Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1909-09-24
Ama1Or County
Descriptive Article

the diversity of valley, foothill, and
high mountainous lands.
Climate. The climate of the popu-
Gus portions OF the county is as genial
and healthiul as can be found anyw here
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. Il should, and no doubt will in
time, when its climatic advantages are
more thoroughly understood and APP
nreciated, 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 81
deorees 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
oropnd for more than few hours. or
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 Away accompanied Win
cool nights; permitting OF sound re-
freshing slum Der. Fogs are rare' cy-
clones are unknown, thunderstorms are
infrequent.
Gold Mining. county, although
rich in other sources Of wealth, COM
paratively untouched, is noted prln-
cipally for her quartz Mines Inc
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 10
a, much greater depth. Since the dis
covery of gold, the county has contrib
uted fully 500, 100000 to the worlds
supply of the precious metal. Inc
mines are still yielding at the rate Oh
about two million dollars annually.
Nearly all of this wealth is produced oy
eight or ten mines operating on wnaC
ia called the mother lode" stretching
clear across the county in north-eas
erly direction a distance OF twenty
miles. The mines aggregate between
AOo md 500 stamps, and furnish en-
nlovment for over 1000 miners. Thls
industry is still in its infancy. Inc
nnexplored territory, even along Inc
main gold belt, is far in excess OF the
Ground that has actually been worked
or prospected. The county offers TO-
dav one of the most inviting fields to
he 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 mlneralized country OF the
east belt, some ten or twelve miles from
the main lode.
Besides gold, we have copper, de
nosits of pottery, coal, imarbe, slate,
limestone, granite, and soapstone or
talc-all undeveloped.
Agricultural Capabilities. The agrl-
cultural posi- bilities equal, if not excel,
The mineral riches. The valley lands
will produce anything that can be
grown in the most favored sections.
In the foothill lands all kinds OF decid-
nous fruits thrive: also all kinds OF
vegetable are raised whore irrigation
is practicable along the numerous water
courses. Further up in the mountains,
at an altitude of 1000 to $500 feet, the
soil is admirably adapted for apples
and potatoes. A ready market for
many times the quantity now raised OF
these commodities can be found in the,
various mining towns.
Grape culture and wlnemaklng are
becoming important industries, both
the grapes and wine commanding
better price than the product OF the
lowland.
Land is cheap compared with other
California lands. Improved farms may
be secured for one-fourth the price
current IN some places. Unimproved
lands can be had from S. to $40 per
acre. 1t does not require fortune to
buy d small ranch. There is room for
a large addition to our agricultural pop
ulation. Vast tracts now devoted to
cattle ranges might be made the homes
of hundreds of prosperous farmers.
AmadOr has population of less than
1900. Three fourths of this is concen-
trated in strip of three miles above
and below the mineral belt.
Jackson, the county seat, has about