U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for August 11
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Following is the daily “Profile America” feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:
THURSDAY, AUGUST 11: SILVER
Profile America — Thursday, August 11th. America’s first silver mine opened on this date in 1860 in Virginia City, Nevada. The year before, gold had been discovered at the famous Comstock Lode. But mining it was hampered by the thick, blue-gray mud that clogged everything. This mud turned out to be silver ore, worth $2,000 a ton. This discovery led to a boom in the area and to Nevada being named a territory by President Lincoln. The silver mined there helped finance both the Civil War and the building of San Francisco. Today, silver mines are still active in Nevada, out produced only by Alaska. In the U.S., more than 1,200 tons of silver are mined each year. In 2007, it was worth $13.40 an ounce. Profile America is in its 15th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Sources: American Speaker Calendar of Events
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2011, t. 898, 899
Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button).
SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau