Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1908-03-20
Ama1Or County
Descriptive Article

and embraces 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 Co no county in this re-
gard. II should, and no doubt will in
time, when It's climatic advantages are
more thoroughly understood and APP
preciated become a 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
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-
rner season is Away accompanied with
cool nights; permitting of sound, re-
freshing slumber Fogs are rare, cy-
clones are unknown, thunderstorms are
infrequent.
Gold Mning.-The county, although
rich in other sources of wealth, com
paratively untouched, is noted prin-
cipaly 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
quartz extracted from a depth of over
1000 feet below the surface, with every
indication that the pay-ore extends to
a much greater depth. Since the dis
covery of gold, the county has contrib
uted fully 800, 100000 to the worlds
supply of the precious metal The
mines are still yielding at the rate OF
about two million dollars annually.
Nearly all of this wealth is produced by
eight or ten mines operating on what
is called the mother lode, stretching
clear across the county in northeast
erly direction u distance of twenty
miles. The mines aggregate between
400 and 500 stamps, and furnish en-
plovment for over 1000 miners. This
industry is still in its infancy. The
UNEMPLOYED territory, even along the
main gold belt, is far in excess of the
ground that has actually been worked
or prospected. The county offers to-
day one of the most inviting fields tC
be found anywhere in the world for the
investment of capital in the fascinating
business of gold mining, not alone along
the mother lode, but also in the almost
untouched mineraized country of the
east belt, some ten or twelve miles from
the main lode.
Besides gold, we have copper, de
posts of pottery, coal, imarbe, slate
limestone, granite, and sOapstone OF
talc-all undevelOped.
Agricultural Capabilities The agri
cultural possibilities equal, if not excel
the mineral riches. The valley land
win produce anything that can b.
grown in the most favored sections
To the foothill lands all kinds of decid
nous fruits thrive: also all kinds 0
vegetable are raised where irrigation
il practicable along the numerous waite
courses. Further up in the mountains
at an altitude of 1000 to $500 feet, tn
soil is admirably adapted for apple
and potatoes. A ready market TO
many times the guam tity now raised o
these commodities can be found lin tn
various mining towns.
Grape culture and winemaking ar
becoming important industries, bot
the grapes and wine commanding
better price than the product of tn
lowland.
Land is cheap compared with othe
California lands. Improved farms ma
be secured for one-fourth the pric
current in some places. Unimprove
lands can be had from So to $40 pc
acre. 1t does not require a fortune t
buy small ranch. There is room TO
large addition to our agricultural por
ulation. Vast tracts now devoted t
cattle ranges might be made the home
Of hundreds of prosperous farmers.
Amador has populasiOn OF less tina
1900. Three fourths of this is concer
trated in strip of three miles abov
and below the mineral belt
Jackson, the county seat, has abou