Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1848-12-16
DESCRIPTION OF THE GOLD REGION.
Correspondence of the Californian.

New HELvETIA, June 80, 1913.
have just returned TO Fort Sacramento, from the
gold region, whence write this; and in compliance
with my promise on leaving the coast send you
such items as / have gathered.
Our trip after leaving your city by way of Pueblo
San Jose and San Joaquin River, found very
agreeable, passing over lovely country, with its
valleys and hills covered with the richest vcrdnre
ntcrtwncd with flowers of every hue. The coun.
try from the San Joaquin River TO this place is rich
beyond comparison, and will admit OF Il dcnse popu.
laton.
We found the fort miniature of Manchester a
young Lowell. The backsmth's hammer, the tin
ner the carpenter, and the wcavcr's shuttle plying
by the ingenuity Of Indians, at which place there are
several hundred in the employ Of Capt. j. A. Suffer.
| was much pleased with walk in the large and
beautiful garden attached to the fort. II contains
about eight ten acres laid out with great taste,
under the supervision OF a young Swiss Among the
fruit trees noticed the almond fig, olive, pear, apple
and peach The grape vines are IN the highest state
OF cultivation, and for vegetables would refer you
TO a seedmans catalogue.
About three miles from the fort, on the east bank
of the Sacramento, the town OF Suttcrsvlle is laid
out. The location is one of the best in the country
situated in the largest and most fertile district Cali
fornia, and being the depot for the extensive gold,
silver, platna, quicksilver and iron mines. hotel
is now building for the accommodation of the travel
ing public, who are now obliged to impose on the
kind inequalities of Capt. Suffer. party of men
who have been exploring route TO cross the Sierra
Nevada mountains have just returned, and report
that they have found good wagon road on the de-
clivity ridge between the American fork and the
McCossamy rivers, the distance being much less than
by the old route. This road will pass through the
gold district, and enter the valley the American
fork.
ferry is to be established at Suttcrsville on the
Sacramento, and the road the t,l0 improved
soon which will shorten the distance from this place
to Sonoma and your city about 90 miles.
After leaving the fort passed up on the south
bank of the American fork about twelve miles This
is beautiful river, about three fathoms deep the
water being very cold and clear; and after leaving
the river passed through country, rolling and
timbcrcd with oak. We commenced ascending
the hills at the base of the great Sierra Nevada
which are thicky set with oak and pine timber, and
soon arrived at a small rvulet. One of party
dipped up cupfl of sand from the bed of the creek
washed it, and found five pieces of gold. This
our first attempt at gold digging. About dark we
arrived at the mill Of Capt. Suffer, having rode
over gold, silver platina aud iron Mines TWEEN
ty or thirty miles. The past three days have spent
in exploring the mountains in this district and con-
vcrsing with many men who have been at work
here for some weeks past. Should attempt TO re-
late TO You all that have seen, and have been told
concerning the and productions of the mines
fearful you readers would think me exaggerating
too much; therefore, will keep within bounds
could fill your columns about the mines here, far
excellins the Arabian Nights, and all true to the
letter.
As near as can ascertain, there are now about
1000 persons engaged, and the roads leading to the
mines throngcd with people and wagons. The
implements used shovcls, picks tin pans wooden
bowls and Indian baskets. From one TO nine ounces
of pure virgin gold per day is gathered by every
who performs the requisite labor. The mountains
have been explored for about forty miles, and gold
has been found in great abundance in almost ever
part of them. gentleman informed me that he had
spent some time in exploring the country, and that
he had dug fftytwo holes with his butchers knife
in different places, and found gold in every one
Several extensive silver mines have been discover