Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1849-03-27
THE LIFoRNIAs MINES.

II VIII bc elected, BY our readers,
hat we gave, a Few weeks since, a tele-
,raphic announcement Of the arrival in
Vew York OF q Mr.. Athcrton, merchan,
rom San Francisco, which place he left
IN the 10th Of December last, and that
&c would deliver a public lecture upon
California, its soil, climate, and mineral
wealth. @tE .@o-'# ~
We have since received report Of that
lecture, and the following is the testimony
ofthis gentleman upon the richness and
extent Of the Gold Mines t@t@o
THE NEs-THEIR PRODUCTS. &c.
II now approach that part Of my lecture
which will probably be Of the greatest in !
terest 10 you, to wit; the mines, manner
the gold, average quantity
per man, probable supply, wet and dry
diggings, and some instances of success
within my own personal observation
may very safely tell you, that the &C
counts you have in the papers from Cal
ilornia are not exaggerated, however
we'll they may be calculated to stagger
belief in them. Gold is found in great
abundance, over an extent Of country
800 miles by 1900. | have explored on
~ a small portion Of this vast area, and
new discoveries are constantly being
made. The irst gold was discovered in
February, 1848-about one year ago
but although it was reported in San Fran
cisco that gold was found, yet it did not,
at first, seem to make any impression on
the people at that city. They did not
believe the reports--or, rather, they did
not realize the fact that gold was found
in such abundance, SO near them. Il was
not till April and May that the whole
population became fully awakened to the
subject, when all the men, and many of
the women and children, went to the gold
digings. .
1t was not till the people came down
with The gold dust, and reported So to
$40 per day, that the people ofSan Fran
cisco credited The reports. In the first
six weeks after the rush commenced S.
100000 were collected. The quantity COL
lected by each person varied from one
ounce to 81 900 per day. l. is now as.
certained that gold exists on both sides Of
the Sierra Nevada, from latitude Al
North 10 as far South as the San Joaquin,
and although the country has not been
fully explored there is no doubt that the
gold region extends 1000 miles along the
valley Of the Sacramento and San Joa.
quin, and still farther to the South. The
supply Of gold is absolutely inexhaust-
bic. In my opinion, one hundred thous-
and people could not exhaust the supply
in ten o. twenty years. The ore is in
its virgin state, and is found among the
sand and gravel beds, in slate and gran
ite rocks, also in good tillable soil. Some
machines were used when l left, but tin
pans were generally preferred. Some
Indian baskets were also used, and were
good, being very light and handy.
saw, yesterday machine Invented by a
gentleman Of this city, living, believe,
inlEldridge street, which considered a
superior one; and advise those who in
tend going to the gold diggings to exam
inc it. 1t is very simple, and easy to
transport. The quantity of gold now ex-
tracted is estimated at about four mill
ions Of dollars. The labor Of washing
the gold is very severe. People wash
gold as long as they can stand up, often
paying no attention whatever te the de-
mands Of their health: living without ade-
quaie food and sleep, or when they do
sleep it is in the open air; and thus ma
lure gives way, and the individual sick
ems and perhaps dies.
fla person has sufficient strength of
MUD to build his house before common
cingto procure gold, and can be content
ed to work only reasonable time every
day, devo;ing proper time TO cook suita-
BILE food and a proper time to sleep. he
may be sure of retaining his health and
amassing a fortune. The difficulty is
that every body iscrazy, frantic with the
excitement for gold. Each fears that his
neighbor will get more than himself
The Captain Of the vessel in which
came from San Francisco to San Bias
(Capt. Blanchard) gathered in three
weeks gold dust of the value Of $4,000
and of this sum $4,000 were gathered
by him, in the last three days he was al
the mines. This amount he had on board
the vessel (he brig Laura Amy He in
formed me that in washing oat the last.
he must have thrown away 2 or 8 ounces
from each Tin pan full Of earth, as it would
pay better not to wash it CAREFUL y. The
largest lump Of pure gold | ever saw
weighed seven pounds. 1t was obtained
by some Indians in the employ Of a man
by the name Of Weaver. saw it weigh.
ed, and it was pronounced 10 1-2 carats
fine. A statement was published in the
California Star, few days before left
that one man obtained $4,000 in six
days, and that three others obtained SO
lbs.in one day. Of the truth of this,
have no doubt whatever. It may seem
impossible, even ludicrous, but it is the
fact. Such occurrencesare by no means
uncommon. The 1dry diggings" are con-
sidered preferable to the wet. The gold
can be procured in the winter or rainy
season as well as in the dry season, in
case the miners provide themselves with
houses and a supply Of food. In the