The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1851-03-21
The Caltfornla Press. &c.

The California y ress. DC.
The following extract is taken i:om letter
on the subject of California, written to the
Louisville Journal, by Mr.. L. B. Voolfolk,
formerly from Louisville. 1t proves what
we have before asserted, that the California
Press are interested in giving exaggerated
accounts of the richness of the mines, &C., 10
induce immigration:
In regard TO tie course OF the California
press. from my situation, had better oppor-
iun,ties OF knowing the manner in which
their information is obtained ,han most other
persous. They tell the truth and nothing
but the truth, but not the whole truth. For
instance. a man steps iuto the Office who is
inst from the mines, with several thousand
dollars worth Of gold dust. He displays his
GOLD. which the editor admires very much.-
Something like the following conversation
ensues:
Editor. (Smiling blandly). How much
does this lump weighE
Miner Three pounds and four dollars.
Editor. Where was it dugl
Miner. On Carson's Creek. l and my
two comrades dug in two weeks more than
SIS. 900 from our hole before it was exhaust
ed.
Editor. (Pen in handy What may call
your name!
Miner. Thos. Vokes.
1 Editor Well, MIR. Vokes how are the
miners doing on Carson's Creek2
| Miner. Some are doing very well but the
most of them are not dong much. l know
one man who was making from one 10 two
ounces per day, tut the most OF the miners
are only getting two or three dollars. A
great many are doing nothing, not paying
board.
From this account the editor makes fia-
ming editorial, under the head OF = More Cold
from Carson's Creek-Carsons Creek seems
TO be prolific in Jumps. We have been shown
another specimen, almost entirely gold, which
weighed three pounds and four dollars. This
specimen was dug by MIR. Thos. Vokes, who
with two partners, has dug in about two
weeks more than eight thousand dollars. the
! greater part OF which is IN Jumps weighing
from four 10 ten dollars"
This is 10 sketch of imagination, and you
may be assured that tins Is the way tina, all
the gold stories are manufactured. Where
one man is doing well there are twenty who
/, are scarcely making support.
Again d man comes into the Office who Ii
, from the Sianisaus. He states that he
knows Two persons who have IN three weeks
made So 600, tui upon being questioned say
that they arr almost the Only persons thai
he knows who have been fortunate; ana
states that hundreds have tested their claims
J found no gold, and are abandoning them.
The editor says nothing OF the hundreds
who are destitute and almost desperate, but
holds up the solitary instance Of success.
: may be asked why do they follow this course
y Why do they not tell the whole iruth2 Be
k cause they dare not. Their all depends up
a OH the success Of their paper, and that sue
cess depends wholly upon the patronage o
the merchants and property holders. 1t
s their interest to have the greatest possible
d number of persons in the country, aud the.
: will patronlze 10 paper which does not at
tempt 10 advance their interests, much les
one which would hinder immigration to th
Hence The press is compelled to sacriiic
i truth, everything in pandering TO the inte
"A rests OF the mercantile community.
This is the way in which The general ex
> elements are gotten up. The local excite
~ menis are raised by the merchants ia the diff
t. erent portions OF the mines, who take provis
IL ions to certain place which has never bee
prospected. They then raise report tina
gold has been discovered there IN immens
quantities. instantly the excitement spreads
II and from all parts OF the neighboring mine
IN The miners flock to the place like vultures I
a carcase. But when they arrive perhap
% the water is too high for prospecting. AN
they sit down by the stream to wait for it t
fall. in the meantime the merchants VIII
r spread The report reapa rich harvest iror
their dupes; before the water falls, they hav
." got from them perhaps all the money the
y had when they ge, to work. perhaps two o
three persons OH the stream make fortunes
while Of the remainder, disappointed and dies
perate some leave the country, some 20 else
:, where TO be again disappointed, while other
e pay the price of blood for that gold whic
r their labor cannot acquire. The merchant
though are rich, and what DO they care 10
the wretchedness they have occasIoned2