Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-11-01
THE GOLD PRODUCTION FOR 1885.


Ihh dOLD thODUOIlON tOh 1850
From the Journal Of Commerce.
WASHINGTON, Oct THE indica-
tions continue TO. point decisiyely TO a
gold production for 1895 not materially
below 5000, ,O0O 600, and perhaps in ex-
cess OF that amount. The countries
expected TO show the greatest increase
over 1894 are the United States, from
$50, 500, 600 to SAC, 100000; South Africa,
from $50, 696, $50 to $4,000, 600; Austria
liza, from s41, ,7GO, 900 to 843,OOO,OO0 and
Russia, from So, ,6i6,e0O to $50, 100000
Small increases are also promised
in Mexico and other gold producing
districts of the world. The figures
g;yeu for Russia are simply based on
report by Minister Breckenridge
that there would be a large increase,
and the actual figures may be much
larger than the conservative ones
adopted. The contest will he close
one between the three leadln coun-
tries for the honor of the maximum
production, but the chances are favor
able to South Africa. Australia will
probably be surpassed by either South
Africa or the United States, and the
figures thus far received justify the
belief. that. South Africa will lead this
country. The production there has
already reached a total in eight
months of 1,516,573 ounces, which is
more than the aggregate production
of 1893 aud more than two-thirds aof
the.production of 1891. The figures
will be large without assuming any
further increase during the remainder
of the year, butsif the history of the
past three years is verified, each sue
ceeding month will show a gain over
the month which went before.
The largest increase in the United
States will. be in Colorado, which
showed a production of S9,491, ,5l4 in
1894, aud is now estimated to show
not less than s13, ,OOO 600 for 1895. The
miners Of the state claim an even
larger increase, but the officials of the
mint bureau are conservative in their
estimates. California will probably
increase her product from S13,57O, ,397
to SIS, 500, 600, and Arizona Alaska
and New Mexico will show an increase
while Montana and Idaho about hold
their own.
The increase in Colorado and Cali
fornia alone will be sufficient to push
the production of the United States
from $50, 500 900 to S45, 100000 and the
remaining states and territories will
undoubtedly make up another million.
Montana and, Nevada will not show
any material increase because Of the
scarcity Of water for placer mining.
There mas been some confusion re-
garding the production Of Mexico, ow-
ing to the large amount Of gold which
has been smuggled across the border
to escape the export duty which is
levied by the Mexican government.
Mint Director Preston made special
efforts last year to verify the places of
origin of the gold received at the
American refneries, and marked up
the production of the country, as a re-
suit of his inquiries, above the figures
claimed by the Mexican government.
1t WINS found that as much as $780,
900 had been extracted from Mexican
ores in American Teaneries, in addi-
tion to 100000 imported into the
the United States in the Mexican bull
lion.
The comparison adopted by Mint
Director Preston OF the worlds pro-
duction of gold for several years past,
exclusive of the production of South
Africa, will become still more interest
ing when the large figures for 1885 are
included. While the South African
production has steadily grown for
nearly ten years, the product Of other
countries has also grown, so that the
total, exclusive of South Africa, in
creased from S1O3, ,s55, 800 in 1887 to
Sll5, 764, 36l in 1891. The comparison
for the four years since that time,
based upon recent estimates for 1895
will run as follows:
Total So African without
| Year Product Product 30 Africa
1892. .sl4s ssl5,lOO s28,szO jos sl2s, $4,000
1883 .... 157,207OOO ss,2o3,s31 129.oo8 100
1894 J.. .... 1886, 800 39696,s3O liO,209@O
1896. ....... 2OO,OOOOOO 100000 l5i,OOO0 600
These figures show that even If the