Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1845-1851, 1848-12-21

comma ndant Of California who presents The fullest
description VIC have seen lie gold places Of that
distant region:
NO 81
HEAD QUARTERS, l0IH MILITARY DeP'r.
Monterey, California, Aug. II, 1888
SIg:-l have the honor to Inform you that. accom-
panied by Lieut. W. T. Sherman, Sd Artillery, A. A.
A. General. started the 18Th of June last, to mike
Il tour through The northern part Of California. MY
principal purpose, however. 10 visit the newly
discovered gold places in the valley of The Sacra-
meno. | had proceeded about forty miles, when |
overiaken 10y express, bringing intelligence
OF the arrival at Monterey of the IT, $. ship South
ampon, with important letters from Com Suubrick.
and Lieut.. Col. Burton. | returned TO Mon
terey, and despatched what business most i'm
portant, and on the 9Th resumed my Journey. We
reached San Francisco on the both, and fund that oil,
or nearly all, lis male inhabitants had gone 10 the
mines. The town, which u few months before was 50
busy and thriving, then almost deserted On the
| evening of The 21h, tie horses OF the escort were
crossed to Sousoleto a launch, and on the following
day resumed the journey by way of Bodega and
Sononu, to Suffers fort, where arrived on the
morning OF the I'd of July. Along the whole route,
mills lying idle, fields Of wheat were open to
cattle and horses houses vacant. and farms going
waste. At Suffers there more life and business
Launches were Cschargng their cargoes Mt the river,
and carts hauling goods to the fort, where al
ready were established several stores, hotel &c.
Capt Suffer had only two mechanics In lis employ,
| Ga wagon maker and a blacksmith whom he
then paying ten dollars day. Merchants pay him
monthly rent of 500 per room and while was there
wo-siory house in the fort, was rented Us u hotel
for $500 a month.
AT the urgent solicitation of many gentlemen | de-
layed there TO participate IN the first public celebra-
ton of our national anniversary at that fort but
the 9th resumed the journey. and proceeded twenty
five miles up the American fork, to point OF 1t now
known the Lower Mines. Mormon Dgglngs
The hilsidcs thickly srewn with canvass tents
and bush nrbors: store was erected aud several
boarding shanies III operation. The day was intense
ly hoi, yet about Two hundred men were at work in
tie full glare Of the sun, washing for gold-some
with TN pans, with clOsewoven Indian baskets,
but The greater part had a rude machine, known
the cradle. This is rockers, eight feet long,
open at the foot, and nj its head has crate or
sieve the bottom is rounded, with small elects nailed
across. Four required 10 work this machine ;
digs the ground IN the bank close by the stream
another carries 1t 10 the cradle and empties it the
CRATE third gives violent rocking motion to the
machine, whilst fourth dasies water from the
stream Itself The sieve keeps the stones from
entering the cradle, the current of water washes off
the earthly matter and the gravel is gradually rried
the foot of the machine leaving the gold mixed
with u heavy fine black sand above the first elects
The sand and gold mixed together are then drawn OF
through angUr i.ocs into pan below. are dried IN
the sun, und afterwards separated by blowing of the
sand. party OF four thus employed at the
lower mines, averaged 800 IL dny The Indians. and
those who have nothing but pans willow baskets,
graiunly wash the earth and separate the gravel
by hand, leaving nothing but the gold mixed with
sand, which Is separated III the manner before de-
scrbcd The gold in the lower mines is in fine bright
scales. Of which ! send several specimens.
As we uscendeJ the south branch of the American
fork, the country became more broken and mountains
Gus. II the saw-mlll, - miles above the lower
washingS, or 30 miles from Suffers, the hills rise to
about thousand feet above the level OF the Sacra-
mento PLAIN Here species OF pine occurs, which
led the discovery of the gold. Capt. Suffer feeling
the great want Of lumber, contracted IN September
last with Mr. Marshall TO build II mill at that
place. 1t erected IN the of the past WIN
ter and sprlng--a dam and race constructed but
when the water let on the wheel, the tall-race
found 10 be too 10 permit the water TO
cape with sufficient rnpidity. Mr. Marshall, to save
labor, let the water directly into tie race with strong
current. so a wash 1t wider and deeper. He eff
feccd his purpose, and large bed of mud and gravel
was carried to the foot Of the One day, Mr..
Marshall. as he walking down the race TO his
deposit of mud, observed some glerng PARTICLES al
It's upper edge; he gathered a few, examined them.
and became satisfied of their value. lie then went 10
the fort told Capt Suffer of his discovery, and they
agreed TO keep it secret until certain gristmll! Of
Suffers was finished II however got out, and spread
like nagc. Remarkable success attended the labors
OF the first explorers, and IN few weeks hundreds of
men were drawn thher. AT the time of my visit,
but little more than three months after lis first dis
covery, 1t estimated that upwards of four thou
sand people we're employed. AT the mill there Is
fine deposit or bank Of gravel, which the people
spcc the property of Capt Suffer, although he pre-
tends no right 10 IT, aud would be perfectly satisfied
with the simple promise of prescription, account
of The mill which he has built there NJ considerable
cost. Mr. Marshall living at the mill, aud in
formed ne that many persons were employed above
hploW lint hoy lp ca m IN as
ut the lower washngs, aud that their success was
about the >ane-ranglng from To three ounces of
gold per man. daily. This gold. too is in scales
lltto coar>er than those Of The lower mines. From
the mill Mr.. Marshall guided me up the mountain on
The opposite or north bank OF the south iork where,
in the bed of small streams or ravines now dry, n
great deal of coarse gold has been found there saw
several parties ut work, all of whom were doing very
well great many specimens were shown me, some
rs heavy as four five ounces IN weight aud send
three pieces labeled No 8 presented by Mr. Spence.
Oh Will perceive that some OF the specimens accom-
panying this hold mechanically pieces Of quartz that
the surface is rough, and evidently moulded IN the
crovIcc of n rock This gold cannot have been car
RED far by water but have remained near where
1t was first deposited from the rock that once bound
IT. inquired of many people if they had encoun-
tered the metal in It's mairx. but III every instance
they said they had not but that the gold nvarla
bly, mixed with washed gravel, lodged In the Gre
vices of other rocks All bore testimony that they
had found gold IN greater less quantities IN the nu
mcrous small gullics or ravincs that occur IN That
mountainous region. On the 7h Of July | len the
mil aud crossed To small stream cmptyiu into the
American fork, three four miles below the saw-mill
struck tins stream (now known as Webcr's creck.)
the washings of Sunol & Co. They had about thir
~ Indians employed, whom they pay IN merchandise
They getting gold of character similar 10 TINT
found in the man fork, aud doubtless in sufficient
quantities to satisfy them.
send you snnll specimen. presented by this