Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-12-29

rers, and IN few weeks hundreds of men
were drawn thlther. At the time of my
visit, but little more than three months af-
ter Its first discovery, it was estimated that
upwards of 1000 people were employed.
AT The mill there is a fine deposit or
bank OF gravel, which the people respected
as the property of Captain Suffer, although
he pretends to have no right to il. and
would be perfectly satisfied with the sim
pie promise ola pre-emption on account of
the mil which he has built there, at consid>
cradle cost. Mr.. Marshall was living near
the mill, and informed me that many per-
sons were employed above and below him,
that they used the same machines as at the
lower washings, and that their success was
ABOUT the same ranging from one to three
ounces ofgold per man daily. This gold.
too, is IN SCALES little coarser than those of
the lower mines. From the mill. Mr.. Mar
shall guided me up the mountain on the
opposite or north bank of the South fork.
where III the bed OF small streams of ra-
vines, now dry, great deal of coarse gold
has been found. there saw several par
ties at work, all of whom were doing very
well !; great many specimens were shown
me, some as heavy as or ounces in
weight, and | sent 3 pieces labelled No. 5.
presented by Mr.. Spencer. You will
prccelve that some CT the specimens ac-
companying this, hold mechanically pieces of
quartz; that the surface is rough and eyi,
IDENTITY moulded in the crevice of a rock
This gold cannot have been carried far by
water, but must have remained near where
1t was first deposited from the rock that
once bound il. inquired of many people
ii they had encountered the metal in its
matpX' but in every instance they said
they had not; but that the gold invaria-
bly, mixed with washed gravel, or Iodg-
Ell IN the crev.ces of other rocks. All
bore testimony that they had found gold in
greater or less quantities in the numerous
small gullles or rayines that occur in that
mountainous region.
On the 9Th OF July left the mill, and
crossed to small slseam emptying into the
American fork three or four miles below
the saw-mill. struck this stream (now
known as Weber's creek at the washings
OF Sumol d Co. They had about 80 In
dams employed whom they pay in mcr.
chandlze. They are getting gold of char
acter similar to that found in the main fork
and doubtless in sufficient quantities to sat-
lsly him. | send you a small specimen
presented by this company of their gold.
From this point we proceeded up the stream
about miles where we found great MANY
people and lndians-some engaged IN the
bed OF the stream, AMI others in the small
hot
are exceeding y rich, and two ounces were
considered an ordinary yield for days
work. A small gutter, not more than
hundreds yards long, by four leet wide
and two or three deep, was pointed TO me
as The one where two men, William Daly
and Perry McCoon had a short time before,
obtained $4,000 worth of gold.
Capt. W eber inforned me that he knew
that these two men had employed two
white men and about q hundred Indians.
and that at the end of one week, they paid
OFT their party and had $4,000 worth of
gold. Another small ravIne was shown me-
from which had been taken upwards of
$4,000 worth of gold. Hundreds of
similar ravnes, to all appearances, are as
yet untouched. | could not have credited
these reports had not seen, in the album
dance of the precions metal, evidence of
their truth. Mr.. Neigh, an agent Of Com
modore Stockton, had beer at work about
three weeks in the neighborhood, and
showed me. IN bags and bottles, over So, 900
worth OF gold; and Mr.. Lyman, a gentle
man OF education and worthy ofevery cred
II, said he had been engaged with four otl>
erS with machine, on the American fork,
just below Suffers mill that they had
worked eight days, and that his share was
at The rate of$50 day; but hearing 9th
ers were doing better at Weber's place,
they had removed there, and were on the
point OF resuming operations.
might tell of hundreds of similar instan
ces; but to tell how plentiful the gold was in
the pockets OF the common laborers, will
mention single occurrence which took
place III my presence, when was at Web
err stOre.-Ihis store was nothing but an
arbor OF bushes, under which he had expo.
sed for sale goods and groceries suited to
ms customers. A man came in, picked up
a box OF sedIItz powders, and asked It's
price. Capt. Weber told him it only cost
30 cents, and he did not wish to sell it,
The man then offered an ounce and half
OF gold. when Capt. Weber had to take it.
The prices Of all things are high, and yet
Indians, who before hardly knew what
breech cloth was, can now afford 10 buy the |
most gaudy dresses.
lie then alludes to the localities where the |
metal is found, which is in ravines and gull |
lies, which in the wet season, become !
brooks; Weber's creek is branch of the |
Sacramento, the chief river of California.
The country OH each side of Weber's |
creek is much broken up by hills, and is inter
sected III every direction by small streams
or ravlles. which contain more or less gold. /
Those that have been worked are barely |
scratched; and although thousands ofounccs /
have been carried away, do not consider 1
that serious impression has been made /
upon the whole. Every day was develop I
ing new aud richer deposiles; and the only
impression seems to be, that tile metal
would be found in such abundance as Sc
rlously to depreclate in value.
Gov. Mason thus concludes his apology
for statements which rival the fables Of
Eastern rOmauceS