Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1845-1851, 1848-12-21

ter at Wcber's place, they had removed there, aud
were the point of commencing operations. might
tell of hundreds uf similar instances. bat TO Illustrate
how pIen fu tie gold Was III tie pockets of common
la50rers MI mention n simple occurrence which
took place in M presence. wiien was at Weber's
store This store n,ihlng but IN arbor OF bushes,
under winch lie nd cx2sed for sale, go'ds and gro
ceries suited % his man came IN picked
mp box If SeGli'z powders, and asked It's price.
Capt. Weber told him it WAS not for safe Inc man
offered an ounce of gold but Cap cher tod hin II
only cost 30 cents and he did wish 10 sell IT, The
man then offered ounce and bali, when capt.
Weber lad Ia take 1t. Tie prices uf all things are
high. aud yet Indians, who before hardly knew what
q breech cloth was, can now afford to buy the most
gaudy dresses.
The country either side Of Weber's creek much
broken up bv hills, aud is inlersecled in every direc
ton by small streams ravines which contain more
or less gold. Those that have been worked are bare
ly scratched and although thousands Of ounces have
been carried away, do not consider thdt a serious
impression has been made upon the whole. Every
day de, clipping and richer deposits and the
only impression seemed TO be. that the metal would
be found in such abundance seriously TO depreciate
in value.
On the 9Th Of July. returned to the lower mines,
and on the following day Suffers where, on the
10Th, ] was making preparations tor visit To the
Feather Y ubah, and Bear rivers, when received
letter from Commander A. X. Long United States
navy, who had just arrived at San Francisco from
Muzaan, with crew for the sloOp-o-war Warren,
with orders to take that vessel The squadron at La
Paz. Capt. Long wrote that the Mexican Con-
gress had adjourned without ratliylng the treaty OF
peace; that he had letters for me from Commodore
Jones' aud that his orders sail with The War
rem, before the 10Th of July. In consequence of
these, determined to return 10 Monterey, aud ac-
cordlngl arrived here on the 18th of July. Before
leaving Suffers, satisfied myself that gold existed
in the bed of the Feather river III the Yuba and Bear
aud in many the small that lie betw the
latter and the American fork also, that ii had cen
found in the Cosummes TO the south of the American
fork In each Of these streams, the gold Is found In
small scales, whereas IN the intervening mountains it
occurs in coarser Jumps.
Mr. Sinclair, whose rancho Is three miles above
Suffers the north side of the American fork, en-
poys about 30 indians the north fork not far from
its junction with the main stream. He had been en-
gagged about five weeks when saw him, and up TO
that time, his Indians had used simply closely woven
willow baskets. His nett proceeds (Which saw
were about $4,000 worth Of gold. He showed me the
proceeds of his last weeks work-fourteen pounds
avordupois, of clean washed gold
The principal store at Suffers Fort. that Of Bran
nan q Co., had received in payment for goods, $50.
coo (worth of this gold from the lst OF May 10 the
10Th of July. Other merchants had also made exten-
sales Large quantities of goods daily sent
forward TO tie mines, as the Indians, heretofore SO
poor and degraded have suddenly become the consul
mers of The iuxurics of life | before mentioned tina
the greater part of the farmers and rancheros had
abandoned their fields 10 GO to tie mines. This Is
not the case with Capt. Suffer, who carefully
gathering his wheat, estimated at $1,000 bushels.
Flour is already worth Suffers $50 barrel. and
will be fifty. Unless large quantities Of bread
stutis reach the country, much suffering will
but as each man is now able TO pay large price, It
is believed the merchants will bring from Chill and
Oregon, plentiful supply for the coming winter.
bo to acfir Dnt 70 | fnl from
acquainted with the subject, was, that upwards
Of four thousand men were working III the gold dis
trIct, Of whom more than one-halt were Indians and
that from $50, 600 TO $1,000 worth of gold, If not
more, was daily obtained The entire gold district,
with very few exceptions of grants made some years
ago by the Mexican authorities, s on land belonging
the United States. X matter of serious re-
Election with me, how | could secure IN the govern
certain fees for the privilege OF procur-
Ing this gold but upon considering the large extent
of country, the character of The people engaged. and
the small scattered force ut my command, resolved
not to interfere but permit a.. 10 work freely,
less broils and crime should call for interference.
was surprised TO learn that crime of any kind was
very unfrcquen, aud that thefts robberics had
been committed IN the gold district. All live IN tents
in bush arbors. in the open air and men have fire.
quenty about their persons thousands oil dollars worth
of tbs gold, aud 1t 10 matter of surprise
that SO peaceful and quiet state of things should
spots of ground may collisions, bnt they will be
rare, the extent of country is so great, aud the gold
abundant, that for the present there Is room and
enough for all. STILL the government Is entitled TO
rents for this land, and immediate steps should be de-
vsed collect hem for the longer IT is delayed the
more difficult it will become. One plan | would sug-
ges is to send on, from the United States, surveyors
with high salaries. bound to specified periods.
a superintendent lie he appointed al Suffers Fort,
with power grant licenses 10 work spot OF ground
say 100 yards square-for one year. at n rent OF
from 100 to coo dollars ut his discretion; the sur
veyors 10 measure the ground and place The renlor IN
possession.
A better plan, however, will be to have the district
surveyed and sold at public auction to the highest
bidder, IN small parcelssay from 20 II 40 acres. In
either case, there will be many nruders. whom for
years il will be almost impossible 10 exclude
The discovery OF these vast deposits OF gold has en-
TREY changed the character OF Upper California. lis
people, before engaged in culllya,ng their small
patches Of ground aud guarding their herds of cattle
and horses, have all gone to the mines, on their
way ,hher. Laborers of every trade have left their
work benches, and tiadesmen their shops. Sailors
desert their ships fast they arrive on the coast
and several vessels have gone To with hardly
enough hands to spread sail. Two or three
NJ anchor IN San Francisco. with crew on board.
Many dcsertons too, have taken place from the gar
risons within the influence Of these mines; twenty
six soldiers have deserted from the post of Sonoma,
twenty -four from that Of San Francisco, and twenty
four from Monterey. For few days tho evil np-
pcarcd threatening. tint grea, danger existed That
the garisuns would leave in n body and refer yon
to my orders of The 18th of July, ~ show the steps
adopted to meet this contingency. shall spare no
cxertons to upprchcnd and punish dcsertcrs. but /
believe no time in the history of our country has pre-
scented such temptations 10 desert MS now 10 exist IN
California The danger Of apprehension is small.
and the prospects of high WI ges certain; pay and
bounlics are TRIES. laborug at the mines.
now earn in one day more than double n soldiers pay