MINING IN CALIFORNIA IN 1869.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 663, 26 May 1870, Page 2

MINING IN CALIFORNIA IN 1869.

{San Francisco Commercial Herald.) Twenty-two years ago this month gold in large quantities was first discovered in California, since which time nearly one billion dollars' worth of this metal has been extracted from the mines in this State, being an average of about forty-five millions dollars per annum. The first year 18,000,000 dollars were gathered; the second, 40,000,000 dollars, which amount gradually increased till 1853, when 65,000,000d015., the maximum amount collected in any one year, was reached; and from which time the yearly product steadily declined till 1869, when but about 23,000,000d015. were taken out, being the minimum annual yield since the opening of the mines. These estimates do not include the gold and silver bullion extracted in the other Pacific States and Territories, amounting in the aggregate to 250,000,000 dollars. The yield of the precious metals has been gradually decreasing in these countries for the past two or three years as well as in California, the most marked declension having occurred during the year just closed. It is believed by those best informed that the falling off in the bullion product for 1869, as compared with the preceding year, has been not less than six or eight millions of dollars for the entire Pacific Coast —some estimating it at a couple of millions more. That the reduced yield of the precious metals above set forth has been due to special and temporary causes is, we think, susceptible of easy demonstration. Owing to the heavy emigration to Eastern Nevada and elsewhere, there have been fewer men at work in the California mines during the past year than usual. There has also been a great scarcity of water both here and elsewhere for placer operations, while certain disasters to the Washoe mines served to diminish their production materially. But notwithstanding this falling oif in the yield of our productive mines, the past year has been one of nearly average prosperity to individual inineri and companies, owing to the lessene< cost of living and the greater economy effected in the extraction and reduo

tion of ores. It has also been a year of great activity among prospectors, a larger extent of mineral country having been explored than ever before. In the course of these explorations, which have been carried on in every direction, many valuable discoveries have been made, more especially in Northern and Eastern Nevada, and other portions of the Great Utah Basin. During the past twelve months various remote sections of country have been penetrated and many new districts organised, adding largely to the area of our ascertained metalliferous territory, now demonstrated to be co-extensive with our Occidental possessions. With the stagnation of trade and the general depression of other branches of business, there is even a better feeling beginning to obtain toward mining itself With our manufacturing and mechanical pursuits struggling against a ruinous competition, and our agricultural staples vainly seeking, a remunerative market, it is perceived that in mining we have a business that can never suffer from competitive strife, nor be left without a ready market for its products. Prosperous as the husbandman and herder have been, and richly as the artisan has been rewarded for his labors the past few years, it is becoming obvious to all that mining is to continue, if not the foremost, at least one of the great sustaining industries of the country. To the extent that it is suffered to decline the demand for our agricultural products and the only market offering for many of them must contract, while a considerable class, now consumers, must be converted into producers of these surplus commodities. That this business should receive every encouragement and support is, therefore, alike to the interests of the farmer, the manufacturer, the laborer, and the capitalist. To illustrate the importance of this business and the indirect advantages derived from it by all classes of the community, let us suppose there are 100,000 men engaged in this pursuit upon this coast, earning an aggregate of 50,000,000d015. per annum, which would give them SOOdols. a piece. Now if these men were withdrawn from this business, no other taking their place, this sum of money would remain in the ground, being lost to the country, while this large number of laborers would become competitors for work in our already over-stocked market, thus causing a double injury to the workman by reducing his wages and his chances of obtaining employment at the same time. However, then, some may view the matter, it is clearly good policy to stimulate enterprise in this direction by fostering legislation and the removal of all unnecessary restrictions.