Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1849-01-27
CALlFORNIA-FURTH STARTLING AC
COUNTS OF GOLD DIGGING

The New York Tribune says:
Zone house in Broad street, on Wednesday insur
ed 900 in gold dust on its way 10 this city,
and il is said that New York officer, lately arrived
brings the same amount"
One letter gives the price Of pork al $500 per
barrel, and other provisions in proportion. The
same statement proceeds:
.Thc people were in hopes of getting speedy
supply of food from Mexico. Vessels at San Fran
cisco, which had been abandoned or neglected, were
moro in request 10 proceed along the coast Tor
food, the latter having become more valuable than
gold. Whale ships were selling off their outfits al
immense profits"
The New York Commercial publishes the follow
ing extract from letter, dated Oct %, which ii
declares to be from perfectly reliable source:
al cannot get men al even : rs day TO put up the
buildings ] want. At this rate they will not work
over six or seven hours. This is not surprising,
when ] assure you that several persons Of my
quaintance, who have returned, averaged 1000 per
diem in gold digging. Gold is now so much more
abundant than money, that it is only worth eight
dollars per ounce, yable IN coin.
At Lima, the reports Of the wonderful "gold find
ings," had on the 18th of November, been for a
month almost the sole topic Of converse, and several
expeditions foot for that quarter -Four ves-
sells had sailed from Chilli two from Guayaqul, one
from Buenaventura, two from Paita, and one from
Lima, and others would no doubt follow.
Letters, says the Boston Traveller, have been
received by one Of our most respectable houses,
stating that "their agent in California had shipped
100000 in gold to England, and that there up
wards Of tlco millions of dollars ready to be shipped
to New York as soon as vessels could be found to
bring it. This amount is independent of the stock
held and consigned TO other places"
Another letter from the gold region says, "bread
is getting 10 be scdrcer than gOid" The writer says,
that those who land the coast with money in their
pockets, do very well, but advises no one to come
unless he can calculate upon surplus after paying
for his passage
The New Orleans Crescent gives letter from an
officer of the Sd Artillery, stationed in California,
which is interesting in its details that we shall be
excused for giving copious extracts
asked one of the Californians TO let us satisfy
curiosity by washing little of his EARTH which lay
at the edge of small pond or pool and which he
had broug INT from the gully little higher up where
it found quite rich. He, of course, assented,
and led us the way to his cradle. He brought the
earth in Indian basket, holding little less than a
peck and as he threw the earth the cradle top,
dashed on the water, and Capt S. rocked the cradle.
We worked away with spirit, attracting several
spectators, who laughed at our undgniiied position;
but it was our first essay in making money by our
own labor, and entered into it nth zeal and great
interest at the result. After about fifteen minutes
dashng water, during which j got good soaking
below, and splashed all in my vicinity, got tired,
and cried hold off. Our friend (the Caiiornian) as
eager to the result ourselves, himself scraped
out the black sand and gold, and several gathered
around him TO see how much there was. lie was
kind enough to show the gold when he had clean
ed it, and the guesses to its quantity varied from
half to two ounces. There probably more than
of pure gold taken from the earth as it had
been hauled from the hill-s in less than half an
hour; and in a second visit which had occasion to
make, and in which learned more of the difficult
ties and profits Of gold hunting, satisfied that
in many, perhaps hundreds Of canadas like this,
raj miles long, the earth is rich TO excess, and will