Statistics of Mines and Mining in the States and Territories West of the Rocky Mountains

Washington: Government Printing Office, 1872 Book. Fine. Hardcover. 1st Edition. First edition. House of Reps., 42nd Congress, 1st Session, Ex. Doc. No. 10. [6], 566pp. Illustrated with text illustrations and six folding plates, one folding chart. Indexes. Black cloth, gilt-lettered spine. Spine gilt slightly dulled, corners just showing, , nick to front hinge, head and foot of spine chipped. Two contemporary penciled names on endpaper. A very good copy, internally fine and clean. One of the great, highly detailed studies in the Western mining industry, full of valuable data and information. Describes mining in California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, mining law, mineral deposits, narrow gauge railroads, etc., and with very important information on the mechanical appliances of mining (shown on the fold-out plates) and metallurgical processes. Rossiter W. Raymond followed J. Ross Browne as Commissioner of Mining Statistics. During his tenure, the Comstock Lode experienced its "Big Bonanza." The Nevada section (pp. 93-175) includes much on the Comstock mines and offers an abundance of statistics on the various mines, the ongoing construction of the Sutro Tunnel, etc. Includes separate indexes for mines, subjects, and an index for counties, mining districts, etc. [Paher: Nevada, an Annotated Bibliography, 1622]..