New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-26


/ developments oi gold In CAlifornis
QU.srEsMAsrEE's OEFfcE.
! sAN FkANcIsco CALIFoRNIa, sept l- l>i-.
@iA ln compliance with an int'natiou IN my month
/ y report 90 June 0. I proceed 20 give you = hssty
scc1unt Of California % = seen under the influence
90 re sold excitement now prevailing throughout TIE
country .hsll precede my remarks upon the mines
oy ev observations upon che situst 90 the coun
I try prior % their discovery
Up % the time the American iaz ~. raised IN Cali
ioruia BY Commodore Sloat 10 July. $50 the country
may Be ssli @ have sumberst from 10 irs, settle
without enterprise or activity on The part of 10
Inhabitants Constiruuonsiy nd0ient IN their habits
the climate admirably adapted 70 develop snd per.
petuate the worst forms Of sothiulness ard imprur
fence among the occupants ~ the sol. TIE people
were too much the victims of these vices O. become
even shepherds In the true of the word sni
they lived without either milk butter. cheese al.
though surrounded by thousands ot mich COWS and
scarcely attempt made 10 cal out the ssrculin.
raj virtues of the soil. little wheat snd corr sni q
few 1cans F-w Srs and melons sats- 20 the crate
wants Of those who had known the comforts 20
be derived from Industry and the grand stspe of sub
ssrCce ~ th sl classes was the iesh of their cattle
The sfcssness and apathy of This snd Of lite chung o.
ihe whole native population ard Wh-n the United
states Gag raised here the country could boast OF
the moderate wants 90 warm altitude rendered i'm
peratvoly necessary.
There we're many Americans and foreigners n the
country prior 20 the change of rs-s but no regular
emigration had taken ace and the tiled 1tiOn
politics and constant utons prevented auy thing
se the systemstc enterprise which mi ht otherwise
have been expected from citizens of Anglo American
gin The herds OF cattle which covered the ranches
we're slaughtered for their hides and taow 81 Boz eN
chan.ed for merchandise IS before, aud the people
continued o cherish their Incidence ss much a. in tor
days batiho change ct isss brought correspond
ing revolution in The various occupations ~ life Aer
the hrst call f.r volunteers was answered sud foreign
Prs residing IN the country A. leisure % enter
upon the Improvement OF their property AL became
4 Ht inf isfI.t
uf American authority. and AID believed that thty We're
virtually upon United states soil Crowds came throng
from the mountains the forests and the ocean. 1
-h exterior, but u indubtable Anglo American Ur
gin seek their fortunes In country under their
own dag Things assumed better aspect and
both agricultural and mechanical Improvements were
going forward rapidly under new auspces. Farmers
were Introducing the agriculture and horticulture OF
their own country upon California soil and mech anca
labor knew respite from iis tolls The ntcrminab.c
cattfr of the hammer and the heard In every
quarter and frequently the mechanic IN his oaeerness
O. succeed did not recOcc ID divide the sunday from
the week Many little villages sprsng mp as i by
magic various parts OF the country and AT promised
fair tor indefinite continuance n every kind OF i'm
provrmcnt
Bot change came the face OF affairs In the
latter part of February. 1915 mechanic named Jas.
" Marshall. was employed IN building saw mill for
John a. suffer. ksq on the south branch ut "A river
known in California the American Fork, some MY
miles from New Helvetia. 0r suffers Fort ON Frr
msts map. this river Is called k1 de los imviDdH0s
the valley Of the Sacramento River by petous march
In the Winter and spring ot l-lj. While employed Ia
cutting mill race or canal Tor this improvement vi
Marshall discovered the pieces of gold they gstencn
n the sunlight at the bottom OF tha sluce Pieces ~
considerable size were taken from the water and IN
few days gold to the amount OF $40 was removed In
this manner The lsbOrers on the works, mostly Nor
mons soon became satisfied OF 10 precious nature. and
tie spread rapidly about the country Examine
lions were prosecuted at other points along the stream
and almost everywhere with sue ess Reports of
marvellous nature soon reached the coast touch
ing these mines Their apparent extravaganza created
ncrodulity and the public attention not fully
called 10 the subject until gold dust grain gold was
brough into the market in considerable quantities Tor
sale Doubt soon became belief. and change almost
magical in IL nature pervaded the whole population
Lawyers doctors. zymen farmers, mechanics. mer
chants sailors and soldiers. le their Legitimate occu
pstOns % embark IN a business where fortunes We're
% BE- made IN few weeks villages and districts.
where -ll bad heen hustle, industry and improvement,
were soon LETT without male population. Mechanic.
merchants and magistrates, were alike of 10 the mines
and an kinds Of useful occupation, except gold digging,
were apparently ~ an end In most cases the crops
remarkably good but they are generally iost Tor
of laborers secure them tn some parts az the
country hundreds Of acres OF hne wheat Will rot TO- Inc
neGs rom The inpO-s1illty OF getting haffrsicis fr
sells are z swinging idly ~ their anchors while both
CAPTAINS and crows are ~ the mines and the most -
.criis private aud public Improvement arc arrested
ln thar progress TIE wages of clerks nave advanced
Al least tso hundred per cent and those OF common
iaburrrs least four i've hundred - The time the
excitement broke out was repairing the ned states
bark Anita The Varkmen were receiving - per
dav and lived on board the vessel They struck tor
higher wagos and one lnay len md forfeited at
bis previous earnings rstner than % continue AZ work
few days more al - per day. Common sailors de-
msntef 100 per month tor Work on schounrfs lt tf
Lev FREIGHT from this port D. Suffers j. from 81 -
per barrel The distance i little more tth nnr nun
drci miles Common four OK wagons are nirrd at 20
Der day ln one case nave known negro cook o. ne
employed al - per day Tor his professional services
fha - and .affI d TH
This va. the condition of things about three months
since and under its influence this village wa almost
absolutely deserted II had been one OF the most BUS
tiuy Ufiie places ever saw. end IN lew days 70 De
came desert Two or three merchants AMI ie~ |
soldier. constituted the male population Recently !
however there has been reaction, which brings many
back from the mines and an scuve emigration i ITO"
ing In from abroad. sickness has broken out among |
the M inprs and many have returned prostrned with
fsvers while others nave come 10 ayOid being 30 -
There j. nov large number OF la1orers mere blt M
uy ~ them refuse % work on any terms WINE ihose
who labor DO 50 exOrbitant prices Inc ordinary
concentration for whit isbOrers d. from a. - -u per
day am nnw payinI these prices Tor men am iorced
90 employ for repairing the government hsntfr' ana
AttL- same i.me every thin. Is high n proportion
Butter sells by the barrel % per h ana nhns ~ thc
same price Sour e - per barrel snd pilot bread
forty cents per pound For the lsst th,ee p'ifs 81
boots have nsd have paid. respectively 81 ~ |
and per pair Dher things are 40 Correspond nx
price. ia this place, but q the mines everything II
much higher Flour aud pork vary in the mines from
il 70 500 per barrel Common shoes worth in hos
ton about - cents pair sell a. = or even st pr
ar There Is Kind d reckessness about these prices
which would be sought after IN vain 10 any other part
If the world ssx box of SeidiiZ powders worth
l cents In ian Francisco sold 10 The mines for - 10
grain gold and was credIbiy Informed tnat brandy
had been sold At - per bottle.
From this very imperfect prie fnreHi you can iniaf
The co-t o other articles In California WIKI the prices
n the mines however fhc cost oi almost every n
C.forula has Increased from one q several hundred
Der cent Rsnis have advanced n some sections OF tnr
country o. an Incredible extent store houses of the
most fragile and insecure character rent Tor more man
the beet ware house u similar dimensions 10 hos-9n
or New York
was a. the mines about the Isl - July ~ that time
the weather there was sureraDy hot tn.nk . Dy
lar the moot oppressive climate ever was n. 70 Is
much more uncomfortable than the climate ODD brazil
20 the Narnest season OF the year and everything ~as
literally psrched up after dr1uth which bad tnen CON
tInusd Tor near months and which had months more
20 run % the rainy season.
The sea breezes which extend up the valley 40 the
-.rsuenfo never pass the sierra Nevada, and seldom
even tn lateral valleys and raFines oi tn0s
mountains aud there NOT breath ol ar mJsln-
an org the mines The sun blazing down with more
han tropical ieryor while bis rays reelected u
TN thousand directions irOa thu ics ~ the hills until
ths atmosphere g0Wed and giimmsret Ike the ar in
furnace then oresaE what las since happened lst
there would BE- much sickness az the miners Ihcse
people hsd deserted their regular occupstions and
completes change OF lie and an unnatural climate could