Fergus County Democrat., 1906-02-06
amounted, approximately, to 81, 784, 1884,.
GOLD PRODUCTION.

1905 375,597,s93 S6.29s,20O 22.9
A feature of the table above is that
| the United States has contributed an
nually between 22.5 and 31.1 per cent
of the worlds total output of gold In
ten years this country supplied an av.
erage Of about 25 per cent of the gold
produced all over the globe.
Fully one-quarter of the gold pro-
duced in the United States annually is
used in the arts, and judging from the
best information available, the world
utilizes over $1O0,OO0,000 in the same
way. Another rather conservative es-
innate is that about $4,000, 100000 rep
resents the gold money in the world.
OF some interest also is the fact that
| the gold coinage in the United States
| in 1905, as reported by the treasury de-
partment, amounted to $49,638, AL, prin-
| cipally in double eagles ($2O pieces).
| The imports of gold lin coin, bullion
and ores) into the United States in the
| twelve months ending with December,
| 1906 were valued at $50, 0,246, 564, as
| against $S4, ,SO3234 in the corresponding
period of 1904, showing decrease of
| $34, 556,67O. The exports in the same
| period were SAG, 794, ,467, against $121,211,- :
| S27, recording a falling off of $74,416,-
| $50 in 1905. OF late there have been sew
| eral large consignments of gold to
Mexico to pay for the Mexican dollars
| that were exported when the price of
silver guaranteed good profit on this
business, and also to facilitate the
change to the gold standard in the re-
public.
GOLD MINING IN THE UNITED
STATES.
| Over one half of the gold produced
in this country is mined in Colorado
and California. In 1905 Colorado re-
ported $25,313,5 $50, which, compared
with $24,463,322 in 1904 shows an in
| crease Of $S50,22S, and indicates how
great has been the activity in mining,
especially in the Cripple Creek and
San Juan districts. An increased pro-
duction may be expected in Cripple
Creek when the new drainage tunnel
has been built. A feature of Colorad s
| mining industry is the popularity OF
| the leasing systsv'. A notable example
| is Stratton's independence of Cripple
Creek. which received $2,040,730 from
lessees in the year ending June 80,
ment charges and the money due
| lessees, there remained royalties for
the company of $522,S4O. Adding to
this sum the earnings of the company
on it's own account from sales Of ore,
ETC., and deducting it's expenses, there
remained a net profit for the year Of
$471, ,230, permitting the payment OF
three dividends, amounting to $685.
900. Since June 80 two more dividends,
amounting to $250,000, have been paid,
making the total since incorporation
$4,770,S65 on the authorized capitaliza-
tion Of $5,5O0,0O0. In the Cripple Greek
district, which produced $19S75, 600
| gold in 1905, as against $14591, $50 in
1904, the larger mines are the Port
land, Stratton's Independence, Ell Paso,
| Mary Mckinney, Elkton, Vindicator
and Raaler. At Telluride the Tombny
mine increased it's profit during the
year ending June 80, 1905, from SIS!
to $416 per ton of ore treated, permit
ting the payment of $15O,0O0 in divi-
dends, of which a large part vert to
British shareholders. The Camp Bird
mine at Ouray, also largely owned by
British investors, earned dividends OF
$6SS,S00 in 1905. There are numerous
other good dividend paying mines ir
Colorado, as may be seen by referring
to the elaborate list published on an.
ohtre page. Some Of these mines EN-.
ploy electricity to operate their hoists
drills, trans, ETC., and the other econ
omieS recently introduced promise {
further improvement in profits.
An appreciable amount Of gold pro
duced in California is reported by til,
placers, particularly at Oroville, which
are being dredged at a comparatively
lower cost than those being worked b,
the hydraulic process. The quart:
mines, however, still furnish the bull
of the gold output, and the invest
ment of new capital suggests develop
ment on a more profitable scale. II
1905 owing to the prolonged drought
the production of gold showed a fall
ing off to $17,493,35 which compare
, with $1S633,676 in 1904.
: Alaska, which produced $14,650, 90
gold in 1905, as against $9,16O45S il
e 1904, experienced great activity in bot
r quartz and placer mining, the latte
being carried on chiefly in the Nom
= district. On Douglas island the Alas
e ka Treadwell, Alaska Mexican an
t Alaska United Mines have been pros
e porous. The Alaska Treadwell, know,
: as the best paying low grade gol
t mine in the world, paid dividends Q
= $75S.000, or about Is per cent on IS,
s 100000 capital, in 1905. In the fiscs
: year ending May Is, 1905, the Alask
S Treadwell milled S77,17O tons of ore
). which yielded an average of 1929 gol
y per ton, upon which there was a ne
e profit of $1.O4 per ton; dividends fo
a the year We're 100000, or 1S per cent
d South Dakota. operating the larges
n gold mine-the Homestake-produce
v $6,955,375 in 1905, as against s7,36S977 i
Is 1904. Two years previously, in 1902 tn
d gold output for the state was $500, ,OO
.r being the largest on record. Cyanida
n tion has done much toward developin
the gold mining industry of the Blac
l. Hills. The Homestake company re
v, ported for the year ending June 1,19O
l. that it milled 1888, 100 tons of ore whic
3. yielded $5,221 ,0S9 or an average of 49,;
to per ton; dividends We're $Sl9, 900 In til
ID calendar year ending December /, 1870
IS the Homestake dividends amounted