Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-16
LATER FROM THE GOLD REGION.


Mr.. JOSEPH CUTTING, direct from the gold mines
of California, arrived at New Orleans on the 7th
instant. He left San Francisco on the llth of De-
tober, taking the overland route via the city of
Mexico and Vera Cruz.
Every thing quiet in California when Mr. Cutting e
Nothing thought talked Of but the gold region and
almost all other business than the lucrative Of gold Dig
gng suspended The consequence this state Of things
is that the prices Of all the necessares Of life enormously
high Flour for instance, which principally brought
from Oregon, selling $50 barrel boots S25 per pair;
shoes from So to Ss; bad brandy from So SO bottle cards
~ pack and for ordinary board from Sic SIG week.
Mr.. Cutting was one year in California, and nearly six
weeks in the gold dggngs During his stay in the latter
place, without mining or assistance Of any kind and
aided only by such implements butcher knife pickaxe
shovel and pan wash the dirt he succeeded in collecting
upwards Of fifteen hundred dollars fhe pure metal He has
with him number Of samples consisting of pieces Of gold in
its virgin state of the value Of from thirty thyve dollars
each. The metal is obtained entirely by washing Few eI
cavatons have yet been mad and that more
than feet below the surface.
So far explorations have been made it has been ascer
tanned that gold exists both sides Of the Sierra Neveda
rom 4l0 north to far south the of the San
Joaquin rve distance Of four hundred miles in length and
one hundred miles in breadth The gold region already dis
able employment hundred thousand persons for gene
rations to The in virgin state, disseminated
in small PARTICLES and is found in three distinct deposes
sand and gravel BEDS decomposed granite and ntermxed
with kind of slate II is generally found from Immediately
beneath the surface to distance Of four feet and position
and the pure state in which is found believed to be the
result Of general volcanic eruption.
The gold region lies within about one hundred or one
aundred and forty miles Of San Francisco it is about the
distance from Monterey and the great majority of the
population Of these two placesmechan DOCTORS lawyers
mechanics, labore soldiers seamen deseres Americans
Spanard Mexicans ndana have cleared out and are as
busy avarice and ambition make the engaged in the
oleaoan labor of goldfnding- From November till March,
embracing the interval Of the rainy season, but little progress
ian be made in digging Mr.. Cutting being reaardul of
lis health, chose the "dy dgsngs" operate in. The
gold is found easier and in larger quantities the we dig
gings" but the working in the latter is unhealthy.
The largest piece Of native gold Mr. Cutting has known to
found weighed thirteen pounds He was not so fortunate
Is % pick it up
The Californian Of the 22d September has long and in
erestng article the subject of the gold mnes in which il
taes thas during the first weeks of the golden tines the
eceips a. San Francisco Of gold dust $780, 00 For
he eight weeks ending the 2a September they reached
6oo,0Oo The number of persons engaged in gold hunting
Exceeded 5000, and per day the lowest
for each person, while many collected hundreds of dol
srs for days in succession.
In the neighborhood of Los Angeles explorations
ave brought gold to light in quantities abundant on the
american Fork The editor of the Californian in his paper
the 18th October, the discovery and excais
Really we dread the digging of well the grading of
treet in neighborhood."
Major t. NJ LEAvxSwoRTH has been elected alcsde and
;. r. BAcKELEw and BARTON MowRI counclmen of San
francisco 1t may give idea of the population of the place
. say that l5s votes were cast in all for alcade.
large public meeting held San Francisco on the
9th September to fixed value for gold DUST which
was resolved that during the present scarcity coin there
dust should be received circulating medium in ord-
AIRY business transactions at sixteen dollars per ounce and
ne citizens urged to sustain the price of gold at their
ONES to prevent its depreciation abroad its value de-
ends the best interests Of their country
The meeting also resolved to appoint committee Of five
ersens to draft memorial to the Congress of - nitt
tates, urging the necessity that exists for the caab
shment Of a branch mint at San Francisco. Tn, ae ~
onsists OF the following gentlemen, viz C. 7leF3r
Judge G. Hyde, Dr.. John TOWNSEND Capt. ]. F,isorr
nd Samuel Bannan, Esq, who have prepared an 10hra
memorial, which we will copy into our next pap