The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-06
Prospects of the Gold Miners.
From The Ne,, York Tribune, lIau 4.


The news from Calf rnia by the late arrival is
calculated to give fresh impetus to the spirit Of
adventure and emigration, which lind its oal on
the banks Of the Sacramento. At the risk, Their. :
fore, of mourning rebuke from the interested the
slnguine, and of wearying the Indifferent ly reit-
Grafton, we recall some considerations which mould
modify the rush of the ardent and the discontented
TO the other side of the continent.
That call is not gold that glistens, is truth
which need not insist; nor need we urge that
even in the auriierous region, all rock is not quartz
al quartz does not contain gold, and all gold bear
ing quartz, even, will not pay for washing at the
present prices of labor food, machinery, and trans
portation along the has of tho Sierra Nevada But
the great majority do not and will not sufficiently
consider that the tidings from California, rs
received and published, almost necessarily give
undue promins nee to the sunny side OF the pic.
ture The finding Of 'big lump or rich pocket
is instantly chronicled and universally repeatet;
but of the thousands who dig arduouey for nOn!hs
yet obtain very little, nothing - heard or needed
Misfortune or Ili-luck is not apt to be c-mmuuica
tive; and If it were, no one cares to hear from it.
The hundreds who, having each "made his pile, /"
float down to San Francisco to recreatc, or buy
pfoyisions, or come home, we readily hear; bu ten
times as many may die of disease, exposure, bad
water, or sheer exhaustion, in their rude and soil
iary cabins-perhaps under the shelter of few
boughs only-in the lonely mo1ntain giens viii
ther the hunt for gold has led them, yet word Of
their fate ever reach US. The newspapers are
sometimes blamed for giving the hopeful side only
of California, when they give all they get; hu,
from the nature OF the case, they cannot do other
wise than give, i'll their extracts from California
letters and journals, view more inviting than we
think the whole truth would warrant.
We presume the gold mines Of California have
thus lar proved more productive than any other
ever opcned-thatis, they have yielded greater
average value for each days labor expended there
in; but they do not and cannot conravepc the gen
eral truth that mining s, Of all pursuits, most haz
ardous, and that, even in the most productive To-
calty and season, many follow it to their lose,
and gpfa Of
We are confident that the chances not now
good in California for man 10 make money with
no capital but shovel, pan, knapsack of provi-
sions, and stout pair Of arms, as they were two
years ago. There ia plenty OF gold in the ground
yet; but that ground 10 in good part'siaked off,"
and no longer free 10 all corners; while the immc-
date banks OF the streams ut the most promising
points have mainly been worked OVER, and now
either the command Of machinery or the Of
water from some ones race Conveying portion
Of one Of the streams 10 the nuriferous hill sides
plains many hundreds Of yards away is generally
Indispensable 10 advantageous mining-and these
cost money.
That hardy. robust, energetic, skiIful men,
pccially those who understand some good trade,
sue as blacksmithing, BODYBUILDING, machine
work, &c, do well IN California UiGiout ca pi-
tai, We have not doutted. But there Is very large
class OF adventures who think they may do we'll
there because they have not done well here-men
willing 10 DO any thing" but really qualified for
nothing, ouly for trade teaching, or something
Of the softand these quite sure, will be apt
- DO badly among the gold hunters. There were
sGch ia the very fret slip load Of adventures
who crossed the Is,hnius and Ia nded mt San Fran
CisCo, and these at once wrote home and soon came
home reporting that California vas cheat, hum.
bug,a bar barous horrible deIs ion. whereirom any
man should be happy 10 escape with hI- liio. Such
there have been eincc, and Will be hereafter. We
cannot think that such should be encouraged 70
migrate 20 California. unless they have frends al
ready firmly established there who are able and
willing 20 employ them.
SO with regard TO women. That comfortable
dw Hinge, with all requisite onvenenccs and even
luxuries, may be obisincd in some parts Of Cali
fornia By hose able 10 pay for them is undoubtcd.
That men in good busiutss there, with sufficient
means, and intending 10 remain, should send
come for their families. u amatter Of course. Bot
there are thousands Of women who anxiously
seeking the moons OF emigration, in the hope OF
making their fortunes IN the gold region, no will
be sadly disappointed IL they ever set foot in the
sireets Of San Francisco Women with inefficient,
lady managing, or incorporate husbands. arc
planning and importuDinc relatives Tor the means
Of reaching California with their families, calcu-
latiDg there 60 conquer fortune, who arc quite
likely TO wish themselves in any we'll conducted
slmshousc within three months after leaving their
preEcnt humble but not destitute homes. We do
MT believe the incapable or inefficient do much
worse than unite in the present rush for the Land
Of Cod. We think great many othcrs, who are
well enough situated here, will rue the day that
they induced to "pull up stakes" and start
for California. But Of course they will do as they
ace ft