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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, January 29,

Resolved, That there be printed for the use of the Treasury Department one thousand copies of the of J. Ross Browne upon the Mineral Resources of the States and Territories west of the Rocky mount

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 12,

Resolved, That ten thousand copies of the Report of J. Ross Browne on the Mineral Resources, addition to those already ordered, be printed for the use of the members of this House; and that a copy rules prepared at the General Land Office to aid in the disposal of the mineral lands, under law, ap February 26, 1866, for that purpose, be added to each copy of such report; and that one thousand copie same be printed for the use of the Treasury Department.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 25,

Resolved, That the same number of copies of the "Letter of the Secretary of the Treasury of Fe 13, 1867, with the Report of the Special Commissioner for the Collection of Mining Statistics east of the mountains," be ordered to be printed as were of the "Report of J. Ross Browne on the Mineral Reso &c.; and that the same be bound together for the use of the House. Attest:

EDW'D MCPHERSON.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, February 6,

Resolved, That ten thousand copies of the Report of J. Ross Browne to the Treasury Departmen Statistics of Mines and Mining be printed and bound for the use of the Senate, with a title-page and in

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, February 27

Resolved, That ten thousand copies of the letter of the Secretary of the Treasury of February th eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, transmitting to the House of Representatives a Report by James W upon Gold and Silver Mines and Mining east of the Rocky mountains, be printed for the use of the and that one thousand of said extra copies be placed at the disposal of the Secretary of the Treasury Attest: J. W. FORNEY, Sec

LETTER

FROM

E SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY,

TRANSMITTING

upon the mineral resources of the States and Territories west of the Rocky Mountains.

8, 1867.-Referred to the Committee on Mines and Mining and ordered to be

printed.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, January 8, 1867. I have the honor to transmit a preliminary report upon the mineral reof the States and Territories west of the Rocky mountains by Mr. J. owne, who was appointed special commissioner under a provision of the iation act of July 28, 1866, authorizing the collection by the Secretary 'reasury of "reliable statistical information concerning the gold and siles of the western States and Territories."

troductory communication from Mr. Browne is also enclosed, which will the scope of the report, with some suggestions in regard to the future ion of the inquiry into the situation and prospects of gold and silver in the United States.

commissioner has evidently availed himself of the best experience of the California, especially in the department of geological and mineralogical tion; and the present compilation of its results cannot fail to be a welntribution to the public information.

ngress shall make the necessary appropriation for this object, it is the of the Secretary to secure a similar body of scientific and statistical inon in regard to the mining districts of New Mexico, Colorado, and MonA report upon the production of gold and silver in those Territories, and Vermillion and Alleghany districts of the United States, by Mr. James lor, will be forwarded from this department to the House of Representaan early day.

I am, very truly, your obedient servant,

SCHUYLER COLFAX,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

H. McCULLOCH,
Secretary of the Treasury.

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LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, August 2, 186 SIR: In entering upon your duties as special commissioner to collect mi statistics in the States and Territories west of the Rocky mountains, it is portant that you should clearly understand the objects designed to be acc plished by this department and by Congress.

The absence of reliable statistics in any department of the government on subject of mines and mining in our new mineral regions, and the inconveni resulting from it, induced Congress at its last session to appropriate the su ten thousand dollars for the collection of information of all kinds tendir show the extent and character of our mineral resources in the far west.

The special points of inquiry to which your attention will necessaril directed are so varied, and embrace so large a scope of country, that it scarcely be practicable for you to report upon them in full by the next se of Congress.

I entertain the hope, however, that you will be enabled by that tin collect sufficient data to furnish, in the form of a preliminary report, the bas a plan of operations by which we can in future procure information of a detailed and comprehensive character.

The success of your visit to the mineral regions, in carrying out the ob contemplated, must depend in a great measure upon the judicious exerc your own judgment, and upon your long practical acquaintance with the try, your thorough experience of mining operations, and your knowledge o best and most economical means of procuring reliable information.

The department will not, therefore, undertake to give you detailed ins tions upon every point that may arise in the course of your investigations desires to impress upon you in general terms a few important consideration your guidance, leaving the rest to your own judgment and sense of duty.

1. All statistics should be obtained from such sources as can be relied Their value will depend upon their accuracy and authenticity. All state not based upon actual data should be free from prejudice or exaggeration. 2. In your preliminary report, a brief historical review of the origin of and silver mining on the Pacific coast would be interesting in connection statement of the present condition of the country, as tending to show th gress of settlement and civilization.

3. The geological formation of the great mineral belts and the general acteristics of the placer diggings and quartz ledges should be given in a c form.

4. The different systems of mining in operation since 1848, showin machinery used, the various processes of reducing the ores, the percent waste, and the net profits,

5. The population engaged in mining, exclusively and in part; the and labor employed; the value of improvements; the number of mil steam-engines in operation; the yield of the mines worked; the aver dividends and average of losses, in all the operations of mining.

6. The proportion of agricultural and mineral lands in each distric quantity of wood land; facilities for obtaining fuel; number and extent of s and water privileges.

7. Salt beds, deposits of soda and borax, and all other valuable deposits.

.

8. The altitude, character of the climate, mode and cost of living; all kinds of material; cost of labor, &c.

9. The population of the various mining towns; the number of ban banking institutions in them; the modes of assaying, melting, and bullion: the charges upon the game for transportation and inanuanao

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