The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-01-11
ALFRED SANDERS. EDITOR.

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want OF lumber, contracted in September
last, with Mr.. Marshall, to build a saw
mill Ut that place. It was erected in the
course OF the past winter and spring-n
dam and race constructed; but when the
water was let on tho wheel, the tail-race
was found to he too narrow to permit the
water to escape with sufficient rapidity
MIR. Marshall, to save labor, let tho water
directly into the race with strong current,
SO ms to wash it wider and deeper. lie ef.
iected his purpose, and large bed OF mud
and gravel was carried 10 the foot of the
race. One day, Mr.. Marshall, as he was
walking down the race to this deposit Of
mud, observed some gIi,,ering particles at
its upper edge he gathered few, examin-
ed them, aud became satisfied of their val
ne. lie then went to the fort, told Capt.
Suffer OF his discovery, and they agreed 10
keep il secret until certain grist mill
Of Suffers was finished. Il, however, got
out, and spread like magic. Remarkable
success attended the labors Of the frs; OK
plorcrs, and in Few weeks hundreds Of
men were drawn thither. At the time Of
nv visit, but little moro than three months
after its first discovery, il was estimated
that upwards of four thousand persons were
employed. At The mill there is fine de-
post or bank Of gravel, which the people
respect MS the property Of Captain Suffer,
although he prc:ends 10 no right to il, and
would he perfectly satisfied with tho sim
pie promise Of a prescription, on account
of the mill which he has built there nj con-
siderable cost. MIR. Marshall was living
near the mill, and informed me that many
persons were employed above and below
him; that they used the same machines as
At the lower wsshings, aud that their sue
cess was about the ssmc--rnnging from
one TO three ounces Of gold per man, daily.
This gold too, is in scales little coarser
than these al the lower mines. From the
mill, Mr.. Marshall guided me up the noun
tain on the opposite or North side Of the
South fork, whore, in tho bed of small
streams or ravines, now dry, great deal
OF coarse gold hus been found there
saw several parties mt work, all Of whom
were doing very well grea, many speci-
mems were shown me; some as heavy as
four or live ounces in weight; and send
three pieces, labelled No. 5, presented BY
a MIR. Spence. You will perceive tina,
some Of the specimens accompanying this.
hold mechanically pieces Of quartz; tina,
the surface is rough. and evidently mould
cd in the crevice Of rock.
This gold cannot have been carried far
by water, but must have remained near
where it was first deposited BY the rock
that once hound il. inquired Of many
people it they had encountered the metal
in its ma,rix; but in every instance they
said they had not, but tina, the gold was
invariably mixed with washed gravel, or
lodged in the cresices oi other rocks. All
bore testimony that they had found gold
IN greater or less quantities in the numcr-
on- smnll gu!ies or ravines that occur in
That mountainous region.
On TIC eth of July left tho mill and
crossed to a small stream emptying into
the American fork, three or four miles be-
low tho saw-mill struck this stream,
(now known MS Wcbster's crcek.) nj the
washings Of Sunol a. Co. They had about
thirty Indians employed, whom they pay
in merchandise. They were getting gold
OF a character similar to that which is found
in the min fork. and doubtless in sufficient
quantities to satisfy them. send you n
small specimen, presented by this compa-
ny. OF their gold.
From this point we proceeded up the
stream about eight miles, where We found
great many people aud Indians, some en-.
gagged in the bed Of the stream, aud others
in the small side valleys tina, put into il.
These latter are exceedingly rich, and two
ounces were considered an ordinary yield
for days work.
A small gutter, no, more than hundred
yards long by tour feet wide, and two or
three feet deep, was pointed out to INC as
the one where two men, William DAILY and
Perry McCoon, had, short time before,
obtained $1,000 worth Of gold. Capt.
Weber informed me that no knew these
two men had employed four white men
and abou, hundred Indians, and that ut
tho end Of weeks work they paid off their
party, aud had left $4,000 worth Of this
gold. Another small ravine was shown
me, from which lind been taken upwards Of
$4,000 worth Of gold. Hundreds Of sim
liar ravines to all appearances IRE a. vet
untouched. could not have credited
these reports had | not seen, in the abun-
dance Of the precious metal, evidence Of
their truth. Mr. Nctligh, an agent Of
Commodore Stockton, had been at work i.
the neighborhood, about three weeks, and
showed me in bugs md bottles, ovor s..
600 worth Of gold; and Mr.. Lyman, gen.
tleman Of education, worthy Of every cred-
It, snid he had been engaged with four 9TH
ers, with machine on ,the American fork,