This
amount covers all expenses, no farther rent or charges being made
against the patentee; at the same time it is the rule that, in
accordance with the bye-laws of every county in the State, a certain
amount of money is to be expended annually at the mines. If, however,
the patentee, or daimholder, applies to the nearest county
court judge for relief on having expended all his capital and exhausted
his means on the patent, i.e., land mined upon, then the judge can
order the United States Mineral Surveyor and Appraiser to report on the
case, and, after reading the sworn affidavits of these gentlemen and
that of the patentee, declare the land open for purchase by the latter
at about 1 dollar per acre, when, after payment, he can hold same in
fee-simple and without any restrictions whatsoever.
F. Schools of Mines.—As
this was a subject that I was particularly enjoined to enquire about,
the following may not be deemed out of place. There is but one such
establishment in California, which forms a distinct branch of the State
University at West Berkeley, across San Francisco Bay. There, I found a
splendidly appointed mineralogical and geological museum, arranged on
the latest principles, thus not only facilitating study, but also
enabling the casual visitor to inform himself on any subject required
at a glance. The mine superintendents, of which I met a great many at
the mines, accorded high praise to the practical assistance they at
times derived from this museum and the professor in charge. Previous to
my stating any particulars of their school of mines, I may observe that
this establishment had not then been appreciated so much as anticipated
by those for whose especial benefit it was created; not so much,
however, from any desire on the miners' part to discard scientific
teachings, but rather otherwise; the fact being in this case, that the
Eastern States, Germany, France, and England (lately) furnished an
ample supply of highly trained mining engineers, metallurgists, and
geologists from their celebrated mining academies at Freiberg and
Clausthal, Paris, and London, as well as from Harvard and Tale Colleges
in America, to the detriment of the California School of Mines, but
recently constituted as a part of academical tuition. In going through
the great number of mines and mills one became convinced that these
American mine superintendents could not possibly have carried their
many difficult and varied processes, mechanical contrivances, &c,
to the success they generally obtain, without their having received a
sound education and careful training in schools of mines.'] At Berkeley
the students are dressed in a becoming uniform, they have certain
privileges on the ferry-boats and railways and the course of study
assimilates to that of the London School of Mines in part; that of
Clausthal in the practical branches, and the professor for mining,
technology, and mechanics has graduated at the Freiberg Mining Academy.
This Californian School of Mines includes the following subjects in its
syllabus:—Mining (theoretical and practical), technology, mechanics,
mensuration, geometry, and mathematics; geology, including field work,
mapping, and surveying; mineralogy, with oryctognosy and blow-pipe
analysis ; free-hand and engineering drawing; organic chemistry and
metallurgy, with special attention to the assaying of rocks, ores, and
mining products; German, French, and English languages. These subjects
form a regular course extending over the years, but, after a student
has grounded himself in the preliminary subjects, he may, at his own
option, elect such subjects only as would enable him to pass the severe
examinations either as mining engineer, civil engineer, geological
surveyor, metallurgist, analytical chemist, or as a general mining
superintendent. It may be added that there are several "business colleges" in
California, where young men are specially educated for commercial
pursuits, including book-keeping, &c, thus paving the way for the
higher-class training at the university and its affiliated school of
mines and others.
