Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-08-20
Interesting from California.
EXPERIENCE OF A GOLD DIGGER.

IArEhlENCE OF GOLD DIGGER.
we have been favored with the perusa of
letter from young Baltimorean, in San Fran
cisco, one OF the party that sailed for Chagres IN
schr. Sovereign, the whole of which would fit
two columns of the Sun. They were 10 dayv
from Baltimore to Chagres, 10 to Grogona, and
Panama, A days from Panama TO Acapulco.
days at Acapulco, and 4s days from Acapulco
TO San francisco, making in all 121 days-at a
cost OF 1926 so for travelling expenses. We
however have only room for the latter norton
OF the letter, which details the experience Of the
wrlter In california, as well as the result of
lew days labor in deyng for gold
~ have this moment returned from the mine.
ana nave received several letters from homs
ma the TWO steamers in port at San Francisco
me pacltlc arrived here on the Sd of June, and
inc a Oregon arrived here this day, the 18th.
line people OF California are much dssatis.
ned about Congress not doing something for their
government and they have, in consequence,
lotmeo one OF their own, on yesterday But al
this topic will not interest you as much as tho
gold, Gel will close this letter upon that sub.
]ect have visited all the different dieoins and
must say: IN justice to my friends at home, that
the accounts are certainly exaggerated to some
extent The gold is in the country, but assure
you 1t is the hardest labor on earth TO procure it.
Firstly and secondly, It's great lottery, as you
may dig for days, nay, weeks, and not get enough
to pay your board. People who steer for this
gold region think that they can find gold OIL the
tor, OF the earth, or by digging foot or So but
such IS not the case. In the first place YOU must
dig until you come to the slate rock, and scarcely
ever less than six feet through the hardest earth
any one ever put pick OF crowbar into Then
you are compelled to bail the water out standing
i'm c four faok 4 L. Al
and follow the channel along the slate, and il
any gold is in the hole dug you will find it lodg-
ed on the top OF the slate. The dirt of reddish
color may prove profitable to wash in a cradla
machine with zinc top. l dug several dayst
and worked harder than any one saw at work.
and averaged about one ounce per day-but two
thirds do not make their board and assure YOU
mat Ill knew what now arm acquainted with
ltfom erperlence) previous to leaving, | wopld
have never left home. 1t is not the digger that
makes it is the trader therefore there are 90
many false representations made, as it is to their
interest to eXaggerate.
81 have made much more by trading in tho
mines than | could make by digging but SUBJ
slst on one half that the most of men do, or did
IN the mines. Dissipation is carried to any e.
tent and gambling is the order Of. the day. Tbs
Spanlards break all the banks in the country, a.
they bet 50 extravagantly. They think nothing
OF betting from one to FIVE thousand dollars on a
single card or what they term tap the bank:'
that Is, to bet the whole amount the banker has
on his table or in his bank. SUNDAYS, or the
Sabbath, is the greatest gaming day in this city.
as well as it is in the mines.
81 was elected alcalde of the Mormony dig
gins wnlle up there, and had several cases to de-
eide, which will mention at some future time.
"stelnbergen the monopoliser, is here, specu.
latlng to as great extent as he did in the States
some years since, when he failed for such largo
amount; but cannot say what it will result In
here, as he is smart business man. He has
connected with him Rofus Rol, from New York,
also two young men by the name of Allison from
the same city.
"The Greyhound arrived here in 142 DAYS from
Baltimore the Grey Eagle in 113 DAYS, which
is the quickest time on record the Col Fremont
III 100 days-which are all now lying here de-
serted by their crews. The steamer Edith. Il. s.
government craft is in this port, with the man
OF war Warren and small sloop also the South
amplon and one French and two English men
OF war.
"There are a great many Baltimoreans her.
at TINS time and more arriving every day. It
would amuse you to see their countenances when
they frst land In consequence of the extravaganza
prices OF living and OH learning how they will
nave to labor at the mines and the hardships all
miners have to encounter.
II would sooner live in Baltimore from hand
~ iiloutH tnan III California a wealthy man.
Inc climate Is everything but pleasant, as it is 60
changeable. From o'clock in the morning to
IN the afternoon it is very warm; from o..
clock it commences blowing perfect hurricane,
which lasts all night. 1t is impossible to remain
clean your eyes are affected by the dust, and i
is so cold during the night that it requires some
halt dozen blankets to keep you warm, whilst
during the morning you wear summer clothing.
The dew falls very thick during the night and a
great many persons are affected with colds, &c.
Take our expedition all in all, it is humbug, and
more than two-thirds who come out here will
ever regret it.
"A workingman who arrives here without =
penny and only one shirt 10 his back, is better
OIL than one who arrives here with an entire car
go. The merchants are all sharks and skin all
that arrive, who are subjected to their hands
"Any merchant that now arrives here from
the States deficient of large capital, stands a
poor chance, as it requires a small fortune 10
purchase a lot and build house, and then the
titlemay not be good. Lots are selling from g.
900 to ST, 1000 each, small at that, and to erect a
house on it you are compelled to pay from S4OO
to 5000 per thousand feet for lumber and Sl2
per day for hands; therefore all strangers are
more or less in the merchants power here Their
charges are as follows: 10per cent commissions,
s per cent. per month storage and other chareet
too numerous to mention"
OUR CALIFORNIA COMPANY.
AS we anticipated, the letters from most of
our California friends, were destroyed by fire on
3lp cta A