| Show GOLD GOl IMPORTANCE STATED STATE BY OFFICIAL According J to the Con Congressional Record Rec flee or ord of oC June Junc 15 15 1918 the thc secretary of I the tho treasury Is quoted as follows Next to food and ammunition gold goldIs old oldIs Is one of ot tho the most needed war wal essen essen- thUs I 1 Cul fully appreciate that with wih the rising cost of or raw materials and labor with wih a a. fixed value for COI or their output the tho gold miners of or the world word arc facing difficult l if conditions I should be sorry however howe If lr for Cor this reason there were an any relaxation in the effort to pro produce uce gold At t no tIme hia has this country so much required the tile largest est possible production production pro pro- ducton of or gol gold as at present t Great Gret necessity exists for COI the maintenance main maln- of oC gold production at Its Is maxImum maxImum maximum max max- point The fhe man or community that maintains or increases tho the production production production pro pro- of gold In the tho face taco of bf tics and discouragement Is Js performing a patriotic service The Tho matter mater of ot gold mining In California Call Cali Cal Cal- fornia Is referred to by the United States geological survey sUl cy as OB follows Tho The output output o of the deep or quartz mines was as reduced the most In 1917 dropping 14 H to 20 per cent and was still sti further reduced during the first half of oC 1918 h output of oC the placers especially of the dredges was Increased about 6 per cent in 19 1917 but will wil decrease de do- crease in lOIS InS for Cor some somo mines have been jeen closed cosed an and more are Ikel likely to close chose before the tho en end of ot tho the year The dredges now noW produce more than 90 per percent pel cent conr cent of ot the placer gold sold o of California The deep or quartz mines which formerly formerly for for- merl merly produced 62 to 64 6 per percent cent of or the tho total gold are now producing about 55 per pel cent nn and at the end o of 1 18 will be producing still less Skilled Skied labor in the mines not only costs more but Is harder harer to get and keep as many of or tho the best men have ha e gone into shipbuilding or other Industries Industries Industries Indus Indus- tries where higher wages are paid Thousands of or the younger men have gone one into the army arm or navy All l the operators complain that the they are re compelled com corn to employ old ol men and boys bOs who arc are much less efficient than the tho men who hav have left ler and that the tho output of or orore ore is therefore material materially reduced Copper opper Coppel mining has been so prosperous that hat gold gold miners of or tho the better beter class have lave been attracted to that industry not on only I In California but In Nevada e Arizona and other states In one mm- mm In Ing ng county having a a. a population of or only aver 1000 miners left let for other fields during the first half haI of or 1918 Ins The rates of oC freight have ha e been Increased and nd difficulties of oC transportation ton have prevented the prompt delivery delver of or sup sup- plies ples The he owners of ot gold soM mines who receive a a. fixed price for their product and whose profits have been heen yearly eally cut cutI I down own are re taxed Just like those whose pr profits Hs Ita have e really been cen I Increased b by I the war wr and unless some remedy Is provided tho the result must be a great curtailment In the pro gold old Gold operators complain that In some quarters their Industry appears to be bo viewed as nonessential and this view has jias produced pro ver very unfortunate results rho rhe great electric power powel companies which furnish power to gold old mills mis I pumps and dred dredges ef submitted a tenta tenta- five tive priority list to the state railroad commission In which mining wa was ir vir vir- Iste listed as a nonessential This list has not yet ret been passed on b by the theco co commission mm I as I a n. n The h hardware a rd r e d dealers eaters prepared a list In which mining is rated as nonessential tal Agents of oC these dealers dealers dealers deal deal- ers that vl visit lt the mining districts have been heen disinclined to accept orders for fol I hardware and antI the tho word has been 1 passed along that the mines are aro to be down This rids rumor however un unjustified un- un justified has caused unrest amon among the miners and has le led them to seek cm- cm In industries that are arc supposed supposed sup sup- posed to be molo stable and Ud more es essential 9 es- es to the tho winning of or the war waz and and that therefore make a stron stronger cl patriotIc patriot patriot- I ic appeal |
