Amador ledger., 1909-02-26
AmddOr County
Descriptive Article

VOlu SlOpS vi OleTTb N6Nduo uOuhGdlhS
and embraces within its erritory al
the diversity Of valley loothill, an6
high mountainous lands.
Climate.-The climate of the popu
lous portions of The county is as genia
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. 1t should, and no doubt will in
time, when its climatic advantages are
more thoroughly understood and ap.
preciated, become health resort not
only for those in less favored states,
but for the residents of other parts oil
California. The temperature alone the
central portion rarely falls below 3O
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 q 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
nfrequent.
Gold Mining.-The county, although
rich in other sources OF wealth, COM
paratively untouched, is noted prin-
,ipally for her quartz mines. The
deepest gold mines in America ure To-
,ated here. The Kennedy mine is now
taking gold in liberal quantities from
luartz extracted from depth Of over
1000 feet below the surface, with every
Indication that the pay-ore extends to
much greater depth. Since the dis
'overy of gold, the county has contrib
tied fully 800, 100000 to the worlds
upply of the precious metal. The
mines are still yielding at the rate of
bout two million dollars annually.
Nearly all of this wealth is produced by
light or ten mines operating on what
called the mother lode," stretching
lear across the county In a north east
rly direction distance OF twenty
niles. The mines aggregate between
90 and 500 stamps, and furnish en-
loyment for over 1000 miners. This
hdustry is still in its infancy. The
neXplored territory, even along the
hain gold belt, is far in excess of the
round that has actually been worked
prospected. The county offers to-
by one of the most inviting fields to
b found anywhere in the world for the
bvestment Of capital in the fascinating
BUSINESS OF gold mining, not alone along
be mother lode, but also in the almost
htouched mlnerallzed country OF the
kst belt, some ten or twelve miles from
he main lode.
Besides gold, we have copper, de-
Psits OF pottery, coal, imarbe, slate,
|mestone, granite, and soapstone or
llc-all undeveloped,
Agricultural Capabilities Tho agri- |
hltural possibilities equal, il not excel,
be mineral riches. The valley lands
fll produce anything that can be
fown in the most favored sections. |
the foothill lands all kinds OF decid- |
bus fruits thrive: also all kinds of |
|getable are raised where irrigation |
practicable along the numerous water |
.urses, Further up in the mountains,
an altitude of 1000 to $500 feet, the
Fl is admirably adapted for apples
Id potatoes. A ready market for
@ny times the quantity now raised OF
ese commodities can be found lin the
'rious mining towns.
Grape culture and winemaklng are
toming important industries, both
b grapes and wine commanding a
tter price than the product of the
Fland.
Land is cheap compared with other
lifornia lands. Improved farms may
secured for one-fourth the price
'rent IN some places. Unimproved
DIS can be had from $5 to $40 per
e. 1t does not require fortune to
small ranch. There is room for
Prge addition to our agricultural pop
ton. Vast tracts now devoted to
tie ranges might be made the homes
hundreds of prosperous farmers.
Amador has populasion of less than
90. Three fourths of this is concen-
ted in a strip of three miles above
below the mineral belt.
ackson, the county seat, has about
N inha hitants and Is an innnrnnrn tod |