Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-08-02
THINGS IN CALIFORNIA-NOT so GLOW
ING PICTURE

The Newark Advertiser publishes a letter from Seth
Boyden, who went with party from that place. Ac-
cordng to Mr. b., gold digging is not always profitable
business has been supposed We copy the best Of
the letter.
CoUMA, tsaw Mill Valley0 CALIFORNIA, April -.
eve reached the valley of Suffers Mill at O'Clock,
A. NJ, April Is. Put up tent packed away our bag
gage and about lock went to the diggins below the
saw mill with our wash pans and washed few grains
ofthe gold. On Monday, the 10th, we to the dig
Gins gathered all the information we could from the peo-
pie we found at work there, and washed out 81 dol
lars worth Of gold. On Tuesday put the washer to-
geter while the others to dig and prepare the dirt
wash In the afternoon washed out $40 worth, the
weight OF eagle. Wednesday, Eth, Mr. Davenport
stayed the tent while the other five washed all day and
obtained 1927 SO. Thursday, 18th, all hands together
washed out $32 So Friday, 18TH obtained SOL worth of
gold and Saturday, 10Th $S2 so WORTH having struck
good bed OF aluyal dirt which we had carry about 80
yards to the water
On Monday 22d, collected S67; Tuesday, 3d. S63 5O
Wednesday, 1858 so; Thursday, $780, Friday, $53 So Sa
urday $50. On Sunday we stayed at the tent washed
up and made dividend OF five ounces OF gold to each
person. leaving six penny weights in the treasury This is
not up to what was represented being not So
day. and our expenses enormous. 1t strange
that after all that has been said with regard this country
correct idea OF it has been conveyed
When person arrives at San Francisco the journey is
not half pertormed-the labor fatigue and prvaton then
commences A person may go from San Francisco on
the deck of small vessel and ride the praes in an
wagon, but person would risk riding up and down
the mountains Columa, Suffers Saw Mill thence ff
miles to the Spanish bar the middle branch OF the
American fork the nearest mine that yields sufficient to
pay for working A good horse will carry about 100 lbs
the mountains at expense of about fifty cents
per pound; from that person must take his blanket tools
and vcuas on his own back and climb his way wherever
he goes. .,
The reason is that the water is so high that the miners do
work. and it will exceed six weeks longer
of the melting the mountains The river here is
high, and it has three feet since began to
work, driving from the best dgglngs. This river is
about seventyve yards wde and from five to ten yards
deep descent from two to three or four feet one
hundred and runs like train OF over the rocks,
person commencing dig, selects his place. clears
away bed OF rock and gravel fall sizes and of all depths,
from six feet, till he comes Il bed of yeloWsh
auvial sand few inches thick, and sometimes foot of
this contains the gold in greater less quantities This
carried to the river and washea Welding lew pieces, sch
side Of rock, pocket in the rocks, we make good
days work; but if strike place that had no shelter
when the gold and yellow sand was washed down, get
nothing
This the character OF all the Mines as far as can
learn, in the ravine rvers and that the gold is unver
sally spread over the country, is acknowledged by all
miners, many OF whom have made large by good
luck, saying nothing OF hundreds that have not made their
! expenses. have seen many returning poor. An Irish
man returning from the mines to San Francisco said he
got only Sl9. asked HIM the reason and he said he
could not find good place One other said he never
made less than $40 per day and had made 500 per day.
having obtained in all 10000.
Below the mill where the gold was first discovered,
there is bend in the river which has away the
foot OF the mountain $50 yards from its original bed
which is the place in which we dig for gold 1t appears
to me that thousands OF years ago heavy flood
brought down the alluvia soil and gold from the
ans Then other floods have broug rocks of all sizes
from half ton weight to gravel and covering and mix
and washing out is the heaviest work man can do.
learn from the miners in one hundred would have
come fthey had seen smuch have, and three OF
four that havetome would not work at it il the mines
in Bergen think we shall go to the middle branch ofthe
American FORKS instead OF the north branch though is OF
to go there until the water falls