The Ore.-The silver occurs as native and as glance (argentite), possibly partly as chloride and in combinations with sulphur, cobalt, and arsenic. The associated minerals are cobalt bloom (erythrite), a hydrous cobalt arsenate, nickel arsenate (annabergite), carbonate and silicate of copper (chrysocolla), iron oxide, and black oxide of manganese in a gangue of baryta (heavy spar), with calcite (lime spar) and some quartz. A clay selvage usually separates the vein material from the wall, this feature being well developed in places on the foot wall side, as though open crevices had occurred and the finely divided material which was carried by the percolating waters had found a resting place when an open space was reached, the absence of any current permitting the material to settle.

The clay may have been derived in part from the decomposition of the overhanging wall, the fine silt settling by gravity on the foot wall side of the vein. In places a soft, clayey gouge constitutes the entire vein filling, suggesting that the clay selvage and gouge are also partly due to the attrition of the walls. Galena occurs sparingly in small disseminated crystals, but the occurrence is so infrequent as to be scarcely worth mentioning. In width the crevice varies from a thin seam to over 4 feet. A banded structure is not uncommon in the vein.

The rocks inclosing the vein differ in various parts of the mine. A much decomposed rock, containing iron in the form of carbonate, occurs frequently, while a chloritic, more or less schistose, sometimes massive,

rock, also plays an important part in this connection. The dike of dark basic rock, resembling diorite, previously referred to, is exposed at numerous places throughout the workings, often in contact with the vein, or close to it. Since its formation the Kelsey vein has been subjected to severe torsion, which has resulted in abrupt fracture and displacement. To me it seemed very probable that the vein was the result of chemical precipitation, and no doubt, to some extent, the replacement of country rock along the line of a fissure or fault plane; that subsequent to the filling in of the vein the region was subjected to further violent disturbances, which fractured the rocks along an east and west course, and causing the turning of a large mass of rock formation lying south of this fault to the west. The vein being included in the general movement, was deflected from its natural course north and south. I came to these conclusions from close observations taken along the surface of the ground on the course of the vein, and in all accessible underground workings.

Most of the ore extracted from these workings has been high grade, usually running over $200 per ton, small lots often assaying several thousand ounces. The property, at the time of my visit last spring, was under the management of Dr. Endlich, E.M. This gentleman was making every effort to systematically open and recover a vein that had been as systematically and outrageously gouged. The workings were in bad condition and at some points were positively dangerous. The mine was gradually assuming an improved appearance and promised to yield better returns than ever before. A good mill has been erected at the foot of the mountain, in the San Gabriel Cañon, where a large stream of water flows during the entire year. An office, boarding house, stables, corrals, etc., had been built for the accommodation of men and animals. In adddition to this I found a complete assay office and chemical laboratory, and here Dr. Endlich was experimenting with the rich cobalt and nickel ores. As a result of his labors in this direction he exhibited several bars of cobalt speiss containing a very high value in silver. The assorted ore contains from 7 to 15 per cent in cobalt, 2 to 3 per cent nickel, and from 1,000 to 1,400 ounces silver per ton.

Dr. Endlich thus describes his methods: "The ore is crushed through a twenty-mesh sieve, mixed with sufficient litharge to produce an 8 per cent charge, and enough borax is added to take up the gangue (quartz, heavy spar, carbonate of lime, magnesia, and iron). Carbonate of soda and flour are mixed with the charge. If the percentage of arsenic in the ore is sufficiently high to produce speiss none is added; otherwise some metallic arsenic is mixed in. Some sulphides in the ore and reduced sulphur from the heavy spar are utilized to produce mattes. The mixture is melted in large Dixon crucibles; the slag poured off, and the metallic product allowed to cool. The bars obtained are composed of lead, silver, cobalt, nickel, arsenic, and sulphur, principally; the lead being in the form of sulphide, the cobalt and nickel in the form of arsenides. The bars contained from 4,500 to 7,000 ounces silver per ton. The slag contained a trace of silver, and averaged about 0.75 per cent cobalt, which can be worked over by arsenizing, if desired, and the cobalt obtained in the resulting speiss."

At this writing about 560 pounds of ore has been treated in this way and the product shipped to Balbach's works in Newark, N. J., for refining.

THE VICTORIA MINES.

This property is situated but a short distance from the Kelsey Mine. The Victoria Mine was operated under English management for an English syndicate two or three years ago. Lately all operations have been suspended. The property, whatever it may be worth, is a monument to mismanagement of the worst sort.

THE LORDSBURG STAMPEDE.

In the month of March, 1892, the report went abroad that rich silver and gold-bearing rock had been found in the mountains north of Lordsburg, 28 miles east of the city of Los Angeles. So glowing were these stories that a general stampede for the new mining field ensued. Farmers left their homes, merchants and clerks in some instances temporarily closed their stores to join in the rush to Lordsburg. Unfortunately the stories proved to be unfounded, and, after three weeks of excitement, all had left the mines excepting a very few, who still had hopes of making a find.

CEDAR MINING DISTRICT.

Fifty-five miles by rail northeast from Los Angeles, on the line of the S. P. R. R., is the Cedar Mining District, the principal village being about the railway station called Acton. In the low hills about Acton, which rise out of the valley that skirts the northern base of the San Gabriel range of mountains, are located the gold mines which have been worked for many years by Mexicans and Americans.

THE RED ROVER.

This is the name of the principal mine in the district. It was located and worked many years since by Mexicans, but has during the past eight or ten years been in the hands of Americans. The vein strikes northwest and southeast, dipping to the southwest at an angle of 50° from the horizon. The rock is a white, fine-grained, saccharoidal quartz, showing in places bluish bands. It contains free gold in variable amount, with some iron sulphuret. A very large amount of quartz has been stoped from the vein and crushed in various mills.

The Red Rover is quite extensively developed, the new vertical shaft being down over 400 feet. The old inclined shaft, which is sunk on the vein, is down 220 feet. Several levels are run out from both these shafts, which are 200 feet apart. The new shaft was sunk between the main vein and a spur which branches from it. A crosscut was run out toward the spur, which is opened on the surface, but it was found it did not go down. A crosscut was then run toward the main vein, which was found intact, and a drift was carried in 60 feet on the vein.

The country rock is mostly massive metamorphic, very much broken and faulted. Nearly every mine in the district has been displaced more or less by these faults. For some reason the Red Rover has been shut down for some months past. It is understood that operations are to be

resumed.

THE NEW YORK MINE

Is situated within half a mile of the Red Rover, and is similar in character. The quartz is said to mill $10 to $25 per ton. The owner has a five-stamp mill, which is complete and does good work. The vein is from 1 to 3 feet in width. It has produced considerable bullion.

Other mines of the vicinity are the Topeka, Union, Escondido, King of the West, and Santa Clara, each of which has seen better days. The first three mentioned have been large producers, but are worked down. to the water line, and a base ore proposition now faces the owners in the form of iron pyrites.

IN THE MAIN RANGE.

Up in the main range of the San Gabriel Mountains, on the north slopes of this rugged chain, are located a number of veins, on which considerable work has been done. The veins are well defined, ranging from 1 to 4 feet in width, striking northwest and southeast, and dipping uniformly to the northeast at a high angle. All of these veins contain gold, but all quickly run into sulphurets. All the mines are idle at present, but something brighter is hoped for. The sulphurets are said to contain sufficient gold to make chlorination profitable. If this is actually the case there is an abundance of material to work upon.

LIPARITES AND TUFAS

In the region about Acton are many hills of liparite (quartz-bearing trachyte) and tufa, which are identical with the rhyolites of the Calico region-the same violet-brown, porphyritic liparite; the same pea-green and buff-colored tufas; the same conglomerate; in fact, an exact fac simile of the Calico range. There are no great beds of sedimentary rock, however, and these liparite hills are comparatively small, isolated masses. As far as my knowledge goes ores of silver have never been found in these rocks in the Acton district. Careful prospecting may possibly discover such ores.

PROSPECTS OF THE CAMP.

Owing to the fact that the gold mines of this district have been worked to the water line, almost without exception, what now remains to be done to perpetuate the prosperity of the district, is to concentrate the sulphurets, working them by chlorination in works built in the district. Wood and water are both obtainable at moderate cost, and the sulphuretted ores of this district that contain but a very few dollars per ton should pay. The cost of mining, transportation, crushing, and concentrating should not exceed, ordinarily, $5 per ton of quartz, and the expense of treating the concentrates should be under $10 per ton. Base ores containing $10 per ton as it comes from the vein should realize a profit in this district, and I am told that many of the mines produce rock of a much better grade than that mentioned.

THE ALPINE MINES.

Not far from Acton, in the low hills overlooking the Antelope Valley, are the mines of the Alpine Plaster and Cement Company, a Los Angeles corporation. Here a deposit of gypsum is being mined, the material being sent to Los Angeles, where it is manufactured into plaster of Paris. Fifteen tons of the raw material are consumed daily.

THE PLACER DEPOSITS.

Near Newhall the placer mines are worked more or less every season. There seems to be a large area over which gold is distributed in that section, but usually the pay is too small to make mining profitable. Various kinds of gold-saving machines have been used in the district, with varying success. The placer regions hereabouts, including Dry Cañon, La Cañon de Los Murtes, Casteca Cañon, and the San Francisquito, have all produced a large amount of gold, but to the individuals working these alluvial deposits great fortunes never came. The Newhall placers are being worked systematically and cheaply, and I am told with good results. Upon the flanks of Mount San Antonio, I am told miners obtained good results during the entire spring and early summer season of the present year. Coarse gold is found up there near the head of San Antonio Cañon, at an altitude of nearly 8,000 feet above the sea.

BUILDING MATERIAL.

There are a number of very good quarries of building stone in Los Angeles County. Granite is quarried all along the San Gabriel range, from the Cañadas to the San Antonio Cañon. The rock obtained is a beautiful stone of uniform grain and capable of withstanding a tremendous pressure. Sandstone is obtained in any desired quantity near San Dimas, on the line of the Southern California Railroad. In the San Fernando Valley, also, good sandstone is quarried.