Chapter IX

DISCOVERY OF SILVER IN NEVADA, AND UNITED STATES GOLD AND SILVER
STATISTICS.

Separated from California by the snowy chain of the Sierra, the State of Nevada has been celebrated, since 1860, for its silver mining. In November, 1859, the news of the discovery of silver mines near Lake Washoe was confirmed at San Francisco; and in June, 1860, the mines of Washoe, the central western portion of the State, had already sent such rich results to Europe, that the French Ministers of Finance and Commerce despatched a mining engineer to Nevada to make a close inspection of these wonderful mines. It seemed as if the world were about to be inundated with silver, as it had been by gold ten years previously; and what would those economists now say, who had only recently counselled that the value of gold coin should be lowered or that gold should be demonetized on account of the disturbed relation of these precious metals--the bases of the standard of payment throughout the world generally. Whilst the French engineer visited Nevada and prepared his report, the miners of Washoe continued working their veins of metal. At the present time, 1881, the mines on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada annually produce about $12,500,000 of silver, chiefly from the Comstock lode; the total yield of gold from the quartz mines of California is about $17,000,000 per annum. The Comstock lode, in the State of Nevada, may be ranked among the most productive metalliferous deposits ever encountered in the history of mining enterprise; its productive capacity, as now being developed, surpassing, if the mass of its ores do not in richness equal, those of the most famous mines of Mexico and Peru.

The known limits of this lode cover a space of 22,546 feet in a nearly due north and south direction (magnetic). The variation of the needle in that locality is 16½ degrees east. Upon this extensive seat of metalliferous deposits, the mines are divided into three groups: the Virginia Group, seventeen mines, with claims of 13,549⅓ feet; Gold Hill Group, nine mines, of 6,397¼ feet; American Flat Group, three mines, of 2,600 feet. The three groups of twenty-nine mines thus occupy a total length on the lode of 22,546 feet. The Comstock lode was discovered in 1859, by a pit sunk for a water hole on the ground of the Ophir mine; milling the ore began in October of the same year, but the amount of bullion taken out in 1860 is estimated at but $100,000. Since then the Comstock has become the greatest gold and silver mine in the world. To the end of 1878 the yield was estimated at $291,162,205, as follows: From 1860 to 1870 inclusive, of gold and silver together, unclassified, $102,466,240; 1871 to 1878 inclusive, gold, $88,691,498, silver, $91,278,623; 1877 and 1878, gold and silver, unclassified, $1,725,844. Making allowance for the loss by slimes and tailings, the gross contents of the lode as worked up to 1878 are estimated at $363,961,205. About 6,500,000 tons of ore have been extracted in this time, which a good authority estimates of an average value to the company of $45 per ton of 2,000 pounds.[5]

ANNUAL PRODUCTION of GOLD and SILVER in the UNITED STATES from 1853 to 1880, inclusive.

[From the Reports of the Director of the Mint.]

-------+-------------------------+------------ | PRODUCTION. | YEAR. +------------+------------+ TOTAL. | Gold. | Silver. | -------+------------+------------+------------ | _Dollars._ | _Dollars._ | _Dollars._ 1853 | 65,000,000 | | 65,000,000 1854 | 60,000,000 | | 60,000,000 1855 | 55,000,000 | | 55,000,000 1856 | 55,000,000 | | 55,000,000 1857 | 55,000,000 | | 55,000,000 1858 | 50,000,000 | 500,000 | 50,500,000 1859 | 50,000,000 | 100,000 | 50,100,000 1860 | 46,000,000 | 150,000 | 46,150,000 1861 | 43,000,000 | 2,000,000 | 45,000,000 1862 | 39,200,000 | 4,500,000 | 43,700,000 1863 | 40,000,000 | 8,500,000 | 48,500,000 1864 | 46,100,000 | 11,000,000 | 57,100,000 1865 | 53,225,000 | 11,250,000 | 64,475,000 1866 | 53,500,000 | 10,000,000 | 63,500,000 1867 | 51,725,000 | 13,500,000 | 65,225,000 1868 | 48,000,000 | 12,000,000 | 60,000,000 1869 | 49,500,000 | 12,000,000 | 61,500,000 1870 | 50,000,000 | 16,000,000 | 66,000,000 1871 | 43,500,000 | 23,000,000 | 66,500,000 1872 | 36,000,000 | 28,750,000 | 64,750,000 1873 | 36,000,000 | 35,750,000 | 71,750,000 1874 | 40,000,000 | 32,000,000 | 72,000,000 1875 | 40,000,000 | 32,000,000 | 72,000,000 1876 | 46,750,000 | 38,500,000 | 85,250,000 1877 | 45,100,000 | 38,950,000 | 84,050,000 1878 | 50,000,000 | 49,000,000 | 99,000,000 1879 | 38,900,000 | 40,812,000 | 79,712,000 1880 | 36,000,000 | 37,700,000 | 73,700,000 -------+------------+------------+------------

The consumption of Gold and Silver in the Arts and Manufactures from 1874 to 1879, inclusive, in the United States, was estimated by the Director of the Mint, in 1879, as follows:

-------+------------+------------ YEAR. | Gold. | Silver. -------+------------+------------ 1874 | $4,578,328 | $4,406,560 1875 | 5,382,098 | 4,237,841 1876 | 4,153,184 | 3,812,018 1877 | 3,687,192 | 3,774,240 1878 | 5,078,701 | 5,210,152 1879 | 3,899,125 | 5,977,300 -------+------------+------------

INDEX.

PAGE

Acid or alum springs, 109

Agate, 20, 21
localities, 21
value, 20

Alleghenies, 14

Alum, 21
localities, 21, 22
springs, 109
value, 21

American Flat group, silver mines, 136

Amethyst, 22
false, how made, 117
localities, 22
value, 22

Anthracite, 22, 23
localities, 23
value, 23

Antimony ore, 23, 24
localities, 23
value, 23

Artesian Wells, 111, 112

Artificial gold, how made, 125
jewelry, how made and detected, 114-125

Asbestus, 24
localities, 24
value, 24

Asphaltum, 24, 25
localities, 25
value, 25

Assay of copper ore, 100-102
gold ore, 95-98
iron ore, 102
lead ore, 103, 104
ores, 92-104
silver ore, 99, 100
tin ore, 102, 103
zinc ore, 102

Atlantic coast, 14

Azurite, 25
localities, 25
smelting, 101
value, 25

Baryta, localities, 26
or heavy spar, 26
value, 26

Bidwell, John, 130-132

Bituminous coal, 27
localities, 27
region, 14

Blende, 27, 28
localities, 28
value, 28

Blowpipe, 17

Bog iron ore, 29
localities, 29
value, 29

Boring, 83

Brazil, diamonds in, 84

Bristol stones, 114

Brittle silver ore, 30
localities, 30
value, 30

Brown coal, 30
localities, 30
value, 30

Brown Hematite or Limonite, 56, 57

Calamine, 31
localities, 31
value, 31

California diamonds, 114
discovery of gold in, 127-133

Cannel coal, 31, 32
localities, 32
value, 32

Cape May diamonds, 114

Carbonated or gas spring, 106, 107

Carnelian, 32
false, how made, 117
localities, 32
value, 32

Celestine, 32, 33
localities, 33
value, 33

Cerussite, 33
and Galena, reduction of, 103
localities, 33
value, 33

Chalybeate or iron springs, 107, 108

Chromic iron, 34
localities, 34
value, 34

Cinabar, 34, 35
localities, 35
value, 35

Clear Creek, Cal., gold in, 132

Coal, anthracite, 22
bituminous, 27
brown, 30
cannel, 31, 32

Cobalt pyrites, 35
localities, 33
value, 35

Coloma, Cal., discovery of gold there, 127

Colorado silver lodes, 89

Colors, distinction of minerals by, 12

Comstock Lode, 135-137
gold and silver produced from, 136, 137

Connecticut river valley, 14

Copper, 36
glauce, 36
localities, 36
value, 36
gray copper ore, assaying, 101
localities, 36
nickel, 37
localities, 37
value, 37
ore, assay of, 100-102
gray, 51
red, 65
red, assaying, 101
variegated, 78
ores, test for silver, 99
testing, 100-102
silver in, 101
percentage of in ores, which will pay, 101
pyrites, 37, 38, 90
localities, 38
smelting, 101
value, 38
searching for, 90
seldom in new formations, 90
silicate of, 70
smelting, 101
value, 36
where found, 14, 90

Corals, false, how made, 124

Descriptive list of useful minerals, 20-80

Diamond, 41
estimation of the value of, 86
imperfections of, 86
localities, 41
value, 41

Diamonds, characteristics of, 85, 86
colors of, 83
finest, 84
in Brazil, 84
in their native state, 83
mode of discovering in Brazil, 84
prospecting for, 83-87
where found, 87

Directions for determining specimens by the key, 15-19

Discovery of silver in Nevada, 134-137

Effervescence in minerals, 12

Eliason, Mr., 133

Emerald, false, how made, 116
to test, 118

Emery, 41, 42
localities, 42
value, 42

Epsom springs, 109, 110

False amethyst, how made, 117
carnelian, how made, 117
corals, how made, 124

False emerald, how made, 116
opal, how made, 117
pearls, how made, 124
ruby, how made, 116
sapphire, how made, 116
topaz, how made, 116

Feather river, Cal., gold in, 132

Fluor spar, 42
localities, 42
value, 42

Franklinite, 43
localities, 43
value, 43

Galena, 43, 44
and Cerussite, reduction of, 103
localities, 44
purest specimens poorest in silver, 91
value, 43

Garnet, 44, 45
localities, 45
the heaviest of gems, 118
to test, 118
value, 45

Gas springs, 106, 107

Gems, to test by weighing in water, 118
true and false, how to distinguish, 117-124

Glass, minerals which will not scratch, 16, 19
minerals which will scratch, 15, 18

Gold, 46-50
and platinum, washing for, 94, 95
and silver consumed in the arts in the United States, 137, 138
and silver, production of the United States, 137, 138
and silver where they abound, 14
artificial, how made, 125
bearing rock, 88
bearing sands, 88
extraction of, 93
Hill group, silver mines, 136
how distinguished, 89
imitation, how to detect, 125
in California, discovery of, 127-133
in California, first announcement of discovery, 132
in quartz rock, to find the amount of, 98
localities, 46-50
mine first worked in the United States, 133
ore, assay of, 95-98
searching for, 87-89
substances mistaken for, 89
testing any substance supposed to contain, 97
to separate from silver, 97
to test the purity of, 98
where found, 87-89

Granite regions, 14

Graphite, 50, 51
localities, 50, 51
to test the purity of, 104
value, 50

Gravity, mode of determination of, 12

Gray copper ore, 51
localities, 51
value, 51

Gypsum, 14, 52
localities, 52
value, 52

Heavy spar or baryta, 26

Hematite, brown, 56, 57

Horizontal beds, 82

Horn silver, 53
localities, 53
value, 53

Humphrey, Isaac, 128

Indications for minerals, 81

Irish Diamond, 114

Iron, chromic, 34
how it occurs, 94
ore, 14
assay of, 102
bog, 29
brown hematite, 56, 57
lenticular, 56
magnetic, 57, 58
magnetic, found by the compass, 91
micaceous, 62
red hematite, 65, 66
specular, 73, 74
pyrites, 53, 54
localities, 54
value, 53, 54
searching for, 91
spathic, 73
springs, 107, 108
testing minerals for, 91

Jackson, Captain Wm., 133

Jasper, 54
localities, 55
value, 55

Jewelry, artificial, how made and detected, 114-125

Kaolin, 55, 56
localities, 55
value, 55

Lead ore, assay of, 103, 104
to detect silver in, 99
searching for, 90
veins, thickest, 91
where found, 90

Lenticular iron ore, 56
localities, 56
value, 56

Limestone regions, 14

Limonite or brown hematite, 56, 57
localities, 57
value, 57

Magnesian springs, 109, 110

Magnetic, 12
iron ore, 57, 58
found by the compass, 91
localities, 58
value, 58
pyrites, 58, 59
localities, 59
value, 59

Malachite, 59, 60, 101
localities, 59, 60
value, 59

Manganese, oxyd of, 63, 64
spar, 60
localities, 60
value, 60

Marble, 60, 61
localities, 61
regions, 14

Marshall, Jas. W., discovery of gold in California by, 127-131

Metals, found near their source, 82
how they occur, 94

Mica, 61, 62
localities, 62
value, 62

Micaceous iron ore, 62
localities, 62
value, 62

Mineral riches, how discovered, 81
springs, 105-112
location of, 105
no indications of ores, 83
what are they, 105

Minerals as a source of our nation’s wealth, 9
descriptive list of, 20-80
regions which offer best inducements to search for, 14
sections of the United States, richest in, 14
species in the United States, how many, 11
specific gravity of, 12, 13
useful in the United States, 11
which will not scratch glass, 16, 19
which will scratch glass 15, 18

Mississippi Valley, 14

Money in the rocks, 9

Nickel, copper, 37

Nitre, 63
localities, 63
value, 63

Nodules, 82

Ochres, 91

Oil wells, 112, 113

Opal, false, how made, 117
the softest of colored gems, 118

Opaque minerals, 12

Ore on a hillside, indications of, 82
veins generally vertical, 82
when it will pay, 92

Ores, assay of, 92-104
minimum percentages of metal in which will pay, 93

Oxyd of Manganese, 63, 64

Pacific coast, 14

Panning, 94, 95

Paris brilliants, 114

Pastes, composition of, 115

Pearls, false, how made, 124

Platinum, 64
localities, 64
value, 64
washing for, 94, 95

Pockets, 82

Precious stones, color and order of hardness, 126

Prospecting for diamonds, 83-87

Pyrites, iron, 53, 54
cobalt, 35
copper, 37, 38, 90
magnetic, 58, 59
testing for gold, 96
yield of gold by, 97

Quartz mining in California, commencement of, 133
ores, yield of, 96
rock, to find the amount of gold in, 98
testing for gold, 95, 96

Quicksilver, use of in assaying, 96

Reading, Pearson B., 131

Read mine, first gold mine worked in United States, 133

Red copper ore, 65
localities, 65
value, 65
hematite, 65, 66
localities, 66
value, 65
silver ore, 66
localities, 66
value, 66

Rennselaerite, 67
localities, 67
value, 67

River sand, worth working for gold, 98

Rock crystal, 67
localities, 67
value, 67
salt, 68
localities, 68
suspected of containing silver, treatment of, 89

Rocky mountains, 14

Ruby, characteristics of, 85
false, how made, 116
spinel, 74
to test, 118, 123

Russia, gold how obtained in, 94

Rutile, 68
localities, 68
value, 68

Saline or salt springs, 109, 110

Salt springs, 110

Sapphire, false, how made, 116
the hardest of colored gems, 118
to test, 118

Searching for copper, 90
diamonds, 83-87
gold, 87-89
iron, 91
lead, 90
silver, 89, 90

Serpentine, 69
localities, 69
value, 69

Shaft, cost of sinking, 83

Silicate of copper, 70
localities, 70
smelting, 101
value, 70

Silver, 70, 71
and gold, consumption in the arts in the United States, 137, 138
and gold, production of the United States, 137, 138
glance, 71
localities, 71
reducing, 100
value, 71
horn, 53
in copper ores, 101
in lead and copper ores, 99
in lead ore, to detect, 99
to estimate the proportion of, 99, 100
in Nevada, 134-137
localities, 70
native gold in, 97
ore, assay of, 99, 100
brittle, 30
red, 66
ores, rich reduction of, 100
pure easily recognized, 99
searching for, 80, 90
to test a globule of for gold, 97
to test copper ores for, 99
where found, 89

Slate regions, 14

Smaltine, 72
localities, 72
value, 72

Smithsonite, 72
localities, 72
value, 72

Spar manganese, 60

Spathic iron, 73
localities, 73
value, 73

Specific gravity, mode of determination of, 12, 13

Specular iron ore, 73, 74
localities, 74
value, 74

Spinel ruby, 74
localities, 74
value, 74

Steatite, 75
localities, 75
value, 75

Stones, precious, color and order of hardness, 126

Strass for making false jewels, 115

Strontianite, 75, 76
localities, 76
value, 76

Sulphur, 76
localities, 76
springs, 108, 109

Testing minerals, 15-19

Thermal springs, 110, 111

Tin ore, 76, 77
assay of, 102, 103
localities, 77
value, 76
presence of, testing for, 103

Topaz, 77
characteristics of, 85
false, how made, 116
localities, 77
to test, 118, 120, 123
value, 77

Tourmaline, 77
localities, 77
to test, 123
value, 77

Translucent minerals, 12

Trap regions, 14

True and false gems, how to distinguish, 117-124

United States, consumption of gold and silver in the arts, 137, 138
gold and silver statistics of, 137, 138

Useful minerals, descriptive list of, 20-80 in the United States 11

Valuable minerals disguised, 10

Variegated copper ore, 78
localities, 78
value, 78

Veins, lodes and beds most valuable, 82

Virginia group, silver mines, 136

Wad, 78, 79
localities, 79
value, 78

Warm springs, 110, 111

Washing for gold and platinum, 94, 95

Washoe lake, silver mines near, 134

Wells, artesian, 111, 112

Willemite, 79
localities, 79
value, 79

Zincite, 79, 80
localities, 80
value, 79

Zinc ore, assay of, 102

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The useful rocks, as granite, slate, sandstone, water-lime, etc., are not included. By “granite region” is meant one having rocks like New England, and therefore unlike Western New York or Illinois.

[2] That is, they are not so easily cut with a knife; they do not necessarily scratch marble.

[3] Only the best known localities in the United States are given. For these we are indebted mainly to Professor Dana’s great work on Mineralogy.

[4] From Simonin’s “_Underground Life_,” page 346.

[5] Church. The Comstock Lode, its Formation and History, N. Y., 1879, pp. 1-5.