The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-08


There is no fear Of . surplus OF gold
for many years. As fast as II can oe
taken from the earth II will be circulated
IN return for comforts which those who
are digging Il have hitherto beer with
out. II win take considerable gold TO buy
an that people want for some time. and
when they have too much money tney
will make It into ornaments. It need
cause no apprehension. therefore, that
gold h being produced at greatly IN
creasing rate from other places than
Alaska. According to the tables recent
ly published by the director OF the mint
and corrected by the Engineering and
Mining Journal. which makes a special
feature Of keeping tables relating TO the
production Of gold and silver. the total
production OF the United States. OF gold
last year was $a sss. sOs The heaviest
producer among the states was Califor-
mia. which yielded sl5, 3ss,s 800. followed
closely by Colorado. with a4.ss1.esl.
The third one in order is South Dakota.
which. however. only yielded A.Ms.Wo.
the product principally Of the Black
Hills region. Montana produced A.a24.-
20. and Alaska se.oS 200. and New Mex
leo SAFE, 500.
There is every reason to believe that
this year Alaska will take third place
with ten million dollars although some
of the more conservative authorities say
1t will not be more than $500, 900 for the
f>v tS haf nj
the winters work will not show its re-
suits until late next year.
Nobody can know how much the pros
pectors who have been digging all
through the winter in remote corners will
bring down with them. but already one
million and a quarter has reached Seattle
and probably $4,000 more went to San
Francisco 1t Is estimated that fully a
million and a half will be brought down
by the Portland. and that leaves one
more trip. The last trip OF the Portland
to the scene VIII bring down the cleanup
for the winter. AZ every miner will want
to send out his dust through the trans
portation company, or bring 1t down HIM
self. unless he wants to remain there
through the entire winter. The total can
therefore be scarcely less than i've mill
lion dollars.
The New York Financier says that ac-
cording to the indications the camp will
produce fifty million dollars before scien-
tihc mining must be resorted to for profit.
1t admits that these are only estimates.
but ii says that the wealth Of Alaska
and OF the British territory adjoining 1t.
has long been known and has been de-
monstrated at points wide apart.
Next to Alaska, 1t looks as II the state
OF Colorado is to surpass California In
the production of gold. In the six months
ending with June 30th, the deposits OF
gold bullion at the Denver mint aggre-
gated Hss7.3S3, as against "a. 3e7 700 for the
similar period IN 1886 This rarnarkabls
increase should not be taken as indicat-
Ing that the Colorado production is
double what IT was for the arst six
months of last year. for Il is due In part
70 the fact that Colorado smelters arc de-
posting their bullion in Denver. instead
OF shipping II to the eastern reaner.
estimate that the output is at least one
third larger than It was year ago
Should this increase be maintained. the
year 1897 will be close to twenty million
dollars. which will undoubtedly place
Colorado al the head OF the gold produc-
ing states. Four years ago Colorado only
produced little over five million dollars
a year.
Another Likely producer Of gold on
large scale 10 the territor. OF New Mex
leo, where gold is known TO exist pIenti-
fully. Prospecting and mining opera
tons have been greatly retarded By rea-
son OF the uncertainties in the title to the
innumerable Spanish grants scattered
throughout that region: but these are be-
ing rapidly settled by special court
which has for two years past been sitting
at Santa Fe. The result will be renowned
activity on the part OF the prospactorg
From California and Arizona comes
news OF fresh discoveries. and there is
10 Indication OF a dinninu:Ion in any OF
the other great gold producing districts.