List of mining claims in Cerro Gordo mining district, Inyo County, California, on the 1st day of July, 1869, reported by W. S. Watson. Value per Remarks.-These mines are only a portion of the seven hundred locations made in this district, many of which are, no doubt, as good as the best in this list. The Freiberg is producing from twenty to sixty tons per day, and could be made to produce two hundred tons. The Ignacio is producing about fifty-five tons per day. Fifteen tons would be an average for the rest, with ten hands. There are many other "live claims," but for want of room I omit them. In fact, nearly, if not all, of the seven hundred locations may be classed "live claims," but for the want of means it is impossible to work any more than to keep up the locations as prescribed by the laws of the district. There are claims enough opened that would pay and furnish profitable employment for eight hundred to one thousand men for ten years, without sinking below the present level of the tunnels. List of mills in Cerro Gordo mining district, Inyo County, on July 1, 1869, reported by W. S. Watson. Remarks. Mills have not been a success in this district. The ores are more adapted for smelting process, and galena being so plentiful no flux is needed. Cost of mill. Crushing capacity per day, ton.s Amount wood consumed per day, cords. Cost of treat ment, per ton. Estimate of costs of mining and reducing ores in Cerro Gordo district, Inyo County, California, reported by W. S. Watson, July 1, 1869. Population of district: Fifteen hundred.. Cost of mining timber: Forty dollars per thousand. Cost of common powder: Eight dollars for twenty-five pounds. Cost of giant powder: One dollar and fifty cents per pound. Cost of quicksilver: None used. Cost of freight from San Francisco: One hundred and forty dollars per ton. Cost of fuel: Six dollars per cord. Cost of ten-stamp mill, California pattern, including freight, erection, &c.: Twenty thousand dollars. Cost of twenty-stamp mill, freight, erection, &c.: Forty thousand dollars. Minimum mining cost per ton of ore: One dollar. Mines from which this is reported: Freiberg, Queen City, Ignacio, Sacramento. Character of rock at those inines: Sulphurets, carbonates of lead, and argentiferous galena. Depth of mine: Worked from tunnels. Maximum mining cost per ton: Five dollars. Mines from which this is reported: San Benito, Belmont, St. Lucas. Character of rock, &c.: Sulphurets, carbonates, tungstate of lead, and argentiferous galena. Depth of mine: worked from tunnels. Character of process employed: Smelting. Average mining cost, per ton: Two dollars and fifty cents. Average smelting cost, per ton: Ten dollars. Average pulp-assay of ore: Two hundred dollars per ton. Average yield of ore: One hundred and fifty dollars per ton. Remarks. This district has been very imperfectly prospected, principally by Mexieaus, until this summer, when others commenced. List of mills in Cerro Gordo mining district, Inyo County, California, on July 1, 1869, reported by M. W. Belshaw. There are three or four other small furnaces of one to two tons capacity. Exhibit of producing mines in Cerro Gordo mining district, Inyo County, California, on July 1, 1869, reported by M. W. Belshaw. ment, per ton. $20 to $25. $30 to $35, including freight. CHAPTER III. MARIPOSA COUNT Y. The principal operations carried on in this county have been those of the Mariposa company, and the Oaks and Reese mine, both of which were mentioned in my last report. Concerning the former, numerous official reports have been published during the year, the company having adopted the praiseworthy policy of advertising its stockholders and the public of the progress of its operations more frequently than by annual reports. The mines worked have been the Josephine, Pine Tree, and Mariposa. Mr. F. Goodsell, the company's engineer, reports under date of September 1, 1869: The amount of dead-work done at the Mariposa mine has exposed a large quantity of ore, and there is sufficient breadth of ore-ground uncovered in the various shafts, drifts, and wings to furnish a supply for a considerable time. About four hundred tons are already mined, and with the present number of miners we can prosecute the necessary dead-work, and furnish daily all the ore the mill can pulverize. The ore now being taken out is rich, showing free coarse gold throughout. The limited number of miners engaged in the Josephine mine are making good progress, although working at many different points. Stoping in the rich shoot of ore recently opened east of the main shaft, and driving the level underneath, progresses rather slowly, owing to the great breadth of vein. Altogether, the mine is looking well, and in condition to furnish steadily a large quantity of ore. Most of the ore recently stoped in this mine is stored in the west shaft for further use; the Pine Tree mine at present furnishing a large portion of the ore that is sent to the mills. This mine is looking splendidly. The large number of men now employed has greatly improved its appearance. The extension of the engine drift eastward has disclosed the well-known "Garden shoot," so rich in the apper levels. The "big stope" west of the main shaft is looking better than ever, and never since work was resumed has the mine generally been so promising. There is now open and proved over nine hundred feet horizontal length of ore-bearing ground. With the present force of miners there is being sent to the mill thirty tons of ore daily, and at the same time carrying forward a fair amount of dead-work. A few tons of ore have been sent for testing to the Benton mills, from the shaft of the "Green's Gulch " mine, where there is a large quantity of ore standing in sight. Ore from this source is not required at present, as we have, according to estimates Tons. 1,800 300 400 100 2,600 The following may be assumed as a low estimate of the quantities to depend upon, being mostly uncovered: Mariposa mine Josephine mine Pine Tree mine.. Aggregate... Tons. 2,500 3,500 15,000 21,000 This estimate does not include ores that extend beyond points that have been tested by the lowest drifts and the various shafts and winzes. The value of these ores can only be determined by further working. * See diagrams of Josephine and Pine Tree in my last report. The process of dry-crushing and amalgamation with Ryerson's appa ratus, described in my last report, has been rejected, after trial upon a large scale. The machinery gave favorable results at the Little Bear Valley mill, where I saw it in operation in 1868; but it has been found in many respects unsuited to extensive operations. It was always acknowledged to be more expensive than the ordinary California process. The necessity of dry-crushing, to begin with, was a great economical disadvantage. In spite of the claims of numerous inventors, I have yet to see a dry-crushing apparatus that will accomplish as much with the same power as a good stamp-battery, crushing wet. The items of repairs, danger from fire, and noxious effects of quicksilver fumes, which could not be calculated from working results in a small mill, have been found extremely serious in larger operations, and constitute a considerable addition to the acknowledged costs of the Ryerson process. It should be pointed out that many of the drawbacks to that process are of such a character that they are not ameliorated by a decrease in the cost of labor; while, on the other hand, the ordinary stamp-mill process is, by this cause and by constant improvement in machinery, grow ing steadily both cheaper and more effective. Its principal deficiency, the loss of sulphurets, is not remedied by the Ryerson method; and the subsequent treatment of this material by concentration and chlorinanation, pan-amalgamation, or otherwise, is as easy in one case as in the other. The experience of the Oaks and Reese mine, in the immediate neighborhood of the Mariposa estate, where improved wet amalgamation is very successfully used, led to a comparative test in November last, at the Benton mills, between the wet and dry methods, the consequence of which, I am informed, was the rejection of the latter. The production of bullion during 1869 was considerably hindered by these experiments and by the necessary dead-work, and did not, so far as I can learn, exceed $100,000. The company began the year 1870 under better auspices, and is now reported to be producing about $1,000 per day, with constructions in progress that will largely increase the capacity of the mills, which is still inadequate to the production of the mines. More exact statements will be made in the company's annual report in March, 1870. The Oaks and Reese mine, under the skillful management of Mr. Cassell, has continued to produce bullion, at the rate as reported, of $30,000 monthly, throughout the year. I have no reports of other important operations in the county. CHAPTER IV. TUOLUMNE COUNTY. Mining has not been very flourishing in this county during the last year. The following letter from W. G. Heslep furnishes such general remarks, as will permit a clear insight into the circumstances surrounding mining in the county at present: JAMESTOWN, August 25, 1869. DEAR SIR: In filling up your blank schedules I have aimed to give a true estimate of the facts wished for in the schedules. They may not be strictly correct in every particular, but sufficiently so for all practical purposes. The mining interest in this county at present is somewhat depressed, owing to various causes; many of the owners are men without capital and are dependent entirely upon the yield of the mines to meet |