The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-15

We are indebted 10 ineli At prs-sni Fssfas ~ saf
francisco. IN California. ioI CO.'S u d. "pofnesl
published al Honolalu. the oapai ID ihs Santrth r.
lands, which contains some interesting iieais rfsgtr
the gold mines OF California We copy ifun ~ g..
lowing account Of a tup 30 the mines ma1s - ors
the seekers after the golden treasure
From san Francisco our rad las thfourh ~ tlE.r
OF the Pueblo 90 san Jose distance al at1ai e. -
A oyeher country eye oi mne never Eazei 90 .s sg.
praTies completely matted with hfNfs II fYerf b..
traversei here aud iheTs With sucasis txf.lfi 3
the cattle the hoasand hllls. Ifeeutrl hsauf.f.
picture All that was wanting 10 ny m'nl % hest
the effect and, indeed, without which hOurhi +
complete, was a number Of snug NeW EngiatA iarr
houses scattered along the valley. AID rnhJss ID M
trees the road the village church shoud T.sfcs
clouds with its glisienng spfe iasiea1 "a whirh thr
time in the road brought IN SIGHT of The taFg f-
covered mission of Saint Clara The roai leads i
this 10 San Joaquin, which We ordel ana PASSED o.
Suffers Fort, through county oi grrai uchnrss At.
apparently capable OF supporting an Immense pnTul.
But not human being was TO be SEGA ttnchrtas sr
all had been deserted, and Americans Californian. t.
Indians had all gone 10 the gGli diggngs Ga aUftHs
al Suffers, however, we found nj the f1u a Young AZ
chester The blacksmith, the turner. the clelef anal
indeed, mechanics OF every trade, are actively cngagr
their various cangs, and all aiming at one grand uhlH
viz the of washing the gold al the miacs Whla
are some 10 miles above the fort
After leaving the fort we passed along the hanks %
the american Fork" this branch OF the Sacrament
is called and soon commenced ascending the hills whr
stretch out from the base of the great Sierra Nevada
About stopped TO prepare a cup OF e0lee alH
partake of lunch and while the fire was being m.
died, OF party dipped up tin cup full OF the sand
from the bed of the little brook which ran gursling pl.
washed it, and nj the bottom found some four ar hye
pieces OF gold This was our first attempt at gold dig
gng. About sunset arrived al the saw-ms oil Car
Suffer- where the gold was first discovered, while dig
gng the mill race. We had ridden over gold, SILVER
patlna, and iron mines % or - miles, AMI oycfa
road, too, where city cab could travel with ease AND
perfect safety, and through country blooming in Flow.
ers and sparkling with springs.
Should relate to you all that have been told in TO-
gard to the mines SINCE ! arrived (but few hours
fearful you would think the SAVIOR fshy. As near a,
ascertain, there about thousand white men
engaged IN gold digging thus far The term "whi,e
man. is used in contradlsincon 10 "AIormon." These
last named fanatics with the sly Brannan at their heal
are quite numerous having laid claim to large proper.
lion OF the gold REGION demanding 80 cent of the
from all persons digging thereon This fac, will un.
doubleday lead 10 trouble and perhaps blooished Those
of the white mem who have last arrived from the sea
coast have stated their determination pay any per
cenage, and swear that whatever has already been pad
shall be 'choked our of Brannan. This disinercsel
man. when last at San Francisco, arranged all his affairs
and passed receipts with every one with whom lie had
business stating, with very heightened phiz that per
haps he should not survive to return, the miners had
threatened TO shoot him, but that duty urged him on.
ward.
Thus far the gold has been obtained in the most print
tive manner by washing the earth in tin pans wooden
bowls, Indian baskets sc. The average am told has
been SIC per day for each engaged and the deeper
the soil is dug the richer it becomes One obtained
over $3.50 IN one washng-say fifteen minutes. | was
told by an old miner that not than half of the
gold secured in the present rude careless way of work
ing With proper machine and the use OF quicksilver
double the amount could be taken from the same soil
The largest amount taken by person one day was
5000 The pieces are of an extraordinary SIZE the largest
weighing half an ounce The mountains have been ex,
is the opinion of ALL that 30 10000 persons could be
probably employed on the ground now explored Nor
is gold the only mineral discovered here PIatna has
been found IN one place in considerable quantity,
and very extensive mines of silver have recently been
discovered within five miles of the mill and are said
to be very rich Iron is also abundant and will pay
about IS per cent
The richness of the soil in the immediate neghborhood
of the mines is most astonishing. Farms be made in
every direction that will feed all the miners that be
employed. The climate is found to be very healthy and
free from the chilly winds that howl around the
The granite of the mountains is said to be equal to the
celebrated Quincy, and beautiful quarry of marble has
been discovered the Consumes river specimens OF
which will before many years, adon the fronts of public
buildings in your tourishng city
1.-The cry is still they come" While writing this two
men have just arrived from valley some five or six
miles distant bringing with them two hundred and fifty
dollars worth OF gold obtained in five days
The San Francisco Star, abiding 10 the eycitemen, pro-
duced by the gold fever says:
Every seaport as far south San Diego, and every
interior town. and nearly every rancho from the base OF
the mountains in which the gold has been found TO the
mission of San Luis SOUTH has become suddenly drained
oil human beings. Americans Callfonans, Indians, and
Sandwich Islanders; men, women, and children, mdis-
criminaely Should there be that success which has
repaid the efforts of those employed Tor the last month
during the present and neyt-as many sanguine in
their expectations and confess to unhestatingly be-
levc probabenot only Will it witness the depopulation
OF every town. the deserton of every rancho, and the
desoatlon OF the promising crops of the country,
but it will also draw largely upon adjacent territories;
awake Sonora, and call down upon us, despite her In.
dian battles, great many of the good people of Oregon
We have, by every launch from the embarcadero OF
New Hevea, returns of enthusiastic gold seekers, heads
of families, TO effect the transportation of their house
holds to the of their successful abors; Others
merely returned to fully equip themselves for pro-
traced or, perhaps, permanent stay Spades shoves,
picks wooden bowls, Indian baskets for washing, &C..
find ready purchasers and very frequently disposed
of at extortonate prices.
one hundred miles in length and twenty in width These
imperfect explorations contribute to establish the
tanty OF the pacera extending much further SOUTH prob
ably three four hundred miles, as we have before
stated, where it is believed to terminate about league
north of the point at which it first discovered
There ls explored within which body oil
$4,000 men can advanageously labor without malicousy
interfering with each other
In another place it is said
The Momons have laid claim 10 large portion of the
Territory, and demand per centage of the taken
theeirom An express has been sent to the Salt Lake
settlement, where about 10000 Mormons located
There is that equally rich mines have been dis
covered IN that REGION and that the Mormons encamped
there engaged in mining operations. If this be not
true the whole Mormon force will probably muster and
come to the Sacramento for the purpose of digging gold
From the Baltimore Patriot
We copy from the New York Journal of Commerce
the following letter, which gives satisfactory ac
count OF the gold region than we have yet seen IN 50
small a space
that this very interesting letter is from Rev Walter Col
ton alcalde of Monterey This is sufficient voucher