Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-12-21
The California Fever.

We copy the following from the Newark
Daily Advertiser---a capital paper by the way.
A Newark vessel. IL will be seen by our
advertising columns, is up to day for Califor-
MIA. She goes out, not to hunt gold, but to
supply those who do with something more in
dispensablc-the means of life. Every sea-
port, so we Judge by the aspect of our ex-
char yes, in the country is now fitting out ex-
peditons for this now land Of promise aud
SO anxious are seamen TO go that il is said that
men can be shipped at one dollar a month -
Within the past two months no less than three
steamers, seven ships aud q bark, including
several vessels chartered by government, have
cleared from New York for California, while
some half dozen others have sailed from Bos-
ton, Baltimore aud Salem, for the same desti-
nation. One brig and seven ships are now
fitting out in New York. 10 leave in a few
days.
The bark John w. Coffin cleared at Boston
few days ago, with large assorted cargo
valued at $36, 900 her manifest was about
three yards long and we learn from the Bos-
ton Journal thai three others ale fitting out
One of the vessels loading a, Baltimore will
take ont nothing but -four. Several of the
New York vessels are employed by the gov
ernnent to transport troops aud stores. The
steamship Falcon, which left on the lst De.
cember, is to form one of the monthly line to
Chagrcs, to connect with the Pacific line a
cross the lsthnus Of Daren the consort Of
this vessel will leave New York about the 25th
inst.
Tho whole distance across the lsthmus is
said TO bo go miles, 40 of which is up the Cha
gres river, and is performed in Canoes the
balance of twenty miles is done on mules the
whole journey takes about two days. II is
further said that the steamboat Orus has been
purchased TO he placed Oh the Chagres river in
connection with the mail steamers, which will
reduce the Journey across 10 sea TO ten hours.
The California Company in Boston have
adopted constitution and bylaws to govern
them Each OF the 80 members enrolled is TO
furnish $500, and devote his best energies 10
the work-bndng himself not to gamble, or
drink intoxicating liquors on pain Of expulsion.
The President and Directors are TO have charge
of The funds Tor year. Similar companies are
forming in various places North, Fast, West
and South A company of doctors, printers,
talors and lawyers, is organizing in Greenbo-
rough, Mississippi, TO emigrdte.
The cost of getting TO San Francisco by the
Chagrcs route, using The mail steamers, is es-
tmaicd a, 1915 say $50 TO Chagres, $50
across the lsthmus, and $500 from Panama TO
san Francisco. BY taking second cabin passa-
g1s, however, the cost will@be reduced about
$50 aud by taking sailing vessels instead Of
steamer to Chagres, the passage may be made
for $3.50. The distance is $500 miles, and
. the time 35 DAYS. llarndcn 4 Co., who adj
yeriise ship for San Francisco, soon, have al
ready had five hundred appcatons-mosily
young men, all afflicted win The yeHow Jerer,
ui course.
Besides gold and quicksilver the country is
nov said 10 have copper mines, some ore from
which has been brought TO Baltimore, yielding
% per cent of pure metal. The gold has been
tested at the Philadelphia Mint, and proves to
be % cara,s fine purer than coin.
But whcreunto does all this tend Will
the discovery prove blessing or curse to-
the country and the people! Let the Boston
Courier answer -
4" The last thing that we should desire for
the prosperity and permanent welfare of coun-
try would be the discovery of gold mine in it.
Hardly any thing can be more certain 10 re-
press industry, productive labor, thrifty habits,
aud social improvement in general. The rich
es. mining soils under the sun are peopled by
the poorest communities. The owners of Po-
tos and Real del Monte cannot pay their debts
Spain and Portugal, after gorging themselves
with the gold and silver and diamonds of the
Western World, became the most impoversh-
ed, weak and despsed all the European king
doms. The same spectacle is exhibited on a
small scale as on a large one. All travellers
inlorm us that the approach to mining dis
trci in South America is uniformly indicated
by marks OF poetry and wretchedness-rag-
gcd people, ruinous dwellings,, neglected agri-
culture, sloth, ignorance, SQualor, dirt and dis
slpa,ion.
Z" Lieut. Haidy, who explored part of Cal
iiorna and that portion of northern Mexico bor-
drring on our newly acquired empire of III |
Dorado, states tuat he never knew a gold hun
ter who became rich and that even a prOduc-
tive mine was good for ro,hing except TO a
rich man, who could furnish capital to work ii.
"If California is to thrive, i, must be by
possessing population of industrious men,
who will dsv0te themselves TO agriculture and
the useful arts. Let no one 90 thther with
his head full Of golden dreams, expecting to
fud the land one entire and perfect chrysolite.
The romance of FL Dorado cost the Spania DIS
more blood. treasure, fatigue and suffering,
than all their real couqucsts and acquisition in
the Western world. 1t is To be hoped that
our own times will not witness copy of that
delusion.