The San Francisco call., 1895-12-13
Mr.. Mills Wants a Swansea
Here and a Survey of the
Gold Deposits.
WHAT THE MINERS SHOULD DO.
The Government Has Gained Vast
Millions From This State and
Should Aid It.

W. H. Mills of the Southern Pacific
Railroad has some decided views as to
what ought to be done by the National
Government in aid Of the mineral develop
ment of California.
He says it ought to establish great
metalIurgical work, either at San Fran
cisco or somewhere on the Martinez straits,
and also to expend $3.50, 900 for a scientific
survey of the gold deposits on the west
flank of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
For the metallurgical works be says
s., 0O0,0 900 is not too great a sum, consider
ing what the Government has made out of
California. The works he would have
something like the great works at Swansea.
which have challenged the attention and
admiration of the world.
The executive committee of the Cali
fornia Miners Association is now in ses-
sion here, and l would suggest to it," he
said yesterday, "tnat the committee take
hold of the matter at once. 1t would re-
suit in great good to California.
The Government has received as an
aggregate in internal revenue sources from
California 10 June 30, 1898, more than
$S4, 900 600. 1t has also received from the
customs duties here since 1850 over $2lS,-
at the Custom house.
Now the Government has paid out on
account of public buildings in California
$5,93S, coo, and for the improvement of the
rivers and harbors So, ,2S5, 900. These two
are the best appropriations that have been
made.
The total cost of the National Govern
ment in the United States is ABOUT $780,
100000 a year, m king the average to Cali
fornia about $5, 100000 year. For thirty
years the latter would amount to $780,
0OO,000.
Therefore this is a big balance to our
profit.
Now it should be noticed that the ap-
preparations for rivers and harbors,
although low, were for the benefit of the
United States. In regard to the post
offices and other public buildings the
same may be said. If the Government
did not have the buildings it would have
to rent them. Neither item should pe
charged to California.
Besides this the Government has sold
s., GOO, 900 or Sc, 600, 600 worth of land here,
and has got out of California besides
$15,000,000 to $50 100000 in postage. 1t is
at least s., ,000, 900 debtor to California and
can afford to spend some money in our
behalf
"The next proposition the California
Miners Association should take up is the
Sclentlnc survey OF the western portion of
the Sierras. 1t ought to ask Congress to
make scientific exploration and locate
the old channel of the river known to
exist parallel to the main axis of the
Sierras.
I'm this way immense quantities of gold
would soon thereafter be developed. Con,
gress ought to make a special approprla-
tion for this purpose at once. l should
say $500 would be ample. 1t should
then appoint thoroughly competent,
scientific corps of mining engineers to
make the survey for the gold deposits -
Mr.. Mills declared that if the California
Miners Association would take hold OF
the matter at once it would attract atten-
ton. They would gain this object and ex-
traordinary benefits would result to the
State. He said much more in the same
vein.
The metailurgical works, he said, should
be very extensive and for the treatment of
all kinds OF ore. In this way we would
have the fame of another Swansea, for the
results in a section where there was so
much and such varied kinds of minerals
would be PROBABLY without parallel.