The Portland daily press., 1896-01-25

miners carry away enormous quantities
of gold each year in belts. American
tourists save the cost of exchange by
taking large quantities of gold coin
across the ocean every summer These
exports and imports, of course, do not
figure in the official reports.
Director Preston is an optimist on the
worlds gold production, and particularly
on the gold production of the United
States In 1894 he predicted that the
worlds production would amount to
sl6S, 100000. This estimate was con-
sldered extravaganza. The production
actually reached $3.50. 600, 900.
For 1895 Mr.. Preston said the produo-
ton would equal $lS3, DOC, 600; it will
exceed $500. 00O 600
THE METAL IN VIRGINIA.
For 1896 Mr.. Preston makes the predic-
zion that the world will produce 1895,
ooo' 700 worth of gold, and Of that the
United States will produce 500. 600, 600,
Inc production abroad is to be Increased
oy inc working of the rich placers oil the
NOVA, as well as by the opening I'D of
south Africa. In the United States the
development Of Cripple Creek may be
followed by the withdrawal of some of
the restrictions on mining in California
imposed few years ago, Then there is
much talk of developing the gold fields
known to exist in the lake region. and a
company of Chicago-New York capital
lists has been formed, with a capital of
S2. 900 600, to take gold out of the ground
in Buckingham county, Va.
There is undoubtedly gold in having
quantities in Virginia. said Mr. Preston.
HThat has been known for years, but no
one with capital enough has ever rome
into the State and made systematio
attempt to work the gold fields. The ore
is dl1flcult to handle, but it ought to
yield good return. The only reason it
mas not been worked in the past is that
men have preferred to take their capital
where millions were being taken OUT
lie was asked if Virginia was likely to
become great gold producer.
No one can tell,'' said Mr.. preston
People passed over Cripple Creek for
years and thought nothing Of it. now il
IS one OF the most wonderful gold camp,
In the world. Biologists said you could
not find gold in the porphyry rock. That
Is just where they are finding it now. So,
you see, no one can tell what experiment
and investigation may bring forth. Vir.
ginia or any other State NAV become a
gold producer. AT present. California
and Colorado are the great gold States.
California produced about $50, 600, 600 last
year and Colorado about SIS, 600. 0GO. Some
estimates put Colorado's production a
little higher than that
And where is all the gold going. and
where has it gones''
About $40, 600, 900 goes to the arts eve
ny year. | suppose the loss by abrasion
since 1879 has been $4,000, 900. The re-
mainder, less $3.50, ooo, 900. is the balance
OF our exports over imports, caused by
the balance Of trade against us, and by
the selling of American securities which
are held abroad.''
HOW GOLD IS OBTAINED.
Most OF the gold which is produced in
the United States is dug out of the
ground in the form of ore. Some is oh
tanned by washing. The latter was the
original method in California, and all
through the gold regions the gold seeker
and his pan were familiar objects. The
gold was washed free from the sand and
dirt In which it was found by uwirIinp
OF the pan which sent the water over the
edge, taking with it the foreign sub
stances and leaving only the precious
metal. Gold thus obtained was almost
pure.
Then some one discovered that there
was gold far under tho surface Of the
ground. mixed with other metals and en-
comprised by the rock. From that dis
covery came the "bonanza'' fortunes
made in the Comstock and other noted
mines.
There are two principal kinds Of ore
now mined. the free-lnilling orc, which is
Obtained by crushing the ore in stamp
mill and gathering the loose gold to-
gether with quicksilver, and the smelt-
ing ore, in which gold and lead are found
together and separated in the furnace.
All large mines producing free-milling
ore have their own stamp mills but there
ae commercial stamp mills, and in Den
YER especially there are huge smelling
and refining works for the treatment of
orc. Much Of the ore taken out of the
ground is shipped in it's crude state, and
the transportation charges are a serious
item in figuring on the possibilities of
profit in mine.
The milling or smelling process
through which the ore passes does not
produce pure gold bullion. Its
product is usually mixture of gold and
silver, in which sometimes the one and
sometimes the other metal predominates
California nuggets contain about So per
cent of gold and - per cent. of silver.
The Colorado shelters turn out a bar in
which silver and gold ores are associated