The San Francisco call., 1904-03-12
MARIPosA's MINERALS.

The mining papers are paying some
attention to this matter, which has
many features of interest. Speaking
of the Mariposa County lands that
have been taken from the Yosemite
reserve, the Mining and Scientific
Press says:
While certain portions are undoubtedly val
liable agricultural land. unless extreme care
Is taken by the intending settler he is likely
to have his filing contested by mineral claim
ants. The time to determine the character
OF land is before filing is made by the agrl-
cultural applicant The law excepts all LAND
entry, when such land is more valuable for
mineral than for agricultural purposes This
Is. in the very nature Of things. while not
ambiguous. an uncertain quantity, for the
mineral vein or deposit which is Improbable
to-day may be the paying mine or the near
In the area included in the Mariposa lands
which have been thrown open to settlement
mines. the value of many Of which can only
be determined by time. OF course, many OF
these are known, but It is improbable that
all of the veins or deposits have been located
or discovered. and the experience Of the past
has shown that in such region the mineral
industry is of greater value to the country
than the product of agricultural pursuits.
Indeed. in that particular region the farms
increase or decrease in value with the rise and
fall of success in mining. for the entire county
is dependent upon the mines for support
farmers and townspeople alike-for mining is
the only support or the region, which Is too
far removed from other markets to make agri-
culture profitable. 1t is be hoped that
the necessary steps will be taken TO determine
the character OF the land before the applica-
tion is filed, and in this way expensive and
unnecessary litigation averted.
Another matter of more or less in
terest to the miners of California is
again brought to the front by the dis
covery in Santa Barbara County that
the sinking of oil wells to great depths
by the petroleum miners Is giving ex-
cellent results. The Santa Barbara
Independent makes the following re-
ports of results in southern fields:
The results of deep drilling in the Los
Alamos, Santa Maria and Lompoc oil fields
which have developed within the past few days
has settled absolutely the advantage OF deep
wells over the shallow ones which have been
put down by a majority OF the opeTatiis ccln,
that the idea has been abandoned That any
will be found south " ,he moint aims fer en-
perimental drilling to a greater depth than
usual has proved TIE advantage OF gciDs down
which is opera ing on the Puiissmc rancho
In going down 20 a depth OF ECO feet. er-
depth of which has not yet been determined.
1t is because OF this fact that the other cCln-
panies in the Northern Sa1.a barbara County
fields have determined - 1it he drill tcwn
much deeper than has been customary In the
past. Thursday aft .-noon the Western Union
COMPANY operating on the oareaga Si,sa ran1no In
big flow of oil from we'll No ID, which had
been put down @ & to depth oi Ioo ~ deet AS Was
about 1000 barrels of oil day under the
pump. and the product Is Of higher gravity
than that OF any that has been. found sl,d In the
company had intended to sink the well to a
depth of 1000 feet
INTEREST IN CADAVERAS.
The Calaveras Prospect says that
there is much interest in mining rrop-
critics in. Calaveras County. More
money will be expended in mines in
the county, according to the report,
than during many previous years. Sew
eral deals have been closed recently.
Development work is projected quite
extensively. Much attention has been
paid recently to gravel channels I'm
proved machinery has overcome the
obstacles to working deep channels.
Active work along the whole line from
Central Hill to Calaveritas is likely to
take place during the coming summer
season.
The Tuolumne Independent tells of
transfers of mining properties in Tuol-
umne,. which are concisely summed up
dS lOllOWS.
The Slap Jack mine and the Ora Vista mine.
near Big Oak Flat have been decided to the
Evelina Gold Mining Company by Annie L.
Emerson and others. The Contention mine and
the Bates mill site have been decided by P. j.
Port TO Isabel NJ Summers of Oakland. The
Cherokee Company that operated the Laura
and North Star mines is reported, under re-
organization, to be about to work the prop
critics. W. H. Harding and wife have made
an agreement concerning mining rights with
the Saratoga Mining and Development Com
pany. The gravel mine on the Doyle ranch,
west of Columbia has been rebonded to Clar-'
ence Sawyer of San Jose.
The Murchie mine in Nevada County
has started it's new mill. 1t has
capacity cf fifty tons in twenty-four
hours.
The Oroville Register estimates the
value of gold daily taken out by dredg-
ers in the vicinity of Oroville at $4,000.
There are twenty five dredgers and
they average 5000 a day each, accord
ing to the authority mentioned. The
gold output for the present year in
the vicinity of Oroville by dredger pro-
cess is estimated by the Register at
50. 100000
The old SOulSby mine in TuOIumne