STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 319 



have been large, yet the aggregate yield has been such as to show that 

 many have done well, and inspire high hopes of the future. From some 

 points in that quarter reports are very enconraging, and the probability 

 is that a considerable emigration will set that way both from California 

 and the cast in the early spring. There are many things, however, cal- 

 culated to deter any but the most resolute and hardy from seeking a 

 residence in either of those Territories. In these high latitudes, more 

 especially in the elevated portions of the country, the winters are long 

 and severe, the snow falling to a great depth, and the cold being intense. 

 Travel for five or six months in the year is not only difficult, but often 

 dangerous, wliile nearly all kinds of work u.na transportation have to be 

 suspended. Even in the summer it is an arduous business to bring in 

 supplies, owing to tlie mountainous character of the country, and the 

 long distance they have to be transported. As yet there are but few 

 wagon roads, compelling a resort to packing, and rendering the prices of 

 inland freights enormous. The diggings, it is admitted, are extremely 

 spotted, and often deep, the gold not generally lying near the surface as 

 in California. This makes prospecting tedious and difficult, and the 

 opening of claims, even when found, a laborious and expensive business. 

 Water is in most places scarce, man^^ of the mines being dependent on 

 ditches, and some so situated that they cannot be thus supplied; nor do 

 these complete the catalogue of evils incident to this northern country; 

 the tender fruits and crops of grain, between drought and frost, frequently 

 being cut off, and both the grain and grass, as well as vegetables, often fiill- 

 ing a prey to locusts and other devouring insects. The social and political 

 condition of the inhabitants is notoriously bad, life being insecure, and 

 property in some localities almost wholly without protection. Murder, 

 theft, and robbery, are things of common occurrence, the country being 

 overrun with outlaws and desperadoes gathered from both sides of the 

 continent. While, therefore, there is much to encourage the bold and 

 strong, and such as are capable of enduring severe toil and hardship to 

 undertake a journey to Washington, Idaho, or Montana, thei^e is every- 

 thing to deter those differently constituted or situated from encountering 

 so much prospective deprivation and peril. 



To the placer miners of California the past year has been one of 

 general success, the supply of Avater having been better than usual, and 

 the season every way favorable. There is no question but the aggregate 

 yield from this source has been larger the past than for several years 

 immediately preceding, though we have not the means of ascertaining 

 the exact amount taken out during this time. Besides the causes men- 

 tioned above, there have been others lately brought into operation tend- 

 ing to swell the product of this class of mines — such as larger numbers 

 engaging in them; the discovery of new diggings; the re-opening and 

 working over with greater care, or b}' improved appliances, of old ones; 

 j3enetraling further into the gravel deposits; larger crushings from the 

 cement beds, and a general enlarging of the area of the mines, coupled 

 with a more eflficient style of machinerj', greater economy, and more 

 careful manipulations of the auriferous earths. 



From one extremity of our gold fields to the other we hear at least 

 moderately good, accounts of the placer diggings, giving the impression 

 that average wages have rewarded those who have been engaged in it 

 the past year. Beginning on the south, wo find that little or nothing 

 has been done in Arizona in this line of mining for a considerable period, 

 owing in part to the danger on account of Indian hostilities attending 

 any attempt at carrying on work in the interior of that Territory, where 



