Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-12-15

the geographical position Vi oa'ii' 80
| new character il has assumed as mining couh,
try. prices of labor will always De hish, ana
will hold out temptations to DESERT l. .here-
! fore, have 10 report if tie Government WISH 70
nreyent deserlions here OF the part oil men, and
TO secure zeal on the part OF ohcers, lheir pay
| mus, be increased very materially.
Soldiers. both of the volunteers and regular
service. discharged in nis country, should De
nermitted al once 10 loc,te their land warrants
on The gold district M,ny private letters have
gone TO tho United States, giving accounts OF
the vast quantity of COLL recently discovered,
and il NAV be matter of surprise why have
made no report on this Subject at an earlier date
The reason is, that Guild not bring myself to
believe the reports that heard OF the wealth OF
the old district until Irisled il myself. have
M hesitation now in spying that there is more
yold in the country draned by the Sacramento
and San Joaquin rivers nan will pay the cost of
| Tho present war with MEXICO hundred times
over No capital is required TO obtain this gold,
az the laboring man wants nothing but his pick
and shovel, and tin pan, With which 10 dig and
wash the gravel; and man, frequently pick gold
out of the crevices Of rocis with their butcher
knives, in pieces from oneto SIX ounces.
Mr.. DYE a gentleman rsding IN Monterey,
ami worthy OF every cred, has Just returned
from Feather river. lie rl!s me mai the com
pauy 10 which he belonged worked seven weeks
and Two days, with an avdage OF my Indians,
WASHERS, and that their eoss product was two
hundred and sevenly.three pounds OF gold. His
share. lone seventh after paying all expenses,
is about ,hiny-seven pours, which he brought
with him and exhibited il Monterey. see no
Iaborine man from The Mrs who does not show
his Two, three, or tour pouns oil gold. soldier
of The artillery company Iehrned here lew days
ago from the mines, havies been absent on fur
Tough twenty days. He made by trading and
working during tina, lime 4 800 During these
twenty DAYS he was travelling ten or eleven days,
leaving but week, 10 With he made sum OF
money greater Than he receives in pay, clothes,
and ralions during whIe enlistment OF five
wears. These statements 4pear incredible, but
they are true.
| Gold is also believed todsist on the Eastern
slope OF the Sierra Nevacii and, when al The
mines, was informed by d Intelligent Mormon
| that il had been found neal&e Great Salt Lake
by some OF his fraternity. Nearly all The Nor.
mons are leaving Calitornt, TO go 10 the Salt
Lake; and this they surely 1ould not DO, unless
thew we're sure OF finding gil there in the same
abundance as they now do N The Sacramento
The gold "placer" near ,hs mission OF San
Fernando, has long been kn'fl, bul has been but
lille wrought, Tor wantoi waf. This is in a spur
that puts of from the Sierra iNevada; (>ee Ere
mont's map,) The same (which the present
mines occur There is Ihefore every reason
10 believe, that in The nervfng spaces OF FIVE
hundred miles, entirely unstfored, there must
be many hidden and rich deopites. The 'pla-
rer" gold is now substituted q the currency OF
this country; in trade il PASS freely al SIG per
ounce: as an article OF cUmmsre is val is not
vel fixed The only purchase made vas OF the
specimen No. 7, which | GO II Mr. Neigh a,
SO The ounce That is about The present cash
value in the country, although 4 has been sold
Tor less. The great demand ior-oods and pro-
visions made by This sudden development oil
wealth, has increased the amuur OF commerce at
| San Francisco very much. and will continue
10 increase.
| would recommend tha mint be established
al some eligible point OF the bayot San Francis
CO; and that machinery, and a he necessary ap-
i paralus and workmen, be sentfut by sea. These
| wotkmen must be bound byhigh wages and
even bonds 10 secure their taliul services, else
The whole plan may be iruslrasd BY their going
10 the mines as soon as they aive in California.
Il this course be no, adopted, pill 10 the amount
OF many millions Of dollars vii pass yearly TO
/ other countries 10 enrich heir Merchants and ca
pilaIiss. Before leaving the sbjecl OF mines,
will mention, that, on my reion from the Sacra-
MEMO. touched al New Alneief, The quicksil
yer mine OF Mr. Alexander FoDes consul oil her
Britannia Majesty al Peoic. This mine IS in
| spur of mountains 1000 lee above the level OF
The bay Of San Francisco md is distant, in
| Soulheru direc ion from The lueb!o de San Jose,
about twelve miles. The or (cnnabar) occurs
in a large vein dipping al aarong angie to The
| horizon. Mexican miners unemployed IN work
ing il by driving shafts and slleries about feet
| by T. following The vein.
| The fragments Of rock an lire are removed on
! the back of Indians, il raw-h:c sacks. The ore
| is then hauled in an OK wagn, from The mouth
| OF The mine down 10 a valleywell supplied with
| wood and water, in which lhe.urnaces are situa-
| ted The furnaces are Of thesimples coDslruc-
| ton exactly like common msc oven, IN the
| crown OF which is inseried whars Trying kel-
| tie; another inverted kettle forms he nd. From
| a hole in The lid small brick channel leads 10
an apartment, or chamber, 10 The toIiom OF which
is inserted a small iron kettle. tbs chamber has
| chimney.
| In he morning of each day tn kettles are fill.
ed with the mineral (broken in snail pieces) mix
ed with lime; fire is then apuecand Kept up all
day. The mercury is volalilize, passes into The
| chamber, is condensed on the sizes and bottom OF
| the chamber, and flows into thc,ot prepared for
| il. No wafer is used TO condens the mercury
During visit made last pring, four such
ovens were in operation, and Yielded in the Two
daysI was there 656 pounds of quicksilver, worth
al Mazallan 81 so per 10. Walkinshaw, The
| gentleman now in charge Of lbs mine, tells me
that the vein is improving, and bal ne can afford
TO keep his people employed cen in these extra
ordinary times. This mine isvery valuable oil
itself, and becomes the more S, as mercury is
extensively used in Obtaining old. II is not at
present used al California iorthal purpose, hut
] will be al some future time. When was al This
mine last spring, other parties we're engaged IN
searching Tor veins; but none nTe been discover
ed that are worth following up Though the earth
in that whole range of hills lshishly di>colored,
| indicating the presence of this IRE. send seve-
raj BEAUTIFUL specimens, propeIy labelled. The
amount al quicksilver in MIR. Eorbas' vats on The
18Th Of July was abour $500 punds.
enclusc YOU herewith skeces Of the country
through which passed, indicling the position
oi Inc mines and he topography OF the country
| in the vicinity OF those vIse'.
Some OF The specimens o. gid accompanying
this were plesenei Tor transmission to the depart
m-nl By the gentlemen named elow. The nun
bers on the lopoera phical sketh, corresponding
10 tire labels of the respective specimens, show
from wnat part OF The gold regon they were OBJ
lained.
|. Captain J. A. Suffer.
2. John Sinclair.
3. WIN. Glover R. c. Kirby Ira Blanchard,
Levi Fifeld, Franklin II. iryncs. Mormon
diggings.
A. Charles Weber.
Robert Spence.
6. Sunol G. Co
7. Robert D Neigh.
C.E Picket American Fox Columa.
Q. E. G. Kemb'e.
10. T. H. Green from San Fernando, near Los
Angeles.
AZ ~. purchased from M. Neigh.
B. Sand found in washing gid, which con-
tans small PARTICLES.
IL. Capt. Frisbie, Dry diggings WebeI's creek.
IL. Consumes.
-. Consumes, HauweIl's randi.
have The honor 10 be your ms obedent ser
want R. 3. MASON.
Colonel Is Dragons, Commanding.
Brig Gen. R. Jones,
Adjutan, General u. S. A, Washington, D. c.
Note-The original letter Of which this IS a