The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-14
The Yellow Fever.

of large number Of persons to send the magnificent
steamship Crescent City tc Chegres She will leave
Saturday the 23d inst for that port direct but will
stop, on her hoaeward passage, at New Orleans
We think 1t would be an advantage to the owners
were they to advertise her at New Orleans for Cha
gres and her route from this city touch, and take
the passengers that would there offer. No doubt
many would take advantage Of 80 excellent oppor.
tunity. Here we certain, her acknowledged su.
perorty in comfort and speed will be literally and
properly appreciated.
We understand that the steamer Orus, which leaves
for Chagres river is already full of passengers We
should state that the whole cost of the third class
passage from this port by way of Panama in the Orus
szd in Mr. Aspin wallis steamers is less then $780, viz,
sos to Chagre $50 to Panama. 500 to San Francisco.
There is also me tium class of passengers by these
steamers who fare, in the way Of edibes, as well
those occupying slater Freight baggage taken
by this route should be divided put up in packages
Of 1850 pounds weight in order that they may be more
convenien tly placed upon the backs of the lles.
The fever does not appear to haveabaed much sinoe
yesterdays in tact were We to judge from the number
Of vessels up, and the conversations we every
where hear should say it il still the increase
TFrom the Boston Journal Dec. 12l
We publish below letter from highly respectable
gentleman in Monterey, California, In relation to the
gold fever in that place The writer of the stter has
been long resident OF California, and has filed an
official station under the United States government
MoNTgREY. California, Aug 1, 1913.
Dear Friend After perusiny this long letter. and
viewing the many sudden and singular changes that
have taken place in California within short time,
hope that readily for not writing to
1t will be almost impossible for you to comprehend
the disorder that now prevails here in regard every
thing except gold digging. Unsaleable goods on hand
in the year lS46 sell with astonishing rapidity
and there nothing but what finds ready quick
market. II had sent home ten months ago 10000
do Iphn lAcnnn haua haan hla 20
like but instead Of that, laid out al my ready
cash and more in the purchasing of lands, building of
houses, Sc, until now own 20 leagues of land, 100
house lots, and dozen houses; when, to my utter
astonithment, in few short weeks my property was
not worth cent. Though rich, in one sense, am
mesrably poor as my houses nearly all sta nd empty
and are the source of no income. The cause of this
will briefly relate
In January or February last. some Mormons isging
mill race for Captain Suffer- on the south American
Fork, forty miles from New Helvetia found q small
quantity Of yellow metal which proved to bs gold :
This discovery led to others Inc news 500 reached
the town OF San Francisco but for short time little
no ate ntion was paid to h, even when of it
was brought there sale In the month of April the
great quantities of this precious metal which into
market, commenced to attract the attention of the
people in Northern California and gradual dimiu.
ishment of the Inhabitants perceptibe lst
June, was in San Francisco. Meus and ard, and
the largest merchants had then but about $l5-
600 worth OF this god but before left Mr.. Brannn
resident ct that place, who had been trading at the
Paoero handed, my presence to Mellus and Howard
three bottles tanning twenty pounds of gold From
that time onward it has been arriving large quanti-
ties in bottles, phias sc. About the middle of June
passed portion of the Plaoero, which is sup
posed be in extent about 100 by 80 miles but my
opinion 1t is far greater for there is not direction
which you CO. but what there gold IL gems al
most Inc xhaustbls At that time thsre were about
1900 people, s working the Pacero which
then yielded about slS 600 per day. At the present
time il yields about 80 0O0 As the number workers
has increased, 1t is not exclusively confined to
foreigners great number of the natives have
mencsd working end now may be the represe nta-
tives Of almost every country tho globeevsn the
wild Indian tribes. think at the lowest estimate the
month Of July yielded half million Of dollars reckon
ing the gold at SIG per ounce.
The valleys OF the Sacramento, which but short
time since hardly known are now wide and dusty
roads. Half Of the houses Monterey empty and
1T least two thirds Of those in San Francisco. The
hetes and stores have all been closed and many farms
have occupants whatever. The hotel in San Fran
cisco however, again opened, under the direction of
Robert Parker of New YORK but the expenses be
enormous, as he pays his head ste ward, black man
sI7oO per year the second ST 300 and the COOK 5000
90 informed on authority entitled to credit. In
Monterey at the present time there is place of
tertainment and strangers arriving and officers sta.
toned here days hardly know where to get any
thing to eat, without the necessary comforts
1t woald have afforded me great pleasure to have had
you dine with me on the memorable 4th of July as We
Jared sumptuousy on bread and coffee with an Indian
in attendance. Many families are without q single
servant, and find IL very difficult sometimes to get
anything done whatever. There are no mechanics
now lett in town except one, blacksmith; and
you his forge proves to him real "Placero,"
crowbars and pckaxas are in great demand. There
are at San two three vessels with only
man on board of each, the crews have all deserted
have also lost agreat many men, and in all probability
will lose many more. think the towns in the lower
part OF Upper California must share the fate Of
San Francisco and Monterey, as the whole population
going crazy old as well as young daily falling
victims to the gold fever.
From my gaze upon the deserted streets
Of the town, and behold nothing moving therein but
occasionally the fair sex Every woman WAC chooses,
for the gold diggsrs and at great price The msrket
contains nothing whatever, and 1t Is with great
difficulty that we can get any thing even the com non
OF life. Horses command any price, and
saddles be bought for love money, GREATS
the demand these articles have but houses o.
cupied at the time the rest are as useless q,
have company Of three or four Americans fitted
out with four carts and Cxen, ana $4,000 worth
of goods, provisions and clothing, which are ct
the Placeio fitted out another at my Sacramento
Rancho, under the head man and his two brothers.
was have third. They started with ten Indians,
but at that time | only able to obtain ten shirts
and pants for them (Which however, they only required
on the part of decsncy as their bodies had never be-
fore made the acquaintance OF cothing) but unortu
nately they did not remain but few days Last week
Mr. Green and my self started two young with Eve
carts and twenty yokes of oxen, 100 arobes of -four
and COO worth OF clothing, accompanied by FIVE Ca
ut s33 per month four foreigners at $40 and
eight, dams at $25 each How they will dig
gold remains to be however hope at least hall
viii remain These two young men go prepared to hire
There is one party Of six foreigners who since the
18th june have worked over 100 wild Indians. av-
ing 90 worth OF goods with them they take from
to IL poux de Of gold per day. The head man. Chs W.
Weber told that his sixth part amounted to over
$1,000 per week. which Is certainly bright prospects,
considering that they commenced without capital |
have parties of four white with q common
rough machine getting pound Of gold per day and
individuals, each with common Ii n pan, making from
$50 to $500 day. Many natives ana foreg AXE
500 per week but tina weather being hot and the
labor go hard they cannot oatinue a. IL two mo nhs
think, least, there from 900 to 600 who,
average, since the month OF May, have taken 600
in gold dust, at sic per ounce.
The scarcity Of money here, and the present neces
sty for it, greatly deprecates the value of this gold
here which can be readily purchased for BIO and Sll
think in the course OF six months 1t will gradually
rise again, money becomes more abu ndant In crcu
ration It's real value is about SIS per There
IL every prospect OF this gold digging lasting all next
year. Two thousand dig,ers now average ounce
per day; and think, for ten or fifteen years, from
three to six dollars may be obtained per day.
large portion of the dissers in the months Of May
n u led from so to Sln0 q daY SIG usr