Gilpin observer., 1917-07-26
NEED OF INCREASED
GOLD PRODUCTION
BY w. c. Ralston.

BY w. c. Ralston.
w. c.. Ralstcn, of San Francisco,
is the author of one of the most EN-
tightening articles ON the present day
status OF gold, in its relation to the
commerce of the world. Mr.. Ralston,
who was appointed assistant United
States treasurer at San Francisco,
by President Taft, is recognized au-
thority ON mining and it's allied in
dustries, and his opinions carry great
weight with the leading financiers of
the United States as coming from one
of the leading operators on the great
Cmstock. and interested in scores
Of enterprises that have mining as
their basis. In recent article con-
trbuted to the New York Times, MIR.
Ralston points out the necessity for
increasing our gold production in or
der that this country may keep it's
place as the worlds banker. The ar
t1cle entitled Need of Increasing
Americas Gold Production" is as fol-
lows:
those who have given thought to
the financial situation know that i'm
mediately after peace is declared
heavy outflow of gold will begin. We
shall be called upon to return all that
has come here and more besides The
question naturally suggests itself,
Where is this more to come from?
an mi
tories produced in gold in 1915, $10l,-
100000 and in 1916 500, 900 900. which
shows that our gold production is
falling eff, but the stock of gold in
this country has increased from ST.
sS7,O00,000 at the outbreak Of the
war to about S3,OS9 900 900 today. Our
government, unlike any other govern
ment in the world does not interest
itself very much in the production
of gold.
Gold has the advantage over all
other minerals in that it's value is
fixed and does not change. No group
or men can control it's output or fix
Its price. 1t is the one metal that
the poor man can work himself when
found in the alluvial gravel deposits,
and for the gold he extracts he can
obtain Just as good price as the
wealthiest mining corporation.
twenty-five years ago the by.
draulic mining industry in California
was producing 10 to Is millions of
dollars annually. This kind of min
Ing was stopped by the United States
courts for the reason that the silt and
fine alluvial sand that was carried
In suspension by the water latter ex-
tracing the gold by washing these
gravels) flowed into the navigable
streams and filled up their channels,
thereby causing floods during high
water. The question was then taken
UP by the government and the state,
and 1t was found that 1t would be
possible to divert the so-talled slick
ems from the Sacramento river and
by building levees the low lands, now
valueless, could be filled and reclaim
ed, which would make them valuable,
thereby increasing largely the tax
able value and permitting the mines
at the same time to continue their
work. The agricultural and mining
interests were unable to agree, so
hydraulic mining was entirely stopped.
At the time the government. through
Its engineers. made this investiga-
ton, it was proved that between
$3OO,O00,0 900 and $500, ,0OO, 900 in gold
could be extracted frcm these gravel
deposits
Gold, geographically speaking, is
unlike any o;her metal; 1t is where
you find it. This is best illustrated |
by Cripple Creek, in Colorado and |
Goadfield, in Nevada, fer both of !
these districts were turned down in
their infancy by mining engineers and
biologists. Geld was being found |
there In a rock formation different |
frcm any previously found The au-
tomobile is now making 1t possible |
for men to work in the arid regions :