SILVER (ante). The great silver-mining industry of the United States had no exist ence before 1860. While, before that date, it was well known that a few ounces of silver could be extracted from a ton of almost any of theArneriean galena ores; and while silver in combination lead had been found in sonic instances, and in Davidson co., N. C., a mine had been worked with some activity for argeutiferous galena, and a little silver had been found in the gold of California, there had been no discovery made in this direction which in the least indicated the vast possibilities of American silver production. The prospectors and pioneers who traversed Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Colorndo, and other territories in the far west, seeking fur gold, in the years between 1850 and 1860, fell upon silver unexpectedly. 1 he greatest silver mine ever known was discovered in this way in 185S-59, in the Washoe country, on the eastern foot-hills of the Sierra Nevada. This was the celebrated " Comstock" mine, which was found by James Shinney an* Henry Com stock, both cf whom paned with their interest for a trifle, not discerning the value of the discovery. The Comstock lode is situated in Storey co., Nevada, 25 In. from the w. border of the state, and-20 m. from Reno, on the Union Pacific railroad. A portion of the mine was worked in 1c'60-61, and by 1865 it had yielded to the value of $30,00,060; and a city of 20,000 inhabitants was planted on its site. See VIRGINIA CITY. From 1859 to 1866 the total product of the mince on the Comstock lode was about $70,000.000. The
tremendous result of this discovery encouraged further prospecting, and it was soon found that the mountains of Colorado were full cf similar veins; Idaho and Montana became in their turn silver-bearing territory; and the Wasatch range, looking down into the Salt Lake valley, was found to be rich in silver-beating lodes. Up to Dec., 1878, the value of the silvery field of Colorado was aLout $16,000,000. Two years later, the mines of Leadville alone, not discovered till 1877, yielded as much. The effect of the increased production of silver has been marked and important. From authoritative sources it is known that the exportation of the metal from countries w. to countries e. of Egypt, which was 20.000,000 in 1873, had increased in 1877 to $100,060,000. The milling fever of 1865-70 produced its inevitable result of calamity in 1873. which the discovery of the great " Bonanza" of the California and Consolidated Virginia only temporarily lulled. The interest in silver mines fell off with the hoisting of bubble companies, and it was not until the remarkable Colorado discoveries had been fully authenticated in 1878-79, that a fresh enthusiasm brought silver-mining again into repute. See MINING STOCK COMPANIES. Following are the total gold and silver product of Nevada to 1879, and the silver Product of the Comstock lode: