Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1849-01-02

nv lle1 AtAtlxuS iUf$u&Y1SlL 10 the eatner.
|AAlubah, aud Bear rivers, when received
s. letter from Commander A. R. Long, u
iinited States Navy WHO had just arrived
1 at San anciseosi rolnsMazatlan, with
crew Tor the sloop ofMar Warren, with
/ orders 10 take that vessel to the squadron
fatsla Paz. Capt. Long wrote TO me that
tire Mexican Congress had adjourned
without ratifyms the, reaty of peace ;that
he had letters for me from Commodore
Jones, and that his orders were 10 sail
with the Warren, on or before the goth
day Of July. In consequence Of these,I
determined to return to Monterey and ac-
cordngly arrived here on the 18th Of Ju-
ly. Before leaving Suffers, | satisfied
myself that gold existed in the bed Of the
Feather river, in the Yubah and Bear,
and in many Of the small streams that
lie between the latter and the American
fork; also that it had been found in the
Consummes 10 the south of the. Ane rican
fork. In each Of these streams, the gold
is found in small scales, whereas in the
intervening mountains it occurs in coars-
er Jumps. . ." ~l..~'st-'ss s'1~s..l
Mr. Sinclair, whose rancho is three
miles above Suffers on tbs north side Of
the American, fork, employs about fifty
Indians on the north fork, not far from,
its junction with the main stream. He
had been engaged about five weeks when
| saw him, and up to that time his Indians
had used simply closely woven willow
baskets. His netlproceeds (Which | SAW
were about $4,000 worth Of gold. He
showed me the result Of his last weeks
work-lourteens pounds, .avoirdnpeisc Of
clean washed gold.
The prncipa! stores at Suffers fort,
that Of Brannan & Co., had received in
payment for goods $4,000 (worth of
this golJ) from 10 first Of May to the 10Th
of July. Large quantities of goods were
daily sent forward to the mines, as the
Indians, heretofore so poor and degraded,
have suddenly become consumers Of the
luxuries Of life. before mentioned that
the greater part Of the farmers and ran
cheros had abandoned their fields to 20
te the mines. This is not the case with
Capt. Suffer, who was carefully gather
ing his wheat, estimated at 10000 bush
els. Flour is already worth at Suffers
1886 barrel and soon will be $50. Un-
less large quantities of brcadstufs reach
the country much suffering will occur;
bnt as each man is now able 10 pay
large price, it is believed the merchants
will bring from Chill and Oregon sup.
| ply for the coming winter.
| The most moderate estimane | could
obtain, from men acquainted with the sub
jject was tina, upwards Of 1000 men were
working in the gold district, Of whom
more than ono half were Indians; and
that from $4,000 to $4,000 worth of
gold: if not more, was daily obtained.-
| was surprised 10 learn, that crime Of
any kind was very unfrequent and that
no thelts or robberies had been commit
ted in the gold district. All live in tents
or bush a1bors, or in the open air; and
men have frequently about their persons
thousands Of dollars worth Of this gold,
and it was to me a matter Of surprise that
so peaceful and quiet state of things
should continue to exist.
Conflicting claims 10 particular spots
Of ground may cause collisions, but they
will be rare. as the extent Of country is
so great, and the gold so abundant, that
for the present there is room and enough
for all. Still the government is entitled
10 rents for the land, and immediate steps
should be devised 10 collect them, for the
longer it is delayed the more difficult it
will become. One plan would suggest
is, to send out from the United States
surveyors with high salaries, bound 10
serve specified periods. s." "@~.
A superintendent to be appointed at
Suffers Fort, with power to grant icen.
ses to work spot Of ground--say 100
yards squarc-for one year--at rent
of from 100 to 1000 dollars, at his dis
erection; the surveyor 10 measure the
ground, and place the ren;or in posses
sion. A better plan, however, will be to
have the district surveyed and sold at pub
lie auction to the higest bidder, in small
parcels, say from 20 to 40 acres In Ell
Their case, there will be many intruders,
whom for many years it will be almost
impossible to exclude.
! The discovery OF the vast deposits Of
gold has entirely changed the character
of Upper California. It's people before
engaged in cullivating their small patch
es Of ground, and guarding their herds Of
cattle and horses, have all gone to tho
mines, or are on their way there. La
borers Of every trade have lef, their work
benches, and tradesmen their shops
Sailors desert their ships as fast as they
| arrive on the coast, and several vessels
have gone to sea with hardly enough
hands to spread sail. Two or three are
now at anchor in San Francisco with no
crew on board. .r.- .s-sr .>-.v
Many assertions, too, have taken place
from the garrisons within the influence
OF these mines; twenty-six soldiers have
deserted from the post Of Sonoma, TWEEN
ty-four from Monterey. For few days
the evil appeared TO be SO threatening,
that great danger existed that the garri-
sons would leave in body; and | refer
you to my orders Of the 25th Of July, TO