Amador ledger., 1908-10-09
.madOr County
Descriptive Article

|rn slope OF sierra NeVaua mOunBdlnS,
bd embraces within its territory all
be diversity OF valley, foothill, and
lgh mountainous lands.
lClimate.-The climate Of the popu-
us portions of the county is as genial
bd healthful as can be found anywhere
California. AS climate is one of the
lost valuable assets Of this favored
hte in attracting population, Amador
huds second TO no county in this re-
Lrd. IL should, and no doubt will in
me, when its climatic advantages are
ore thoroughly understood and APP
Eeciated, become health resort not
Lly for those in less favored states,
Lt for the residents of other parts of
blifornia. The temperature alone the
ntral portion rarely falls below 30
lgrees above zero in winter, and as
Irely rises to 100 degrees in the sum-
Ter. Snow seldom falls in the settled
Etricts, and never remains on the
Found for more than few hours. OF
Iurse, in the high mountain regions
eastern Amador the snowfall is very
kavy-which is characteristic of the
|tre Sierra Nevada range. The sum
er season is alway accompanied with
|ol nights; permitting of sound, re-
bshing slum Der. Fogs are rare, cy-
bnes are unknown, thunderstorms are
frequent.
Gold Mining. county, although
Lh in other sources of wealth, com
Iratively untouched, is noted prin-
|paly for her quartz mines. The
|epest gold mines in America are To-
tied here. The Kennedy mine is now
king gold in liberal quantities from
3artz extracted from depth of over
loo feet below the surface, with every
hication that the pay-ore extends to
|nuch greater depth. Since the dis
very of gold, the county has contrib
led fully 800, 100000 to the worlds
Ipply of the precious metal. The
nes are still yielding at the rate of
Bout two million dollars annually.
barly all of this wealth is produced by
Ight or ten mines operating on what
ucalled the ''mother lode" stretching
ear across the county in q northeast
Ily direction distance of twenty
les. The mines aggregate between
10 and 500 stamps, and furnish en-
byment for over 1000 miners. This
bustry is still in its infancy. The
3explored territory, even along the
ain gold belt, is far in excess of the
Hound that has actually been worked
prospected. The county offers to-
" one OF. the most inviting fields to
found anywhere in the world for the
Festment of capital in the fascinating
siness of gold mining, not alone along
e mother lode, but also in the almost
touched mlnerallzed country OF the
st belt, some ten or twelve miles from
g main lode.
Besides gold, we have copper. de-
sits of pottery, coal, imarbe, slate,
nestone, granite, and soapstone or
lc-all undeveloped.
Agricultural Capabilities The agri-
ltural possibilities equal, if not excel,
Q mineral riches. The valley lands
ll produce anything that can be
aown in the most favored sections
the foothill lands all kinds of decid-
us fruits thrive: also all kinds OF
getable are raised where irrigation
practicable along the numerous water
lrses Further up in the mountains,
an altitude of 2000 to 2500 feet, the
| is admirably adapted for apples
Id potatoes. A ready market for
any times the quantity now raised of
ese commodities can be found lin the
rious mining towns.
Grape culture and wlnemaklng are
coming important industries, both
. grapes and wine commanding a
tter price than the product of the
yland.
Land is cheap compared with other
lifornia lands. Improved farms may
secured for one-fourth the price
rrent IN some places. Unimproved
lds can be had from S5 to $40 per
Re. 1t does not require II fortune to
small ranch. There is room for
arge addition to our agricultural pop
Etion. Vast tracts now devoted to
tile ranges might be made the homes
hundreds of prosperous farmers.
kmador has populasion of less than
boo. Three fourths of this is concen-
sted in strip of three miles above
d below the mineral belt.
ack son, the county seat, has about