Amador ledger., 1908-10-16
AmadOr County
Descriptive Article

tern slope of Sierra Nevada mountains,
and embraces within its territory all
the diversity Of valley, foothill, and
high mountainous lands.
Climate climate Of the popu-
lous portions Of the county Is as genial
and healthful as can be found anywhere
in California. AS climate is one of the
most valuable assets OF this favored
state In attracting population, Amador
stands second to no county in this re-
gard. It should, and no doubt will in
time, when its climatic advantages are
more thoroughly understood and APP
preciated, become health resort not
only for those in less favored states,
| but for the residents of other parts of
california. The temperature alone the
central portion rarely falls below 80
degrees above zero In winter, and as
rarely rises to 100 degrees in the sum-
mer. Snow seldom falls in the settled
districts, and never remains on the
ground for more than few hours. OF
course, in the high mountain regions
of eastern Amador the snowfall is very
'heavy-which is characteristic of the
|entire Sierra Nevada range. The sum-
mer season is alway accompanied with
cool nights; permitting of sound, re-
freshing slum ber. Fogs are rare, cy-
'clones are unknown, thunderstorms are
infrequent.
Gold Mining The county, although
|rich in other sources of wealth, COM
paratively untouched, is noted prin-
|cipally for her quartz mines. The
deepest gold mines in America are To-
Gated here. The Kennedy mine is now
taking gold in liberal quantities from
1quartz extracted from depth of over
$1,000 feet below the surface, with every
lindication that the pay-ore extends to
a much greater depth. Since the dis
covery of gold, the county has contrib
Iuted fully 800, 100000 to the worlds
supply of the precious metal. The
mines are still yielding at the rate of
Iabout two million dollars annually.
Nearly all of this wealth is produced by
Ieight or ten mines operating on what
is called the "mother lode" stretching
Icear across the county in northeast
Ierly direction a distance of twenty
Imiles. The mines aggregate between
l400 and 500 stamps, and furnish en-
Iployment for over 1000 miners. This
Industry is still in its infancy. The
Iunexplored territory, even along the
9main gold belt, is far in excess of the
2ground that has actually been worked
|or prospected. The county offers to-
day one of the most inviting fields to
HE found anywhere in the world for the
Investment of capital in the fascinating
business of gold mining, not alone along
1.-The mother lode, but also in the almost
untouched mlnerallzed country OF the
least belt, some ten or twelve miles from
1.-The main lode.
Besides gold, we have copper, de-
posts of pottery, coal, imarbe, slate,
limestone granite, and soapstone or
Italc-all undeVeloped.
Agricultural Capabilities The agri-
1cultural posi- bilities equal, If not excel,
1.-The mineral riches. The valley lands
will produce anything that can be
1grown in the most favored sections.
lin the foothill lands all kinds of decid-
|uous fruits thrive: also all kinds Of
vegetable are raised where irrigation
is practicable along the numerous water
1courses Further up in the mountains,
lat an altitude of 1000 to $500 feet, the
soil is admirably adapted for apples
Hand potatoes. A ready market for
many times the quantity now raised of
4these commodities can be found lin the
various mining towns.
Grape culture and wlnemaklng are
Becoming important industries, both
'the grapes and wine commanding a
better price than the product of the
Rowland.
Land is cheap compared with other
8California lands. Improved farms may
he secured for one-fourth the price
current IN some places. Unimproved
ands can be had from S. to $40 per
here. 1t does not require a fortune to
8buy a small ranch. There is room for
IA largo addition to our agricultural pop
ulation. Vast tracts now devoted to
cattle ranges might be made the homes
of hundreds of prosperous farmers.
Amador has populasion OF less than
l20OO. Three fourths of this is concen-
trated in strip of three miles above
and below the mineral belt.
Jackson, the county seat, has about