Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-12-15

tuted as the currency of this country. i
it passes freely at SIC per ounce; as An uae
of commerce its value is not yet fixed 'Ae
The only purchase I made was OF IL.
cimen No 7, which | got of Mr.. NeGe,R
sl2 the ounce. That is about the preseps;aa
value in the country, although i, has bsa. ea
Tor less. The great demand for gor4Ia
provisions made by this sudden devpIosS III
of wealth has increased the amour, u PAe
merce at San Francisco very much, and
continue 10 increase.
I would recommend that mint h.
lished at some eligible point of the bav o esah
Francisco and that machinery, and AHA y
necessary apparatus and workmen, ha&
out by sea. These workmen mns, veg
bound by high wages, and even bonds :.
cure their faithful services, else the NJ NJ
plan may be frustrated by their goins %aS'
mines as soon as they arrive in Caifor9o;s"
this course be not adopted. gold to the a%.
of many millions of dollars will mass VIZ
to other countries, to enrich their mp, Ian
and capitalists. 4'aa
Before leaving the subject of mines
mention that, on my return from the S,' Wy
MEMO, touched at New Almoder, tho e a paS'a
silver mine of Mr. Alexander Forbes guRt
of her Britanic Majesty at Tepie. Tb;s sUoN
is in spur of mountains 900 fee, ahor IIs
level of the bay of San Francisco, and G; AZ. F'
IN southern direction from the Pueblo
San Jose about - miles. The ore tcinnsB
occurs in large vein dipping at S,'s
angle to the horizon. Mexican Minors
employed in working it, by driving sbaf t'
galleries about feet by following Ibo 81
The fragments of rock and ore are rou, ,sI
on the back of Indians, in raw. hide soot1
The ore is then hauled in an OK wagon fro,f
the mouth of the mine down 10 a valley r"f
supplied with wood and water, in which n
furnaces are situated. The furnaces ap y
the simplest construction-exactly hkeaeon
mon bake oven, in the crown of which is i
serted whaler's frying kettle; another mv~
ted kettle forms the lid From a hole in 4.
) lid small brick channel leads to an ap,<
: ment, or chamber, in the bottom of which
: inserted small iron kettle This cham.
has a chimney.
In the morning of each day the kettles >
) filled with the mineral (broken in small n,
ces) mixed with lime fire is then applied !,
kept up all day. The mercury is volatilI.
passes into the chamber, is condensed on 4
, sides and bottom of tie chamber, and A.,
into the pot prepared for it. No water is No.
: to condense the mercury.
} During a visit | made last spring, foursa
I ovens were in operation. and yielded inn.
e two days was there CSC pounds of ouicE,
yer, worth at Mazatlan ST 80 per pound. NJ.
WaIkinshaw, the gentleman now in charc
f this mine, tells me that the vein is mpop
: ing, and that be can afford to keep his npm
n employed even in these extr~avdlNNyy INV,
d This mine is very valuable of itself, and /.
e comes the more so as mercury is eytaos;ror :.
y used in obtaining gold. 1t is not At nres.
# used IN California for that purpose, bpt "
5 be at some future time
e When was at this mine last spring, N.
O parties were engaged in searching for yemI
|. but none have been discovered that are war;
l. following up, although the earth in that wbol
IS range of hills is highly discoored, indcsln1
l. the presence of this ore send scveral be3l
X tliul specimens, properly labelled. The
J. mount of quicksilver in Mr. Forbes vas !
}, the 9th of July was about $500 pounds
" lenclose you herewith sketches of the con-
1t try through which passed, indicating the D
d sitlon of the mines and the Typography oil
IS country in the vicinity OF those visited
ID Some OF the specimens of gold accomps
o ing this were presented for transmission loe
5, department by the gentlemen named below
II The numbers on the typographical sketchr
= responding to the labels of the respective 81
cimens, show from what part of the gold,
d glon they were obtained.
d !. Captain J. A. Suffer-
e 2 John Sinclair.
l. B. VIM. Glover, R. c. Kirby, Ira Blalt
], ard, Levi Fifeld, Franklin H. Aryr
n Mormon diggings.
y 4. Charles Weber
f. S. Robert Spence
g. Snnoi & Co.
S 7. Robert D. Neigh
k 8. c. f. Picket, American Fork Columl
e 9. Z. c. Kemhle.
o 10. I. Fl Green, from San Fernando,
o Los Angeles
:, A. OF. purchased from Mr.. NeIigh
$ B. Sand found in washing gold, Viii
e contains small particles
a II. Captain Frisbe, Dry diggings, Web
V, creek.
10 ~. Consumes.
l. 10. Consumes, Hartwells ranch.
al | have the honor to be your most obr ri.
err r. B. MASON,
Of Colonel 1st Dragons, Commanding
ut Brig. Gen. R. JONES,
A1;'t Con TT & A JT1o.L;n~,o, n +