The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-02-09
observation-disclosures Gold.

lowing interesting" Extract from a letter re.
ceived from Thomas OLaikin, Esq, late
consul, and now navy age.t Of the L. S.,,o
Mr.. Buchanan, Secretary Of State" dated,
MONTEREY, Nov. l6, 1913.
The digging and ashing for gold coptin-
ues to increase on the Sacramento placer,
so lar as regards the number ofperso,s en-.
gagged III the business, Rnd quantity Of the
metal daily obtained. have had in NY
hand several pieces Of gold about % carats
fine, weighing f,om one TO two pounds, aud
have II from good authority that pieces have
been found weighing sixteen pounds. In.
deed, have heard Of one specimen that
weighed twenty-five pounds. Thee are
many men at the placer who, in June last,
had not one hundred dollars, now in pos
session Of from FIVE 10 twenty thousand dol
lars, which they made by digging gold aud
trading with the Indians. Several, be-
licv-, have made more. A common calico
shirt, or even silver dollar, has been taken
byan Indian for gold, without regard to size;
and half to one ounce Of goId---say eight
to sixteen dnilarS--I is Low considered the
price Of n shirt, while from three TO ten GUN
eos is the price Of blanket. One hundred
dollars n day for several days in succession,
was aud Is considered common ren,uner-
alton ior the labor Of gold digger, though
few work over month at a time, rs the ia.
t.gue is very great. From Jnly 10 October
cne-hall Of the gold hunters have been sf.
nicted, either with the acue and fever, or
the intermittent irycr, and twenty days alb
scnce from tie place during those months is
necessary 10 Escape these diseases. Thee
have not, however, been many fatal cases.
The gold l. now sold iIcm IT,. smallest ina
emery piece in size to Iiccss Il one pound
IN weight, ut sixteen dollars yer Troy ourCe
lor.all the purposes IF conmrICe; but these
who are under the ncCosslt, # raising coin
TO pay duties To the government, are olle-
ed to accent from ten To eleven dollars per
ounCe. All the coin III California is likely
to lie locked up in the custom house, as tho
last tariff Of our congress is IN force here in
regard 10 the receipt oi money.
Could You know the value of She Calfor-
MIA placer as know t,you would think you
had been instrumental in obta ming n most
splendid purchase for our country, to put no
other construction on the late treaty.
The placer is known to be two or three
hundred miles long: and, as discoveries are
being constantly made. it may prove one
thousand III length: III fact, 1t is hot count.
ing The intermediate miles yet UNEMPLOYED.
From five To ten millions Of gold must 10
orr export this and the next year. How
mapy more years this state Of things will
continue ! cannot say. You may wonder
why continue my correspondence. Ian.
Swer, from habit, and your many remarks
of the interest YOU take in my letters.
Extract from letter No "a, October 20, ls4s,
from Commodore Ap Caissby Jones TO the
| honorable Secretary If the .NGsT.
"Nothns, sir, can exceed the deplorahle
state Of things in all upper California at this
time, growing out Of the maddening effects
of tie gold mania. ] am sorry 10 say that
even in his squadron some of the officers
are a lille tainted. and have manifested
reStlrSSnesS under moderate restrictions i'm
perOu>ly demanded by the eXigenciss Of tho
times, as you will perceive by the enclosed
paper, addressed 10 three of the 1.ieutt nants.
! am, however, hairy Ia gay that l have
not been disappointed III the @ cd effects Of
the means employed 10 prevent desertion,
and 10 maintain order in the squadron, as
but one desertlon has taken place since the
rush Of cigH from this ship On the evening Of
THE 18th inst; and that the views and opin.
ions Of the few officers " no were skeptical
As 10 the right or efficacy Of the means en-
'poyId to prevent Offences, AMI to punish
Nllll's VI NNhflpNilt Il llltN IaNOTnUI6
change, whereby shall he enabled 10 Keep
Ionthi> coast until the whirlwind of anarchy
and confusion COMPOUNDED is superseded by
the establishment uf some legal government
potent enough to enforce law and 10 protect
life aud property, which at this time is in
great jeopardy every where outside our bull
IwarkS.'
III accounts from the Gold Region show
Ithata trphiful state Of things is approaching.
The Pittsburgh Gazette, in publishing
these last dispatches, truly says: that aliho'
the clittcriug representations Uf the wealth
Of this gold region, have been rather short
90! the truth than exaggerated, yet acQuisi-
ton. where gold Sto be had for the picking
tup, is surrounded with pcrls, Snffeiings, and
iprivatious. ia calico >hnt will buy a hall
'ouucc or gold, board costs 81 the day, and
the gold diggrIS 'air Gtllirtcd with the acuc
aud fever, ur intermittent !evcr.' sDiseasr,
IcougCStivp aud intermittent fever, is making
great havoc among the dlCgtrs, rs they are
almost destitute Of food Ri.d iaimsut, and for
the most Iart. without houSes uf any kind
. Aud that other difficulty of such sudden dis
covclic> uf wealth. free 10 all corners, is al
ready Disclosed ,iol,nCs is resorteh,o. Tho
Union says: 1--WE understand that the last
accouu,S from California depict scene Of
Ilswlcs>utS>, violence, and excitement,
which already battles description
Thus we are led almost iuesIstibly back
to the belief, that those peaceful and certain
'rhpuucl, At acquisition. good o'd fashioned
pluhjiug, industry, irur.ii'y and economy,
are. after AL more attractive aud promising
'ot abiding benefits, rhaut crrn cold e. Ids
1T California, vhrrc tie rife. the revolver
and Nh, bowie knife, "r di,ea>r aud rti,n.
ZION, are thrown INTO tie scale against the
.rErh heap, ofprlt,'
re ON Io.h o,d the Nrr--A Cen.
'rrul. What difference" asked an Intel
.ugyn, Engl,>Nmau ol Nj. b.. an American,
"NShAt dil,rcuoc strlkrs You ~ existing
'hctvrcu tho PRESENT condition At tho United
state, and England, upon the first view -
I,Thc dilrrcuce," rrplcd Mt. ,"betwr'n
Spring and Autumn. The United States
lis the Spring-iull Of youth, hope
land adventure, aud Fastening to maturity.
CuglandiS Autumn, full of wealth, rtflcc-
Iuou. accumulation, snd vc,gins towards
decay. The United States iiae IN the IRE.
sent, hat u,on the future England, tor,
lives IN the trcScat. bu, np0n the yash In