The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1849-01-13
SAN Francesca, Aug 30, 1913,

My DEAR SIR Since my last nothing very i'm
portant has occurred here amongst the gold dig
gers. The excitement continues, aud every day,
almost, vessels are arriving, loaded with goods
and pa asseugers the latter destined for the gold
washings Much sickness prevails amongst the
diggerS, and very many have left, sick, and 9th.
ers are leaving, for their homes aud the more
healthy portions Of the country, intending to re-
turn to their labms alter the sickly season shall
have passed, which will be after the first OF Oc-
tober.
BY the first of November presume over four
thousand persons will be engaged in the goId
piacerS, washing out the precious metal. The
same remarkable success continues, aS heretofore,
to attend the labors of the diggers, Ten dollars
day, on an average, Is the lowest possible pstl-
mate any one puts upon the receipts OF each one
Of the two or three thousand people now at work.
Almost every day we hear Of some new discovery
in some before uncxplored part Of the country,
81 Ne large amounts ofgold are readiN Nobtancd,
in usual mode, by washing in tin pans ,ishal.
low skets and rude machines called cradhs.
Wherever explorations have been made to the
east and south Of the Sacramento on the streams
and riyulets issuing from the western side Of the
California range OF mountains, as far down as
Los Angeles, Cor City Of the Angels,) gold has
been found Just reflect a moment. Here is an
extent of country varying from fifty to seventy
i've or one hundred miles in width, and between
four and five hundred miles long, where man
caR 90 in, almost at random, with his tin pan
k.knire, or piCkaXe. and, lnthe course of three
| in some instances ten and twenty thousand dol.
! lars of gold.duSt or ore. know Of an instance
| where company Of seven men, who had been
| five weeks at work, returned with nine Thousand
dollars each Three thousand dollars month
for an industrious man, in ordinary diggingS is
! a fair average. Many, who hit upon some pro-
life digging, or some rare place Of deposc will
get that much in a few days It is really mos
wonderful and the wonder increases, when yor
consider that there seems to be no end to IT, II
other words, those who occupy the ground wher,
the gold was found in any quantity, (say the mid
die Of Nav last y are doing about as good business
now as they were then.
The common laborin, men in the country ar,
becoming the capitalists Of California. Mrchan
c5 Of all trade, BARRIERS, cooks, stewards, day.la
borers, servants of all grades, (and had almos
said sexes, too,) are abuve being hired, unless a
to the gold washings and wash ont their ten, ant
perhaps flty or one hundred dollars a dav, Tn
back fellow who is steward at the hotel her
gets his hne hundred aud fifty dollars month
the black cook, ditto; assistants, fifty and sixt
dollars month. Five and ten dollars a DAY
the common wages here for mechanics aud labo
{ ring men. Of course the expenses Of living ar
very great, and so they must continue for som
time to come. Those who are sent out here a
officers OF the nev territorial government to b
established, (and very soon it is to be hoped
ought to be paid handsome salaries: II they ar
not, they will find it anything hut lucrative. bus
ness. and the Government will be unable to retail
any man in Office SIX month, after he reach,
here
A large emigration is expected into the cour
\ try across the continent this fall. As the new
BE- Of the gold discoveries reaches Oregon, many wi
flock in from there. Already they have CONNER
ced coming in from the Pacific coast Of Sout