71 



The line of the deposit has now been traced distinctly for a distance of one hun 

 dred and thirty-six miles, in an almost continuous line, and upon it are now 

 located many of the most valuable mining districts of the State, on which the 

 heavier investments of capital have been made for its successful workings. 

 From the nature of the ground and its location, being very remote from the 

 plains, and in many cases difficult of access from its elevation even above the 

 adjacent country, it necessarily has required a much greater outlay of capital to 

 develop its treasures than any of the districts lying to the west of it and im 

 proved as mining ground, and thus far has yielded a proportionably greater 

 amount of gold. 



So far as these districts have been opened, they have fully sustained the char 

 acter which they have heretofore acquired, and particularly noticed in the pre 

 ceding report, viz : that in no instance, up to the present time, has this placer failed 

 to reimburse the money expended in opening the ground, reaching the lead and 

 returning a handsome profit to the adventurer. This cannot be said of any other 

 range of placers in this State. 



Up to the month of November last, there had not been an abandoned claim 

 upon the range where the works had been conducted with the view of reaching 

 the lower lodes of the range, and no failure has occurred in striking the lode where 

 the adits have been driven at any sufficiently low point. 



From these facts alone, it will be seen that placer mining is not altogether a 

 game of chance when conducted with skill, well-directed and practical judgment, 

 and it teaches, also, another valuable lesson, which is, that segregated labor and 

 capital is not sufficient to cope with the heavier branches of placer mining, 

 neither is it as profitable in its results as when otherwise and judiciously directed. 

 This branch of industry in this State has taken that place at the present time, 

 which strictly entitles it to the appellation of a science, and he that would fully 

 appreciate it should witness it. Placer mining to California is what coal mining 

 is to Pennsylvania, and the great coal districts east of the Rocky Mountains, 

 and we are fast approximating that day when its subterranean operations will 

 equal, and in many instances exceed the latter. Should there be those who foster 

 doubt on this point, and doubtless there are many such abroad, I would respect 

 fully suggest to such a visit to the upper portions of the counties of Placer and 

 El Dorado, with those of Amador and Calaveras on the south, and those ^of 

 Nevada and Sierra on the north. In these counties they will find an ample 

 field of operations, on which they will find but little difficulty in forming an 

 opinion of the character and extent of the workings beneath the surface and 

 the means employed to consummate the end. They will find the engineer with 

 his levels as carefully adjusted and applied as though his survey was instituted 

 for the leveling of a rail track, and the necessities of accuracy in the selection 

 of the most feasible point to tap the heart of the mountain is equally as great 

 in the one case as in the other. 



The placer miner of the present day in this section of the State, estimates the 

 costs of the operation on which he is about to enter with all that care and attention 

 that would be bestowed upon any other enterprise where the sura of ten to thirty 

 thousand dollars is the sum to be invested, and where his interests are involved to 

 that extent. It is not uncommon to find amounts equal to the above, invested in 

 our larger operations now in progress of working, and a few instances among many, 

 may serve to illustrate the fact. I will mention but two or three in connection 

 with this part of our subject. 



The cost of opening the Mameluke Hill, near Georgetown, by the parties inter 

 ested, exceeded forty thousand dollars, while the receipts from the same during the 

 period of little more than one year, has exceeded five hundred thousand. 

 Another case is that of Jones's Hill, the opening of which has already risen above 

 thirty-four thousand dollars, the receipts being above two hundred and eighty-four 



