The San Francisco call., 1903-09-26
MINING WEALTH
IN STATISTICS
Returns for State Are
In and Summary
Is Due.
Low Water Interferes With
Operations on the
Mother Lode.

Some time during the coming week the
most complete report Of the mineral out
put Of California for any year viii be
published. In collecting the mineral re
turns for California for the year 1902 the
State Mining Bureau and its statistician,
Charles C. Yale, have had exceptional
opportunities for securing accuracy. The
reason Of this is that the United States
Government is In the field, gathering sta
tistics for the Census Bureau, and is also
making Inquiries Of various kinds, all of
which can be reduced to available statis-
tics. The probability is, as has been pre-
v-iously mentioned in this column, that
the total gold output Of California for the
year 1902 VIII show some falling off as
compared with the year 1901. 1t may be
interesting TO compare the statistics.
which VIII be submitted next week with
the estimates for California for the year
1902. as prepared by the Director Of the
Mint at Washington, on the basis Of the
returns from the assay Offices.
The Mint returns the California gold
output for 1902 at SIC. .s72, 100. Colorado
makes a showing in gold. on the same
authority, OF SIS .46s,770; Montana, s. .373,-
500; Utah, s5,594 500; Alaska, Ss,945. 800;
South Dakota. SC, ,965. 400; Nevada, $685.
800; Idaho, sl.475,OOo
The practically unlimited quantities Of
mineral OIL the vast deposits of copper
that are developed only in part and the
great variety Of mineral products in Cali
fornia in addition TO gold. under favOra-
bic conditions are sufficient to make its
annual output much greater ia total than
IL has been IN many years. in fact. since
the great output Of the placer mines in
The earlier years of California mining his
tory. Oh has been compelled to make its
market and await somewhat slow substi-
tuition for coal as fuel. With the proper
demand. the output OF oil would easily
equal the total annual output Of gold IL
not surpass it.
The last returns have been received by
Statistician Yale for the year 1902. The
work Of compiling all the statistics will
now proceed and the full results Of min
eraI exploitation in California in the year
1902 viii be made public within a very few
days.
Comparing the statistics Of the United
States Mint at Washington, il is interest
ing 10 note that the total output for the
entire United States in 1902 in gold was
$50 100000 In round figures; in silver, S29 =
z15 600. California is the lowest but one
OF the silver-producing States, but second
as a gold producer. OF the Territories,
Alaska makes the lowest showing in sill
yer output being credited with a value in
silver for 1902 Of only s4s.76O.
DEVELOPING LUZON.
California capital is taking part in the
systematic development Of mining in the
Philippines. The first ten-stamp mill to
he sent from this country to the Philip
pines viii be dispatched vera soon from
this city by the Philippine Gold Mining,
Power and Development Company, of
which John G. Myers is the president
The stamp mill was bought here in com
petition with other places where mining
machinery is manufactured. The stamp
mill viii go 10 the province Of Benguet.
Luzon. In addition to this the Oriental
and Masbate Mining Company viii ship
from this city a gold dredger to Luzon TO
operate on its properties.
A good body Of cinnabar is reported to
have been opened up in Lane County,
Oregon A 30G-tOn quicksilver plant, ac-
cOrding to the same report. is going up
AT the Black Butte mines, which are near
Cottage Grove. During the four years
past 1900 feet Of work have been per
formed, including vertical shaft to the
1e00-fOOt level A contract has been let
for an additional tunnel, TO be 1000 feet
long, which viii give a vertical depth OF
100 feet and viii be the main working
tunnel Of the mine. The Grass Valley
Union says:
There is much activity in a mining way
there and men Of means are going in and out
almost daily. Work is IN progress on mum
Der Of claims and IL is said the companies
operating them are meeting with good success
Nj Freeman OF Cisco has several mining prop
critics IN the Meadow Lake district and has le
contracts for opening Up some Of them They
have not been worked 70 great extent. but
have promising indications
The contract has been let for grading
and eXcaYating for the new smelter t
be erected at Bakersfield. The site Is
near the stockyards on the line OF the
Sunset and McKittrick Railroad, about
z mile south Of Kern