Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1849-01-06

no laboring man from the mines who does
not show his two, three, or four pounds of
gold. A soldier of the artillery company
returned here few days ago from the mines,
having been absent on turlough twenty days.
He made by trading and working during
that time 81 900. During these twenty days
he was travelling ten or eleven days, leaving
/ but week, in which he made sum of
money greater than he receives in pay, ra-
tons, and clothes, during whole enlistment
of five years. These statements appear in
credible, but they are true.
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 Cali
fornia, to go to the Great 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 Sacra-
mento.
The gold ''placern near the mission of
San Fernando has long been known, but has
been little wrought for want of water
This is a spur that puts off from the Sierra
Nevada, (see Fremont's map,) the.s in
which the present mines occur. There is,
4 therefore, every reason to believe that IN the
intervening spaces of five hundred miles
(entrely uneXplored) there mnst be many
4 hidden and rich deposites. The placer"
gold is now substituted as the currency of
i this country in trade it passes freely at
SIG per ounce ; as an article of commerce
its value is not yet fixed The only pur-
chase made was of specimen No. 7, which
| gotof Mr.. Neigh at 81 ? the onnce. That
is about the present cash value in the couu-
try, although it has been sold for less. The
great demand for goods and provisions
made by this sudden development of wealth
has increased the amount of commerce at
San Francisco very much, and II Will con-
tinue to increase.
i would recommend that mint be estab-
lshed at some eligible point of the bay OF
San Francisco (; and that machinery, and all
the necessary apparatus and workmen, be
sent out by sea. These workmen must be
bound by high wages, and even bonds, to
secure their faithful service, else the whole
plan may be frustrated by their going TO the
mines as soon as they arrive IN California.
If this course be not adopted gold 10 the
amount of many millions Of dollars will pass
yearly to other countries, TO enrich their
merchants and capitalists. Before leaving
the subject of mines | will mention, that on
my return from the Sacramento touched
TAT New Almodes, the quicksilver NINE OF
MIR. Aiexadder Forbes, consul OF her Brit
annie Majesty at Topic. This mine is IN a
spur of mountains ! 900 feet above the lev
eli of the bay of San Francisco, and is dis
tant in southern direction from the Pueblo
del San Jose about IL miles. The oar (cin-
nabar) occurs in a large vein dipping at a
strong angle to the horison. Mexican mi
ners are employed in working IT, by driving
shafts and galleries about feet by Z, fol-
lowing the veln
The fragments of rock and ore are reno
we'd on the backs of Indians, in raw-hide
sacks. The ore is then hauled in an OK
wagon from the mouth of the mine down to
a valley well supplied with wood and water,
lin 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 whaler's try
ing kettle another inverted kettle forms
the lid. From hole in the lid small
brick channel leads to an apartment or
chamber, in the bottom of which is inserted
a small iron kettle. This chamber has
chimney.
In the morning of each day the kettles are
filed with the mineral, (broken IN small
pieces) mixed with lime fire is then APP
piled aud kept up all day. The mercury is
volatilized, passes into the chamber, Is con-
densed on the sides and bottom of the cham
Der, and flows into the pot prepared for 1t.
No water Is used TO condensc the mercury.
During a visit | made last spring four
such ovens were in operation, aud yielded
in the two days | was there GIG pounds of
quicksilver, worth at Mazatlan 81 80 per
pound. Mr.. Walkinshaw, the gentleman
now in charge of this mine, tells me that
the vein is improving, and that he can afford
10 keep his people employed even in these
extraordinary times. This mine is very
valuable of itself, and becomes the more so
as mercury is extensively used in obtaining
gold. Il is not at present used in California
for that purpose, but vii! be at lone future
time. When / was at this mime last spring
other parties were engaged in searching for
veins but none have been discovered that
are worth following up, although the earth
in that whole range of hills Is highly dlscol-
ored, indicating the presence of this ore.
send several beautiful specimens, properly
labelled. I he amount of quicksilver in Mr.
Forbes vats on the 9th Of July was about
2, 500 pounds.
/ enclose you herewith sketches of the
country through which ] passed, indicating
the position of the mines and the topogra-
ply of the country in the vicinity Of those
/ visited.
-
have the honor to be your most obedi-
ent servant,
X. Ii. MASON,
Col. LIST Dragons, Commanding.
! Brig. Gen. JoEEs.
+ Adiutant General U. s. 4. Washington,
ID. G.
I NOTE.-The original letter Of which this
/ is copy was sent to its address, ~ charge
of Lieut.. 4. Loeser, Sd artillery, bearer Of
dispatches who sailed in the schooner Lam
haYedana. from Monterey. August gOth,