The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-16
PeRf OXFORD, Cal. A,

t.oa Mines Of Pot O,7ord-Iaeyhauaible Mature Of n.
California Coli fTets-Bonke,s, Brokers "Bays,~rs i
Suindleyy-LgM Hoases oSMc Pacific, and ne Apen
linn % of he Government 10 he Mercantile Ierees 81
The Porfo Coast.
You form idea OF the probable extent OF the
gold in California when tell you that Por, Oxford il
the Pacific coast the line OF Oregon Territory and
nearly four hundred miles from the central gold mines in
the vicinity OF Grass Valley and nearly All the interme-
date space has been found to produce gold The maes
ofCalifornA productive than they are
at present and for any prospect that they be
exhausted might well Expect the to have all
the fish taken out the sub,erranean regions OF Penn.
sylvana 10 yield up oil IT. coal and iron have seen
mines in California that seemed to promise perform bet
ter than these Theysre six miles north 81 Port
Oxford and right onthc beach The miners have to leave
their work after gale for the waves food their work.
They scrape the so and gravel right up Of the snrnce
and wash the gold out 70 the Of average OF
five to eight dollars day per Two three men
own, under ordinary land titles the productive h
some distance; but i cannot be supposed that land Il
tie for quarter section Of agricultural lands hold
such breadth mining land as this a, Port Oxford
They lack bands and they lack capital and witha they
coming money They paying three dollars dry for
and boarding hem and that considered good psy
here. One sixhorse power engine, to supply
water and give them motive power 80 do their
washing and outlay Of two three thousand dollars
in machinery here would soon amass fortune. Mining
in California will not Ia my opinion very get
all principally into the hands Of capitalists and as
ISOLATED labor. The bulk Of IL may eventually be done
that way but there i too much chance too many big
nuggets, and too much excitement in prospecting 10
make the business Of digging gold subsde into the egu
lar labor Of coal delvng and iron mining You hear
less about gold being taken down Ia the large towns
and going III to the States than formerly you may
depend upon il that II not from any scarcity oil pro
hurst all tbl bank
francisco has swndlei and reduced to beggary
poor hardworhing man and woman here, but better
days coming and IL will be a long time before any
kpave thn, chooses put up shinge with Banker
on u can get deposites ogold al dam from coatding
Californians.
Chests, old stockings and secret The
bankers that receive the deposits Of most Of the
cumulaiing Cniornians There probably
much gold in the state as this time but confidence
has been broken that investments any laying out
showing Of money not 70 be thought o. Real
tate in Sacramento san Francisco and other places j.
held for higher prices than buyers disposed TO pay
feDts are too high, and must come down. hundred
and twenty dolars month for little box six feet
square 10 sell segars ia does not pay
The coast all the way from San Francisco to the maath
of the Colombia, l. iron bound II il very pic
turesque large share Of IL being heavily wooded Bat
there Is one thing that IL not peturesqne and thai Il
the government light houses Ever since Comma nder
Wilkes left 81 the ships Of his exploring expedition
~ Cape disappointment on the Columbia River bar no
some ift' years since this has had one rich
argossy after another da he'd the rough shore BY the
relentless waves. There some fifteen twenty mil
house north OF Fan Francisco harbor beg pardon II
President Pierce Secretary Guthrie and Secretary Dobbn
atogether. There seat least a the government books
two lighthouses and much ght they must throw
the path OF the benlged mariner for neither Of them
has 4, vet got lantern. But the lighthouses have
keepers and have had wear and they, no doubt
draw their pay. Hut where IL the ighr The unfortunate
slipwrecks echo 'where. Now, look at the way these
things managed. have made dligcnt Inquiries
ana Gnd that between aud two ycars ago lanterns
made II the most appro, ell description and bearing
The powerful Fresnei light, aud these lanterns
shipped 70 Fan Francisco, and the Inspector Of Light
house, ordered 10 send the lanterns a
cutter to their points q destination The inspector set
10 work and found that cutter here large
enou.h 10 take them and he ~ warehoused them
la Francisco. Now, to my certain know ledge, the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company offered 10 take the
lanterns t. the lighthouse and land them sally, for
Just The actual cost II age without making dollar
for they edcd the Ugh houses. But notbe lighthouse
lanterns and the resne lights went into the dark corner
81 4 warehouse ia fan Francisco aud there they have
been over year and the rnment has actually paid
larger sum or storing them than IL would have cost In
the first place a. have sent them up by steamer A. yet
there f. no prospect of the Pasihr coast having light
Certainly there IL from San francico habor to
rchrnQ Straits nor has there been since the creation "
the world Perhaps by 1858 there will be lighthouse al
the mouth of TIE COlumba-l leg pardon, lantern, To-
there IL a very good lighthouse there now and another
some distance farther south The presumption i that the
Inspector Lighthouses has reported the TO
the proper authorities 81 Washington. II So they are
probably sl asleep the subject Can't you stir EN-
up for, really, tour snferings i great, and Ike in
cfpient Freenlasous want "more light" 60