The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-06
COLD AND sILTER MINING.
The Prospects for CALIFORNIA; Leading
Industry are Exceedingly Fright.


IT is yet too early 20 predict the out
come Of mininz operations in 1875, but IN
dications now are that the present year
will be a most prosperous one. For some
reason or other. an unUonted impetus
has been given during the past couple OF
years TO prospecting for sold ara otne,
metals-gold particularly. An unusual
amount OF success has attenned THESE or
erations. particularly in TINS state, arr
IONA and Colorado. some OF the hiffieS 80
California. notably the Utica, are being
aeyelope6 in a wav 10 bring to mind the
stories Of "old times" AT present the
selbv reduction works. with headquarters
in this city. are turning out an average
of $4,000 worth OF gold a working cay'
or about at the rate OF SZ0NO,oUv year.
or course We do not expect production 10
keep I'D az this rate. but it does seem IKE
~ that California will yield Sl5.oo0'WO IN
gold this year. and a conservative esH-
mate would make the production OF ','e
coast for 1895 not less than S5''~v'V"' Al
the coast we include Montana, Colorado,
etc This would be an increase OF so'VVV'-
coo over the highest estimate Tor 1881 anu
the total product may be even larger sun
Colorado. too. will add much more to Inc
gold product of the United states thah
ii did I'm 1881 while Arizona Is steau'iy
taking her rank as gold producer pun
these two latter States viii probably De
as famous as gold producers as tney lol-
merly were as silver ones. y now loohS
also as though California would IN lie"
years rival its old fame as a goid pro-
Queer Should this be the case we MAJ
expect in a measure "a return OF inc ~
prosperity. The product OF silver for ls99
i'm the United states shows no prospects
Of increasing. IL viii probably snow
none. The promised developments on the
Brunswick Lodge will. IL they realize eN-
pectations. add considerably TO the pro-
duct OF Nevada which still clings 10 heI
ancient allegiance hut 81 VIII also add
considerably TO that OF gold. Colofauo'
though much fallen away from her lor-
mer estate is stiil the principal producer
OF silver Arizona thinks little of silver
nowadays. and her waist resources III
this direction are sadly neglected. The
product Of silver this year will probably
not exceed that Of last year, or say about
$50 0UOO1 This IS reckOncd on the basis
Of 30 or Sid in London and % TO b'c III
New York The market has nuctuated
pretty steadily between these figures TOR
some time although an advance has been
made on the lowest figures OF last year
During a great portion Of the latter the
price fuctuatcd from 50 10 &c on I'M
proved demand abroad and the presump-
ton that emma 3 VAT lIurHlllAtA ~ japan
would be paid in silver. This proves now
not 10 be the case. still the market keeps
up II may therefore be considered that
in 1894 prices touched bottom, and IL VIII
be "A long time before we see them so low
again. Copper mining in California prom
ises TO take stride I'm advance during
tho present year. and the production Of
the coast win probably not fan less IN
value than 100000 Lead Will no doubt
hold its own when compared with 1884.
The production OF coal on the coast viii
Increase considerably during the present
wear. while the prospects are better in
California than at any time during the
cast forty years The development Of the
Corral Hollow mines has been progress
ing at great rate: Il railroad win con-
meet them with the city Of Stockton, the
right Of way having already been secured.
This will give an abundance OF cheap
coal not only to Stockton but to san
Francisco. For the past couple OF years
tho production OF quicksilver in this State
has been about al n standstill, but now
II promises 10 be somewhat larger. The
receipts for the month OF July were es-
pecially large Prices have ruled al "A
reasonable figure throughout the greater
part OF the year.-San Francisco Journal
Of 1I,r1f1t.raa