Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-08-14
Gold Output for
Oregon Shows
$2O4,769 Loss

The receipts Of bullion from Oregon
at the mint, smelters and refineries at
San Francisco show a decrease of
$204,769 in gold and $500 ounces Of
silver during the first six months of
1920 as compared with the correspond
ing period Of 1919, according to c. G..
Yale of the United States geological
survey, department of the interior. The
gold received during the period named
amounted to $303,565 in 1919 and only
$98,770 in 1920, a loss for the present
year of 81 per cent. The silver re-
ceived amounted to 1923 ounces in
1919 and only 1920 ounces in 1920, a
loss Of 81 per cent This notable de-
Grease seems to be due almost entirely
10 unfavorable conditions in Baker and
Grant counties, the first and third in
rank, respectively, Of the gold and sill
yer producing counties of the state.
Closed by Water Scarcity.
A great scarcity of water for hydro
electric power began in November,
1919,s and continued for months, so
that the Eastern Oregon Light & Pow !
er company, which serves most of
Baker and Grant counties, was unable T
to furnish power to mines or dredges /
until May, 1920. AS these counties TO- /
gether produce 81 per cent of the gold I
and SO per cent of the silver of the
state and as Baker county produces So
per cent of the copper. it is evident
that a condition that would close the
principal mines of these two counties
land of the state) for most of the first
half of the year. wo luireduce greatly I,
the metallic output of the state.
a H. s-tx ~x.Af. 49,
shortage OF labor and high costs of
everything caused much difficulty in
maintaining development and produc-
tion in all classes Of mines. Some
metal is shipped from oregon to the
United States asay offices at Boise and .
seattle and to smelters at other points,
but the yearly proportionate receips ,
of bullion at San francisco indicate
fairly well the condition of the mining .
interests of the state. ?
Drcdgcs Have Resumed Work.
The gold dredges in Oregon have 7
been producing 78 per cent of the to- h
tai placer gold and 39 per cent Of the I
total gold. The Powder River, theI
Oregon, and the Sumpter dredge, in h
Baker county, and the Empire dredge, r
In Grant county, have been closed
down for some months in 1920 for
lack of power. The loss from the |.
idleness Of these dredges alone for so h
long a period largely accounts for the
falling off in receipts of gold. The +,
largest mining operation in Oregon h
the Homestead Iron Dyke, in Baker "
usually rs per cent of
he entire meta output of the state, n
Ind it too has been idle. These prop tt
,rties are in the part of the state that "
mas been most affected by the shortage r
If power. The lack of water has al. 50
ected not only northeastern Oregon :
tut the placer mines in southwest Ore
,on.
All the dredges that were closed
lown so long, however, are again in .,
operation, and all the quartz mines
lanes that were closed will be in op-
ration in July Officials of the Ore
ron bureau of mines and geology say
hal the production Of gold in Oregon
Turing the second half of 1920 will be
equal to half the states total produc-
ion OF gold in 1919, and the produce
ion Of silver in the second half will :
Yc9d the estimate for the first half of
yz0 by 90 per cent.
Producing Districts and New
Movements.
Baker continues to be the most pro-
uctive county In Oregon, yielding, as
usually does, IS per cent of the total.
he most productive mining districts
the state, named in order of their
utput, are the Iron Dyke, Cornocor>i.
umpter and Mormon basin districts,
|, Baker county; Waldo districts, In
county; Canyon and Green =
orn districts, in Grant county; and
IN NJ IN, To-