STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 185 



In Sierra, Plumas, and other counties in that part of the State, veins are 

 being worked for silver, and, as it is stated, with good prospects of final 

 success. During the past summer, a district was laid out and many 

 claims taken up on the eastern slope of the west summit of the Sierra 

 Nevada, in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe. Several hundred people repaired 

 to the spot, and up to a late period the business of opening the leads 

 was going on vigorously. In the Blue Mountain District, lying in Ama- 

 dor and Calaveras Counties, and partially on the summit and western 

 declivity of the Sierra, some extremely rich silver beai'ing lodes were 

 discovered during the past year, and though scarce anything concerning 

 them has found its way into the public prints, the proprietors entertain 

 a most exalted opinion of their merits. Following south through the 

 tier of counties along the western base of the Sierra Nevada, we find 

 there is scarcely one, from Calaveras to San Bernardino, but advances 

 some claim to be the repository of silver, and not in every instance 

 without good reason. In most of the southern coast counties, too, we 

 hear of explorations on foot, either for the discovery of new or the re- 

 opening of ancient mines. At various points in the Coast Range, in 

 Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties, 

 tunnels are being run and shafts put down in pursuit of silver ores, on 

 the strength of favorable assays obtained from float rock and croppings. 

 It is a historical fact that silver mines were wrought at Alisal, forty 

 miles east of Monterey, in eighteen hundred and six and eighteen hun- 

 dred and twelve, but discontinued about the latter period, the vein being 

 lost. About a year ago work was resumed near this spot, and, as is 

 supposed, upon the former lead. 



Passing over the Sierra into the extensive but barren and isolated 

 region of Owens River, we find mining enterprise actively engaged over 

 a large scope of country, embracing what is known as the White Moun- 

 tain, Inyo, Russ, Coso, Slate Range, Argus, and Telescope Districts. 

 Here are a number of mills, some of which were started over a year 

 ago, while others are just getting under way. Several of them are 

 reported to have lately made very successful runs, cleaning up a large 

 amount of amalgam, yielding, as a general thing, more gold than silver. 

 Owing to the Indian troubles, operations in that section have been greatly 

 interfered with during the past two years. These having been quieted, 

 a more prosperous state of affairs may be looked for, immigration having 

 already begun to flow in quite freely. On Owens River there is a con- 

 siderable tract of good land ; and here, too, wholesome water for domes- 

 tic purposes, with enough to drive a moderate amount of machinery, can 

 be had. In the Sierra, some twelve or fifteen miles west of the river, 

 timber is abundant; but throughout nearly every other part of this 

 region both wood, water, and grass are extremely scarce — obstacles that, 

 with its remote and isolated position, will go far to counteract the attrac- 

 tions afforded by its great mineral wealth, and tend much to retard its 

 development. 



On both the California and Arizona sides of the Colorado River, silver 

 lodes of manifest value are met with ; but owing to the great scarcity 

 of wood and water, and the general sterility of that entire country, the 

 facilities for reducing the ore are very limited, such only as will justify 

 transportation possessing for the present much value. In Utah Terri- 

 tory, silver bearing ledges, not unlike those found in the vicinity of Reese 

 River and other portions of Washoe, are quite numerous, and will no 



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