Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-12-16
OLD SERIES VOL. o, NO. IL.

become an impossibility, save to those who
are, earning from thirty to fifty dollars a day,
This state Of things cannot last forever. Yet
from the geographical position Of California
and the new Character it has assumed as
mining country, prices Of labor will always be
high, and will hold out temptations 10 desert.
l therefore have to report, If the government
wish to prevent desertions here on the part of
men, and tc secure zeal on the part of officers,
their.pay must be increased very materially.
MIR. Dye, gentleman residing in Mone-
rey, and worthy of every credit, has just re-
| turned from Feather river He tells me that
the company TO which he belonged, worked
seven weeks and two days, with an average
OF fifty Indians, (washers, and that their gross
product was two hundred ane seventy three
pounds of gold, His share; lone seventh af-
Ter paying all expenses, is about thirty-seven
pounds which he brought with him and ex-
hIblted IN Monterey. | see no laborng man
from the mines who does not show his two,
three: or fonr pounds of gold A soldier of
the artillery company returned here few
days ago from the mines, having been absent
on Through twenty days He made by ira
ding and working during that time $1,000.
During these twenty days he was travelling
Ten or eleven days, leaving but week in
which he made sum of money greater than
he received in pay, clothes, and rations dur
ing a whole enlistment of five years.
Gold is also believed to exist on the east
ern slope of The Sierra Nevada; and when at
the mines was informed by an intelligent
Mormon that it had been found near the
Great Salt Lake by some of his fraternity
Nearly all the Mormons are leaving Califor-
MIA to go 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. This is in
q spur that puts off from the Sierra Nevada,
(see Fremont's map) the same in which the
present mines occur. There is, therefore,
every reason 10 believe, that in the inlerven-.
ing spaces Of five hundred miles (entirely un-
explored) there must be many hidden and
rich deposits. The ''placer' gold is now
substituted as the currency of this country.
would recommend that a mint be estab-
lished at some eligible point Of the bay o.
San Francisco; and that machinery, and all
the necessary apparatus and workment, be
sent out by sea. These workmen must be
bound by high wages, and even bonds TO Sc
cure their faithful services, else the whole
plan may be frustrated by their going TO the
mines as soon as they arrive in California.
Before leaving the subject of mine:
I will mention, that on my return from th,
Sacramento touched at New Amoder, the
quicksilver mine of Mr.. Alexander Forbes,
consul of her Britannia Majesty at Topic.
This mine is in spur of mountains 1000 feet
above the level of the Bay of San Francisco,
and is distant in southern direction from
the Pueblo de San Jose about l2 miles. The
ore (cmnabar) occurs in lerge vein dipping
at strong angle to the horizon. Mexican
miners are employed in working it, and dr-
wing shafts. and galleries about feet by Z,
following the vein.
The fragments of rock and ore are removed
oil the back of Indians, in raw-hide sacks.
The ore is then hauled in an OK wagon, from.
the mouth of the mine down to valley well.
supplied with wood and water, in which the
furnaces are situated. The furnaces are of
the simplest construction-exactly like a
common bake-oven, in the crown of which is
inserted a whaler's try-ing-kettle another
Inverted kettle forms the lid. From a hole in
the lid small brick channel leads TO an a.
parlment, or chamber, in the bottom of which
is inserted small iron kettle. This chamber
has chimney.
In the morning of each day day the kettles
are filed with the mineral (broken i'll small
pieces) mixed with line; fire is then applied
and kept up all day. The mercury is voa-
iilised, passes into the chamber is condensed
on the sides and bottom of the chamber, and
flows into the pot prepared for it.-No wafer
is used TO condense the mercury.
During visit made last spring, four such
ovens were in operation, and yielded in the
two DAYS was there, CSC pounds OF quick
silver, worth at Mazatan 81 so per lb. Mr.
Walkinshaw the gentleman now in charge
of this mine, tells me that the VEN Is improv-
inc. and that he can afford TO keep his peo-
pie employed even in these extraordinary
times. This mine is very valuable Of itself;
and becomes the more so as mercury is ex-
tensveiy used in obtaining gold, II is not at
present used in California for that purpose,
but il will be at some future time. When
was at this miro last spring, other parties
were engage, in searching for veins; but
none have ,eea discovered that are worth
following up, although tie earth in that whole
range of hills are highly discolcred, indica-
ting the presence. of this Gre. send several =
beautiful specimens properly labelled Inc
amount Of quicksilver in MIR. Forbes watts on
the 18th of July was about $500 POUNDS
The Norfolk Courier doubts the report tna'