The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-08-22

MlNERAI. WEALrM or CALIroasrA. Accord
ing 10 Indications which have recently come
10 light, there ls every prospect tina: IN the
accession Of California, the United States have
made very valuable acquisition. We have, On
former occasion, dwell upon the co.nmeYci-l and
agricultural resources Of that country, bur. great
as they are, they sink nearly into insignlhoance
when compared with the immense mineral wealth
of that region.
BY accounts recently received from there. mines
OF quicksilver Of extraordinary wealth have been
discovered, the richness OF which is almost in
credible. In one mine, owned by an English
house IN Mexico, named Barron, Forbes d Co,
few wOrknen, with the rdest description Of
mining implements, and al an expense very trfing
indeed, have been for some time pas, procuring
quicksilver TO the value Of three husdred dollars
per day. When proper implements and machinery,
which have been contracted for in England, shall
have arrived, this company expect 10 produce
immense quantities Of this valuable metal. As it
is at present, they cannot work to advantage. A
few pickaxes, crowbars, and small lot of COM
mon pots, constitute all the implements at work.
Yet, with these rude and imperfect means, they
produce wealth TO the amount of three hundred
dollars per day.
Now that this valuable territory has been an
neXcd 10 the United States, we may look for an
early development ofihese great mineral resources
of California. American skill and ingenuity will
manifest their presence there, and when direct
I'd TO these immense mines, will, no doubt, reap
their due reward AS il is, the ice has are ady been
broken; for we perceive that an association Of
en.erpr2ing Americans, known as the Santa Clara
Mining Company, have purchased mine of great
richness, which they purpose 10 work as soon
as they can have their machinery completed
and transported thither An accredited agent OF
the company is now in New York, making the ne
cessary preparations for commencing the enter
Prise. This mine, we understand, Is extremely
prolific, and Is most admirably located. 1t is
within thirteen miles of the Bay of San Francisco,
and SIX OF the village of Puebla Jose de Gauda-
lupe, with abundance of fue in the immediate
neighborhood, and a straight and perfectly level
road runs from the NINE TO the main avenue that
connects Monterey with San Francisco The ore
has been tested the spot in an exceedingly pri-
mitlve manner, VIZ by placing it in a musket bar
rel and applying fire to 1t; but with this i'm
perfect test. yields thirty per cent of its weight
in pure metsl.
This is the first blow that American enterprise
has made at the mineral wealth of California; but
it, no doubt, will be followed up, until the re-
sources of that part of our territory shall have
been fully developed, and quicksilver as regularly
exported from there, as breadstuhs and cotton are
sent from the Atlantic cities. Indeed, Judging
from the accounts that we have received of the
mineral wealth OF California, quicksilver is as
easily mined there, and is as abundant in the mine
OF this American company, and in that of the Eng
lish company, as coal is in Pennsylvania Mex
leo, we suppose, will be the best market for the
products. The gold and silver mines of that coun-
try will hereafter, no doubt, be more extensively
worked than ever; and as quicksilver is an ndis-
pensable agent in the BUSINESS, there will be
constant and steady demand for 1t. This Anne
rican mine is so rch, we are informed, that the
gentlemen who surveyed it, under the directions
OF the government, was much affected by SAIL
walton, that his mouth was sore for period of ten
days after he had concluded the survey. We
believe that Thomas O. Larkin, Esq, the United
States Consul at San Francisco, was the first
American who appreciated the value of the mine
raj resources Of California and he is the secretary
OF ihls new Santa Clara Mining Company We
further learn, that specimens of the from this
mine are in the hands of scientific chemist of
this city for analyzation.
1t therefore appears that in acquiring California,
the United States have become possessed of an
extremely valuable acquisition. What with the
splend id harbor OF san Francisco, and the agri-
cultural and mineral resources of that country,
California promises TO be the most valuable por-
ton OF our territory.