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thousand dollars ; and still another in the County of Nevada, (Laird's Hill) the 

 expense of opening was nearly forty thousand dollars, while the receipts from the 

 latter in June last, had reached the sutn of one hundred and fifty thousand the 

 resources of either are as yet in any thing but an exhausted condition The 

 above are mentioned only for the purpose of conveying a better idea of the ex 

 penses and profits of what is denominated deep mining, in this State, and the 

 localities named form but a small proportion to the aggregate of similar 

 workings. 



In the counties of Nevada, Sierra, Placer, El Dorado, Amador and Calaveras, 

 there are scores of adits and other workings of smaller dimensions, which have 

 already cost sums varying in amount from ten thousand dollars upward to the 

 figures given above, and from which proportional profits have been derived. The 

 mining districts abound with evidences of wealth like those above, and they possess 

 equally as strong evidences ot permanency of chatacter, and it would be no difficult 

 matter for the incredulous to banish his incredulity, if he will but take the trouble 

 to investigate the facts which nature and individual enterprize have placed before 

 him. 



An idea of the necessary expenses that must be incurred in conducting these 

 branches of placer mining, can be obtained only by an examination of the adits 

 which have been driven in prosecuting these labors. There are but few which are 

 less than three hundred feet in length, and many that range from ten to twelve 

 hundred feet, and of a size sufficient to use a horse within for the purpose of de 

 livering the earth to be washed at the sluice or the attle to the end of the tram- 

 road. These adits are driven in some cases hundreds of feet through solid rocks, 

 and when- thus conducted they often penetrate the very centre of a mountain, 

 or as in the case of the high ridge south of Placervilb, they have not only reached 

 the center, but have passed entirely through the ridge. 



In other parts of the State, the heavier placer operations are conducted in a 

 different manner. In place of the adit, a broad ditch is carried through the 

 hill, and the entire hills removed to their base by hydraulic washings. This 

 system of working, as conducted in this State at present, will compare very 

 favorably in magnitude with any system of mining operations of the Atlantic 

 States, or even in many parts of the older continent, and from the success which 

 has thus far attended it, it bids fair to advance much beyond the limits to which 

 it is now confined. Five years have elapsed since the mines of this State were 

 worked to any considerable extent. The area that is now known to contain 

 valuable deposits of gold, is believed to be at least six times greater than that 

 which was developed during the years of 1848 and 1849, while the number of 

 miners actually engaged in the extraction of gold is less than those of 1852, yet 

 the export of the year last past exceeds by nine millions the total exports of 

 the former year. Under these circumstances, it is rather a forced conclusion 

 to arrive at, that the mines of the State are in any way likely to recede from 

 their former productions ; and we would suggest to our friends abroad, that it 

 is time they had divested themselves of the idea too long prevalent, that our 

 placers will soon become exhausted, or that the workings consist in mere surface 

 scratching, without depth or probable continuance. We have* evidences that 

 should prove satisfactory to reasonable beings, that they are something more 

 than an ephemeral show, as all known facts in this State are opposed to that 

 position, and they are abundant for two hundred miles of the length of the 

 eastern mountain chain. 



In order to convey a better idea of the mining districts they will be divided 

 into three distinct ranges, denominated the Upper or Eastern Range, the Mid 

 dle Placers, and the, Valley Mines. This has now become necessary from the 

 fact that the characteristics of these districts are as distinctly marked as are the 



