The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1849-01-13
Letter from the Gold Region

NO 3
The Letter we publish to-day, dlted
at San Francisco, August 80, ls4s, as well
as other letters and accounts that we have
already published respecting the gold re-
pion, goes to show that the apparently ex"
aggerated descriptions that have been rub
lished are probably no eXaggerations a'a'I'
saws the Washington Globe. That mere
is great extent of territory-from ioty to
fifty thousand square miIes-whlrh is IN
its general character auriterous, ani IN a
degree almost without parallel, is crIanly
true, too, that much gold has bcen9Xtract-
ed; that much is known to exist and 1t
may be assumed that the supply not in
exhaustible, is very abundant, and will
give permanent occupation tonlners' Ii
not through all time, yet for may years TO
come.
But the question may be aske, Cm bono
is all this metallic wealth ? Pho is to be
enriched Who is to be bentited Not
all. we imagine, who dig forBold will find
wealth. Many will seek, 5lt not all will
find. Even so far, diggirt for the preci-
Gus ore, when all things cme to be con-
sidered. has not been invarlbly the wealth
insurihg occupation that lany suppose 1t
has been. Everything usful and purcha-
sable at California rose a once, upon the
discovery of the gold regin, 10 most enor-
nous prices prices that lad no reference
%. ,ys.lAe, or utilry,or to any known
or customary standard, bit solely to the
known or assumed abundance Of the pre-
cious metal; and thes' prices seem to
have been readily obtaied. Whence it
appears that the gold iners have not been
the most fortunate adveiurers Of all, but
rather those who happend to have a sup
ply of such articles of traic as the others
needed while articles hve been sold at
from one thousand to 6v thousand per
cent. advance upon the cot, or rather up.
on what would have beea fair price be
fore the discovery of the old. But this
state of things cannot last log, in our opin.
ion. Prices will come dowI and gold will
cease to be found in such irredible guam
titles as heretofore,
Thousands and tens of iousands are
now vending, or soon will be vending,
their way to California. Tose who 20
thither with rational and moGst expecta-
tons will not be disappointd, probably.
They are certain, we suppos, of finding
some gold-it may be much. But if they
fine none, we are not sure tha they ought
to enrol themselves in the category of the
unfortunate for they will fnl-what is
infnitely better-a salubriOus md delight.
full climate, with all the soitnes and anne.
nifty of Italy, without her svamps and
maiaria; fertile country, ane plenty o
rich land of all varieties woodd, prairie
level, unduIating, hilly and muntainou.
too, for those who love the moulaius. ant
adapted to all sorts of rural and agricultu
raj occupations for planting, farming, ant
grazing. And we are not by any mean.
certain, that If the whole gold ,eglon o
fifty thousand square miles, more or less
was merely healthy, fertile country, with
out grain Of gold, it would not bt. in tn,
long run, a much more valuable one. an,
be more likely to insure health, wealth
and happiness to the emigrant, than it nov
does. But as things now are, he is full,
certain of finding one reality if he msse
the other. Should he find that his golde
visions are not realized and are not real
liable, then he finds himself in a health,
pleasant country, where it is easy to Iiy
in comfort without any great exerlIon, an
easy to acquire wealth, or what is bette
competence, with II.
The writer Of the letter saws, that
bpheyps that "wilhin tWelVemnnth II