Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-08-31
BONANZAS IN CALIFORNIA.

The newly discovered gold mines If
Trinity, CAL, near the Oregon liue, are
already considered by many Californi-
ans as being more important thu o
most ef those of the remote
Klondike. A glimpse at Califor-
n.a's gold resources, past and pres.
ent, in this connection proves instruc'
tive. That State since 1S4S has pro-
duced about 81 500, 100000 in gold, or
an average of over $31, 100000 annual.
ly. 10 1896 the gold yield exceeded
SIT ,OC0, 900, and for the current year it
will probably equal S20,0O0,0OO.
Eight counties, among which are
Trinity and Siski iyou, are now produc-
ing at the rate of more than 1000 600
annually. 1t will be long time be-
fore Alaska passes such record as this
md it may happen that the gold pro
duct of California will soon be doubled.
Few, if any, parts of the Pacific coast
bave been more neglected or contain
richer gold deposits than those of Trim
ity, Shas and Siskiyou counties. The
area of these counties is $4,000 square
miles, which is about equal to that OF
Massachusetts,, Come cticut and Rhode
Island united.
Trinity, with An area of 1,6S0,000
acres, has l 100, 900 acres of government
land yet open for settlement. Only
about 10000 acres are fenced and under
cultivation. The population of 1855
Indiaus.
Shasta county, whose area is 2 500,
900 acres, contains 100000 acres OF
unentered government land, and has
population OF 1000.
Siskiyou county, with 8 500, 900 acres,
2 500 900 of which is still government
land, contains something more than II,
900 people.
All these three counties have been
very carefully studied by geologists
and mining experts. whose official re-
ports appear in State and govern
ment publications. Nearly all of
the known gold mines, whether
quartz, placer, drift, or hydraulic,
are listed and described, and in
many cases samples of rock or gravel
IAN be seen at the State Mining Bureau
In Siskiyou the main gold bearing
belt is from five to ten miles wide and
sixty miles long. Other smaller belts
of auriferous states occur in various
districts. The gravel deposits are very
deep and rich, and here, as in Trinity,
they can usually be worked by the
hydraulic method without injurirg
any agricultural lani. At least one
large deposit of gold-bearing conglome
rates, similar TO those of South Africa,
has recently been discovered. The
gravel beds are worked by hydraulics,
aud so are are some deposits of decom
posed auriferous states called seam dig
gings, but the conglomerates are usual
ly drifted.
One of the typical gravel mines OF
SisSiyou, the Del Norte, covers 250
acres of patented land. Ityields on the
average 500, 1000 to each acre, and has
washed e.fifth of it, area in the past
thirty years.
An interesting mine of Shasta, the
Mad Mule, is typical OF many California
pocket mines. The formation s black
Slate, which is folded aud crumpled in
porphyry and crossed by seams of rot
ten quartz. Free gold, often wire gold,
and very beautiful in appearance, i
taken from the folds or points of COLI
tact. AS much as $4,000 has been
taken out in day by single miner.
Besides these rich deposits OF gold in
the northern counties named, very
fair fair quality of coal has been discovered,
The largest vein is six or seven feet
thick. Some very fine quicksilver
mines exist, and New York company,
which owns 5000 acres, has very re-,
Gently uncovered 8 100-foot ledge OF
cinnsbar. Platinum in nuggets OF
sometimes an ounce has been found in
macy cases in the gravel deposits Of
Trinity, and it is probable that good
deal has been thrown away in times
past through the ignorance of the early
miners.