Quartz-mills in California, from reports of County assessors.

Number.

Tons crushed.

Counties.

"It will be observed that there are no returns for the year 1873 from the counties of Nevada and Mariposa. These counties had, in 1872, 80 mills, and crushed an aggregate of 123,633 tons quartz. The large gold-product of California for the year 1873 is evidently due to the increased activity in hydraulic

QUICKSILVER.

A prominent feature in the mineral development of California during the year 1873 has been the great number of new discoveries of cinna bar-ore. A notable fact in connection with these discoveries is, that the quicksilver product of the State has at the same time declined materially. This being the case, of course the article has risen greatly in price, having advanced from 90 cents in January to $1.20 per pound in December. This is due to the decreased production of the principal mines, to which we have looked for the bulk of quicksilver produced in the State. As California is the only State in the Union which yields this necessary article, it is to be hoped that some of the numerous deposits found during 1873 will in time rival the famous old mines. The price of quicksilver exercises an important influence on the mining interests of all the Pacific coast States and Territories, and its production at a cheap rate is a matter of great interest to the mining population. Competent authorities estimate that the present consumption on the Comstock lode alone amounts to about 800 flasks per month, or three-fourths of a million pounds per annum. Including this, the entire State of Nevada is estimated to consume about 1,100 flasks per month, or nearly 1,000,000 pounds per annum. On inquiry at the offices of the Central Pacific Railroad Company, it is found that the greater proportion of the quicksilver carried by the road during the year went to the mills at the Comstock lode, Nevada. During eleven months of 1873 they carried as freight 415,597 pounds, of which 384,654 pounds went to Virginia City. Of the total amount carried, 35,947 pounds went east from San José, the rest from San Francisco. That from San José prob. ably came from the New Almaden and New Idria mines. When it is remembered that in 1872 the price per pound was 85 cents, and that at present writing it is $1.20 per pound, it will be seen that this variation in price, though only a few cents per pound, makes a considerable difference to the mining community.

The following estimate of the quicksilver product for 1873, together

with the export statistics, is from the Commercial Herald, of San Francisco:

The exports to the different countries for 1872, and the three previous years, were as follows:

During the year 1873, the market has presented many unexpected features. The price opened in January at 90 cents, was advanced in February to 924 cents, in March to 95 cents, at which figure it stood on the first of April, 1873, at which date the comb nation expired which had for a long time kept under one control the entire product the three largely producing mines, viz., the New Almaden, the New Idria and the Redington. The sales had for some time been sharply up with the total production, and there was at that date no surplus stock whatever on either the home or any foreign markets. The parties who owned the New Idria mine were also the parties who enjoyed the combination contracts for so long a period, and they were of course desirous of making fresh contracts for a new term, whereby they could contiune to enjoy the profits of handling the product of all these mines on a commission basis The Redington Company, however, refused to make any such arrangement, preferring to handle their own products and realizing that there was no longer the least need of any combination to protect them from competition in price, but that, on the contrary, every flask of quicksilver would be needed for local consumption quite as soon as produced.

Thus from the 1st of April, 1873, there has been no combination whatever among the three large mines above mentioned, but the market has regulated itself by the laws of supply and demand, as in the case of any other commodity. The price continued 95 cents per pound until June 24, 1873, when it was raised to $1, advancing in Angust to $1.10 per pound, and still again on the 18th of November, 1873, to $1.20 per pound in gold, cash, at which figure it closes the year, with a demand for export considerably in excess of the ability of the market to supply. It is easy to see the canses which have led to this large advance, and impossible not to recognize their legitimacy Briefly stated, the whole solution lies in the fact of the very large decline in the pr duct of the New Almanden mine, which, in the years of its prime, used to produce fully 3,500 flasks per month, but which, during the year 1873, has not produced as much 1,000 flasks per month, and, indeed, in the last half of the year has not averaged, it is said, 750 flasks per month. In the mean time, the New Idria and the Redington have no more than held their own, and all the newly opened mines together have tol made a total product to exceed an average of 400 flasks per month for the whole year the deficit of the production of the New Almaden being thus 2,500 flasks per month,

there having been substantially no gain of product from either the New Idria or the Redington, and only a total gain from all the new mines together of not over 400 flasks. The market has heretofore been at least 2,100 flasks per month short of its supply in previous years, a decline of over one-half in available stock. The first effect of this was to cut off all shipments to China and Mexico, and these markets, which have heretofore drawn from California as much as 20,000 flasks per year, were forced to send to London for their supplies, where they met with a market only moderately well stocked, and totally unable to supply so large a demand thus suddenly precipitated upon it.

The same journal states that it is not thought possible to increase the yield of the Almaden mine in Spain, even in times of peace, so as to meet the increased demand in London; and it may be stopped altogether on account of the disturbances in Spain. It says that the New York market alone calls for from 500 to 600 flasks of quicksilver per month, and the home consumption on the Pacific coast is such that not more than 200 or 300 flasks per month can be spared for export to New York. Such being the facts with reference to the supply of quicksilver, now, when we consider the demand for consumption, we find that such has been the development of mining industry on this coast that our mills now consume fully 50 per cent. more than they did two years ago, and it is to-day a fact that the local requirements of the Pacific States and Territories for mining purposes are so nearly equal to our total present production of quicksilver as to leave none whatever to spare for foreign export. As to the probability of an increase in supply, the Herald says:

It would appear from the best obtainable information that the New Almaden does not promise to yield as much as last year, and may not safely be counted on to produce over 750 flasks per month. The New Idria promises no increase, and cannot be estimated at over 750 flasks. The Redington mine, which has during the past year been unable to reduce all its ore, by reason of the partial giving out of its old furnaces, has for the past six months been constructing two new furnaces, on the Knox & Osborne Patent plan; and will, in the course of January, 1874, place them in operation. They have been very carefully constructed, at large expense; and are claimed to be by far the best quicksilver reduction works yet constructed. When in operation they may be counted on to increase the yield of the Redington mine from 350 flasks per monthits yield for the past year-to say 600 flasks per month; and this may be counted on as a permanent increase, as they have already mined, and on the surface 10,000 tons of ore, and the daily out-put of the mine is fully equal to the capacity of the new furBaces. The Redington will thus make good the deficit over last year's production of the New Almaden, so that the three principal mines together will produce the same aggregate as they did last year. This would still leave an unfilled requirement of at least 1,000 flasks, on the consumption figures before given, and this can only be made ap by new mines coming into production.

The writer (Mr. Yale) has spoken with several gentlemen familiar with the quicksilver interests of the coast, and they agree that the view taken by the Herald on the subject is the correct one. The "monopoly" so long existing in this product exists no longer; and the price is regulated by the well known laws of supply and demand.

An attempt has been made this year to obtain reliable data as to the production of each quicksilver mine in California. The writer regrets to add that this attempt has been abortive, but better results are hoped for next year. One great difficulty in the way was that so many different deposits were found this year in widely separated localities in the State, of which there had been nothing but newspaper mention; it was difficult to obtain the names of parties in authority who could give reliable figures, and in numerous cases these parties when found refused to make the affairs of their mines public. Letters written to superintend ents or owners were never answered, or, when answered, the information was declined, or the writer was referred to other parties who could not be found. One reason for this, in connection with the new mines, is, that the local newspapers had so systematically "puffed" certain

"claims" that the owners did not like their mines to be compared with others more favored, since in most instances the mines are for sale. Indeed, it was found on close examination that only a small proportion of any of the new mines are producing at all; others are turning out a few flasks, while two or three give evidence of becoming some day very valuable. The majority of them, however, are hardly prospected, and do not as yet deserve the name of mines. Some work is doing on most of them, though the majority of the owners are slowly opening their claims so as to place them in a condition favorable for sale.

The following statement gives, as far as could be obtained, the amount of quicksilver yielded by producing mines during 1873: New Almaden. 11,042 flasks; New Idria, 7,600 flasks; Redington, 4,200 flasks; Great Western, 651 flasks; Manhattan, 621 flasks; Summet, 75 flasks; American, 128 flasks; Napa, 199 flasks; California, 995 flasks; Phoenix, 880 flasks; Washington, 197 flasks.

Among the important mines which have been producing, but from which no returns are obtainable, is the Saint John, near Vallejo. The Vallejo Chronicle says of it, in a late issue:

The Saint John quicksilver mine has now been producing, since July 1, 1873, and is proving a mine of wealth to its proprietors. The average production of quicksilver from this mine, since the date given, has been 200 flasks per month, some months the yield reaching as high as 300 flasks, and then again falling to a much lower amount. In the Wilson drift-making the third level-which the workmen have recently been engaged in running, metal has been struck. Ore is also being still takea out in the Vallejo drift. The mine is now employing about sixty men.

The Lost Ledge in Napa County produced, with a retort, about 20 or 30 flasks; and the Sonoma mine has produced 50 flasks during the year. The Missouri, in Napa County, produced with a retort in December, 1873, and January, 1874, about 15 or 20 flasks of quicksilver, but nothing previous. The Sonoma or Thompson mine at Pine Flat completed its furnace in January, 1874, and cleared up about 50 flasks at the first run.

The Manhattan mine, spoken of above as having produced 621 flasks, has only run its furnace during the last eight months of 1873. The Oakville or Napa produced from June 21, 1872, to January 1, 1873, 180 flasks. From January 1, 1873, to June 1, 1873, it produced 199 flasks The mine shut down in June, 1873, and is now in the bankrupt court. The Panoche or Cerro Bonito mine in Fresno County will shortly be supplied with reducing works, when it will be placed on the list of producing mines. The Knox and Osborne furnace at the mine is nearly completed and will reduce 24 tons per day. The ore is reported to be very rich.

Among those mines which have produced little or nothing this year may be mentioned the Lake, in the county of the same name; the Key stone, in San Luis Obispo County; the Abbot, in Colusa County; the Yellow Jacket, Hasbrouck, Ida Clayton, Pine Mountain, Lodi, and Geyser, at Pine Flat; the Valley, Pioneer or Bell, Last Chance, and Guadeloupe.

Quite a number of other claims might be mentioned, which are now being prospected. Some of those spoken of are working with retorts, but until furnaces are supplied the product will be very small.

The Saint John mine is quite a promising one. The mine and works are located on the Wilson Hill ranch, five miles from Vallejo, Solano County, in the range of high hills that form a portion of the Coast Range. The hills of Sulphur Spring Valley were long since known to contain quicksilver. In the year 1852, Mr. John Neate first became convinced of the existence of valuable ores in that locality, and made the