The San Francisco call., 1895-12-22
SOUTHERN MINES BOOM,
Richest Lodges Said to Have
Been Overlooked Fifteen
Years Ago.
NEW MILLS BEING ERECTED.
Los Angeles Rapidly Becoming a Min.
ing Headquar ters for Southern
California.
NEW MILLS BEING ERECTED

f. W. Edelsten, editor of the Los
Angeles Mining Bureau, who is up On
visit, talks interestingly OF the mining sit
uation in Southern California. He said
yesterday:
All the biggest mines of Southern California
were overlooked twelve or fifteen years ago,
throughthe fact that at that time the silver, ,lead
and copper mines were more attractive TO cap
ital than low grade gold mines. 1t was 1mpos-
sble to interest capital in mines containing
from four or five dollars in gold when silver
mines all over the West could be obtained
running from $50 per ton and up in silver.
And there were many disadvantages years ago
connected with mining in Southern California,
such as high transportation, high price OF liv-
ing, expensive labor, scarcity OF water, danger
from Indians in Arizona. and in many cases
even where ore was of sufficient value to be
worked it was of such a rebellious nature that
no process was known with which to work IL.
But now everything has been changed; we
have different processes, such as cyanlde,
chlorination and many other processes Dy
which every class of ore can be prObtaDly
worked, provided there is sufficient value for
economic working.
We now have railroads, good labor at q
reasonable price. living is as cheap as any
where in the United States. Water has been
discovered in various places, and the fact that
lead, silver and copper have fallen to such
low price has driven ali the miners who Tor
merly operated silver, copper and lead mines
into gold mining, ana as all the hlgh-grade
gold mines on the mother lode and other
sections of the West are held at prices at which
only capitalists of the largest means can own
and operate them, has brought the low-grade
gold mines to the front.
We now have in Southern California the
largest gold mill under one roof in the state
The mine on which this mill is working, the
Gold Cross, located at Hedges, San Diego
County, was examined at different times by
mining experts but declared TOO low grade TO
be prOttably operated.
The present company is milling over 300
tons per day of ore that yields to the stock
holders a handsome profit over and above
running from the Colorado River, thirteen
miles, which furnish the mill and camp with
an ample supply OF good water.
There are several other strong companies in
yestigating the tremendous lodges in the
vicinity OF the Gold Cross, and within twelve
months we expect to see more mills In opera
ton, as the supply OF ore is inexhaustlble and
In the Perris district, Riverside County, are
located some mines that are making good
records, the most prominent among them being
the Santa Rosa. This mine was purchased
about twelve months ago by some Colorado
men from ex Governor BlaisdeH.
The main shaft was then 225 feet deep with
but little development work done. The COM
pRny Immediately erected q 10-stamp mill and
commenced development in systematic way.
They soon found los lamp mill made
quate to handle the output OF the mine, ard
last month commenced the erection OF ten new
stamps.
The new mill started to drop the stamps De-
cember 90 and was success in every way.
contract has been let to sink the main shaft
1000 feet The boiler was changed two months
ago TO use oil, which is brought from Los An
geles in tankcars, the consumption being
about 500 gallons per day.
The Santa Rosa is without question one OF
the most promising mines in the State.
The proprietors OF another prominent mine in
the same district, the GOOD Hope, are working
their twenty ty-stamp mill on pay ore, most OF
which is taken out by lessees, the company
having found 1t more profitable to lease to the
miners than to pay them regular wages.
Several mills are in course of construction in
this district, from which good reports will be
heard.
The big English grant is located but short
distance from the Santa Rosa mine, and is
being thoroughly Investigated by Mr. III. B.
Vercoe, who is the representative OF the Lon
don syndicate owning the grant. He has in
mill in the spring. He has Just finished mill
run of fiity tons OF ore, taken from his different
discoveries, and they have been so satisfactory
that the mill will undoubtedly be built.
Los Angeles is fast becoming the headquar-
ters for the mining industry of the Southwest.
We now have five well-equipped assay offices,
where reliable assays can be obtained, and one
complete stamp mill in operation within ten
minutes ride OF the center of the city, where
any sized samples can be run to determine the
best methods to work ores.
There is little doubt but that the next three
months Will see smelter in a fair way to be
completed in Los Angeles.
The advantages of Los Angeles as smelling
point cannot be too highly spoken of.
Al, of Lower California, where rich discover
les are being made every month, is tributary
to the city. All the ore on the west coast of
Mexico, much OF which is now shipped to Eu-
rope, would be sent up on vessels for about
one-tifth the freight peid TO European points.
Western Arizona is full of mines that are
now lying idle that would be worketlif a good
home market were afforded for the output.
The oil industry was never in more -four
ishing condition than at present. The oil
formation is better understood now than ever
before, and fewer failures are being made in
sinking for oil than formerly when wells were
sunk outside of the belt through ignorance on
the part OF operators.
Mr.. Edelsten states, in conclusion, that
in spite of the pig boom in South African
mines and the wildcat stories written
about the fabulous wealth of the Cripple
Creek mines, the climatic and other favor
able influences OF Southern California will
within five years make it the most
profitable country in the world in which
to mine.