The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-01-12


e streams or ravines, which contain more
:. less gold. Those that have been worke
i are barely scratched; and although lhou
Il ands Of ounces have been carried away,
9 do not consider that serious impression ha
:. been made upon the whole. Every da
i was developing new and richer deposiies
i and the only impression seemed to be, tina
? the metal would 10 found in such abundanc
as seriously to deprecia,e it's value.
! On the sth Of July ! returned to the low
er mines, and on the following day to Sui
ter's, where on the 10Th I was making pre-
parations for visit TO the Feather, Yubsh
, and Bear rivers, when received letle
J from Commander A. H. Long, U. Sta,e
Navy, who had just arrived al San Francis
co from Mazatlan, with acrew for the slooI
of war Warren. with orders to iako tina
vessel TO the squadron at La Poz. Captain
Long wrote to me that the Mexican Con
gress had adjourned without ratifying the
treaty Of peace; that be had letters for nc
from Commodore Jones, and !ba, his orders
were 10 sail with the Warren on or before
the 2O,h day Of July. In consequence OF
these, determined to reiurn to Monterey,
and accordingly arrived here on the 9Th
Of July. Before leaving Suffers salts.
fed myself that gold existed 10 the bed Of
The Feather river. 10 the Yubah and Bear,
and in many Of the small streams ,ha, lie
between The latter and the American fork !;
also, that it had been found 10 the Cosunl.
ines to the south Of the American fork
In each Of these streams the gold is found
10 small scales, whereas in the intervening
mountains il occurs in coarser Jumps.
Mr.. Sinclair, whose rancho is miles a.
bovo Suffers, on the north side Of the A.
merican fork, employs about so Indians on
the north fork, not far from ITS junction with
the main stream. lie had been engaged
about five weeks when saw him, and up to
that time his Indians had used simply closely
woven willow baskets. HIS net, proceeds
(Which saw we're abou, SIG. 900 worth Of
gold. lie showed the the proceeds Of his
last weeks wo,k-iour,ecn pounds avoirdu.
pois OF clean.washed gold.
The principal store al Suffers Fork, that
Of Brannan & Co. had received 10 pay meht
for goods s36, 900 (woriA of this geld from
the Is, Of May 10 the l0sh Of July. Large
quantities Of goods were daily sent forward
10 the mines, as the Indians, heretofore so
poor and degraded, have suddenly become
consumers Of the Injuries Of life. be.
fore mentioned that the greater part Of the
farmers and rancheros had abandoned lhe:
fields 10 90 TO the mines. Tha .s no. the case
with Captain Suffer, who was carefully
gathering his wheat, estimated at 40, 900
bushels. Flour is already worth at Suffers,
S36 barrel, and soon will be $50. I'm.
less large quantities Of breadstuff reach the
country. much suffering will occur; bu. as
each man is nov able to pay a large price,
it is believed the merchants will bring from
Chill and Oregon plentiful supply for the
coming winter.
The most moderate estimate could OBJ
lain, from men acquainted with the subject,
"as, that upwards of four thousand men |
were working in the gold district, Of whom
more than one half were Indians; and that
from $40 900 TO $50. 600 worth of gold, if
not more, was daily obtained. The entire
gold district. with very few exceptions Of
grants made sonf years ago by the Mex.
can authorities, is on land belonging to the
United States. |. was matter Of seri.
ous reflection with me, how could secure
10 the government certain rents or fees for
The privilege Of procuring this goldi but
upon considering the large extent Of coun.
try, the character Of the people engaged,
and the small scattered force at my com.
.nand, resolved not 10 interfere, but 10
permi, all to work freely, unless broils and
crimes should call for interference. was
surprised to learn that crime Of any kind
was very unlrequen', and that no thefts or
robberies had been committed in the gold
All live in tents, in bush arbors,
OF in the open ait and men have r:;,squen..
ly about their persons thousands Of dollars
worth Of gold, and i. was TO me matter Of
surprise tina, so peaceful and quiet state
of things should continue TO exist.
Conflicting claims to particular spots of
ground may cause collisions, but they will
DO rare, as the ex,en, Of country ia so great.
and gold so abundant, that for the present
there is room and enough FOR them all
Still the government is entitled TO rents for
this land aud immediate steps should be
devised to collect them, for the longer it is
DELAYED the more difficult n>~ill become.
One plan | would suggest is, 10 send out
from the United States surveyors with high
salaries, bound to serve specified periods.
A superintendent. 10 be appointed at Sut.
ter's Fort, with power 10 gran. licenses to
work spo, of ground-say one hundred
wards square-for one year, at a rent Of
| from 100 TO 900 dollars, at his discretion |;
the surveyors to measure the ground, and
place the rentor in possession.
A better plan however, will be to have
the district surveyed and sold at public auc.
ton TO the highest bidder, in small parcels,
say from 90 10 40 acres. Ia either case,
,hero will be many intrude's, whom for
wears il will te almos, impossible TO exclude.
| Tho discovery Of these vast deposlies oil
gold has entirely changed the character Of
the people of Upper California. l'spcople
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