Doc. No. 9.] 77 



Abundant examples of this character are to be met with throughout 

 our mountains, and with such evidence before us, the character of these 

 metallic veins for permanency must be placed beyond suspicion or 

 doubt, and our testimony on this point extends much beyond any that 

 has, as yet, been adduced. In the County of Calaveras, an extensive 

 dike, two miles in length, has been laid open in such a manner that a 

 vertical depth of eight hundred feet -of the vein is now, exposed to view. 



The dike cuts through two ridges, which separate two streams of water, 

 and the companies located on these streams have sunk their shafts to the 

 depth of over one hundred feet, directly under the beds of the creeks, 

 and have driven their gallery s each way untill within a few feet of each 

 other : the vein in one shaft has a power of thirty-seven feet, but in no 

 point 011 the "sett" is it less than five, in each of the five mines located on 

 this vein, the power of the "sett" has uniformly increased the deeper 

 they have descended. In this case we have a thorough examination of 

 one, at least, of our metallic veins, which will compare with some of the 

 operations in other countries, and we may deduce some safe conclusions 

 respecting their probable stability, if depth below the surface becomes 

 an essential requisite to establiso that point. 



The rocks through which these veins pass are principally of the 

 talcose series, with greenstone, hornblende schists, and syenite, in the 

 immediate vicinity ; the dikes have cut through all of them in succession 

 without having suffered any deflection from that parallelism which must 

 have ensued, if any of the rocks with which they are found in contact, 

 had an age posterior to the dikes themselves. This district is particu 

 larly noticed in connection with this part of our subject, for the purpose 

 of exhibiting the stronger probability of permanency in the quartz veins 

 of ihis country, for the reason that if disturbance in their position is 

 likely to ensue in any part of this State, it would be likely to occur in 

 these sections, as the effects of recent volcanic action is more prominent 

 throughout the southern portions of the mining districts than any other 

 part of the west flank of the Sierra Nevada. 



From what testimony we have in our possession relative to these veins, 

 it seems but reasonable to conclude that their integrity is perfect, or as 

 nearly so as can be reasonably expected considering the short period 

 which has been employed in developing their true character, and that 

 the confidence which they formerly possessed was well grounded ; all 

 subsequent examinations have only tended to confirm this belief in the 

 minds of those who have carefully and diligently studied this subject. 

 The present condition of our gold mines, their flourishing state and 

 prospective value, based on facts as now developed, most clearly indicate 

 their importance, as an industrial pursuit and one destined ere long to 

 form one of the leading interests in the economy of the State ; and as 

 such it would seem that all prudent measures to develop farther their 

 extent and value, and place them upon that footing before the world 

 which that value and importance demands should be used, either through 

 the State or General (rovernment, and through them promote such 

 measures as will prove an inducement to more extensive and permanent 

 operations than has yet been done. 



In concluding this part of the report, and in connection with the mag 

 nitude and importance of perhaps a somewhat exciting principle in 



