Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-03-27
California Affairs.

The San Francisco Herald Of the LIST inst, in an
editorial article upon the late failures in that city
takes the following encouraging review Of the
prospects of the future:
Suppose we have lost half a million Of dollars
by the Banks, the rains which kind Providence
has sent us since, win be worth Immediately and
directly than ten times the amount lost. They
will be available, not In some remote contingency
but the actual producisg cause of an addition of
FIVE millions Of dollars in hard currency to the
wealth of the country. Balance the account, and
we, are, or shall be within the month, worth from
four to five millions OF dollars more than we were
one week ago. If there ebe any who doubt, let
them reflect for q moment upon the condition of
the miners during the last three months For as
long period as that, large majority Of them have
been unable TO work to advantage for want Of
water.
very large number In the dry diggings have
found it impossible to get out any gold at all But
they have not been idle all this while They have
been diligently employed In throwing up heaps Of
auriferous earth in daily expectation that the rains
would enable them 10 wash out the gold In this
way, the accommodations of .'pay earth" have be-
come enormous and now the dry bed of every
stream, every gulch and ravine will be filed by
the rains, and bring home to the miner the means
Of realizing his long-deferred expectations. The
greater part Of the labor has been performed, the
earth has been turned up and cast aside In loose
heaps, the working It and extracting the gold win
be a comparatively easy aud speedy process.
Few complain Of the poverty Of the mines. Il
Is only the lack of water that occasions distress
That want supplied, an extraordinary activity may
at once be expected throughout the mining regions
hundred thousand sturdy arms win ply, with re-
doubled energy, the pick and the shovel, securing
prosperity to individuals and contributing millions
Of dollars to the material wealth of the State. If
we must mourn for our losses, let us at least re-
joice In corresponding ratio for our gains. But,
aside from the vast benefits the rains Of the last
week must bring US, through the labors Of the
miners they will be Of incaculable service to the
farmers, graziers, and gardeners.
But our causes for congratulation do not end
here. Within q very recent period, new and val.
liable discoveries Of gold have been made In FL
Dorado in Calaveras, and In Tolumne while an
entirely new field, Of almost unlimited extent, has
been opened in the vicinity Of Kern river. II is
not necessary for us to credit all the stories which
are rife of the wonderful riches of these mines-it
Is sufficient TO know and Of that there would seem
TO be no doubt, that they win yield 70 any indus
trious worker six or eight dollars day, with the
incentive Of falling upon rich pocket from time
70 time. At this rate, they win remunerate thou
sands who are now idle, and give better wages
than are now paid 10 the majority Of the opera
tives. II is not 10 much the richness Of these new
mines as their great extent that gives such value
70 them at the present time.
IL all the accounts are correct, they cover an
immense surface-anording room TO many thou
sands and requiring comparatively little labor to
work them. The surface diggings have been al
most exhausted in many parts Of the State, and
the character Of mining has been very much
changed since ls49 and go. Now II IL necessary
to sink deep shafts and drive great tunnels into the
mountain sides Gold has been discovered in the
hills far removed from streams but 10 get H. IL Is
often necessary TO 90 down hundred feet TO reach
the bed rock-hence a considerable capital has be-
come necessary TO work such mines TO advantage
and the miner Is compelled TO wait long for his re-
ward.
Those without means cannot afford to do this,
and hence the peculiar value Of new gold field
where the metal can be found with little delay,
upon the surface. OF such character are the
Kern River Mines There is now plenty. Of water
TO work them, and we venture to say that their
yield has already more than covered the losses the
State has sustained from falling banks. Review
ing the whole ground calmly and dispassionately,
instead Of finding cause for dependency and rcck-
less abandonment, we consider our condition vast
ly improved, and our prospects never brighter.
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