The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-05-01

now, nor will it ever compare in magnitude and
value to the domestic trade between her and the
older States of the Union.
Two years ago California did not probably
contain more than fifteen thousand people, The
portion of it which has since been so wonderful
i ly peopled by American citizens, was, compare
lively, without inhabitants, without resources,
and not supplied with the common comforts of
shelter afforded by forest country.
Notwithstanding the great distances emigrants
nave been compelled to travel to reach the Ter
rltory, more than one hundred thousand have O.
vercome all difficulties, and spread themselves
: over its hills and plains. They have been sup
piled from distances as great as they themselves
have passed, with not only the necessaries, but
the comforts and many of the luxuries of life
Houses have been imported from China, Chill,
and the Atlantic States of the Union. All the
materials required in building cities al towns,
have been added to the wants of people so n,l-
merous, destitute, and remote from the sources
of supply.
These wants will exist as long as emigration
continues to flow into the country, and labor en-
ployed in collecting gold shall be more profta-
bic than its application to agriculture, the me-
chanlc arts, and the great variety of pursuits
which are fostered and sustained in other civili-
zed communities.
This may be shown by mentioning the prices
OF a few articles. Last summer and autumn,
lumber was sold in San Francisco at $500 to
$40O per thousand feet. At Stockton and Sa-
cramento City, at $500 to $500. At these pri-
ces it could be made in the Territory, and many
persons were engaged in the business. | per
ceive, by recent accounts, that the price had fall
len at San Francisco to $75; at this price it can
not be made where labor is from $40 to 1915 per
day, and the difficulties attending its manufac-
ture are much greater than in the Atlantic States
Lumber can be delivered by our large lumber
markets for an Average of the various qualities
OF $l6, and freighted to San Francisco for 1924
making $40 per thousand feet. This price would
cause the manufacture of it in Calfornin to be
Abandoned We may add 500 per thousand, to
meet any increase of price in the article itself,
or in the freight, and the result would be the
| same.
1t is probable that the demand, for several
years to come, will not be less than twenty mil
lions of feet per annum, which, at $40 per 1000
will be $,0OO,OO0.
| When California comes to have population
of 900, which she will have before the close
of the present year, she will require near half a
million barrels of flour from some quarter, and
no country can supply it as good and cheap as
the old States of the Union. Including freight
and insurance, this may be set down as an item
of about $5,OOO,OOO. The article of clothing,
allowing 500 to each person; would be $4 900,
600.
There is no pretension to accuracy in
these items, and they may be estimated too
high, but it is quite as probable they are too
low
We have no data on which to found calcu-
lation Of what the value of the trade between
the States east of the Rocky Mountains and
California will be during the current year |
will venture the opinion, however, that it will
not fall short of twenty-five millions of dollars.
1t may 60 far beyond that sum- At present,
| can perceive no cause which will retard or di-
minish emigration.
If the movement shall continue five years, our
commerce with that Territory may reach one
hundred millions per annum. This is doubtless
4 startling sum, but it must be borne in mind
that we have to build cities and towns, supply
machinery for mining, coal for domestic purpo-
ses, and steam navi CATION, and all the mutita-
rious articles used in providing the comforts and
luxures of life, for half million of people, who
will have transferred themselves to a country
which is to produce, comparatively, nothing ex-
ccpt minerals and the precious metals, and whose
pursuits will enable them to purchase at any
cost, whatever may be necessary for their pur-
poses.
1t is difficult to imagine or calculate the effect
which will be produced on all the industrial pur-
suits of the people of the old States of the Union
by this withdrawal from them of half million
of producers, who, III their new homes and new
pursuits, will glce czistancc to a commerce al
most equal in value to our forei gn trade. Let
no one, therefore, suppose he is not interested
in the welfare Of California AS we'll may he
believe his interests would not be inf uenced by
closing our ports and cutting off intercourse
with all the world.
| METALLIC AND MINERAL WEALTH..
| The gold gion of California is between four
and five hundred miles long, and from forty to
fifty miles broad, following the line of the Sierra
Nevada. Further discoveries may, and proba-
bly, will, incre ase the area. 1t embraces within
its limits those extensive ranges of hills which
rise on the eastern border of the plain of the Sa-
cramento and ssh Joaquin, and extending east
wardly from fifty to sixty miles, they attain an
elevation of about four thousand feet, and ter
inmate at the base of the main ridge Of the Sier-
| ra Nevada. There are numerous streams which
have their sources in the springs of the Sierra,
and receive the water from its melting SHOWS,
and that which falls in rain during the wet sea
son.
These streams form rivers, which have cut
their channels through the ranges of foot hills
westwardly to the plain and disembogue into
the Sacramento and San joaquin. These rivers
are from ten to fifteen, and probably some Of them
twenty miles apart.
! The principal formation, or substratum, in
| these hills, is talcose slate; the superstratum
sometimes penetrating to great depth is quartz
This, however, does not cover the entire face of
| the country, but extends in large bodies in va
rous drections-is found in masses and small
fragments on the surface, ,and seen along the ra-
| vines, and in the mountains overhanging the riv-
| ers, and in the hll-sdes in its original beds. 1t
crops out in the valleys and on the tops of the
hills, and forms striking featurs of the entire
| country over which it extends From innumer-
able evidences and indications, it has come to be
the universally admitted opinion among the mi
ners and intelligent men who have examined this
region, that the gold, aohetAer in detached par-
tictes md pieces, or in veins, aoas created in
continuation, aoith the quartz. Gold is not found
| on the surface Of the country presenting the ap-
pearance ofhaving been thrown up and scattered
in all directions by volcanic action. It is only
found in particular localities, and attended BY
peculiar circumstances and indications It is
found in the bars and shoals of the rivcrs--in
ravines, and in what are called the dry Dig
gings. r.,r r.... ..,...,-,,, ..a..,,.r., .s
The rivers, in forming their channels, or break
ing their way through the hills, have come ii,
contact with the quartz containing the gold veins,
~ C..