The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-01-02

1895, s15334,317; in 1896, SIS, 1886, 900, and
the output for 1897 is estimated not
to fall below SIT 1000, 900.
OF the almost inconceivable amount
of gold and silver supplied to the world
by California-and while over forty min
eral substances are produced in the
state, it is the gold and silver that has
given it its standing as pre-eminently
mining state-there is no means of
segregating 1t so as to show what part
of the grand total. was contributed by
the mines from the southern counties.
That it formed no inconsiderable amount
! is reasonably certain when it is re-
membered that up to as early date as
1874 Ducommun and Jones. the Los An
| geles merchants, had bought over s., 000,-
900 worth of gold dust taken from the
San Fernando and San Gabriel placer
mines. Then, too, the Calico district, in
San Bernardino county. for long time
contributed the major part of the silver
sent out of the state and kept $50 stamps
dropping day ana night.
! 1t is not possible to give exact figures
regarding the number of mines, mills and
number of stamps in Southern Califor-
MIA, but of producing mines there are at
the persent time being actively worked
about $500, not including the Rand group.
which, being in Kern county, are not
properly within the boundaries of South
ern California. These mines give en-
ployment to nearly 5000 men, and there
is capital invested to the extent of s14,-
100000. There are 107 mills at work, with
a capacity of over 1000 stamps. mas
much as the Randsburg camp is worked
almost entirely by Los Angeles capital
and men, it may be proper to say that
Kern County has twenty-seven mills
with 254 stamps. The two largest mills
are in San Diego county, the 140-stamp
mill belonging to the Golden Cross Min
ing Company being the second largest in
the state, and the Stonewall having six
ty stamps.
But scattered through the counties
are arastras. dry washers and other de-
vices to detain gold
AS the mining interests of Southern
California stand today-and it must be
remembered that from Los Angeles as
the central point the Rand mines in
Kern county as we'll as many promising
properties along the Colorado and in
Arizona are being worked-the point of
is in the will of the people
to accept mining as a legitimate pur-
suit, and put into it brains. capital and
muscle equal to the field opening out.
ores can now be reduced al almost nom
inal cost, and the percentages of extrac-
ton by the improved systems of metal
lurgy be brought up to very nearly the
total value contained in the ore.
But the precious metals are not the
only minerals produced in California by
a good deal. Quicksilver, for instance.
Is mined nowhere else on this continent.
and since it was first worked in Califor-
MIA it has produced over ST. 900, 900 worth.
and continues to produce it at the rate of
over $1000,O00 each year.
All the borax in the United States is
from California and Nevada and eleven
twelfths of it is from Southern Califor-
MIA. The annual output is valued at
from 100000 to 100000
California stands sixth among tbe
States in the value of the petroleum pro-
duct. The oil fields in the Southern part
of the State are only partially developed. |
there being areas of oil-bearing ground |
yet untouched.
The value of structural materials. CO.
ment, clays, limestone. granite, macad-
am, slate, marble, onyx, ETC.. is over
s., 600, 900 year. The value of the miner
al productions of the several counties |
or Southern California, including Kern |
county, in 1895 was az folIou.e.