Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1908-12-18
.AmadOr County
Descriptive Article

and EN- braces within its territory all
the diversity of valley, foothill, and
high mountainous lands.
Climate. The 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 II 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 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
ground for more than few hours. OF
lcourse, 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 Away accompanied with
cool nights; permitting of sound, re-
freshing sum Der. Fogs are rare, cy-
clones are unknown thunderstorms are
|infrequent.
Gold Mining. The county, although
Arich in other sources of wealth, com
Pparatively untouched, is noted prin-
(cipally for her quartz mines. The
deepest gold mines in America are To-
gcated here. The Kennedy mine is now
taking gold in liberal quantities from
quartz extracted from a depth of over
$4,000 feet below the surface, with every
indication that the pay-ore extends to
u much greater depth. Since the dis
Jcovery of gold. the county has contrib
Ruted fully 500, 100000 to the worlds
supply of the precious metal. The
mines are still yielding at the rate OF
Labout two million dollars annually.
4 Nearly all of this wealth is produced by
Beight or ten mines operating on what
lis called the mother lode, " stretching
J clear across the county in northeast
5erly direction a distance OF twenty
amiles. The mines aggregate between
3400 and 500 stamps, and furnish EN-
3ployment for over 1000 miners. This
Industry is still in its infancy. The
unexplored territory, even along the
j main gold belt, is far in excess of the
Jeround that has actually been worked
lbr prospected. The county offers to-
ay 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
Z the mother lode, but also in the almost
i Untouched mlnerallzed country OF the
EAST belt, some ten or twelve miles from
the main lode.
Besides gold, we have copper, de-
posits of pottery, COAL imarbe, slate,
J limestone, granite, and soapstOne or
8talc-all undeveloped.
4 Agricultural Capabilities. The agri-
Hcultural possibilities equal if not excel,
the mineral riches. The valley lands
XVIII produce anything that can be
brown in the most favored sections
d n the foothill lands all kinds of decid-
lous fruits thrive: also all kinds OF
Negotiable are raised where irrigation
l. practicable along the numerous water
courses. Furtheru up in the mountains,
1t an altitude of 1000 to $500 feet, the
) oil is admirably adapted for apples
and potatoes. A ready market for
fnany times the quantity now raised of
A hese commodities can be found lin the
various mining towns.
Grape culture and winemaGlng are
becoming important industries, both
he grapes and wine commanding
better price than the product of the
owand.
Land is cheap compared with other
California lands. Improved farms may
be secured for One-fourth the price
current In some places Unimproved
|ands can be had from So to $40 per
lcre. 1t does not require fortune to
ouy small ranch. There is room for
large addition to our agricultural pop
llatlon. Vast tracts now devoted to
|attle ranges might be made the homes
,f hundreds of prosperous farmers.
Amador has populasion of less than
2OOO Three fourths of this is concen-
rated in a strip of three miles above
md below the mineral belt
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