The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-19

mated at 4OO miles. This does not IN
clude the so-called cement channels.
which are but of subordinate economic
Importance. The yield per mile of chan
heIs OF the average character is. at 4
low estimate, from 81 600 GOO to $1,000 900.
Good channels for drifting yield from
SlO0 to $500 per lineal foot of the stratum
extracted.
This estimate refers to main chan
nels, and does not take into account
the beds of the little tributaries If
there are but 400 miles Of channels of
the average" character, Mr. Ham
mond's estimate would make the
amount of accessible gold in them from
$S00,oO000O to ST. 900, 900.
A number of drift mines have won
distinction as producers, yet to date
only a slight fraction of rich ancient
channels have been tapped. A few
records of drift mines will indicate the
possibilities of the future The Bald
Mountain mine in Sierra County yield
ed $2,531,7 40 and paid 1884, 900 in divi-
dends. The Hidden Treasure in Placer
County yielded $90o, 900 in eleven years,
paying $26S,000 in dividends. Up to
1880 $3.50 feet of the channel on which
the Bald Mountain was located yield
| ed an average of $3.50 per lineal foot
and a profit of s225 per lineal foot The
ManZanita, near Nevada City, had
yielded $1,000, 600 in 1889. The Spring
Valley mine in the famous old Chero-
kee district in Butte County yielded
$10,000,00o from 1890 lineal feet of the
ancient channel worked by the by
draulic process in 1863. And there are
! others just as rich.
Accompanying the recent revival in
quartz mining has been an increased
! return to drift mining. There is more
activity in this field than ever before
The chances are there will be more
drift mining undertaken in Butte, Plu-
mas, Sierra, Placer and a few other
counties fifty years from now than
there will be in ten years hence. This
is a field for large capital and an in
wiling one. Prospecting a drift claim
with shafts and tunnels is often a
long and costly process, but there are
bigger nuggets in those buried gravels
than any the Klondike has yet yielded
Many people generally recognize the
Importance of the mining industry as
factor in the prosperity of this State,
but few really comprehend it. Here is
one measurement: The mines produce
and distribute annually among the
people of the State in wages and
through trade over $40, 000, co.,
Experts say this is very conserva-
tive estimate. The total mineral prod
uct of California in 1896, as figured
with great care by the statistician of
the State Mining Bureau, Charles c.
Yale, was valued at s24, 291, 1888. Of this
the gold product was represented by
ST, 1S1, 1862, petroleum and quicksilver
being next in Importance with valua-
tions of $1,180,793 and $1,075, 449 respec-
lively.
Of this total amount of wealth pro-
duced every cent, except the net profits
going to the mine-owners, represents
the cost of production. Only in indi-
vidual cases can exact profits in min
ing be given. Round estimates only
can be given when the general profits
of the mining industry of the State are
figured on. Figured thus the judg-
ments Of the most intelligent mining
men on the general average of net
profit in going" gold mines range be-
tween Is and 1914 per cent.
If any mine in the State of any kind
and class paid this most liberal per-
centage of profit the cost Of production
would be over $4,000, 900.
OF the 100000 representing the
quicksilver, petroleum, coal, copper,
salt, building stone etc, of the
State, the general margin of profit will
be conceded to be very much smaller
than 331s per cent.
But the amount of money distributed
by the industry is not completely
measured by this percentage of cost.
The amount of money invested in new
mining experiments runs up to enor-
nous sums. Also the present mining
activity is attended by great number
Of investments in unproductive proper
ties and vast amount Of expensive
development work.
Some Of these developments are very
costly. Within two years the Shasta
Mountain Copper Company has in
vested about $4,000, 900 in it's mine and
smelter. One big French hydraulic
mining company is spending about
100000 on plant and property
g., in Trinity County The rehabili-
80 tation of the old Oneida mine in