons for working them, although in
dividusl mincrs can still make grub. :"
But the placer mines at best held
only the overflow OF the richer original
deposits. Tho wealth In the hillsides
poured over and tho surplus was car
ried with the rain into the rivers.
From north 10 south, throughout the
whole stretch OF the sierra range are
h'ieaRes iauen Win 'hslr soioen .reas,
ure ~ .es un'ouchea' 9u"r'n mining
~ sun M us 'ninney ueSpi'e VII. vas.
e'oi'S VI ".".sn '"s' ''o
1en "I.,,eu ~ VIC M; ~
''k W." saa 1A.0 -,
sne wealth. Oh this state. Inc output
o. eolu shis year wiz i"r eAoeoa "hy
thiHR OF receHs years
NOV IN TINS state aionc' ous lhroueh'
out inc "orio TINS same renewed NC,
nviy seen. colorado, Pros'rateo
i"s' year py tne 'epe"i oi ene 'herinan
law, s'ahas 'o-a"y as one OF 'he wealth
producing s'a'es on tne world. inns
car NhAAorhia VIII DC cioseiy Puhheu
iof hrsl pos'.ion among .he goia-oear
his s."~s Va wig u"ion. Two years
sRo she Rolo proauct OF Noloraao wa
less AhAh eo,voo,Voo-eif sfa,ooo- WINE
Sahiornia proaucea more thah twice
that amount Inc next year aoiorad'
increased its output hixty-nve PEI
cent, whiie the increase III Sahfornl'
Vas only eiRht per cent ms year th'
diHefehcc between the TWO VIII ID
Sun iurther eecreasea. IN Mon'an'
twice - many properties are penn
WORKED TINS year as last In Austraii
there unusual ACTIVITY, ana the ou'
put OF South Africa, whlcn u rev year
sko Scnoipu'e"P l"St'e"iy Ho'niik
.he WORTH supply, IL es'iina.eo ~
TINS year al Sse'ooo,ooo'