New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-10-10
The California Gold Region.

Least about H. and many disliks gold digging a they
would any other hind Of hard work at home
The California Gold Region.
Frsm ths Alta Csiors.
The region which here Is known as the gold mines 10
closed on the east by the SDTs Nerdda, or snowy
Mountains running nearly north and south Two large
streams descend from the Sierra Neysds, one at the
north called the Sacramento River the other on the
south known ss san Joaquin These Two streams run,
If purposely TO tho apex OF the triangle they nciose
there 20 meet and m axe common and untedrruption
upon the waters OF San Francisco Bay In this triangle
thus formed by these rivers and the Snowy Noun
sins are numerous streams outthey al are uioetsnes
either of one or the other river the largest of them
arc at the north and empty thsmselyes into NE nacrs
men.O.
The surface of the couatry. looking westward from
the ridge OF the Snowy Mountains, which may be from
five 70 six thousand feet above the level OF the SEES,
broken UP into ridges giving direction 10 the streams
that separate, some west by north, others wo' ~
SOUTH and gradually growing smaller they get confused
into hills nm finally they soften into plains inclossd BY
the two above mentioned rivera. The plains generally
speaking ara covered with luxurisnt srsss skirted
along the rivers with oss timber. Az tne hills riss,
vegetation becomes seanter The range OF mountains
h which gold 10 found IL distn. ulshed By uniformity
OF ia vegetable singdom which Ia neither nesger nor
very abundant. the oak predominstss here, only nov
aad then relieved By several varieties OF the pine fsu
y A. the gold disappears the reign OF the pine and
granite exteuds The sepostsres OF gold look univsr'
SALLY more smiling 70 tho behOder than their barren
ne 9hbors the former always have ne ngure describ
ever 50 PERCEPTIONS they frequently are-s distna
ton never 10 be Loaf sight Of
Tne extern, OF these surercus hills IL greater than
the public know or imagine but not In the direction 10
l. .uDposed They extend beyond the ncnto
and even san joaquin, northwest OF the former and
southwest OF the latter bending round toward the sea
coast Nay. the rame formation with moro or 1855 an
ference runs along the whole Pacific shore till it IL
10 in the southern portion Of tho Gillian Republic
but gold has not been, nor probably Will BE- found any
where in such abundance AS Ia Upper California
This abundance, however 10 much exaggerated by the
heated inss nation OF tho public Il Ia not in the ne
turs Of placer gold 10 be durable long very few
years, there will be many arms at work, will ex
h.usl its origin IL the guarantee OF this fact The
breadth OF this aurerous region limits Itself within the
lines running north and south from forty 81 sixty miles
rom the ridge OF The Sierra Nevsds and the west
a. the bill. begin 70 soften into the plains
Al some remote period In the history OF the globe,
The same internal conyu sOus that hesyed up the Sira
Nrada have ss0 upheaved tho aurerous hills, which
At rst presented naked surface to the atmospheric
changes by the influence OF which tho quartz constant
y breaking up lett free the precious metal ca ls sur
tsce 10 the progress OF nms the same atmospheric
uhusnces caused 70 accumulate on these hills soil
vhich grew deeper with avery dscay OF vegetation MI
Il grew siron. enough 10 support tho msjestic oak
The freed particles OF gold thus became severed BY the
soil snd mixed up vita L. and the process OF the sep
aaOn OF ths metal from the stone was arrested How
gold was In ecled into the veins OF quartz II Is more
AN we IAN We .sy but the fact that II was 90 In
qaid state is beyond question, as We see IL adapt IT,
self 10 the sides Of the stone 10 all Imaginable forms
from tse fnest nament 10 the largest lump eysr found
with a most yariedly ndsnted surface, nllng up com
% sicily the crack OF the stone. always tending 70 a
rosuaed tearlke appearance 80 10 the with all
melting substances When freed, external friction OF
course modihes s appearance more or lees hence We
God H. ia rivers particularly In nne nakss ous whsn
s In larger bulk IL puts plstslke appearance ~
II IL were hammered out by tho hands vi al sEussn-
a. really II Is by the frequently enormous weight Of
stone under which ii ia deposited. Water, that unit
versa carrier washing the sides OF the his brought
the gold from their surface the rsynss end rivers
its own weight facilitating the process.
According 10 the strength OF the current Of water
the wsght Of the particles OF gold and tns obstacles In
the way IL is deposited In one or another spot the
lighter particles Of course fosng away the furthest
from their original bed AZ this procc" OF gold depo-
stlOn has taken pscs IN some remote period OF the
Ear,hs exstcnee We rae all these deposts gsnsrAy
speaking covered with greater or smaller depth OF soil
sand gravel and stones Strictly speaking gold does
nor belong 20 the rivers IL washed Into them from
the sd dining hill hence 1t Is useless to look for gold
A. the head Of those streams when the nsighbohng
hs are not OF the suerous nature, and we find THE
fact csrroborated BY personal examination Of the
heads Of the streams Of the gold region The same
rule holds goods for the same reasons In regard 70 the
lower portion of godcsrrying stream, except that II
limited By the fact that light particles OF gold may he
deposited considerable distance bslow their orisnaI
source.
The mode OF deposit being made clear. 1t will be
equally clear that il Ia not every spot In this very
81 Yifsrous region that nust look Tor gold, which
fact experience proves to be true at least 10 sos
SPOT can md enough OF u 70 msbo ~
an OF sct 20 bestow labor H. Hence Il equally
follow. n. limitation Of the quantity OF gold 10 b sx
pec,ed from the n.nss ss general aggregate no"sss
ricn they may prove. The fret oemers nsd inc oes'
cha rcss 10 bit upon rich deposits bet - dSy1s mar
tipiv lbs chances Of falling upon virgin dsposin grow
,fnser and they will have 20 os eontent Sitn "ea
TIA others through imperfecuon OF theif soof hsss
lst consequently the ~ofk becomes sns
lea. profitable although may Be JET sonieenlJ com
nnsstory II tbe exrerses Of living oe not executive
inis Is precisely already tie esss-tnr labor 10 much
harder tbs year than u was asst
Al ressrt there not 80 many Of nose heppy nits
=. s,-,,.rv although We Jet hear now and then OF 3
lrrky bau which However, when u reaches the Of
N. bubble becomes extremely clstorted. and psrtcu-
lsry when companies Z a. nays damned some spots
OF some Of the rivers wish 70 dispose sously
of their shares these easily ind .tter Sritsrs who
comma nicsLe the lucky event 10 the public through
The press The accounts Of successful la gold
y 4, abroad never have been accompanied with
s,s,eens Of hardshps attending the process, yet We
free 20 confess that there IL harder labor than
that q gold digging and washing this species Of labor
requires The stronyss, sinsvs Injured 10 fatigue Pscu
Tar localities togelssf vita general discomfort srssad
ng upon the life N The mines, msy make gold digging
particularly irksome. Yet al this can BE- borne and
ones labor may sometns be crowned with brilliant
success.
We have made the above statement with the view Of
aging the subject befrs those who may yet BE- novces
IN lh- matters that they msy undersrsnd their own
case we are far from dscoursgng tie new sspirants
ll,er the fsvors Of dame Fortune we Tell them,
take Jour chance II may be very good one, but suen
and such circumstances attending this ccurtshp
those from distAn, psrs who. en- mere sound OF the
discovery OF gold ia Cslforpis rash hesdlors, some
times leaving very good business snd comfortable nv
ing cannot but rue the day II they pat their sole de-
p-ndeuee upon success In the mines II they would
como here with intention Of following some patient
Ealing they could not but grow rtch with dime we
have already plenty OF miners; . larger number Ut
| .nsm oalY dinanissss tbs profits Of ell However,
come they must for they are beat - ~ b - esss
] ssness wsssthsy ~