Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-11
GOLD DREDGING CROWS
To MONSTER INDUSTRY
Through New Method California
May Again Become the Chief
Yellow Metal Producer

A publication has just been issued
from the California state mining bu-
reau that is of general and local inter-
est, dealing in detail with the remark
able development of the gold dredg-
ing industry in California and taking
into consideration the collateral topics
of reclamation and debris The work
was compiled under the direction of
State Mineralogist Aubury. In an in
PRODUCTION to the bulletin Aubury has
written as follows:
1.-The construction of the first prac-
tical gold dredge in California, in 1898,
marks the beginning of new era in
gold mining, which branch of the in
dustry has probably since it's incep-
tion assumed greater proportions in
this state than elsewhere. With the
rapid advance made in gold dredging
and the gradual increase of gold out
put have likewise come improvements
and enlarged construction, which make
the California gold dredge today the
model after which other countries pat
tern.
1.-The gold industry of this state has
received a new impetus and the pro-
ductlon advanced approximately $780,
900 above the average output of two
years ago. Should other forms of gold
mining maintain their average two
years from now California will prob
ably again recover its rank as the
leading gold producing state in the
Union and will undoubtedly maintain
it's lead for many years to come.
AMPLE AREA PROVED
sufficient area has already been
proved in the gold dredging fields to
warrant this conclusion. While 1t has
been contended in some quarters that
the limits of the dredging areas have
already been fairly Well defined, ana
that the large interests and consolida-
tions have a large portion of the fields
controlled, new companies are contin-
ually being organized for the purpose
of exploiting tracts which have been
passed over or others which were
prospected years ago and turned down
as being too low grade to operate prof.
itably. With the advent of the mod
ern dredge, handling from 25O,OOO to
800, 900 cubic yards of gravel a month";
at a cost of from IA to cents cubic
yard, conditions have changed materi-
ally. The same evolution with dredge
mining has occurred as with gold
quartz mining in this state and the
question has resolved itself into one
of capacity. The present dredge-
large as it is-has apparently not yet
reached it's limit"
Another important phase of the in
dustry that has large interests in
horticultural and industrial way Is dis
cussed by Aubury in his Introductory
paragraphs, which is reproduced in
part as follows:
"A new factor has entered into
dredging in California, which ADDS
largely to the profit of some of the
companies. That is, utilizing the
tailings from the dredgers. The tail
ings are broken in immense crushers
and the product utilized for macadam
for roads and rubble for concrete.
What have been termed by some as
the unsightly piles of gravel nave
been made to serve various good pur-
poses and at the same time furnlshed
+ the best class of material at mini
mum cost to the consumer.
PROTEST IN IGNORANCE
Several protests have been made
in the past against permitting dredge
mining. These protests have been
made without an adequate knowledge
of actual conditions, it being claimed
that the debris from the dredges was
allowed to flow into the river cham
nels, to their detrment, and the Whole
industry was consequently condemned.
Investigation shows that in few IN
stances dredging was being carried
was undoubtedly done. Outside of
these instances, however, the balance
of the dredgers have either operated
in landlocked sections away from the
streams or were depositing the tailings
on the banks of the streams, deepening
the channels and improving them.
Still another matter is considered by
Aubury as follows:
Some complaint has also been MADE
of the total destruction of the soil
where dredgers operate. Regarding
this matter, and as will afterWard be
shown in this report, but a compara-
lively small amount of arabic land is
included in that which has been or
will be dredged. On the other mana,
reclamation projects are now undef
way which are being carried on by
some of the dredging companies, which
will restore to cultivation hundreds
of acres of swamp or overfiowed lands
and which, were it not for the enter
prise of these companies, would remain
waste or unproductive for years to
come. These reclaimed lands will far
more than offset those which some
claim will be irreparably ruined.
AIDS AGRICULTURE
"The so-called destroyed lands, which
at one time were productive, mad to a
large extent been made worthless for
a a1ricl1lture VitiCulture or horticulture
nv their former owners before bucket
had turned them over. The mineral
ingredient necessary to plant life had
been exhausted from the surface SOIL
and it was practically impossible for
the farmers to raise profitable crop
from them.
"To a certain extent dredging these
lands has reclaimed them. Trees or
vines planted since the lands were
dredged give ample evidence of the fer
tilitv of the ground and serve to Illus
trate the improved nature of the same.
In the dredging sections lands were
purchased by dredging companies for
s25 an acre and the same land, after
dredging, with it's cobble piles, was
sold for S100 an acre for the gravel
contents. After the gravel had been
removed or the lands leveled they can
again be utilized if necessary for farm
ing lands. c.,,s.,,o
while adding annually millions of dol
lars worth of gold to ur states pro-
ducts. at the same time dispenses i'm
mense sums to the various channels OF
trade and adds materially to our pros
nerity. 1t will continue to do this for
at least the next decade, and as actual
conditions affecting the industry be-
come more generally known and the
proper restrictions are maintained, 1t
will be more appreciated and the OBJ
iections which have been raised will
disappear"
In the preparation of the gold dredg-
ing bulletin vast amount of material
has heen accumulated dealing with