Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-08-15
CALIFORNIA NEWS.


The news from California brought to New
York by the steamship Cherokee, possesses
much interest.
The Californans are awaiting with COLI
siderable anxiety, the action of Congress
upon the question Of admission.
Immigrants are as rapidly as ever pouring
into the country. Coal has been discover
ed both in California and Oregon. A COM
pany is about to be organized in California
for the manufacturing of salt from salt
springs.
Buildings are rapidly covering the burnt
district in San Francisco, and business is
revviug. A FIRE department has been or
ganized, permanent reservoirs Of wafer have
been prepared at convenient distances lhro'-
out the city, and every means taken that the
prudence and intelligence Of our citizens
could devise for the prevention of similar
disasters in future. Besides, the most Of
the buildings now in progress of erection
are of brick and fire proof, and several of
them have wells dug in them, and are sup
piled with fire apparatus.
High water ssill prevents much activity
at the mines, but the rivers are rapidly sub
siding. The mining region is generally
quiet, though some shocking murders have
been committed.
A robbery Of $50. 900 in gold, consign-
ed to Bebee, Ludlow and Co. OF this city,
was perpetrated on the Isthmus, while the
mule train was passing from Panama to
Chagres. The robbers made their appear
ance, and took possession of the mule which
was laden with three boxes containing the
above amount The force with the train
was not sufficient to repel them, and they
carried off their booty. No trace of them
could be found afterwards.-Bost. Atlas.
The following summary is copied from
the San Francisco Herald, Of July LIST.
A new element of enterprise has been in
troduced into the country for the develepe-
ment Of its mineral wealth. We refer to
the machinery for crushing the quartz rock
brought here by Edward Beale, Esq late of
the United States Navy. As il is generally
believed that the gold bearing quartz exists
in vast quantities, not only in Mariposa, but
through the whole length of the country,
from North to South, the employment of
crushing machinery will constitute a most
important means of obtaining the immense
quantities Of gold now SO difficult of access.
The Indian troubles. which had in some
measure interrupted mining operations, and
had created considerable apprehension of a
general rising, have ceased almost altogeth-
er. The success Of the military expedition
to Clear Lake and Russian River, has had
most salutary effect, and the miners are
no longer interrupted in their occupations.
The operation Of the " Act for the better
regulation of the mines and government Of
foreign miners" has tended more than any
other cause to create q arrangement of bu-
siness in the mines. As will be seen BY in-
telligence in other portions of this paper,
the collector Of taxes under this law has
been quite unsuccessful in Mariposa county
and there will, in all probability, be an
effort shortly made to call the legislature to-
gether, for the purpose of modifying the
law. The truth is, the tax is too high; and
although there is every reason why persons
not citizens of the United States should pay
something to the support of the State gov
eminent that protects them, yet the swollen
state of the streams and other causes have
conspired to render them unable as yet to
pay the very large sum which the law ex-
acts. We must except from this statement
the counties Of Suffer aud Fl Dorado, in
which the tax has been collected without
much difficulty. A writ Of quo parranto is
now being argued before the Superior Court
Of this city. requiring H. M. Naglee to show
cause why he exercises the Office Of coIIec-
tor Of mining license under the law The