The San Francisco call., 1897-02-28
MINING PROGRESS.

The forestry division of the Department OF
Agriculture Is endeavoring 10 collect infor-
nation regarding the consumption of tim Der
| by the mines OF the country 1t may be men,
! toned as an interesting item suggesting the
great investment represented by mine
timbering that it has been estimated that in
the copper mines of Butte, Mont, alone
So 500 600 feet were used in 1895 for un-
derground purposes, and that the total Tor all
the Butte mines for that one year was 81 ,50O,
600 feet, q a cost OF 81 ,o5O, 600 in place. The
figures for 1896 would exceed these.
The Helen quicksilver mine in Lake County,
better known as the American mine, lying
seven miles west OF Middletown, has been
bonded by r. B. Harper and George F. David
son, who are interesting Boston capital in the
property. This valuable mine has been lying
idle ever since the furnace was destroyed by
fire some years ago.
The gold production for New Zealand for
1896 was $4,906,o 900, a decrease OF q little
over 10 per cent compared with 1895. This
decrease was due to Unexpectedly small re-
turns for the last quarter of the year. New
Zealand, however, will early show a consider
able increase In production as result of the
new activity which was fairly begun last year.
There was great increase in the number OF
prospecting and mining licenses issued by the
Department of Mines, and during the year a
great de al of development work was done.
English capital is goiug into the New Zealand
fields, and the present year will see greater
development and production.
New Mexico's output OF precious metals dur
ing 1896 exceeded that of 1895 by fully per
cent From conservative figures for the pre-
vious year as basis, it appears that the Terri
tory has produced 80, 2,999,O5 in gold and sill
yer during the year just closed. Figures on
the lead and copper output of the Ter
ritory for 1896 are not accessible, but
the indications that they will
much exceed those of 1895 which were $780,
600. The increase noted has been mainly in
the form OF gold and should be credited chiefly
TO Grant and Sierra counties in Southwestern
New Mexico; 10 the Cochii mining district,
seventy miles southwest of Santa Fe; 20 the
gold mines of south Santa Fe County; to the
Elizabeth town, Badly, La Belle and Amiett
gold camps OF Colfax and Taos count1es.-Al-
buquerque Citizen.
The prospectors who have crowded into the
Randsburg district are actively scattering far
over the surrounding region, especially east
ward and into the Panamint region of Inyo
County. There may be expected a constant
succession Of reports of rich discoveries
throughout large stretch of country in that
part of the State
A Asixty-stsmp mill is to be erected at the
Sunny Ridge group of mines near Coulter
vile, which have been bonded by Thomas
Gorrie.
The Champion mine at Nevada City is to
run power drills and pump with com impressed
/ air.
The sale of the Mammoth mine, Mariposa
County, to W. S. Peskes and j. S. Wilbur has
been negotiated.
Hurst and Fowler will erect ten-stamp mill
al their mine at Harrison Gulch, Shasta
County.
Two men recently introduced q successful
innovation in prospecting near Randsburg.
They uncovered the rock in trenches by plow-
ing burrows with eight horses and uncovered
several stringers.
The St. Elmo Mining and Water Company,
who own the st. Elmo mine In the Randsburg
district, Kern County, Cal, propose to sink
shaft 500 ieet deep on the property.
The United States Debris Commission has
granted permits TO hydraulic TO A. F. Roberts
of Forbes town, Butte County, CAL; 10 GRAY &
Taylor. for the Sugar Loaf mine near olfax.
Cal. The owners OF the Tppecanoe, near
Comptonville, Yuba County, Cal, and the
owners of the Kentucky Slab mine, in Ell
Dorado County, Cal, have been authorized 10
reopen their mines.
Chicago men have bought promising claim
near Greenwood, Ell Dorado County, from
Messrs. Dixon and Morton, and will at once
begin extensive development work
The Pyramid mine, nine miles southwest of
Placerviile, has been bonded to Scotch syn-
paid in thirty days and the balance within a
year.
rich ledge has been discovered on the 500
level OF the Gentle Annie mine. FL Dorado
County.
At Julian. San Diego County, the Helvetia
Mining Company has let q contract TO take out
200 tons of quartz from the Helvetia mine at
81 % per ton.
The Diestelhorst dredger, now operating in
the Klamath, near Oak Bar, Siskiyou County,
is meeting with good success The river bed
is somewhat spotted" and the machine oc-
casionally runs for a Gay or so without getting
q color and at other times a rich deposit in
the river bed will be encountered and several
hundred dollars taken out in day. The Dies
telhort q Barton Company contemplate put
ting in more dredgers next spring.
bill has been introduced i'll the Idaho
Legislature providing that two-tifths Of the
gross output of the mines shall be assessed
and taxed as any other property.
Hiram S. Maxim Of gun fame has patented