Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-12-15

thirty TO fif,y dollars day This state Of thing,
cannot last forever. Yet from the geographiceiii
position of California, and the new character
has assumed us a mining country, prices OF iaOoI
will always be high, and will hold out tempta.io l
to desert. therefore have to report u 'nc
Government wish to prevent desert'ons mere on
the part of men, and to secure zeal on the part
of officers, their pay must be increased very ma,
terally Soldiers, both Of the volunteers anu
regular service, dischargedn this country, should
be permitted ut once to locate their land war
rants in the gold district.
Many private letters have gone to the United
States, giving accounts Of the vast quantity OF
yold recently discovered, and il may be matter
of surprise why have made no report on this
subject at an earlier date. The reason is, that
could not bring myself to believe the reports
that heard OF the wealth Of the gold district
until | visited il myself. have no hesitation
now in saying that there is more gold in the
country druined by the Sacramento and San
Joaquin rivers than will pay the cost of the pres
ent war with Mexico hundred times over. No
capital is required to obtain this gold as the Ia
b,Ting man wants nothing but his pick and SHOW.
e and tin pan, with which to dig and wash the
gravel; and many frequently pick gold out Of
The crevicCs Of rocks with their butcher knives
in pieces from one 10 six ounces.
Mr. Dye, agcnteman residing in Monterey, and
worthy of every credit, has lust returned from
Feather River. lie tells me that the company
20 which he belonged worked seven weeks and
two days, with an average Of fifty Indians wash
els) and that their gross product was two hun
dred and seveniy-tbrce pounds Of gold. His
,hnre Zone. seyenth), after paying ali expenses
q about thirty-sc,en pounds, which he brough,
with him and exhibited ia Monterey. sec no
laboring man from the mines who does no, show
his two, three or four pounds Of gold. A sol.
der Of the artillery company returned here
few days ago from the mines, having been absent
on fnrlough twenty days. lie made by tradinr
and working during that time 81 500. During
these twenty days he was travelling ten or eleven
days, leaving but a week, in which he made a
sum of money greater than be receives in paw,
Clothes aud rations during whole enlistment
Of five years. These statements appear incred.
bic, but they are true.
Gold is also believed to exist on the eastern
slope Of the Sierra Nevada; and when at the
mines was informed by an intelligent Mormon
that il had been found near the Great Salt Lake
by some Of his fraternity. Nearly all the Nor
mons arc leaving California to 20 10 the Salt
Lake, and this they surely would not do unless
they were sure Of finding gold there in the same
abundance as they now do on the Sacramento.
The gold placer" near the mission Of San
Fernando has long been known, but has been
little wrought for want Of water. hi, is in a
spur that puts of from the Sierra Nevada (see
Fremont's map), the same in which the present
mines occur. There is, therefore, every reason
TO believe, that in the intervening spaces Of 800
miles (entircly uneAplorcd) there must be many
hidden and rich deposits. The placer" gold Is
now substituted as the currency Of this country
in trade ], passes freely at SIC per ounce as an
article OF commerce its value il not fixed. The
fartIts / 49, al.
I, which got of Mr. Nclight at si2 the ounce.
That is about the present cash value in the
country, although it las been sold for less The
great demand for goods and provisions made by
sudden development Of wealth has increased tho
amount Of commerce at San Francisco very
much, and il will continue to increase.
would recommend that mint he established
at some eligible point Of the Bay of San Fran
cisco; and that machinery, and all the necessary
apparatus and workmen, be sent out by sea-
These workmen must be bound by high wages,
and even bonds, TO secure their faithful services,
else the whole plan may be frustrated by their
going TO the mines rs soon as they arrive ia Cal
iiorna. II this course be not adopted, gold 10
the amount OF many millions Of dollars will pas,
yearly TO other countries 10 enrich their mer.
chants and capitalists. Before leaving the sub.
jet Of mines, will mention that on my return
from the Sacramento, touched ut New Almo-
/ der, the quicksilver mine OF Mr. Alexander
/ Forbes, Consul of her Britannia Majesty al
Topic. This mine is in spur of the NOM tains
/ 1000 feet above the level OF the Bay Of San
Francisco, aud is distant in a southern direction
from the Puebla dc San Jose about ~ miles
The orc (einnabar) occurs in a large vein dip
ping at a strong angle to the horizon. Mexican
miners are employed in working il, by driving
shafts and galleries about feet by 7, following
the vein.
The fragments OF rock and ore are removed
Oh the backs OF Indians, in raw-hide sacks The
ore is then hauled in an OK wagon, from the
mouth of the mine down to a valley well supplied
with wood and water, in which the furnaces are
situated. The furnaces are Of the simplest con.
struction-exactly like common bake-oven, in
the crown of which is Inserted a whaler's frying.
kettle; another inverted kettle forms the lid
From a hole IL tho I'D small brick channel
leads to an apartment, or chamber, in the bottom
of which is inserted small iron kettle. The
chamber has chimney.
In the morning of each day the kettles are
filed with the mineral (broken in small pieces)
mixed with lime ; fire is then applied and kept
up all day The mercury is voaillized, passes
into the chamber, is condensed ON the sides and
bottom of the chamber, and flows into the pot
prepared for il. No water is used to condense
the mercury.
During a visit made last Spring, four such
ovens were in operation, and yielded in the two
days | was there CSC pounds OF quicksilver,
worth at Aiazatlan $3.50 per lb. MIR Walkin-
shaw, the gentleman now in charge of this mine,
tells me that he vein is improving and that he
can afford to keep his people employed even in
these extraordinary times. The mine is very
valuable of itself, aud becomes the more so as
mercury is extensively used in obtaining gold
Ii is not at present used in California for that
purpose, but will be at some future lime. When
| was at this mine last Spring, other parties were
engaged in searching for veins; but none have
been discovered that are worth following up, al.
though the earth in that whole range Of hills is
highly discolored, indicating the presence Of this
ore. ! send several beautiful specimens prop
ery labeled. The amount of quicksilver in Mr.
Forbes watts on the 18th of July was about $500
pounds
| enclose you herewith sketches Of the coun-
try through which passed, indicating the posi-
ton of the mines and the topography Of the
country in the vicinity of those visited
Some of tho specimens of gold accompanying
this were presented for Transmission TO the De-
partment by the gentlemen named be.ow. The
numbers on the typographical sketch correspond
ing to the labels Of the respective specimens,
show from what part of the gold region they
were obtained.