The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-02-15

From the New York Herald
The iatest mars from California Highly important
and Authentic from The Ptdeets-- The confirmation
\ Of preriots aecounts-Neniy discovered gold min,
/ IN Oregoa-OBe month iater-- Saipmenls qf gold
= 10 he United Stsies, DC. 'i.c &c
We are pleased in having 1t in our power 10 place
before our readers this morning, authentic and rca-
bio intelligence from San Francisco, California TO
| the lush December last, which is four weeks later
IMAM any news which we were previously in posses
sion Of. This news Is very important and interest
Ing, and Is entitled to full credence
hwus brought TO this city by Mr.. Robert Ather-
ton, who arrived in town yesterday morning, with
the New Orleans mail, and confirms in great de-
gree all the accounts which we have previously re-
.ceyed from the newly discovered El Dorado--the
modern, II not the ancient, 0phir
Mr. Auertoni Is now staying at the Clinton Hotel
IN ms city, and will remain here for two three
Tor people IN this ely, and file Of the Californian
newspaper, published at San Francisco 10 the 18Th
OF November last, number Of extracts from which
we publish IN this days paper, at the end of this
verb intelligence. He errved at San Bias from an
Francisco the 10th of December last in the brig
Laura Ann, Captain Blanchard, which vessel le!i
San Francisco on the 10Th of that month This
news Is therefore nearly four weeks later than any
intelligence which we have received from the famous
gold regions OF California. Mr. Atherlon came Via
| the city OF Mexico, and arrived at New Orleans on
| the 3lst u in the brig Irwin, from Yer Cruz
/ BY this intelligence, which, as we have before re-
Marked Is authentic, and entitled TO full credence,
we learn that the yield of gold dust from the soil Of
resented TO be- and that emigrants from the Sand
| witch Islands and South America were pouring Ia
there. The extent of The gold region as lar as 1t has
been explored, Is three hundred Ines in width, by
one thousand In length, and new discoveries ore be-
| Ing made from day 10 day. Tohe time. when Col
Atherton left there were never more than fifteen hun
drei persons engaged in digging the precious metal
nj any one time the average result of whose lnbor
was about three ounces per day, 10 each digger,
This gold Is found in flakes scales In what Is term
ed the wei dggings and in Jumps and in crevices of
In circulation as TO the size and weight Of those Jumps
some persons asserting that they have been found
| TO the weight of twenty-three pounds These are
however only rumorsi but Mr. Anterior, our infor
4 pounds, and which was found by one Of the adyen-
urers. Both the dust, or flakes, and the lump gold
has been essayed and tested by Mr., Forbes, in Te-
pic the proprietor Of the extensive quicksilver mines
and the former was found 10 contain tweniy-one and
half carats OF pure gold, and the hitter nineteen
and half.
/ There has not been much sickness at the place
as we were led To- suppose neither Is the state OF So
ciey there as bad as had been lntimated Fever and
age prevails there some extent and attacks those
who are careless in regard TO their health but with
ordinary prudence persons can get along without any
sickness
| About dozen people have died, among whom are
| Mr.. II. P. Richardson, OF Boston, who was taken
sick at the placer, but removed 10 San Francisco
MIR. VIM. Mcdowell, Of the West aud a Mr. Dickn
son, Of Philadelphia about dozen have died at the
gold diggngs, principally from want OF prudence and
exposure.
cisco, the United States store ship Lexington had
| not sailed, but was TO do so in day or Two. She
had on board gold dust 10 the value of half nil
| lion of dollars, which was destined for New \ ork
and consigned to several houses here The Lexing-
ton will take Messrs. Wells and Dewitt as passcn-
gers. They belong to New York. and have gold on
board as freight. They were attached 10 the New
/ Tho ship-ofthe-line Ohio, Com Jones, was also
in the harbor of San Francisco.
One Of the greatest features ofthe news brought by
this express, is the fact Of The discovery Of gold
mine Of great extent, in Oregon. This discovery
was attracting the attention Of the people of that
territory, who were hocking thlthcr in great num-
bers, In preference TO going 10 California.
The whole value Of gold which has been gathered
| in California is estimated, by those acquainted with
the matter at three millions of dollars two of which
left there In various ways and the remainder is on
would take one hundred thousand dggers ten years
TO exhaust the gold In this region. 1t must not be
supposed, however, that every one gets rich on the
moment for the work of getting the gold dus, and
washing II, is very ardnous. Capt. DAILY, Of San
Francisco, organized an expedition Of ten men, who
went to gold digging, and were absent three weeks;
but they did not gather enough TO cover expenses,
| and wore dsbanded.
/ The precious metal exists there, however, in ex-
traordinary abundance as is proved by the fact that
the Captain Of the French brig Perseverance, with
one half OF his crew. gathered ten thousand dollars
worth In three weeks as well by the large prices
for which merchandise Of every kind Is sold. pair
| Of boots costs twenty dollars, Of which, however,
| there was bull small stock on hand when Mr. Ath-
1 eron left common blanket coats worth forty
dollars, and fine trock coats fetcheda hundred dollars
| readily. Mr.. Aherton, himself, sold coat which
no had worn at intervals, for two years, ut eighty
dollars. Liquors sold twenty-five cents per gass
| and champagne was worth four dollars q bottle 10
/ San Francisco. Real estate too, was selling at
enormous prices-lots in San francisco, continuing
70 yards square, selling tor ten thousand dollars
Provisions were very plenty at San Francisco and
the digglngs. Flour poured in in great quantities
| from Chill and Oregon and came down in price
from twenty five dollars per barrel to teen, at San
Francisco. The probabtyis Tia, that article has
fallen still neutrality-suspicious. to ten dollars per barrel
Board in San Francisco was $40 per week.
Great as the discoveries of gold are they are equal
various parts OF California, and the quantity Is as
abundant as il Is in the mines of S ain Mr. Forbes
the proprietor Of the Mines had thirty thousand dol
lars worth Of the article hand ut ieplc ready for
market. 1t is found even within three miles Of San
| Francisco.
About two thousand emigrants had arrived in Chi
ifornla from Oregon, the Sandwich Islands, and diff,
ferent parts OF South America and Mexico. In fact,
the gold fever RACES as hercely In Mexico II does
in the United States, and there, as well as here ex.
petitions are being formed TO proceed to FL Dorado.
Mr.. Atheron says that il Is not advisable for large
armed parties to take the overland route through |
Mexico as the authorities will be likely 10 interfere
with them and prevent their passage Small com
panies can 60 with impnnty and with security.
There were about dozen vessels, of various kinds
AZ San francisco when Mr.. Atherton left The
ship Rhone, Captain Hill, was to sail soon for Pana
ma Mr. Finley, her supercargo was to go with her.
The ship Huntress sold for $40, 000 and her
purchasers intended 10 send her to Valparaiso for
cargo Al that place there was at the last dates great
excitement in regard to California. Every one was
leaving, or talking Of leaving, and SO many clerks
were emigrating to California, that the merchants
feared they would not be able conduct their bust
ness as their clerks were all going in the same d.
rection They accordingly held meeting, and agreed
10 advance the salaries Of hose in their employ, in
order to induce them 10 stay at home.
The cargo OF the ship undine, which was reshpped
nj Valparaiso was sold AT Francisco at FIVE hundred
per cent profit This vessel wrecked in the Straits
Of Magellan, and Captain Baker, her mast.r, arrived
in this city with the proceeds Of the cargo In gold
bars. The vessel was sold at Valparaiso for sl2 300
and afterwards re-sod San Francisco for s25 900
Captain Phelps of the bark Moscow, and Captain
Lindsay and Mr. Melows, are on their way TO the
o. gold dust.