The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-15

+ G GAarnElr, Vice Presidents
" > I Gss ssvsn Secretaries
From the Journal of Commerce, Feb H.
Later from California.
The Herald and Tribune publish intelligence from Cal
iforna TO the 10th December last, brought by Robert
Atherton, esq, merchant OF San Francisco Mr. Ather
ton has resided fq5 ten On the Pacific and two
December and TO the United States by way OF Ma
zatlan Guadalaxara, Mexico, and Vera Cruz The pas
sage from San Francisco to Mazaan occupied ten days
Mexico the journey made on horseback IN SIX days
Mr. Atherton has accomplished the whole Of this long
and aduous trip with remarkable despatch having been
only days upon the route the cost OF the WHOLE from
San Francisco to New York. has been about 800.
Mr. Anterior brings with him the bills of ladng OF
gold TO the amount OF 100000 shipped on English
count, which he proposes to effect insurance here
He also fully confirms the account of the gold on board
the United States ship Lexington.
dust from the soil Of California is as grea, as il has been
heretofore represented TO be- and that emgrans from the
Sandwich islands and South America were pouring in
there. The extent of the gold region, far It has been
explored is three hundred miles in width by one thou
sand in length, and new discoveries made from day
to day. TO the time when Col Atherton left the number
but there had not been more than 1880 digging at any
time The average result OF their abors about
three per day to each digger This gold is found
fakes or scales in what is termed the wet diggings,
and in Jumps and in the crevices of rocks in the dry dig
gings. Mr. Anterior saw piece which weighed seven
pounds and which was found by one OF the adventures
sayed and tested by Mr. Forbes in Topic the proprietor
of the extensive quicksilver mines, and the former was
found to contain twenty. and half caats OF pure
gold, and the latter nineteen and half.
There has not been as much sickness at the place as
led to suppose, neither is the state of society
there bad has been ntimated Fever and ague pre-
careless regard 10 their health but with ordinary pru
dence. persons can get along without any sickness
About dozen people have died, among whom are MI.
H. p Richardson, OF Boston, who was taken sick at the
placer but removed TO San Francisco; Mr. VIM Nc
DoweI of the West, and Mr. Dickinson, of Philadel-
pha about dozen have died at the gold dggings prin
cipally from want of prudence and from exposure.
AT the time when Mr. Atherton left San Francisco,
the United States Lexington had not sailed but
was to do 50 in day twE She had on board gold
destined for New York. and consigned to several houses
here. The Lexington will take Messrs. Wells and De.
witt as They belong to New York and
The f-tbe-ne Ohio. Commodore JONES' was also
in the harbor of San Francisco.
One of the greatest features of the news brought by
this express is the fact OF the discovery Of gold mine
of great extent in Oregon This discovery attract
ing the attention of the people of that Territory, who
were focking thther in great numbers in preference
going to California.
The whole value of gold which has been gathered
matter, at three millions Of dollars two Of which ef,
there in various ways and the remainder is its way to
the United States II is supposed that it would take one
hundred thousand dgges ten years 10 exhaust the gold
in this region 1t must not be supposed, however, that
every gets rich there the moments for the work Of
getting the gold dust and washing it is very arduous
Capt Daily OF San Francisco, organized expedition OF
ten men. who went to gold digging and were absent
three weeks but they did not gather enough ex
penses and were dsbanded.
The precious metal exists there, however, eXtraOr-
binary abundance as is proved by the fact that the cap
tain OF the French brig Perseverance,, with one half OF
his crew. gathered ten thousand dollars worth in three
kS tvpll 40 FIR ch mo
chandise Of every kind is sold Provisions very
plenty at San Francisco and the dggngs Flour poured
in in great quantities, from Chill and Oregon, and came
down price from 25 per barrel to l6, at San Fran
cisco The probability is that that article has fallen still
further, perhaps to $40 per barrel Board in San Fran
cisco was $40 per week.
Great as the discoveries of gold are they are equalled
by those of quicksilver That metal is found in various
parts Of California and the quantity is abundant
the mnes had thirty thousand dollars worth of the article
on hand at Topic, ready for market 1t is found even
within three miles of San Francisco.
About two thousand emgrants had arrived in Califor-
MIA from Oregon, the Sandwich Islands, and diferen,
parts OF South America and Mexico In fact the gold
fever RACES as ecey in Mexico as does in the United
formed to proceed to Ell Dorado.
There were about dozen vessels of various kinds at
San francisco. when Mr. Anterior left The ship Rhone,
Captain Hill, was to sail soon for Panama. Mr. Finley
her supercargo, was to go with her.
The ship Huntress sold for $4,000, and her pur-
chasers intended to send her to Valparaiso for cargo
ment in regard to California. Every was leaving
talking of leaving, and many clerks emgrating
to California, that the merchants feared they would
be able to conduct their business as their clerks all
going in the same direction They accordingly held
meeting and agreed advance the salaries OF those
their employ in order to induce them to stay at home.
The cargo of the ship Undine, which re. shipped
at Valparaiso, sold at San Francisco at five hundred
per cent profit This vessel wrecked in the straits
of Magellan and Captain Baker, her MASTER arrived in
this city with the proceeds OF the cargo in gold bars
The vessel sold at Valparaiso for $l2a00 and after
wards resold at San Francisco ior $25000.
| Captain Phelps, of the barque Moscow, and Captain
Lindsay and Mr.. Meows, their way to the Allan
tic with one hundred thousand dollars worth of gold
dust
Edward H. Hanson has been appointed collector of the
port of San Francisco by Col Mason. He will prevent
the ingress Of spelter into that port
The barque Tasso sailed from San Francisco for Val
paraso but could not engage crew under $50 per month
to each man, and 1915 to the steward, with agreement
| to take them back again to San Francisco.
The California Star and the Californian united and
the new paper is issued under the OF the Cali
fornan
The brig Mary was to leave San Francisco for Mazat
| Ian about the first of January, with gold dust.
! Captain Stout, the agent of Rowland & Aspnwall,
had left San Francisco for Vancouvers island for the
purpose of arranging for supply of coal for the Pacific
steamers.
We learn, by this arrival one very important fact, viz
that the Sacramento river navgabe tor vessels draw
ing eight feet from the Suffers tort distance
of hundred and fifty miles from San Francisco and
for hundred miles further by vessels drawing less La
fact, Mr. Aherton himself has been in vessel with