182 TRANSACTIONS OP THE 



Leaving Virginia and Gold Hill, with their numerous mills and won- 

 derful mines, surrounded by an extensive country full of metalliferous 

 leads, and passing to Esmeralda, the locality of the second important 

 discovery east of the mountains, we find here also a cluster of districts 

 permeated with quartz leads bearing both gold and silver, and in about 

 equal proportions. In some of those districts, especially the original 

 Esmeralda, these ledges are very numerous — in fact, so much, so as to 

 form in places a perfect network, leading to much uncertainty and con- 

 tention, and consequent litigation. In this district there are some eight 

 or ten mills, the first having been erected in the summer of eighteen 

 hundred and sixty-one, and the others along at intervals since— the last 

 and largest, that of the Seal Del Monte Company, having just been 

 completed. It is one of the most extensive and perfect in the Territory, 

 and is said to have cost two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. In the 

 outside districts are several mills of less capacity, making the entire 

 number in the Esmeralda region at least a dozen, yet the amount of bul- 

 lion coming from that quarter has not been large. Of late it is on the 

 increase, and it is thought by those most conversant with the subject 

 that for the future the increment will be large and constant. To account 

 for the meagre returns from these mines, it is said the mills have here- 

 tofore been unable to successfully treat the ores, some failing from want 

 of mechanical capacity, and others from lack of metallurgical skill — 

 difficulties and deficiencies that, it is claimed, have now been, in good 

 measure, overcome or supplied. Another obstacle, at least with some of 

 the mills, has been a lack of water — a trouble that threatens always to 

 be a serious drawback to the prosperity of that whole region. A pro- 

 ject is reported to be on foot for bringing in a supply adequate for pres- 

 ent wants. Should this be accomplished, it would no doubt speedily tell 

 on the bullion product, and tend to a much more rapid development of 

 the mines. In the vicinity of Aurora, the chief town in that quarter, 

 and locality of most of the mills, there is plenty of excellent fuel for 

 generating steam ; only water is wanted to insure any amount of motive 

 poAver demanded by the requirements of the mines. In most of the 

 other districts there is less fuel — in some of them none at all, though in 

 several of these there is quite an extensive water power furnished by 

 the East Eork of Walker Eiver and its tributaries. 



In the Humboldt region, the same drawbacks and embarrassments 

 have been encountered as at Esmeralda, only perhaps in an aggravated 

 form. Here, in addition to a most rebellious class of ores, has been 

 superadded a very scant supply of water, and an almost entire destitu- 

 tion of timber. While, as at Esmeralda, there are here no trees in the 

 vicinity suitable for lumber, there is, moreover, very little wood fit for 

 fuel. A few stunted cedars, all of which will be swept away in the 

 course of a few years, is the only growth — there not being within one 

 hundred miles of the Humboldt mines a tree large enough to make a 

 board or. any part of a house frame. That they have rich silver lodes, 

 however, and a great number of them in that country, is indisputable. 

 That the mills, of which there have been three or four small ones run- 

 ning by spells for the past two years, should have turned out such an 

 inconsiderable amount of bullion, is explained by the causes already 

 mentioned. Besides, Humboldt was somewhat later getting into the 

 field, and is less easily reached with freights than her southern rival. 

 That another year will tend to advance this district in public estimation, 

 and help to make good the claims put forth by its friends, we verily 

 believe. 



