The San Francisco call., 1898-05-29
Years Record Shows Copper Booming To-
 ward Second Place.
Coal Will Have It's First Inning This Year-The Doings
 of Big Mines.

The figures giving the total mineral record of the State for 1897 as compiled by Statistician Charles G. Yale of the Mining Bureau present but one marked increase, and that Is in the production of copper In 1896 but l, ,992, ,S44 pounds, val ued at $19951S, was credited to California's s copper mines. In 1897 the production rose to 13,63S,626 pounds, valued at $1540,666. This increase is wholly due to the great and growing operations of the Mountain Copper Company in Shasta. County. There is every prospect that the phenomenal demand for copper and copper properties will continue for some years, and that 1t will bring to this State as to other cop per-producing regions as rapid and con tinuous an increase as that which has marked the past year. The old copper mines at COpperOpoliS are about to be reha abilitated; in Shasta County are bodies of copper ore as vast and valuable as that being developed by the Mountain Copper Company; and these and other properties elsewhere are now the subject of active exploitation, which promises an early de- velopment Copper has ln risen 5se en-, to third products, and will likely In another year outstep petroleum, which has recently displaced quicksilver as the product of
 The petroleum product increased in value during the year from s1 1,1S0,793 to $ ,91S ,269, and this is surely but fraction of the value which the annual product
 
 small figure last year. but the recent opening for operations on large scale of the Corral Hollow mines will in 1898 place coal high in the list for the first time. The building of the new Postoffice will boom the product of building stone this year and may result in the develop ment of great marble QuarrieS. The total increase of SS50,0O in the value of the States mineral product in spite of the dry year, which so greatly curtailed the gold product. is evidence of the generally healthy condition the min ind which has in this State a future far greater than it's past.
 The editor of the Georgetown Gazette of Fl Dorado County breaches this edi- torial sermon after a visit to the boom ing neighboring county of Tuolumne:
 During our few months sojourn in Tuolumne County last winter, one import ant feature was observed, and we often spoke about it, remarking what a con- trast there was between the mining spirit of that and Fl Dorado County. That county ranks in population and wealth a little under Fl Dorado. Two years ago her gold product was rated only little above that of Fl Dorado; now she runs Nevada a close rub for the banner coun- ty standing second. In Tuolumne we found no business men talking about the mines being played out and not being worth taking hold of. On every hand people manifest the utmost confidence in their mines. 1t is this spirit which is bringing the famous old county to the front We need more of that spirit in Fl Dorado That is what encourages miners and capital to come among us and take hold. The success of our mining in- iustry Is our only hope for prosperity. Discourage prospecting and mine devel- opment and the county goes backward We have a county certainly as rich in gold as any in the State. and what we want is more confidence and energy shown by our leading and prominent citi- gems who are more or less in contact with