The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-02-01


As no one, yet, has found the gold in i,s
native ma'rix, a question often suggests IT,
self as TO its origin. I believe the coarse
gold is found near the spo,s where j. origi.
nally lay in its native bed, aud that much
Of the fine gold has been swept down from
The mountains by torrents Of winter. Al
most nll the rocks in Upper California nre
imperfec,ly organized, being soii nnd fria-
bic, and incapable Of resisting the action Of
The weather. In the process ri time the
mountains have gradually crumblcd away
into fine dust, and the gold has been libcr.
a,ed. The coarse gold. from its massive.
ness and grent specific gravity, was not
remover from the mountain sides, whereas
the fine gold was swept off to the plains
below.
The extent Of these golden depositcs il
IS impossible to conjecture. Gold has been
found one hundred and fifty miles above
Suffers Fort. Il is dug in grea, quaint.
ties nt almost all points along Feather. Jn-
I'm, and Bear rivers, mud upon the Ameri-
en- Fork and NIL it, tributaries, upon the
Costumes mud S,anislnus rivers, and upon
both sides ofihe San Joaquin river. Il has
been found nj Bodega, on the sen coast nd
nj vnrious points in tho chain of mountains
which separates the waters flowing into the
SIN Joaquin from these which enter the
Pacific. M far south ms Ciudad de los Angc.
loo. !, has also heen found in c"nsidera-
h'e quantities in the earth nf the plains
near tho mission of Santa Clara. Il is
thus known IN exist throughout n region ot
country mnrc ihnn six hundred miles in
extent, and il probably extends into Ore.
gon.
There nre subjects upon which one can
not write the truth without exciting incre.
dulitv, md il is with grcn, difIiience that
! shall attempt Z" speak If the richness nj
the mines. went 10 them in the skepii.
cal frame ri mind. and came AWAY be-
lierer. From MI that can learn ns 10 sun
liar deposi,cs of gold elsewhere, ] believe
these 10 he the richest placer mines in the
world. ] nm satisfied, from personal oh.
servaiion, that active workmen can get
from S25 TO $40 per day, es,ims,ing the
gold nj SIG per ounce, troy. Many in.
stances IRE known of persons having OBJ
,nincd from $500 10 $1,000 in . day for
each man. sm meeting persons daily in
this place who have been absent less ,hnn
three months. md have returned with from,
1000 10 5000 dollnrs in gold dust. While
among the mines collected large nun.
Der Of facts, from which the following are
taken nj random Ms n specimen:
On the most southerly tributary OF the
American Fork sixteen miles from the main
s'rcnm, saw where Mcssrs. Nelly ant
Crowly gns, with six men in six dnye ter
and half pounds oil gid. ayoirdupoi'
weight. In the bottom OF drv ravinc o
the same stream, Mcssrs. Daily and Nc
Cooms removed, with n party of Indians
aud white men, $4,000 in two DAYS, snd
within two hundred yards Of the main
stream. From another drv ravine, within
few rods of the last mentioned, il ia snid
Tint $4,000 were collected in three da. g.
MIR. Z. S. Lyman. clergyman, Onnccns-
toned 10 labor, informs me that he got $50
for about five hours work ench day. NJ
Vacn, New Mexican, who resides about
thirty miles from Suffers told me be, with
four other men, got seventeen pounds o
gold, avoirtiupos weight, in seven days
Major Cooper, late Of Missouri. with two
men and one boy, got 1000 dollars in two
DAYS. Mr.. Sinclair had been engaged in
digging gold for about five weeks with a
party Of Indians numbering about forty
sometimes more and sometimes less. lie
gave his lndians meat, sugar, coffee, -four,
md rice, and they ate three times per day.
They were mostly wild Indians, aud work.
cd altogether with pans. In five weeks,
after paying all his lndians aud tho current
expenses Of tho party, he had $4,000, OF
upwards Of ninety pounds, troy weight, oi
gold dust. The gold was shown. Mr..
Norris and one companion took from dry
ravine, not Ear from those already mention
ed $1,000 in two dsye, and the dirt was
packed on horses more than two hundred
yards 10 the water.
Mr.. Aaron Anglsnd got from his own
labor, in twenty consecutive DAYS after his
arrival nj the mines. $4,000. But might
60 on stating facts like these until should
trio your patience.
You will be anxious to know where this
Is to end. zee no prospect Of exhaus,ing
the mines. The gold 10 found extending
over m immense tract Of country. and il il
so universally diffuscd 10 the earth Of the
gold regions, that il may be said to consti.
tute portion Of the soil. Il IL most abuu-
dant in the valleys and the beds Of streams,
because the earth has been removed by W.
ter, and the gold remains; but 10 found on
the tops and aides Of the mountains hun
dreds Of feet above the water.
When in The mining country, endeavor.
ed TO obtain what information the miners
and others could afford - 10 the value Of