Amador ledger., 1907-01-18
Amador'S Mineral Outlook.

look is very favorable. 1t would be
development of new mines. The lack
In this direction is no doubt due to
the more grfttering, and probably
more fleeting camps of Nevada.
Capital is attracted thusward for a
time, to the neglect of the sturdy
gold bearing lode here, that has been
yielding up its wealth tor over 80
years, and shows no sign of exhaus-
tion. But in spite of the luIl in pro-
specting, our mining outlook was
never more favorable than at the
present time. Every operating mine
on the lode, from the leila to the
Fremont is doing we'll. In several of
them decided Improvement has
occurred during the past year. The
Kennedy-the heaviest employer OF
labor in the county-is taking cut
pay ore from depth of 5000 feet, a
point never heretofore reached in
gold mining in the United States, and
the fact that the ore body is found at
such great depth in quantity and
quality practically unlmpaired augurs
we'll for the future of this section.
1t must exert most salutary effect
upon the mining business. Years
ago, it was thought the existence of
pay rock below 1000 feet was doubt
full problem. Now several mines are
milling ore and paying dividends
from the same, coming from over
twice that Depth, and the Kennedy
holding ont the promise that gold
will be found far beyond their deep
est present working. The Argonaut,
Oneida and Central Eureka are over
1000 feet in depth, and in ore. The
Bunker Hill and Fremont, III the
north end of the lode are yielding
enough to pay handsome profit over
expenses. Ihe Ledger believes that
the reward of gold mining, should
not be gauged according to the profits
realized In the ordinary avenues of
business. Mining-and more, partic-
ularly gold minlng-is a risky under
taking from a financial standpoint.
There are, and always will be far
more blanks than prizes drawn in this
lottery. Take the history of gold
mining from the earliest days, and it
may be said that in every field every
ounce of gold has cost more than its
value to extract it. By this we mean,
that considering the money spent on
unproductive claims, as we'll as pro-
ductlve mines, there has been more
spent in labor in gold mining than
the gold taken out of the earth is
worth. Afew prizes are magnificent
in their generous output to the tortu-
nate owners, but the number and
amount of loss by the unfortunate
seekers after hidden treasures, far
more than offset the gains made by
the fortunate few. For this reason
the gold miner1is deserving of all he
can make out of this precaIious field
of industry: It is urged that the
risks in gold mining are not greater
than in other avenues of business.
We very much doubt that assertion.
They are far greater, but the promise
of reward Is also proportionately
greater. If it we're not so, capital
would be induced to Withdraw from
this industry, and seek Investment
in safer channels. So that when
man succeeds in piling up millions
in gold mining, it is not in order to
denounce him. but rather. con-
gratulate him on his good fortune.
10 talk of ten or twelve per cent
profit on the Investment on produc-
ing gold mines is the rankest absurd
ity. The merchant or small trades
man is expected to make more than
that, and he takes comparatively no
risk. To seek to reduce the business
of mining to any such plane would.
if pressed to, its uItimatum, newt
ably kill the industry.