Amador ledger., 1907-11-29
HdOr County
Descriptive Article

slope of Sierra Nevada mountains,
EN- braces within its territory all
diversity of valley, foothill, and
mountainous lands.
imate.-The climate of the popu-
portions of the county is as genial
healthful as can be found anywhere
california. AS climate is one OF the |
1t valuable assets of this favored |
g in attracting population, Amador
hds second to no county in this re-
d. It should and no doubt will in
e, when it's climatic advantages are
re thoroughly understood and APP
ciated, become a health resort not
" for those in less favored states,
for the residents of other parts OF
ifornia. The temperature alone the
trial portion rarely falls below 80
grees above zero in winter, and as
Rely rises to 100 degrees in the sum-
r, Snow seldom falls in the settled
.tricts, and never remains on the
bund for more than few hours. OF
lrse, in the high mountain regions
eastern Amador the snowfall is very
avy-which is characteristic of the
tire Sierra Nevada range. The sum-
br season is Away accompanied with
pl nights; permitting of sound, re-
eshing slum Der. Fogs are rare, cy-
bnes are unknown, thunderstorms are
Frequent.
Gold Mining. county, although
eh in other sources of wealth, COM
Lratively untouched, is noted prin-
pally for her quartz mines. The
kepest gold mines in America are To-
ted here. The Kennedy mine is now
king gold in liberal quantities from
lartz extracted from a depth of over
200 feet below the surface, with every
dication that the pay-ore extends to
much greater depth. Since the dis
bvery of gold. the county has contrib
ted fully 500, 100000 to the worlds
'lpply of the precious metal The
lines are still yielding at the rate of
bout two million dollars annually.
fearly all of this wealth is produced by
! light or ten mines operating on what
called the "mother lode," stretching
! ear across the county in northeast
|rly direction distance of twenty
hiles. The mines aggregate between
|O0 and 500 stamps. and furnish en-
Hoy ment for over 1000 miners. This
hdustry is still in its infancy. The
Enexplored territory, even along the
main gold belt, is far in excess of the
tround that has actually been worked
'r prospected. The county offers to-
lay one of the most inviting fields to
be found anywhere in the world for the
Investment of capital in the fascinating
business of gold mining, not alone along
he mother lode. but also in the almost
mineralized country of the
,ast belt, some ten or twelve miles from
he main lode.
Besides gold, we have copper. de-
oosits of pottery, coal, imarbe, slate,
granite, and soapstone or
,alc-all undeveloped.
Agricultural Capabilities The agri-
possibilities equal, if not excel,
,he mineral riches. The valley lands
will produce anything that can be
grown in the most favored sections
10 the foothill lands all kinds of decid-
nous fruits thrive: also all kinds Of
are raised where irrigation
Is practicable along the numerous water
Further up in the mountains,
1t an altitude of 1000 to $500 feet, the
soil is admirably adapted for apples
md potatoes. A ready market for
many times the quantity now raised Of
these commodities can be found lin the
various mining towns.
Grape culture and winemaking are
becoming important industries, both
the grapes and wine commanding a
better price than the product of the
Iowland.
Land is cheap compared with other
California lands. Improved farms may
be secured for one-fourth the price
current in some places Unimproved
lands can be had from S. to $40 pei
acre. 1t does not require fortune to
buy a small ranch There is room for
a large addition to our agricultural pop
llation. Vast tracts now devoted to
cattle ranges might be made the homes
Of hundreds of prosperous farmers.
Amador has a population of less than
1900. Three fourths of this is concen.
trated in strip of three miles abov
and below the mineral belt.
Jackson, the county seat, has abou