The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-12-29
From. calisornla---Thc Gold Fever.

ton had been considerably awakened il re-
Terence to the gold region in California, by
numerous publications. on the subject which
appeared in the newspapers; but the ac-
counts were sometimes vague and contra
dictory, and generally 50 extravagant, that
those who paid any attention a! all 10 them
teiieved bu: half, while most OF people con-
sidcred them mere fabrica'ions, got up for
purposes Of speculation. The appearance
Of the Presidents Message, however, has
put new phase upon these accounts. By
that documentit appears that official reports
from G California confirm the widest Of the
newspaper accounts; and SO impressed is
the president with the importance of,he new
gold mines, that he recommends the imme-
diate establishment Of a branch mint in Ca.
lifornia, and the adoption Of other efficient
measures to prevent the precious dust from
being shipped to other countries to be con-
verted into coin.
The accounts being thus credited and
confirmed by such high authority, the coun-
try, which was at first slow to believe any of
them, now easily gulps down the widest r,i-
mors, and hundreds and thousands who were
contentedly and industrionsly ckeing out a
goo,l living, have got their imaginatons so
heated up with visions of gold dust in Cali
fcrnia, that they are ready to drop every
avocation, and brave all the obstacles and
tarrors of a winters trip across the plains to
reach the enchanted valley OF the Sacra-
mento.
In this place, especially, has the fever
reached dangerous height, from the fact of
the arrival among us Of Mr.. JAMES II. Cur
TING, formerly resident of this county, di-
rect from California, where he left on the
18th Of October. coming by way of San
Bias, the city of Mexico, Vera Cruz and
New Orleans-bringing not only full confr-
nation Of the previous reports, but some Of
the actual stuff itself, slugs of which, weigh
ing from half an ounce TO two ounces, he
showed us.
We have given en- our first page some Of
fetal papers from California, as also leng-
thy extract from California newspaper, gi.
wing some account THE gold mines. We
have, also, in the Washington papers, a
long report from Gov. Mason, made after
personal inspection Of the mines, under date
Of Aug. IL, which repeats deliberately about
what is said in the article we give from the
California paper. Mr.. CUTTING not only
confirms these accounts, but, having left
the country at later date, brings much in
addition. Mr.. c. also worked several weeks
in the mines himself, and brings with him
some $500 worth of gold picked up by his
own hands, so that he is as capable Of Civ
ing information in referedce TO the 'placers'
IS any man can be. He says the region in
which gold is found extends at least 400
miles in length to 100 in width, and that
therefore there is no need Of being in a hur-
~ to get there, for 100000 men could not
exhaust the mines in century.
There were, when he left, from 1000 TO
5000 persons at work in the mines, men.
women, children, and Indians-some Of
whom had gathered as high as 81 200 to
$500 in day, but as general average Of
all engagedfn digging, he thinks the amour,
gathered per day by each is not less THAI
80 to SIG. Some OF the miners dwell. IL
tents, others under temporary sheds; but
generally they ate and slept where they
worked, in the open air. As is too gene.
rally tho case with men engaged in such
pursuits, the miners are given to the vice Of
gambling, which is carried on to fearful
extent, and the sharpers carry of most Of
the winnings.
Silver mines Of immense productiveness
had also been discovered, but such was ihe
rage for gold hunting, that nobody would
stop to work them.
Mr.. Cutting kindly placed in our hands
several copies Of the Californian" news
paper printed at San Francisco, from one Of
which, dated Sept. 90, we make the follow
ing extract:
"During the first eight weeks of the gol.
den lines, the receipts at this place of gold |
dast amounted 10 S250,000. For the eiyh,
weeks ending at this date, they were 5000, =
ooO. The number Of persons now engaged
IN gold hunting will probably exceed 5000,
including Indians, and one ounce per day is !
the lowest average we can put for each per-
son, while many collect their hundreds of
dollars Tor number of days in succession,
and instances have been known where one
individual has collected from $500 to $500
worth Of pure gold in day. Explorations
have been progressing, aud il is now fully
n'certaned that gold exists on both sides of
the Sierra Nevada, from lat. al N. TO as far
.ounth as the head waters of the San Joa
Joaquin, a distance of 400 miles in length
and i0O In breadth. Farther than this has
not been explored, but from the nature of
the country, beyond the sources of the San
Joaquin, we doubt not gold will also be found
there In abundance. The gold region alrca-
dy known is sufficiently extensive to give
profitable employment 10 100000 persons,
LOT generations to come. The ore /, in
virgin state, disseminated in small doses,
and Is found in three distinct deposits -sand
ana gravel beds, on decomposcd granite,
ANA 'nterlniyed with kind of slate.