LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. Gold Belt of the Southern States Section at Conorado Shaft, Leadville, Colorado 172 210 Ruby Mountain, Gray's Peak, Argentine Pass, Montezuma, Colorado, A Yuba River Dam and Flume, Grass Valley, California 383 Arrangement of Sluices on a Gold Dredger facing 400 Stope in Silver Wave Mining District, Colorado facing 430 Method of Overhand Stoping at the Combination Mine, Nevada. Glory Hole Mining at the Combination Mine, Nevada 437 440 449 Chamber in 1,250-Foot Stope, Elkhorn Mine, Montana Square-Sets, Gold Coin Mine, Cripple Creek, Colorado Ten-Inch Square-Set at Durant Mine, Aspen, Colorado facing 452 455 457 460 Patio Mills at Pachuca, Mexico Surface Plant and Dumps, Portland Mine, Cripple Creek, Colorado. Repts. and Bulls., U. S. G. S. - Reports and Bulletins, United States Geological Survey. T. A. I. M. E. Transactions American Institute Mining Engineers. Am. Jour. Min. American Journal of Mining. Inst. Min. and Met. Institution of Mining and Metallurgy. Coll. Eng. and Metal Miner. -Colliery Engineer and Metal Miner. Fed. Inst. Min. Engrs. - Federated Institute Mining Engineers. Trans. Inst. Min. Engrs.- Transactions Institution of Mining Engineers (London). Trans. Lake Sup. Inst. Min. Engrs. Institute Mining Engineers. Transactions Lake Superior Trans. Wis. Acad. Sci. Arts and Letters.- Transactions Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts and Letters. Jour. Can. Min. Inst. Journal Canadian Mining Institute. GOLD AND SILVER. CHAPTER I. PRECIOUS METAL MINING. A FACTOR IN THE INDUSTRIAL GROWTH OF THE UNITED STATES. PRECIOUS metal mining in North America had its beginnings in the southern portions of the vast area extending from the Tropics to the frozen fastnesses of the Frigid Zone. These beginnings, though small, rapidly grew to great importance, and were directly responsible for the colonization and development of the territory farther north. The subsequent history of the territory lying now within the borders of the United States, is but an account of a series of brilliant advances in the development of the resources of the country, and among the factors which have contributed in large part to the advancement made none stands out more prominently than does the mining industry. Although this work has to do with precious metal mining only, yet we may be pardoned if, in this connection, occasional reference is made to the mining industry as a whole. Civilization. In the deliberations of our government concerning the purchase or annexation of new territory the fact that it contained valuable mineral deposits was always a potent factor in hastening or closing the negotiations. This was the case in regard to the Louisiana Purchase and particularly so with regard to the annexation of California. And, in fact, so well understood is the principle of internal wealth, especially in the form of mineral resources, that all nations seek to acquire territory rich in mines of metals and fossil fuels. Further, no nation has made material advance in civilization without such mines, while by some authorities this claim has been narrowed down to include mines of the precious metals only. Reference may be made to Persia, Egypt, Greece and Italy, all of which prospered in proportion as they owned or controlled the products of gold and silver mines. With regard to Greece, |