Amador ledger., 1900-11-09
Large Production of the Vel
low Metal.
WORK RESUMED ON THE VORLANDER AINE
Encouraging Prospects at the Morn
ing Star Property.-Work
at the Grizzly.

gave considerable time to the study of
mining and mines in Amador county,
few years ago, and we take an extract
from his writings as follows:
Experience in all parts of the world
has shown that the metalliferous veins
of each mining district have local char
acteristics; and knowledge of these
distinctive features is required for the
efficient development of the mines.
The history of mining on the Mother
Lode in Amador County is an excellent
case in point. For many years the gold
deposits were believed to be more or
less superficial and pockety, and i'm
mediately vein became poor in depth
or longitudinal extension, it was
abandoned. At later date the wis
dom of driving levels along poor veins
until they opened out and became rich
again was recognized; but the idea still
prevailed that 1t was hopeless to pur-
sue them in depth. Finally, few ad-
venturous spirits were enterprising
| IL w OohO up GOhiO vi VHO oO0u-
doned shallow mines and sink the shafts
few hundred feet deeper They then
discovered that the barren zone was of
no great magnitude, and that second
series of rich ore bodies existed below.
1t is now recognized by every mining
or geological expert who has examined
the mines of Amador county that there
are two zones of gold ore in the Mother
Lode-one extending from the surface
to depth of, usually, 600 or 700 feet;
and the other commencing at about
the HOO foot level, and extending to a
depth at present unlimited. The
Eureka mine, for example, at Sutter
Creek, about miles south of Amador
ICity, has rich ore in the bottom level
at 2200 feet from the surface. The
rule of the two zones is so general that
as yet no exception Is known. Every
mine on the Mother Lode that has had
rich ore at surface or in shallow levels,
] and has been sunk few hundred feet
below the line at which the shallow ore
'petered out, has proved richer in
depth; and as there is no claim on the
whole course of the Mother Lode which
has failed to yield rich ore in its upper
portion, so it may be said, with literal
accuracy, that there is no claim on the
Mother Lode which will not prove sue
cessful if properly developed. have
never yet heard of or met with any
other mining district of equal extent of
which the same assertion could truth
fully be made; and in this respect the
Mother Lode stands unique as q field
for the certain and profitable invest
ment of capital. In saying this, I, of,
course, allude TO mines which really are
situated on the Mother Lode.
'Tt must not, however, be under
stood that the two gold zones are
marked out in precise and unvarying
fashion. This would be impossible in
any large geological area where the
forces producing assures and VEIN
matter have operated over many miles
of country and through rock masses of
diversified character. In some places
the upper and lower zones approach
each other very closely, and the inter-
vening barren ground is correspond
lingly decreased; while in others are
found chutes' or chimneys' of rich ore
which descend WITHOUT a break from
the upper to the lower zone. These
chimneys are generally of comparative
ly limited length in a horizontal direc-
tion and have a northerly dip, Their
values are always large and sometimes
reach into the millions.
''But while the methods and notions
of the early miners have thus been ad-
vanced upon, and properties which
they abandoned have been re-ppened
and made highly productive, the pro-
gress achieved still leaves some i'm
portant elements of value. Explora-
tion on the Mother Lode has been con-
fined too much on the hanging-wall
and fopt-wall veins, and as yet no mine
can be cited in which there has oc-
CURED any systematic development of
the 'caunter' and greensboro veins.
For example, was told by one of the
old miners in Amador City, who was
one of the men concerned, that in the
early days of the Bunker Hill, drift
on the hanging wall vein was inadYert-
emily carried 9n ipto the greensboro,
and there struck a body of ore which
was SO rich that it. yielded 49, in
gold for every barrel-full. Yet this
was looked upon as mere pocket
and when it was worked out no attempt
was made to drive on the vein that led
into the greensboro north and south.
"Again, in the same Bunker Hill
mine, a small caunter vein was acci-
IDENTIFY encountered in the 400 foot level.
1t was driven on for few feet, and
then widened out into body of fine
milling ore, 40 feet in width and Weld
ing $14 per ton in free gold. This
bonanza lasted down to below the 500
foot level and yielded enormous
profits"
CALAvERAS COUNTY.