The San Francisco call., 1896-11-14

ceive salary of $4,000 year and ex-
penses His employers are the world
famous Exploration Company of London,
England.
The Exploration Company of London is
the largest and richest mining concern in
the world and it is yearly becoming
richer. 1t is backed by the Rothschilds,
who have invested during the last year in
mines in America alone $50, 0,000, 900. Their
purchases on this side of the Atlantic in
clude the Anaconda (Montana) copper
mines, for which they paid 1900, 600;
the Homestead mines in the Black Hills;
extensive properties in New Mexico and
Sonora, Mex; in Southern Oregon; the
Oneida mine in Amador County; the
Tom Boy mine of Telluride, Colo, and
they are considering an offer to
purchase the Mariposa Grant of 1000
acres in the heart of Mariposa County.
The company owns mines in Africa. Aus
tralia, Russia ana almost every part of
the world. The mines are mostly gold,
but include copper. lead, etc. Wherever
there are known to be mines tniS COM
pany owns some.
The head of the Exploration Company Is
Hamilton Smith, an old Californian, and
the late Mr.. de Crana, also Californian,
assisted In organizing the company. Mr..
Smith is expected to arrive here some
time this month, and from him Mr.. Hoff-
man may learn more OF the details of the
work he is to do il Russia.
Mr.. Hoffman was seen yesterday after
noon in his Office in the Nevada block.
He said: "Yes, I have accepted an offer
from the Exploration Company of London
to go to Russia, / expect to leave with nv
son Ross about Decembe next. 1 cam
not give you any particulars except that I
am to go to Russia as an expert for the
company. 1 wish / knew more myself. l
am going to Russia by way of London,
though to go from this side would be
shorter. They cabled me to come to Lon
don first. / do not know how long / shall
be gone, or into what part of Russia shall
go. ! do not know very much about Rus
sian mines. There are rich gold. copper,
silver and diamond mines in the Urai
Mountains. Many or all of these mines.
believe, are owned and operated by the
Russian Government. / 90 not know
whether am going into the Urals or not. !"
Charles T. Hoffman has been engaged
| in mining in California about twenty-five
years For number of years he has been
superintendent of the Red Point mines at
Red Point, Placer County, which are
| owned by French syndicate. While it
was understood that President Neff would
not be q candidate for reelection, Mr.
Hoffman was prominently mentioned for
president of the California Miners Asso-
| citation, recently in session in this City.
He is regarded as an authority on drift
| mining and has written what is said to be
the best pamphlet on that subject that
| has been published. He has had long ex-
| perience in mining on the Pacific Coast,
| including the Comstock and other places.
! He has always been member of the ex-
ecutive committee of the California Min
ers' Association and one of the leading
| spirits in the association. His son, Ross,
| is a grad uate of the mining department OF
| the State University. While in school he
was a leading athlete, being noted for his
excellence in pole-yaulting and hurdle
| racing.
Charles +. Hoffman is outspoken and
decisive on the subject OF making mining
department of the Government, with It's
head one of the Presidents Cabinet He
strongly supports it. He said yesterday !:
II am most heartily in favor of it. There
should not only be Government m min e
department, but it should be represented