The Sierra citizen., 1854-04-29
Saturday, April 70. 1854,
Prospects in the Mountains

IT has never been our intention, when
speaking OF the mining prospects in the
mountains to hold cut any false induce
ments TO miners ia other parts Of the State,
to abandon ordinary claims to try their
fortunes ia the mountains of Sierra county,
Nor would we advise any one engaged in
other pursuits to throw aside the imple-
ments Of his trade, to wander about in
search of diggiEgs which are supposed to
exist somewhere. But in publishing a
paper devoted to the interests of the mi
ming community, we conceive it our duty
togive plain statement of facts which
come under our own observation, leaving
our readers to draw what Inference they
choose.
During residence Of more than three
years in this county, we have had some
opportunity Of becoming acquainted with
the mineral resources of the extensive
mining district lying between the branches
of the Yuba and Feather river; and at no
time have tie prospects of the miners
been better than at present. The noun
tain villages are not thronged with so
many adventurers as formerly, who came
here with the expectation Of making sudden
fortunes-but the hill sides and rayines are
populous with men with strong arms and
hopeful hearts, who toll on day after day,
confident that at last they will meet with
reward.
There seems but little grounds for the
predictions of certain crying philosophers
who have always seen panic and failure
in the future. At the end of every mining
season there are multitudes who take their
departure from the mountains, in the firm
belief that the diggings are worked out,
or at least so nearly exhausted that it is
not worth their while to remain over
wiuter. At the opening of the next
season the same persons return and find
business going on as usual, but their money
has been spent in the lower country and
they have to begin anew.
1t is useless for amateur miners to visit
the mountains in the expectations Of
stumbling on fortune. The creviees
along the river have been pretty thorough
worked out, as well as other deposits of
. easy access. 1t now requires judgment, ,ex-
perience and perseverance to mine success
fully; nevertheless there area fewinstances
ofthe accidental discovery of very rich
leads, but this is not to be depended on
by inexperienced gold hunters.
1t is astonishing that even at this late
day persons just arrived from the Atlantic
States should go to the mines with such
extravagant expectations. Reports of the
incredible fortunes made in few months
(two years ago. have reached them at
home and still continue to ring in their ears
after arriving in the mines 1t is worse
than useless to advise them to moderate
their expectations and be content with
reasonable wages; they are able and willing
to work, and didn't come to this State to
work for wages-they could do that at
home, bat they are determined to force
the hills to yield up their treasures BY the
power Of a siuewy arm and an iron will.
And with these impressions they set out
for the mines
Five or six months afterwards, some ol
these too sanguine adventurers may be
seen returning from fruitless expeditions
looking as subdued and woe-begone as
though they had been cast away on an
inhospitable island, and they make their
way to the Valley With dismal tales abou,
the inpossibility of making even a living
in the mountains. These stories arf
seized upon by hungry paragraphists who
transmit them to the Atlantic papers
where they are read with apprehension b,
those who have friends in California, sun
posing that the chances of starving t.
death in the rainy season are more thai
probable. But others take more eommo
sense view of the matter, and at first wor
for what they can get. Nomatter what tn
circumstances Of the emigrant may hav
been at home, not one in ten arrives in th
mines with money enongii TO pay two weel;