Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-12-26
From the s. Caliiornianm OF August ID.
The GalA Mine.

California as being the sources of her
greatest wealth, and although they are not
Inferior to any portions OF the world, the
soil constitutes but small part Of her
wealth, all interests having been absorb
ed in the working of the mines.
The present number of the Californian
IL intended for circulation abroad as we'll
as al home. and will, by giving minute
and general view of the all absorbing
topic, the gold mine, be found useful to
persons to send to their distant friends.
The information which we shall give has
been gathered from actual observation,
and from persons who have been engaged
at the mines, and from the most authentic
sources, as it is desirable that the facts be
correctly known through other countries,
and especially through the United States.
Some time since, in the spring. Messrs
Marshall & Bennett, in 0pen ming a ditch
for tail race for a saw mill, which had
been built on the American fork of the
Sacramento, found some gold which the
current had collected in the bottom Of the
race, which, after being examined, was
found to be very pure. 1t soon began to
attract attention, and some persons dis.
covered the gold in the river below, and
for some distance above, in large quaint.
ties-so much so that persons who only
gave credit to Que third Of what was said
about it left their homes and went to wol k
In the mines. 1t was the work Of but a
few weeks to bring almost the entire popu
Ia'iOn Of the territory together to pick up
the precious metal. The result has been
that in less than four months a total revo
luton has been effected in the prospects
and the fate Of Alta CALIFORNIA. Then
the capital was in the hands of few
individuals engaged in trade and specula-
ton; now labor has got the upper hand
of capital, and the laboring men hold the
great mass Of the wealth of the country
the gold.
There are now about four thousand
white persons, besides number of IndI
ans, engaged at the mines, and, from The
fact tina, no capital is required, they are
working in companies on equal shares,
or alone with their basket. In one part
ofthe mine, called the ''dry diggins," no
other implement is necessary than an
ordinary sheath-knife, to pick the gold
from the rocks. In other parts, where
the gold is washed out, the machinery is
very simple, being al ordinary trough,
made Of plank, round on the bottom,
about ten feet long and two feet wide at
the top, with riddle or sieve at one end
TO catch the larger gravel, and three OF
four email bars across the bottom, about
about half an inch high, to keep the gold
from going out with the dirt and water at
the lower end. This machine is set upon
rockers, which give half rotary motion
TO the water aud dirl inside. But the
largest number use nothing but large
tin pan, or an Indian basket, into which
they place the dirt, and shake il until the
gold gets 10 the bottom, and the dirt is
carried over the side ia the shape Of mud
dy water. II is necessary in some cass
10 have crOwbar. pick and shovel, but
great deal is taken W with large horns
shsPen spOOnfashion at the large end.
From the fact that no capital is neces.
sary, tair competition in labor without
the influence Of capital, men who were
only able to procure one months provis.
Ions have now thousands Of dollars of The
precious metal. The laboring class have
now become the capitalists Of the coun-
try.
AstO the richness of the mine, were
we TO set down half the truth, it would be
looked upon in other countries as a .'Sin
bad" story, or the history of ''Ailadin's
lamp" which required that it's possessor
should but wish and his wishes should be
accomplished. Many persons have col
Iected in one day, Of the finest grade of
gold. from three TO eight hundred dollars.
and for many days together averaged from
$40 to $3.50. Although this is not uni
versAl. yet the general average is so well
settled that when man with his pan or
basket does not easily gather thirty to.
forty dollars in day be moves to another
place, SO that taking the general average,
Inetuding the time spent in moving from
place to place and looking for better dig
gings," we are of the opinion that we
may safely set down an ounce of pure
gold, or 8I6, per day to the man. Sup
pose there are four thousand persons at
work. they will add to the aggregate
wealth Of the territory about four thousand
ounces, or 100000 dav.
The value of the gold. like all things
else. is regulated by the demand. -Four
months ago, -four was sold for four dollars
per hundred. now sixteen; beef cattle six,
now thirty; ready made clothing, eroce
ries. aud other goods have no, risen in
the same proportion, but are at least doub.
le their original cost. II we make bread
and meat the standard by which to deter
mine the value of the gold, then il is
only worth one. fourth Of whai /. is else
where. Bot if gold and silver he the
standard. then the bread aud meat is
worth foor times what il was. But the
relative value Of the grain gold connared