Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-01-10

UrPER BAR, MoKELuMNY RIVER, }
Oct. >. i-lJ.

There are many men who
come out to nine, who fad that they have
not funds sufficient To gel TO the mines, and
20 to work AT san Francisco. Wages con-
tinue high, that Is, from so to so diy,
and most kinds of trades pay well If YOU can
get the chance. Bur there are many COM
lug in, by ships, and many going down from
the mines to stay through the winter, such
as have had no luck III mining, aud back out
is fast as they can. do not know of
single company OF ten or more, but what
have broken up, for 40 two men can agree,
and might almost say that no man can
with truth tell the same thing twice con-
corning the mines One man vii work or
half work and get an ounce or two ounces
a day, whist anCtner wItnlu ten Irrt VIII
work as hard again aud not get half as much
and very likely viii not get over 81, tor his
days work. These men tell very different
stories 50 that 1t Is almost impossible fer
any one to say what his own opinion Is ;
though there Is plenty Of gold in these noun
tam rav;nes and rlyer beds, for those who
are fortunate enough to fnd 1t. 4 company
OF men 90 out prospecting, as It IS called,
carrying der provisions and sleeping out,
which is not uncomfortable, and alter ex-
aiming bundled rayines and climbing
worse mountains than are ID Vermont, for
month, come back, cursing prospecting, and
wishing they had kept quietly al work for
half al ounce day, II ii dld cost them an
ounce week for board. But some misera-
BE drunken scoundrel (more likely than not)
viii 90 of, and the first day take out $1,000
That Is the way 1t works There Is more
gold here than will be got out in hundred
years, but small company Is fortunate II
they ind place on this river, or near here,
though | think the raylnes about this bar are
better than any have seen.
| wish you could see panoramic view OF
the San joaquin rIver, anu of this river
have been down only four lies, and up
.bout the same distance. As we ascend,
the hills grow higher and sleeper four
miles down they do no; come so steep d.
recty into the river a. they do here, aud
the farther we go towards the source of the
stream they get worse and worse, till nine
miles from here the stream forks, and the
hills on either side of the river are so steep
that goods have TO be let down by ropes
One has to hold OH to roots and sticks, or
he would 20 hundreds of feet down to the
Bottom. | have never been there, and do
not think il pays, though some who have
gone get an ounce day. When we first
came here it was not considered safe to 90
on account of the Indians, but the Indians
have had a battle, and their principal mau
was killed.
The heat here was rather op-
pressve when first came, bat it has been
growing cool since the first OF September.
During that month the mercury averaged,
at sunrise, 81 at noon, l05 at sunset, 81.
1t is coolest about 3 or 4 o'clock in the
morning, when we put the blankets on to
keep warm.
The lower part of this bar, and suppose
the richest, is now dug completely up, and
the dust washed, or all that will pay. There
are places where slJ, goo have been taken
out of one hole in a short time-a hole not
over Is feet square, aud another place with
in Il few feet, where $500 have been OBJ
tanned but the ground is nearly all worked
and hat Is not Is not rich At the up
per end of the bar dam was built across
about three months ago. and channel dug
across portion of the bar, SO as to work
The bed Of the river. Any company can
get grant to turn the bed of the river by
apply to the Alcalde; assuring him that
you inJure no man by setting water into his
hole. The Alcaide is Judge, Jury, Sheriff,
in fact Supreme Dictator throughout the
Dlggings; accountable to no one that l
know of, and can do land-oflice business
charge an ounce to grant away part or the
whole Of any bar or rayine. No one can
come on the premises thus acquired.
Sunday is the principal day for trading !;
the miners coming in from the gulches, and
from up ,he river, to get then weekly sup
ply of provisions, and we usually have three
or four auctions during the day, besides
nree or four gamblng-tables in operation,