Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1848-12-28
Gold i'm California.

WOiO III CaIl1Or0la.
For months past accounts have been re-
celved from California OF the discovery OF enor
mods quantities Of gold among the sands Of the
riser Sacramento and its tributaries The
amount Of The mineral said TO have been found
baffled belief, and very lii.le eied, was be.
slowed upon the represenaions But, i, now
appears, from authentic and of&iaI sources
tha, The accounts were literally g1rrect
The Sacramento has its source in The range
of mountains known as the Sie,ra Nevada OF
California, in ahont latitude foriy.three, north,
and flows on, in direction nearly parallel with
THAI range, and likewise with the coast Of the
Pacific. ill j, almost touches The thirty -eigh,h
parallel, when j, suddenly turns westward and
falls into the Bay of San Francisco. Between
the Sacramento and The coast runs another
chain Of mountains, the whole length of The
stream. From these mountains, on elher side.
issue great number oflribu,ary streams, along
The margins of which, as well as of The princi-
pal river, abundance. of golden sands, Of great
value, are deposited
A yankee built saw-mell on the Sacrament
10, and, when il was put in action. he perceived
that in the eddies below the bulker and COM
mon particles of sand where swep, away, while
wha, remained was of an unusual appearance
Upon such examination as he was able to give
il, he became satisfied that it was the mos,
precious meial and, subsequently,, he had
portions of it subjected 10 such scientific tests
as fully confirmed his conjeclures.
The ifoops of the United States, stationed in
California, have generally deserted, and gone
10 searching for gold Crews Of vessels arri-
wing the coast. are seized the mania, and
abscond for The gold regions. Farms and VIII
lagos are deserted OF their occupants, who
have gone TO acquire wealth along The water.
courses. Expeditions are filing ou, in Mis-
souri, and other western states for the same
destination. From New York TO Boston ves-
sells have, already sailed, containing parties
lured by the hopes of unbounded fortune TO be
picked from the sands Of the Sacramento and
more vessels will sail from The same ports,
with o'her companies, as soon as necessary
preparations can be made
The administration at Washington has or
dered an additional force to California, which
sailed last week, for the purpose of preserving
order among The gold hunters aud guarding he
rights of the government from violation.
Perhaps gold hunting in California may
prove more profitable employment than the
like occupation has been elsewhere but. we
confess, we are seePlical on the point. Uni
vefsal history, so far, iestfies that to get dol
lars worth of gold hundred cents worth of la
bor mus, be expended, or so very nearly as TO
make gold finding less profitable business than
diggng coal 0! burning lime stone. 1t may be
that nature is now about 10 " asicnish the ma.
n'e-," by disclosing gold in such vas, quantities
as TO make II cheap as lead or iron. But, We
must see the event realized before we believe
H. That an unusual amount of gold has been
discovered in California, is unqnesionable; and
thai some comfortable fortunes will be made in
gathering il, is highly probably bu, the multi
tude of adrenIurers swarming lhher will soon
orerdo the business.
The traders, who furnish the gold hunters
with supplies, realize much greater profits than
the hunters themselves. Allowing not more
Than half lis intrinsic yalne for The gold dust,
they make enormous gains m The purchase Of
it. And, after receiving the dust at such re-
duced rates, they extor. from the hunters fifty
dollars for barrel of. -four, fourteen dollars for
a shovel. and in like proportion for all other
articles. So thai the strong probability is The
hunters will remain poor, while the spectators
amass weallh.-Honesdale Democrat