as the returns are partly made in sacks of ore and bars of bullion, it has been necessary to reduce these to tons. Up to September, in fact, all ore and bullion were thus given me; but since then I have obtained the weights of all interior shipments. In reducing to tons, I visited shipping places and took the average of large shipments. I find that the bars of bullion will average about 100 pounds, (the average of several thousand tons.) The ore sacks from the southern country average the same (100 pounds) and are reckoned as such, while 90 pounds is the weight taken per sack of interior ores, as the sacks from Utah are smaller than the others and thus bring down the average. I give you these particulars as you may consider them essential.

"My statistics commence in October 15, 1869. I therefore add the following for the rest of that year."

Here is Mr. Hodges's table for 1870, published January 7, 1871, in the Scientific Press. It includes the receipts at San Francisco from the East and South. The columns headed "Interior" give the amounts received over the railroad; those headed "South," the amounts from the southern country:

Average per month: Ore, 398 tons 1,503 lbs; bullion, 200 tons 9163 lbs.

If we calculate that there are three hundred working days, for smelting works, in the year, (which number is in excess of the reality,) we have an average of nearly 18 tons of ore and over 8 tons in bullion per working day, for the year. But this average does not give a fair representation of the existing state of affairs, for the smaller shipments at the beginning of the year bring down the average. A fairer idea will be

given by taking the average of the four quarters of the year, with seventy-five working days in each quarter. We have then

The circumstance of the most interest and importance connected with these figures is the increase. That this increase has been due in great measure to the present smelting works of San Francisco cannot be doubted, and it is reasonable to suppose that increased facilities will bring still greater supplies.

An account of the works referred to is given elsewhere in this report.

ELKO COUNTY.

Several new mining districts discovered and organized north of the Central Pacific Railroad have attracted much attention. The most prominent one is Cope district, which was mentioned in my last report. Bull Run and Bruno districts are the newest, and, as far as known, both promise to become of some importance.

Cope district has furnished considerable bullion during the year. My correspondent, writing from Mountain City, in the latter part of August, gives the following information:

This city is located on the Owyhee River eighty-five miles north from Elko, on the Central Pacific Railroad. It is now a trifle over one year old, has about two hundred buildings, among which are to be found specimens of cloth, adobe, log, frame, and cut stone, and the hammer and saw are to be heard on every side. The population, including Chinese and a few Indians, is not far from 1,000. Cope district, of which Mountain City is the metropolis, is chiefly remarkable as presenting a case of modest merit, something exceedingly rare in these days of shams and false pretenses. Her miners, instead of making coyote holes in the hillsides, and then sitting down by them to wait for capital, very sensibly rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Ores were shipped to Reno and other points, at an average expense of $100 a ton for freight and milling, that netted the owners from $50 to $300. The results were expended in further developments, and to-day there are few places in the State that can show a more inviting field for capital or energy and ability than Cope. Late last fall a tenstamp mill was put up by Atchinson, Drew & Co., and has been running steadily ever since, principally on Argenta and Crescent ores. Colonel Drew is the superintendent. Messrs. Norton & Co. are erecting a thirteen-stamp mill, under Mr. Turner's superintendence, below the town. They are pushing the work with energy, and expect to be ready for crushing by October 1st. I learn that the Argenta Company will supply it with ore. Three-fourths of a mile above town, R. H. Vance is building one of his "Little Giant" mills. The ore is pulverized by the action of rollers on a revolving bed-plate. The mill will have, it is calculated, a capacity for crushing twelve tons daily. The invention has not yet been tested here, I believe; but there is one in operation in San Francisco that is said to be a perfect success. This mill is to work on ore from the Mountain City mine on contract. Report says that Wallbridge & Co., of Idaho, are going to put a five-stamp mill on the Monitor mine; so there will be thirtyfive at all events, and probably forty stamps, in operation this winter-a pretty good showing for a district one year old, and that has paddled its own canoe from the start. The facilities for mining here are above the average. The climate is mild; snow is never troublesome; wood is abundant within from seven to ten miles; excellent water everywhere; plenty of good pasturage; stock will thrive without feeding the year round; and the mines, being located on low foot-hills 50 to 200 feet above the valley, are easy of access, and can be advantageously worked in winter as well as summer. The mines are located in the immediate vicinity of town, on both sides of the river. As far as surface indications go, the quartz veins of Cope will compare favorably with any other mining camp, but none of the ledges have yet been worked to a sufficient depth to establish their permanence beyond a doubt. The ores are principally true silver ores and remarkably free of the baser metals. A claim consists of 200 feet, upon which two days' work must be done within sixty days after location, and two days more before the expiration of a year. The principal ledges are from a foot and a half

to four feet in width, and approach a horizontal position, many of them naving an angle of 40°. While there has been only one mill in the district, there have been only about twenty men at work taking out ore, but many more will be employed as soon as the two new mills are ready to operate. The Columbia Company have struck the eastern extension of the Argenta, 1,400 feet from the discovery shaft, demonstrating the fact that the ledges of Cope have some length as well as width and depth. John A. Lyttle & Co. have traced the Nevada ledge down the side of California Hill, and are running in a tunnel on the vein, which is said to be large and rich. Cutler & Co. are sinking on the Crown Point, opposite Dye's store, in Placerville, and are taking out some fine-looking ore. The Argenta and Crescent have been worked some distance below the water-level, and show black sulphurets in abundance. The Buckeye, owned by Cope & Co., shows a large and well-defined ledge on the surface, but has not been worked to any depth. The Monitor, situated near the Crescent, is one of the most promising ledges in camp. It is five feet wide, and will probably yield $50 or $60

per ton.

So far the mines have been easily worked, the gangue being as yet comparatively soft at the depth reached in most mines. The developments of the district progressed favorably throughout the year, and in the fall the Crescent Company had 210 tons of ore worked at the Atchison or Drew Mill, which gave an average yield of $234 per ton, falling much below the expectations based on assays. The Crown Point (Cutler & Co.) had a shaft down 25 feet, in a large body of ore, milling $100 to the ton and upward. Fuller & Ferguson had commenced work on the Great Eastern, with good prospects, the ore assaying from $250 to $300 to the ton. The Ada Gossage, located one mile and a half from Mountain City, and owned by Henry, Velt, Upton & Frederick Brothers,; had a shaft 70 feet deep, and ore assaying from $300 to $500 to the ton. The Argenta, Argenta Excelsior, and Argenta Extension were all looking well. The Sunny Hill, three miles southeast of town, Keystone, and Virginia were being actively worked and looked well. The Mountain City Silver Mining Company (Oppenheimer, Hart, and others) had out a large quantity of good ore, which was to be crushed as soon as the Vance Mill would be in readiness. Placer-mining by Chinamen, on the north side of the river, was going on actively, but water was scarce. The Chinamen made from two to three dollars per day, but competent judges, who have examined the ground, believe that if water were plenty the mines could be made to pay $10 per day to the man.

H. Ex. 10-10

Buckeye.

Lyttle & Co.

Lode..

N. & S..

600 feet

Slate

Quartz.

70

Return of the production of gold and silver in the Cope mining district, Elko County, Nevada, for the year ending July 1, 1870.-Reported by F. W. Crosby.

Mill, Cope Milt; owners, Atchison, Drew & Co.; location, Mountain City; mine, Customs; average yield, $60; time of running, commenced running in December, 1869; whole number of stamps in mill, ten; power,

steam.

REMARKS.-Entire product of the district, as obtained from Wells, Fargo & Co., and Oppenheimer & Co., in silver and gold, $250,000. The first-class ores were shipped to Reno and San Francisco. Two new mills are being erected: H. Vanse & Co.'s patent pulverizers, said to be 10-ton capacity, and Norton's mill, 13 stamps.

Estimate of costs of mining and reducing ores in Cope district, Elko County, Nevada.-Report by F. W. Crosby, July 1, 1870.

Population of district, 600; wages of first-class miners, 84; wages of second-class miners, $3; wages of surface laborers, $2 50; cost of lumber, $60 to $75 per M; cost of mining timber, 8 cents per foot; cost of common powder, $7 50 per keg; cost of Giant powder, $2 per pound; cost of freight from Elko, 14 and 2 cents per pound; cost of fuel, $6 to $8 per cord; cost of ten-stamp mill, California pattern, including freight, erection, &c., $20,000 to $25,000.

Bull Run district was discovered and organized in the summer of 1869. It lies about eighteen miles southwest of Mountain City, Cope district, and a good, free road leads from the latter place to the mouth of the cañon at White Rock City, in Bull Run district. The country is well wooded and watered, there being at least 20,000 cords of timber in the immediate vicinity of the mines, and an abundance of water within three-quarters of a mile. The most important ledges so far discovered are the following: The Porter-two to 4 feet wide; shaft, 32 feet down; 100 feet further southwest, shaft 25 feet; still further southwest 380 feet, shaft 12 feet; rich antimonial sulphuret, with some galena, said to assay from $4,000 to $6,000 per ton; 20 tons have been shipped to Reno with satisfactory results. Central-shaft, 12 feet wide; same ore; lode, 4 feet wide; assays $4,000 per ton. Revenue-shaft, 8 feet; lode 4 feet wide; 2 tons on dump; average assay, $150. Montana-lode, 4 feet wide; shaft, 16 feet; assay, $150. Fountain Treasure-shaft, 30 feet; assay, $160 per ton. Blue Bell-6 feet wide; shaft, 18 feet; will mili $100 per ton. Nevada-located for two miles; 4 to 6 feet wide; shaft, 18 feet; mills $100 per ton. This is eminently a self-sustaining mining camp, there having been no necessity for calling in the aid of capital, and the holders preferring to develop their own mines and demonstrate their value, the ledges being of a permanent character and the grade of ore so high that they have paid from the commencement. From the proceeds of the mines the holders have been able from the first to supply themselves with tools, provisions, and all the comforts of life. There are about two hundred people at the mines, and there is every prospect that this number will soon be increased.

In December a correspondent of the San Francisco Scientific Press wrote from the district:

Everything is progressing satisfactorily here in the different mines which are being worked. There are ten tunnels now being run to various lodes, and sixty men at work who will continue to work all winter. The ores sent to Vance's mill, at Mountain City, for reduction, yielded satisfactorily, some giving as much as $1,000 per ton. The Johnson Company are about to start a shaft on their lode. The Sacramento Tunnel Com