Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-12-15

ners of the luxuries of life. before mention.
I'd that the greater part of the farmers and ran
,heros had abandoned their fields to go 10 the
mines.
This is not the case with Capt. Suffer, who
was carefully gathering in his wheat. estima-
ted at 10000 bushels Flour is already worth !
at Suffers $50 barrel, and will soon be fifty.
Unless large quantities of breadstuff reach the
much suffering will occur; but as
each man is now able to pay large price, it |
is believed the merchants will bring from Chi
Ii and Oregon plentiful supply for the COM
ing winter.
The most moderate estimate | could obtain
from men acquainted with the subject, was,
that upwards of four thousand men were work
ing in the gold district, of whom more than
one half were Indians; and that from $50, 900
to $4,000 Of gold, if not more, was daily OBJ
tanned. The entire gold district, with very
few exceptions OF grants made some years ago
by the Mexican authorities, is on land belong
ing to the United States. 1t was a matter of
serious reflection with me. how could secure
to the government certain rents or fees for the
privilege of procuring this gold; but upon con-
sdering the large extent of country, the cha
racter of the people engaged, and the small
scattered force at my command, resolved not
10 interfere, but 10 permit all to work freely,
unless broils and crime should call for inter-
ference.
/ was surprised to learn that crime of any
kind was very unfrequent, and that no thetis
or robberies had been committed in the gold
district. All live in tents, in bush arbors, or
in the open air; and men have frequently a.
bout their persons thousands of dollars worth
of this gold and it was TO me matter of sur
prise that so peaceful and quiet state of things
should continue 10 exist Conflicting claims
to particular spots of ground may cause COLI
sions, but they will be rare, as the extent Of
country is so great and the gold so 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 devised TO collect them, for the longer it is
delayed The more difficult it will become. One
plan J would suggest is, to send out from the
United States surveyors with high salaries,
bound to serve specified periods.
superintendent to be appointed at Suffers
Fort, with power to grant licenses to work a
spot of ground-say 100 yards square-for
one year, at rent of 500 or 81 GOO, at his
discretion the surveyors 10 measure the
ground, and place the rentor in possession.
better plan, however, will be to have the
district surveyed and sold at public auction 10
the highest bidder, in small parcels-say from
20 TO 40 acres. In either case, there will be
many intruders, whom for years it will be al
most impossible to exclude
The discovery of these vast depostes oil
gold has entirely changed the character Of Up.
per California. lis people, before engaged II
cultivating their small patches of ground, ant
guarding their herds OF cattle and horses, hav
all gone 10 the mines, or are on their wa
thther. Laborers of every trade have LEI
their work benches, and tradesmen their shops
Sailors desert their ships as fast as they arrv
on the coast, and several vessels have gone Il
sea with hardly enough hands to spread sail
/ Two or three are now at anchor in San Fran
cisco with no crew on board. Many desertion
too, have taken place from the garrisons with
in the influence of these mines twenty 81.
soldiers have deserted from the post of Sono
ma, twenty four from that of San Francisco
and twenty four from Monterey. For few
days the evil appeared so threatening, tina
great danger existed that the garrisons wou
leave in body; and refer you to my order
OF the 25th ofJuly, 10 show the steps adopte
TO meet this contingency. | shall spare NJ
eXertIons to apprehend and punish deserters
but believe no time in the history of OH
country has presented such temptations to de
scrt as now exist in California.
The danger of apprehension is small am
the prospect of high wages certain; pay an
bonntles are trit1es, as laboring men at tn
mines can now earn in one day more than dou
bic a soldiers pay and allowances for a month
and even the pay of a lieutenant or captain
5 cannot hire servant. A carpenter or mechan
. &c would not listen to an offer of less than fiji
teen or twenty dollars day
Could any combination of affairs try a man
fidelity more than this? And really thin]
some extraordinary mark of favor should b.
glver TO those soldiers who remain faithful t.
their flag throughout this tempting crisis. NJ
officer can now live in California on his pay
; money has so little value the prices of neces
| sary articles of clothing and subsistence ar
so eXorbltant and labor so high, that to hire
, cook or servant has become an impossibiIity
save 10 those who are earning from thirty t
: fifty dollars day. This state of things can
! not last forever Yet from the geographical
: position OF California, and the new characte
l IT has assumed as Il mining country, prices c
t labor will always be high, and will hold OF
temptations to desert
: therefore haveto report, if the governmer
S wish to prevent assertions here on the part
',"' on" " secure zeal on Inc part OF OInCer
;, their pay must be increased very MATERIAL,
t Soldiers, both of the volunteer and reguI;
e service, discharged in this country, should
t permitted at once to locate their land warran
e IN the gold district, Many private letters ha,
\ gone to the United States, giving accounts
f the vast quantity of gold recently discovere,
0 and ii may be matter of surprise why hay
;, made no report on this subject al an earle
. date.
( The reason is, that Tcoud not bring myse
4 TO believe the reports that heard of the weaIt
;, OF the gold district until visited it myself
t have no hesitation now in saying that the
IS more gold in the country drained by Ii
: Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers than wi
: pay the cost of the present war with Mexic
= hundred times over. No capital is require
: to obtain this gold, as the laborng man wan
nothing but his pick and shovel and tin PAL
: with which to dig and wash the gravel ar
many frequently pick gold out OF the crevc'
r OF rocks with their cher-knives, in picc
:, from one to six ounces.
s Mr.. Dye, gentleman residing in Mont
r rey, and worthy of every credit, has Just r
= turned from Feather river He tells me tn
: the company to which he belonged, work
h seven weeks and two days, with an avera
: OF fifty Indians, (washers,) and that the