Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1908-06-12
Ama1Or County
Descriptive Article

tern slope of Sierra Nevada mountains,
hnd embraces within its territory all
the diversity of valley, foothill, and
high mountainous lands.
Climate The climate of the popu-
Ious portions of The county is as genial
hnd healthful as can be found anywhere
N 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. IL should, and no doubt will in
time, when its climatic advantages are
more thoroughly understood and APP
preciated, become health resort not
bnly for those in less favored states,
but for the residents of other parts of
California. The temperature alone the
central portion rarely falls below 30
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
Pround for more than few hours. OF
course, in the high mountain regions
Df eastern Amador the snowfall is very
heavy-which is characteristic of the
bntire Sierra Nevada range. The sum-
ner season is Away accompanied with
tool nights; permitting of sound, re-
Freshing sumber. Fogs are rare, cy-
clones are unknown, thunderstorms are
nfrequent.
Gold Mining.-The county, although
itch in other sources Of wealth, COM
paratively untouched, is noted prin-
tipally for her quartz mines. The
deepest gold mines in America are To-
gated here The Kennedy mine is now
taking gold in liberal guam titles from
Iuartz extracted from depth of over
bOOO feet below the surface, with every
Indication that tho pay-ore extends to
much greater depth. Since the dis
tovery of gold. the county has contrib
lted fully 800, 100000 to the worlds
Bupply of the precious metal. The
mines are still yielding at the rate of
lbout two million dollars annually.
Nearly all of this wealth is produced by
blight or ten mines operating on what
S called the mother lode" stretching
clear across the county in a nortn-east
brly direction u distance of twenty
niles. The mines aggregate between
loo and 500 stamps, and furnish en-
l.. e., ,,oip iC
Industry is still in its infancy. The
nexplored territory, even along the
main gold belt, is far in excess of the
ground that has actually been worked
lr prospected. The county offers to-
Law 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
Untouched mlnerallzed country OF the
bast belt, some ten or twelve miles from
he main lode.
Besides gold, we have copper, de-
bosits of pottery, coal, imarbe, slate,
limestone, granite, and soapstone or
|alc-all undeveloped.
Agricultural Capabilities. The agri-
cultural possibilities equal, if not excel,
he mineral riches. The valley lands
will produce anything that can be
crown in the most favored sections
n the foothill lands all kinds of decid-
hous fruits thrive: also all kinds of
Vegetable are raised where irrigation
practicable along the numerous water
kourses. Further up in the mountains,
1t an altitude of 1000 to $500 feet, the
oil is admirably adapted for apples
Ind potatoes. A ready market for
bany times the quantity now raised of
hese commodities can be found lin the
Farious mining towns.
Grape culture and winemaking are
becoming important industries, both
he grapes and wine commanding
better price than 1.-THE product of the
owland.
Land is cheap compared with other
california lands. Improved farms may
be secured for one-fourth the price
current in some places. Unimproved
hnds can be had from 50 to $40 per
ere. 1t does not require q fortune to
buy small ranch. There is room for
large addition to our agricultural pop
llation Vast tracts now devoted to
attic ranges might DO made the homes
hundreds of prosperous farmers.
Amador has population of less than
1000. Three fourths of this is concen-
rated in strip of three miles above
Ind below the mineral belt.