The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-20
MORE GOLD MINED,
AND MORE SILVER
Record Output in Yellow Metal,
but White Failed to Reach
High Mark.
BY w. w. Jermane.

/ ' BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, Nov. 20.-Recently is
sued official reports show that the pro-
duction Of gold in the United States
ounces, valued at $8o,s35, ,64s, an in
crease of $7,243,94S over, 1903. After
a period Of very rapid advance in the
gold production from 1892 to 1900, dur
ing which an increase from $SS ,O0o,Oo0
to $79,171,000 took place, there followed
two years of nearly stationary output
and one year, 1908, OF very declded ue,
find that the production has risen again
with a bound to record figures, the larg-
est previous output in 1902 amounting
to $S0,O0O,000. a
The production Of silver in 1904
amounted to 55,999,S64 fine ounces,
valued at $32,035,37S, an increase OF
fore, a total increase Of $9,957 1926 in
the value Of gold and silver produced in
1904 over that of 1908. The record out
put of silver in 1892, amounting to 63,-
100000 fine ounces has not been
reached in late years, nor has the CON-
mercial value attained the figures OF
that year, which amounted to 82,lOl,-
| 900. The price of silver in 1904, ac-
cording to the director of the mint,
varied from--55 to 81 cents per fine
ounce, representing a decided increase
over the prices of 1908, which varied
from 4S to SO cents, and only excep-
tionally rose to 81 cents in October,
1908.
Sources of Gold Increase.
The principal sources Of the increase
in the gold production Of over $S,0OO,-
| 900, compared with that OF l9O3, are
So 100000 to her production of 1908,
most Of this amount coming from the
mines Of Cripple Creek. Nevada's out
put increased about the same amount,
chiefly by reason of the phenomenal
Yields Of the Goldfeld mines. The
greatest progress is reported IN Can
fornia, whose production exceeds that
Of 1903 by $2,S00,O0O, the increase be-
inc caused partly by a strong develop,
ment of the quartz mining industry. and
to less degree by the activity of the
dredgers. Alaska and Arizona, show
Increased yields, amounting respective-
" to $476,S93 and $748,7OS. A number
of states show smaller increases, whlle
Utah, Montana and washington nave
in 1908.
The increase in value in the produc
ton of silver of $2,713,37S is somewhat
evenly divided among the various states
and territories, but is to some extent
due the better price Of silver obtained; T.
Colorado leads with an increase OF
$970,32O. California, Idaho, Montana,
able value to their silver production.
The Alaska Output.
The moderate increase in the produc-
tion Of gold in Alaska is chiefly due to
an increase in the production of the
quartz mines. Nome slightly reduced
it's output, which is estimated at $4, ,064,'
v,1o nr
the lower Tanana yielded about $40O,
900. The quartz mines on the coast are
as a rule. in fourishing condition. and
Welded $3,O5O,977. The yield of silver
is comparatively unimportant. -,
\ After speaking in detail Of the well
known sources Of gold and silver % supply Ity
government report notes that these
metals were secured last year to the
amount Of $392,0OO gold and $48,08s
silver, in the southern Appalachia1
\ states. This production is scattered
Virginia, for instance. contributes from
eleven counties, North Carolina from
and Georgia from twenty-six. The out
put has remained stationary for man.
years.
The number of producing mines il
, the western states, exclusive Of Alaska
Z in 1904, was 3,254. To this should b
added several hundred producers i
: Alaska, and probably over a hundre
\ in the southern Appalachian. states
Z which would make a total of abou
four thousand. The total number o
J placer mines reported is 1,349, and o
deep mines, 1905. Colorado has tn
y larg gest number (567) of deep ,producin
- mines, and is followed by California
I with 474. In number Of placer mine
l California easily leads, with I'll, an
is followed by Idaho, with 269, and b
I Oregon, with 211 mines. California hs
l by far the greater number, 1,185, c
/ producing mines, and is followed b
/ Colorado, in which the number is 58
Never before in the history of tn
I United States has its annual report O
1 the production of gold and silver bee
| so complete and compreh hensive as
l the report for 1904, from which data fl
l this article were taken. The numbt
l of mineowners who refused to repo
l their production Is now extremely snlal
| and there is, in fact, very lars
and growing number Of companies tn;
no longer make secret Of their produ
tion Of gold and silver. -