The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-02-01

Il
riculturc and horticulture of their own
country upon California soil, and r,echnn-
lcal labor knew no respite from its tolls
The intermnablc ciat,er Of the hammer
and the saw was heard in every quarter;
and frequently the mechanic, in his eager
ness 10 succeed, did not rccollcc, to "divide
the Sunday from the week" MANY little
villages sprung up ms if BIZ magic in vari.
Gus pnrts Of the country; aud all promised
fair for an indefinite continuance Of every
kind Of Improvement.
But change came over the face of nj.
fairs. In the latter part OF February, lSiS,
mechanic named James w. Marshall, was
employed in building saw mill Cor John
A. Suffer, Esq. on the south branch Of
river known in California ms the American
Fork, abou, fifty miles from New ilelve,ia,
ar Suffers Fort. On Frcmont's map, this
river is called "Rio dc los Amcricanos.
Il is the stream BY which Captain Fremont,
descended into the valley Of the Sacrament
To river. by pcrilons march in the winter
and spring of 1913. While emplo, cd in
cutting a mill.racc ar canal for this i'm
provcment, Mr.. Marshall discovered the
pieces Of gold rs they gl,stencd in the sun
light at the bottom Of tho sluicc. Pieces
Of considerable size were .akcn from the
water. and in n few dnys gold to the value
Of $50 was removed in this manner
The laborers on the works, mostly Nor
mons, soon hccome satisfied of lie precious
nature, and the news spread rapidly about
he country. EXAMINATIONS were prosec,i-
ted at other points along the stream, aud
aImost every where with success. Reports
OF most marvellous nature soon reached
tho coast touching these mines. Their
apparent cxtravngai,e created incredibly,
and the public attention WINS not fully call.
ed To tho subject until the gold dust or
grain gold was brought into the market in
considerable quantities fur sale. Doubt
soon became belief, and change nlmoS,
magical in its nature pcrvndcd the whole
population. Lawyers, doctors, clergyman.
farmers, mechanics, merchants. sailors and
soldiers, left their legitimate occupation Ia
embark in n business where fortunes were
10 be made in few weeks Villages aud
districts, where all had been hustle, indus.
try and Improvement, were soon lett with.
ont male population. Mechanics. mer-
chants, and magistrates were alike of 10
the mines, aud all kinds of useful occ,,pa-
ton. except gold digging, were apparently
a, an end. In most cases the crops were
Remarkably good; bnt they arc generally
lost Tor want Of laborcrs 10 secure them.
In some parts o. the country hundreds of
acres Of fine wheat will rot i'm the fields
from the impossibIity of getting Iaborcrs
Vessels arc left swinging idly ut their an.
chors, while both captains and crews are nj
the mines, and the most essential public
and private improvements arc arrested in
their progress. The wnces Of clerks have
advanced at leas, two hundred per cent.
and those of comrnon lnborers at least four
or five hundred. AT the time the excite
mcnt broke out. | WINS repairing the u. s.
barque "Ani,a." The workmen were re-
ceiving 81 per day, and lived on board the
vessel. They struck for higher wages,
and one man left and forfeited MI bis pre-
vious earnings, rnther than continue work
few days more at So per day. Common
sailors demanded 800 per month for work
on schooners in the hay. Freight from
this port to Suffers is from 50 20 81 per
bnrre!. The distance is little moro than
100 miles. Common four-ox wagons are
hired at $50 per day. In ono case have
known negro cook 10 bc employed AT S25
per day for his professional. services among
the pots and kettles in the gold regions.
This WINS the condition Of things about
three months since, md under its influence
this village was almost absolutely deserted
u had been one Of the most busting pla-
ces ever saw, and in few dnys it be.
came n desert. Two or three merchants
and few soldiers constituted the male
population. Recently, however, there has
been \ reaction, which brings many back
from tho mines, aud nn active emigration
is flowing from abroad. Sickness has bro.
ken out among the miners, and mnny have
returned Frustrated with lcvers, while 9TH
ers have come TO avoid being SO. There
arc now large number Of lsborers here,
but many Of them refuse to work on any
terms, while those who labor demand an
mmoderate price. The ordinary compen-
sation Tor white laborers is from sc 10 $40
per day. am now paying these prices
for men en- forced to take to employ the
government lighter, and for discharging
the ship Huntress now in this port. A,
the salne time. every thing is high 10 pro.
portion. Butter sells by the barrel at g.
i mar no, nd In ma NJ tina a. nm v,:.~. A.:
S25 per bbl., and pilot bread at 40 cents
per pound. For the last three pairs OF
boots have had. hare paid 10, Ia and
$l2 per pair. Other things arc At CORES.
Ponding prices ia this place, but At the
mines everything 10 much higher. Flour
- nd n0sx -, - r