New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-10-22
A SAN Francisco WEATHER lTEM.-fo
The Gold Mines of California-Placer Dissinss
Operations in Quartz at Grass valley
Splendid ResuIts-Rocky Bar Company
Mills in Operation, &c.


Operations in Quartz at Grass Valley
splendid ResuIts-Rocky Bar Company
Mills in Operation, &c.
Correspondence o{ The n. \ Tribune
NEw-YoRK, IO7 Fulton-st., Monday, Oct 90.
Ny DEAR GREELEY promised you, on my
frs, arrival in this City from a residence on the
Pacific side of nearly three years TO write YOU
something of what know and have seen III my
explorations in the Sierra Nevadas.
In regard to our mineral resources, and eS-
pecially those enterprises MAT require for their
successful development concentration of CAPT
tai and skill, | regret to find so much dlstrust as
appears TO exist IN the financial circles OF tins
City, and generally on this side. The fact that
M the excitement pervaGng the whole people
consequent upon the discovery of gold IN Cali
fornia. hundreds upon hundreds OF vessels and
carcocs have been sent to San Francisco, aud
proved minous to the shippers, ought not to
weigh as a feather against the lnexhaustbe sour
ces OF wealth which that remarkable country pre-
setts TO Industry and Capital. A population,
including Oregon at no time reaching three hun
died thousand souls, could not have consumed
the goods of every kind that have been poured
INTO the Bay of San Francisco in one over
whelming stream, for the past two and hall
years, IN score Of years. How unreasonable,
then, to abuse California, and charge upon her
an enormous balance over and above all the pro-
duet Of her mines, because the people could not
purchase all the stuff that has been shipped, and
pay therefor profit of three hundred per cent.
So long as the drain upon the precious metals,
to meet European liabilities, continues at the
present high figure, the question as to the con-
tlnued supply of gold from California assumes no
triflinc importance. It's a matter of grave doubt
to all thinking men, whether, were the SEMI
monthly supplies of two millions or more OF dust
to be withheld for single month, a shock would
not be given to the banking and credit systems,
and to business generally sufficiently powerful
to produce a revulson equal TO that OF 1867.
Indeed, IN my humble judgment, abused and mis-
understood California has tor three years sus-
tanned the whole weight of the financial system
OF the Union by her enormous and increasing an
nual product OF gold Were our resources, both
mineral and agricultural better understood, and
more generally sustained by the surplus capital
lying idle IN the Atlantic cities, the sensltlyeness
that now is seen and felt IN financial circles
would pass away, and well-ounded confidence
give stability to every legitimate enterprise.
Though producing by millions the material
al wealth-nay, capital ltself-yet with pOpu-
laton heretofore almost exclusively made up OF
"adyenturers," mere birds of passage, little of
It remains to aid IN developing the permanent
interests Of California. For this reason she must
COX abroad for means TO properly develop her
lnexhaustibe veins Of gold ore, and other equal
" rCmunerailve sources Of wealth.
tbs now historical fact, that our piaceres, or
surface mines, covering an extent Of territory
bpr in bv .k.hiN
eighty IN breadth, and extending either way be-
yond the limits Of the State, have been worked
with a constantly increasing product III each
Succeeding wear There IS no doubt on nv mind
that the amount OF gold gathered this year will
come luiy up 10 one hundred millions # dOLLarsi
Great as Is the yield. venture TO affirm, that for
long period 70 come the Weld from this source
viii not be diminished. In comparison with the
already pxospected' extent OF the gold-pro-
duclng region, the portion but partially dug over
Is not equal 10 a square rod IN mile. 10 IS EVIL
dent, then, that looking 10 this source alone for
CONTINUOUS and regular supply Of gold, there Is
the most ample ground for confidence in the abll-
lty Of California 10 furnish all the specie basis
necessary 20 sustain the commercial and none
'ary transactions OF the Union for an indefinite
period.
But California possesses surer and more last
ing claims TO confidence than are 10 be found IN
her golden piGcTss. Should these fail 20 yield
return 10 labor, N her extensive heds and lodges
OF GOLD-BEARING QUARTZ. underla,ng the g3H re-
g,on IN the uhoLe !engM and bTsadth o(the Sierra Ne
rGdas, California possesses an element Ot wealth
which no stretch OF the Imagination can over
estimate nor the widest dreams Of the visionary
equal Every day develops fresh evidences Of
the immense wealth contained In these gold
bearing veins, which have. as yet been pierced
only at intervals. and the deph OF which centu-
res nay be required to determine
Ny principal object IN this article was simply
to give YOU some Of the testimonies IN regard 10
the productiyeness OF the quartz veins rs NJ pres.
oqf uorsed, though with imperfect machinery, IN
experience, and lack Of knowledge as 10 the best
methocs OF separating the gold from the rock
The nrst operations IN quartz were begun d
h'ie more than year ago, IN Manposa An in
IuGlclous location, and light machinery, rendered
this first experiment N extracting gold, Compare
lively failure. The works were discontinued
early IN the past Sumner. | visited this nine IN
June .ast, and was ssionshed TO see that 30
much had been done, with such inefficient ma.
cnnery. The Manposa Company is the mrs. and
oaip oac wlth.nmy knowledge, that has not been
emlnently successful
ne present great center Of quartz mining -
DIass Nailey, ~ Nevada County. THIS sOwnis
cisiant north-easterly from Sacramento City
about 20 miles. over good road, on which
caiiy Inc Of four-horse psst-coaches runs-meet-
lns al the same point another daily line from
Sacramento, VIA MarysyIle. and both cOniinu-
Mg 20 Nevada CITY, 5 miles further into the
mountains The first quartz discoveries az this
.1CaIlfV hlch had vrcyet pycpprlp vi rich