extensive deposit of this ore, which is easily mined and can be delivered to the mill at mere nominal cost.

Quartz Mountain district.—The Heslep mine, owned by the Quartz Mountain Gold Mining Company, is still in active operation, and is one of the oldest locations in this vicinity. It has a 20-stamp mill, running on low-grade ore with satisfactory results. The company are sinking a new shaft near the north end of the mine to connect with the old 400foot level. This will facilitate the development of the mine and also reduce the working expenses.

On the App mine work has been renewed near the north end, opening up on a fine pay chute of ore. A 5-stamp mill has been erected, which is in successful operation. In this vicinity are located the Sweny, Dutch, Knox and Boyle, Gray Eagle, Miller and Holmes, and Golden Rule quartz mines, none of which are working to any extent; the Knox and Boyle quartz mill is, however, running at intervals on custom rock. Besides the above, quite a number of pocket mines are worked with varied results; among them are the Bogan and the O'Donnell locations.

Jacksonville district.-The Clio, Kelley, and Willetta quartzmines are in this district.

The Clio and Kelley have been idle for a number of years. The Willetta has been in active operation during the past year. Near the mine, on Kanaka Creek, it has in successful operation a 10 stamp mill, run by hydraulic power, with 250 feet pressure applied to a 4-foot knight wheel. The ore is low grade, but found in large deposits easily obtained, and is delivered at the mill at nominal cost.

There are pocket mines in this vicinity which are reported to be paying exceedingly well, especially the Whetto and the Sanders.

Big Oak Flat district.- None of the mines in this district are being worked to any considerable extent. On Indian Creek, in the neighborhood of Groveland, Mr. Ch. L. Lang, during the last year, opened up a new location, which has encouraging indications.

Sonora district.-In the Bonanza or Divoll a tunnel is in course of construction which is intended to open up the mine below the level of the present workings.

The Big Nugget mine, adjoining the Bonanza on the southeast, is being prospected.

The Stockton Mining Company have several claims worked, it is said, with satisfactory results.

There are also a number of pocket mines worked in a small way, some of which are said to have yielded quite a large amount of gold during the past summer. The principal among them is the Garrett mine, at Brown Flat.

Columbia mining district.—On the north slope of the mountain, above the left bank of the South Fork of the Stanislaus River, are located the Golden Era, the Hope mine, and the Rifle quartz, all of which have been worked during the past summer with satisfactory results.

The Oakland Mining Company have several locatious near the top of the ridge south of the Rifle, principal among which is the Auburn. A deep shaft is being sunk for the purpose of thoroughly developing this property. A 5-stamp mill, run by water power, has been erected on the ground and is conducted with good results. The present indications are favorable.

The old Tuolumne quartz mine is located on Wet Gulch, about 1 mile west of the Rifle and Oakland Company's mines. During the past

year the company have erected hoisting works and have pumps in place, with the intention of fully developing this mine.

The Keltz quartz mine lies several miles east of the Rifle. During the past year the company have been working a few hands prospecting the lower levels.

Among the pocket mines which have been worked with more or less success may be mentioned the McKenny and Hasting mine, at Yankee Hill, and the McPherson and Helton, and Hudson and Stucker, at Saw Mill Flat.

American Camp district. The principal locations are the Tiger, Star, Argentum, Sonnet, and Riverside, all of which are at present idle. Confidence mining district.-The Lamphear is still in active operation and being extensively developed, with good prospects.

The Green mine, which was paying remarkably well a year ago, is at present closed down; also the old Confidence and the Independent mine.

Soulsby mining district.-The old Soulsby mine is reported to have lately struck very rich ore in the lower levels, which now reach a depth of 800 feet. Their 10-stamp mill is in successful operation.

The Platt, located a short distance south of the Soulsby, has been idle for a number of years. Work was resumed during the past year and the hoisting works repaired.

The Johnson and Bradbury, Independent, Churchill, Gilson, and Whitto mines, located in this vicinity, are closed.

Summerville district.-The Dead Horse quartz mine, located about onehalf mile southeast of the village of Summerville, is in active operation. The claim is 1,500 feet by 600. The ore is said to be of quite high grade and is being worked at custom mills.

The Seminole quartz mine, located a short distance south of the Dead Horse mine, is a claim 1,500 feet along the lode by 600 feet in width. In the development of this mine a shaft has been sunk to a depth of 70 feet. The vein is shown lying between well-defined walls of slate, with dip of about 70° to the east; average width of vein 3 feet. The ore is honeycomb quartz, partially decomposed, and said to give a good yield in free gold. A tunnel is in course of construction which will strike the line of the main shaft at a distance of 200 feet, 80 feet of which is now completed.

The Buchanan is the only quartz mine in this vicinity in active opera. tion; the main shaft now reaches a depth of about 400 feet. It is reported that the company have opened up a very rich chute of ore. The old Hoyle and Daegner is a promising mine at Sugar Pine. The ore shows free gold and contains a heavy percentage of high-grade sulphurets. Last spring Mr. Teeters cleaned out the old workings and opened up the ledge. He was fortunate enough to strike a 10-inch vein of quartz, of which the above described is, he says, a fair average sample. The ledge between the walls is about 5 feet in width, but much of it is horse matter. There is a tunnel 200 feet in length on the vein, which makes the mine very convenient. There is plenty of cheaply utilized water-power close at hand and any quantity of fuel all around to be had for the cutting.

Placer-mining is still on the wane. A few persons are working in the old placer diggings, and those meet with indifferent success. The Chinese have worked some portions of the channels of the Stanislaus aud Tuolumne Rivers during the past season and are reported to have made fair wages. This production was probably equal to the yield of 1883.

Near Reynolds' Ferry, on the Stanislaus River, a company is engaged in constructing a tunnel through a narrow neck of a low ridge not exceeding 1,000 feet in length. The river here forms a horseshoe some 2 miles round It is proposed to turn the entire water of the river through this tunnel during the summer season. This will drain the river-bed the entire distance of at least 2 miles, and then the mine can be worked to advantage.

YUBA COUNTY.

R. L. Dunn, of Auburn, writes of this county:

Mining is of little importance, the annual yield having been rapidly diminishing since the large hydraulic mines were closed by injunction of the courts. Most of the mining is now confined to Chinese, who work over the old tailings of the early placer mining.

At Smartsville no work has been done during the year, the gravels not being rich enough to be worked by drifting.

At Brownsville the mines have all been enjoined and shut down. Several rich claims, very easily worked, have become worthless. At this point the annual production has been lessened by $40,000, and 50 men and their families are deprived of their usual means of support. The Beehive quartz mine has not been worked during 1884.

At Strawberry Valley and the North Fork of the Yuba River and Slate Creek some mining has been done by Chinese, who have taken out in the aggregate between $10,000 and $15,000, as near as can be ascertained.

Bullard's Bar and Oregon City are practically abandoned, the entire yield for both localities for 1884 not exceeding $20,000.

At Camptonville the Weed's Point mine was hydraulicked, paying as usual and employing 6 men. It has been enjoined and will not be operated in 1885.

The Willow Creek tailing claim was not worked during the year.

A number of small companies and about 30 Chinese have been working small claims and making fair wages.

The total production of this district, Chinese included, for 1884, is about $25,000.

Brown's Valley and Hansonville make no returns, the quartz mines not having been worked.

At Wheatland, the center of the agricultural portion of the county, one new discovery has been reported. In sinking a well some rich placer dirt was found, several pans of which yielded enough gold to pay for sinking the well. From these indications it is supposed that a large body of auriferous gravel will be found which will pay for working.

Estimate of Mr. A. M. Lawver of the bullion production in California during the year 1884, classified by counties.

CHAPTER IV.

COLORADO.

From the most reliable information which I have been able to obtain, consisting of reports from mine-owners, statements furnished by smelters and ore-buyers, express and railroad shipments, and other reliable sources I have estimated the yield of the mines of Colorado during the year to have been Gold, $4,300,000; silver, $16,000,000; total, $20,300,000. This shows an increase in the production of gold, occasioned principally by new discoveries in Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties, and would indicate that the falling off in the silver yield is being in part compensated by new discoveries of gold, and establishes for Colorado in the future, at least its present rank as second only to California among the gold producers of the United States.

The gold belts of this State are said to be of large extent, and both lode and placer claims exhibit great richness. These deposits seem to lie on either side of the continental divide and in the spurs and basins along its course. Beginning in Rio Grande County, they follow the Pacific slope through Gunnison, Pitkin, Eagle, and Summit Counties, while to the east, in Boulder, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Park, and Lake, even into Chaffee County, small veins present themselves. Indeed, there is not a county in the State in which mineral deposits have been found where gold does not exist; but as the deposits of silver and lead have been so much larger and more accessible, mining has been principally confined to the latter metals and less attention has been given to a thorough exploration of the gold field.

That the production of silver fell off considerably during the last year, not only in the value of the product but also in the quantity produced, is evident from the reports of the shipments by the smelters of Lake County. I have estimated the reduction to have been over $1,000,000 in value.

Mr. Valentine reports the value of the ores and base bullion carried from Colorado during the year to have been $12,780,000, against $17,533,864 in 1883, and the total value of Colorado's product, including, of course, the value of lead, at $20,233,749, against $24,310,000 in 1883.

The ore shipments from the Leadville smelters fell off from 3,276,534 ounces of silver in 1883 to 1,358,047 ounces in 1884, while the bullion shipments increased from 5,313,638 ounecs of silver in 1883 to 5,720,904 ounces in 1884. These facts indicate a large decline in the silver production.

The "Leadville Herald" estimates the mineral output of the State for 1884 to have been $20,750,000. The "Denver Tribune" makes about the same estimate. The reasons for this reduced yield of silver are appar ent. In the first place, the mining season was much shorter last year than usual, owing to the unusual heavy falls of snow, followed by fresh