The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-11
WASHINGTON

4
and the prospects are
that il VIII De even
greater in the future.
We are having a food II gold. not only
from the United States, bur from all other
gold regions. l get this information from
the director Of the mint and il is based
upon his reports which come IN regularly
from all parts OF the world. The director
of the mint has confidential relations with
the big smelling establishments and re-
duction works of the United States, by
which they send him statements as 20
the amounts Of gold and silver which they
receive They report whence me metals
come and where they go. He gets also
reports from the officers of the minis in
different parts of the United States. and
his mail brings him reports monthly from
the gold regions OF Africa, Australia,
Russia. South America and elsewhere.
The reports given by the smelling estab-
iishments are OF gold actually melted up
and sent into circulation. They are not
the rosy estimates of prospectors or mine
owners, but are made up Of figures as re
liable as any you will md in the treasury
department. IL is through such reports
that the director OF the mint knows from
month 10 month just how the stream #
the worlds gold is rising or falling. Sit
ting in his Office at the treasury depart
its branches as il flows throughout the
world and can estimate its size and the
directions toward which il is going.
\ Cha. With the Director of the Mint.
II was by appointment with Director
Preston that ! called at the treasury de-
partment this afternoon. / found him in
his private office in the mint bureau with
several large sheets of figures lying be-
fore him. After word or so of greet
ing he said
Il think that the gold product for 1897
viii amount 10 more than $3.50 co.. go
There is a big increase going on IN nearly
every gold region Of the world. and the
amounts in sight are now greater than
ever. In 1892 the gold product of the
world amounted TO A5o.roo40 In 1895 it
had reached the 500 0oo 90 point and this
year it will rise al least $50. 40 more.
More Geld From Everywhere.
In what part of the world is the big
gest increase. Mr. Preston?' l asked.
We lind that more gold is being mined
everywhere" replied the director OF the
mint South Africa viii turn out more
than ever this year Ny reports from Aus
tralasia indicate that there VIII be a great
increase there. and the United States viii
have one of the biggest outputs Of its his
tory"
What part of the United States do you
refer TOP"
To almost every gold region OF the
country" said Directo. Preston. we
shall produce At least $50 GO. 600 worth OF
gold during the coming year, and ii is
question with me as 20 whether this viii
not be the biggest gold yield Of our his
tory. II was estimated that We produced
$4,000 In 1853. That was when the
early gold regions Of California were NJ
their best but the means of estimating
the amounts taken out were not good
then as they are now and / think the
ST. 00r| was probably an overestimste.
our increase in 1896 has been about $500
ee) over that of 1888. and We VIII have
considerably more Of an increase during
the coming year"
California in 1897.
Does California sim yield large
amount of gold?' / asked.
Yes" replied the director OF the mint.
1T produces more than any other state
in the union. II is steadily increasing its
product and /; will turn out something
like sl5.00ooeo worth Of gold this year.
The people there have reduced mining 10
science. They can. | am told get the
precious metals out cheaper than the
miners OF any other part OF the world.
They do even better than the operators II
the famous Treadwel mine Of Alaska.
Much of their gold costs them less than
80 cents a ton. Large sums are invested
in mining operations. ana the work is
done on such a big scale that the cost
Is cut down 70 the minimum"
From what part Of California do we
now get the most gold?"
The most Of Il comes from the Mother
Lode replied the director OF the mint.
This has always been tbs chief mining
region OF California. II runs from north
TO south through the state in the noun
taius back from the sea coast. There are
number Of different regions along this
lode which are being worked d a great
profit ard IN all sorts Of WAYS, Hydraulic
mining Is being resumed. For q time the
laws were against this. because the de-
hris made By washing down the noun
taius was carried hN the rivers over tire
wheat fields. destroying them Then a
commission was organized by which the
waste was SO taken care of that me whoa,
fields were saved There are several hun
d~ed hydraulic mines now being worked.
The New Mining Processss.
How about the new processes Of min
ing? To the Californ.ans use them 10 any
extent9''
YES" replied Mr Preston There are
cyanide mills and chlorina+lon works an
over California Many - the old DUMPS
are beng worked over. and old mines are
being reopened- number y tha best -
the gold mines wera abandoned years Il 90,
cu account ~ losing Tho vein a a certain
depth. Il vas ;nen thought that gold ald
not extend very deep iate the earth and
when The miners had gone down 500 or 80
feet and io4i ne vein * Vas believed that
The end of fhe god hat come and that he
vein had petere3 out r. s. found how
ever. th3t hF going down a Httle further
the yain may ~ often redIscoxeres3 and
sonnet ines that it ssilI ae richer than ever
This was the ease U.fa the famous Cw.rn
mine. This riue Was very rich It had
yielded fortunes hut tha vein was Thought
20 have played out = rex company took
hold of X NOS ionr ago They sunk tho
SHAFT q tsw feet further and another Big
fortUre was opened - view THIS Is also
she case with tte Kennedy ynlae and