The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-26
THE rNcREAsE or GOLD.

We hear 50 much OF this being . great
silver country that most people have very
little conception Of the Importance pro-
duction Of gold Is 10 our industries. More
gold was mined In the Omitted States In
1896 than In any other country In the
world or on either Of two continents. and
the figures showing the exports and I'm
ports Of gold for the early months Of this
year with the estimated production OF
gold IN this country for the same period
Indicates that 70 Tar 11os u ahead Of 1885
Estimating the production OF gold here
at the rate Of last years output Of the
mines. the total amount produced IN the
first four months Of this year win have
been about $4,000. o,o. The production in
the United States for 1885 Was 2sI.5so
ounces Of gold. while Australia produced
only 2.2i: go ounces. and the output from
Africa was 2ils.on ounces. The United
States not only led the world for the year.
but the increase over the previous years
output was greater than any other ccun-
try. being $4,000 ounces while that Of
Africa was only $4,000 ounces.
The amount OF gold produced By Afr1ca
alone was saoooe.ooo. yet prior to 1854 1t
was not Of suficient consequence 70 be
mentioned In offcial statistics separately.
although Italy. which only produced
81 go. was afforded recognition. For If
teen years the production Of scsi in the
United States had varied very little. In
ISIS IL amounted to ssi 80 90, but never
since that time has II been above SO, coo.-
Or. and during most OF that time the av-
erage has been rather under SIS, ooo. 900
The production for Ise was sss.oltesl. but
in 1893 It had bone up to within few
dollar. of sss.ooncco. In 1894 1t increased
10 $50 500 ooa. and last year II went far
above any year since 1878 by = round total
OF sE00. zoo. which has only twice been
exceeded In a quarter Of a century. Al
though the production Of the first four
months Of this year Is only 3is,ceeooo.
which would make q total for the year
OF SIS eaoo. II must be remembered that
the production from April TO October Is
Immensely larger per month than dur
ing the FIRST four months of the year. IN
deed the indications are that the output
OF gold In the United States this year
win almost reach the highest In the an
mails of this country. which was during
the three wonderful years Of 1852. 1853
and 1884. OF the California excitement.
when the output reached ssoocc.co One
state alone which cherishes the tradition
that It Is a silver state has increased its
Eola output In three years from IS 800 oae
TO very nearly sscco ooo. with every pros
pect OF that being considerably increased.
California hss Increased her output by
s. ooo.coc One cause OF TIL. great In
crease n the production OF gold is no
doubt the decline IN the price OF silver.
which has sent miners prospecting for
the more precious metal. but the enor-
nous increase from 80 coc 90 to see 10, coo
in four years should give announcement
to those who have been compelled to
leave silver mining untii conditions shan
improve or the cos; OF mining silver be
reduced
Times have changed very much since
1880. when the production OF gold was
about So. so 100 q year. and she prokue-
ton os silver only 500 - In the United
States. In the world the production OF
gold IN that year WAS slsI SO 90 and silver
only .ia.5sacca. Since that time instead
81 gold ontvaiui-g silver in coming vsiu.
BY 10 !. we have seen silver surpass the
rro3action OF sold BY - cca. 100 IN one
year. A continuance Of the increase n
tAe production Of gold and q decrease In
the production OF silver Is likely to bring
rs back 10 the commercial condition ex-
ss;ins in isT1. when the production OF ST.
yer IN THE United States was airaas, ex-
aetly as great as that OF gold, instead o.
the rrotueton q silver being aIrnox.
Seuhle as much as hat OF gold In lSs..
II we leave money alone ana refrain
FROM ssnksrfng wisa Il. it will adtus. It.
So. to the conditions and there VIII b, No
rsc-e suffering among silver miners thar
thers was among the ssld miners WIZ
wsre driven out OF that business wner.
so,a became 50 scaree or 50 dlfreuls "a
work that II would not pay them. ana
they had 10 sees-c<hsr means FOR obtain.
ing a livelihood
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| TUE CONQUEST OF THE HrApr