The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-11

. a.
ting in. his office at the treasury de-
partment he can watch this golden
river and its branches as it flows
throughout the world and can estimate
its size and the direction toward which
it is going. ':''-:'..-.
- CHAT WITH THE DIRECTOR.
~ twas by appointment with Director
Preston that 1 called at the treasury
department this afternoon. 1 found
him in his private office in the mint
bureau with several large sheets OF
figures lying before him. After word
or so of greeting he said: .+-
81 think. that the gold product for
1897 will amount to more than $780,
100000. There is a big increase going
on in neatly every gold region of the
world, and the amounts in sight ara
now greater than ever. In 1892 the
gold product of the world amounted TO
$3.50, 900, 900: In 1895 it had reached the
5000, 900, 900 point, and this year it will
rise at least $3O,0O0,000 more"
I'm what part OF the world is the
biggest increase, Mr.. Preston"' L
asked.
we find that more gold is being
mined everywhere" replied the di-
rector of the mint. 'Scuth Africa will
turn out more than ever this year
My reports from Australasia indicate
that there will be great increase
there, and the United States will have
one of the. biggest outputs of its his
tory" r.
What part of the United States do
you refer top
ITO almost every gold region of the
country" said Director Preston. I'VE
shall produce at least $50, 900 900 worth
of gold during the coming year, and
it is a question whether this will not
be the biggest gold yield CT our his
tory 1t is estimated that we produced
$e5, 900 000>in 1853. That was when the
early gold; regions OF California WEI
at theirNbeSt.S but the means of esti-
mating the anounts taken cut were not
so good14 sa4hey. are now, and l think
that ve:. million was probably
an Gversast4nate. Our increase in 1896
has BEEN aBout% &6,0O0,600 over that of
1895, ana we will have considerable
more of San4nerease during the comirg
year"
es4HSFORNIA IN 1897.
"DoesSa aMornia still yield a large
amount ls geld asked.
Yes, 'szrsTaied the director of the
other staten the union. 1t is steadily
increasing IFS product, and it will
turn out 5abmething like SIS, 900 600
worth of geld tthis year. The people
there have reduced mining to a science
They can, L am told get the precious
metals out cheaper than the miners Of
any part of the world. They do even
better than the operators of the ia
mons Treadwell mine of Alaska. Much
of their gold costs them less than fifty
cents a ton Large sums are invested
in mining operations, and the w JrIl is
done on such a big scale that the cost
is cut down to the minimum"
From what part of California Go we
row get the most gold?'
THE most of 1t comes from the
Mother Lode" replied the director Of
the mint This has always been the
chief mining region of California. It
runs from north to south through the
state in the mountains back from the
ferent regions along this lode which
are being worked at a great profit and
in all sorts of ways. Hydraulic min
ing is being resumed. For a time the
laws were against this, because the
debris made by washing down the
mountains was carried by the rivers
over the wheat fields, DESTROYING them
Then a commission was organized bv
which the waste was so taken care Of
that theHwheat fields were saved
There are Several hundred hydrauIic
mines now Being worked"
THE NEW MINING PROCESSES.
"How Aabeut the new processes of
mining? ~De-the Californians use them
to any extent?"
yes" replied Mr.. Preston. "There
are cyanide mills and chlorination
works all over California. Many Of the
old dumps are being worked over. and
old mines are being reopened. A num-