Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-12-30
From the Placer tCal.} Timos, Oct. 20.
Statistics Of the Gold REGIONS,

Statistics Of the Gold Regions,
1t is very difficult. at lhe present time,
to collect information as to The prodac tive.
ness Of the various mines of California.
Even the number Of persons employed
upon The various rivers, is but, 10 limiteo
extent, known. Those who have travelled
extensively through the country, and ex.
plored the various rivers high up inc the
mountains, Of course can form very correct
conclusions.
But there are comparatively few who
have done this. Most miners have bu,
partially explored the country, and even
those " ho have made extensive examina-
lions, have felt but little inclination TO con-
vey the information acquired 10 others.
For this reason, we the more willingly lay
the estimates which we give below, before
our readers, believing, although they are
somewhat imperfect, that they will be Of
use to those who have not had the leisure
or inclinatian to make thorough examina-
tions.
The estimates which we give, include
he mining region from the Feather river
upon the north to Cosumnes upon The
south, which contains at leas, Two thirds OF
all the miners employed in the country.
The mining region upon Feather river
commences below the foot hills of the
mountains, some thirty miles from Marys
VILE, and extends back upon the noun.
tains for something like eighty miles -
There ore probably not less than nine
thousand persons at work upon this river
The most productive portions, the pas,
season, have been in the foothills, and
upon the South Fork Of the river. /, is
the general impression that the sum aver.
aged by miners upon this river has been
about six dollars day to the man. This,
allowing tweLty.four working days 10 the
month, would give FIVE months, (as much
probably as most Of the miners will labor
during the mining season. for each miner
$l20 per month, and $500 for the FIVE
months, producing an aggregate of S..
100000
The Yuba, with its tributaries, Deer
Creek, Gold Run, &C., has a population
Of abou, thirty thousand. The miners in
this region have, in many instances, paid
more than those Of any other portion Of
California, but there has been largo nun.
ber who have succeeded but poorly, which
has reduced the average to each man 10
something less than that upon Feather riv.
er. Upon this stream we believe the aver
age has not been over four dollars TO each
person employed. This would give for
the total amount Of gold dust taken out in
FIVE months, $l4,4OO,000.
! Bear river, the next stream upon the
south, contains probably a population Of
three thousand. This stream, although no
very large amounts have been realized by
individuals, has produced fair average
say 81 to each miner, which will give in
the aggregate $l,440,000.
| The American river, We presume, con.
tains population Of sixteen thousand, dis.
lributed on its tributaries as follows: FIVE
thousand upon the North Fork; five ,hous
and upon the Middle Fork; and six ,hous.
and upon the South Fork, which, at SIS as
the average, would produce, as above, in
five msnhs, $9,oOO,0OO. This would
give, in the aggregate, for Feather, Yuba,
Bear, and the American rivers, together
with their tributaries, the sum Of $50, ,240,-
00O us the product Of the labor Of fifty.
seven thousand persons. This sum, we
believe, is as near an average Of the pro-
duce Of the mines npon the rivers named,
for the past FIVE months, as can well be
ascertained at the present time.
We have. in our estimate, taken but n
portion Of the mining region ofCnliiornia,
as our readers will see, bu. we presume
the quantity Of gold dus, taken from these
streams, or from their immediate neighbor-
hoods, constitutes at least two thirds of all
the gold taken from the mines Of Califor.
mia.
The quantity Of gold obtained by miners
during the last Winter, was small in pro.
portion TO what it ought TO have been. Mi
rers then locked forward TO the opening Of
Spring, anticipating far richer diggings in
the beds Of rivers, when the waters should
subside. In anticipation Of rich harves,s.
the Winter was suffered to pass without
! ,bo of