San Andreas independent., 1857-09-26
LETTER FROM WEST POINT.
WEST PoIxr, September 2lst, ls

WEST PoINT, September 2lst, 1857.
Messrs. Editors At present | am
stopping in the village of West Point,
where the time passes rather dull for the
want of exercise in some way other
so if | can render you any service in any
shape, will do it, freely. West Point is
a place of no ordinary appearance | find
a large hotel, here, kept by Mr. J. G.
Payne, Ga very gentlemanly Proprietor
where [ enjoy all the luxuries of life; one
restaurant; four provision stores; three
billiard saloons; one blacksmith shop;
one barber shop; one livery stable; boot
and shoe shop, and in connection | will
add there is Dr's shingle hanging out,
yet in my opinion he will have to leave
for more congenial cline, as the bust
ness is, from all appearances, rather dull
at best. | would not forget to mention
that the place is blessed with a local
Preacher-and the pious citizens while
away their time of Sabbath evening, by
going to Church, Though we will except
last night as the California Minstrels were
here on visit, who entertained them ex-
tremely well, and had quite a large con
course of people in attendance.) BY the
way we would add that they have now
under contract, quite large school house,
which will be completed in six weeks
A term of six months school, has Just
expired, taught by lady of this place,
who deserves merit for her close attention
in teaching the young ideas how to shoot;
the number of scholars in this district,
under the age Of eighteen, number fifty
one.
| find two large bitches ccntering at
this place, one lifting the water from the
Middle Fork of the Mokelumne, and the
other from the North Fork of the same.
The ditch from the Middle Fork being the
enterprise of DR.. Payne & Co.; the other,
Collier, Mcdowell & Co.; although at
present there is lack of water to supply
the great demand. from the scarcity in
the rivers. The nature of the surface
diggings here is rather of an expensive
character, ranging from ten to twenty
feet in depth, which surface must be re-
moved before entering pay dirt.
Quartz rock is very fashionable here;
you will, in passing through this village,
see numbers toating the rock in sacks
buckets or pans, in order to test the quail
ty of this or that lead; There arc, in
this immediate vicinity, over fifty mills,
crushing, or nearly ready to operate in
crushing rock, to extract the yellow metal.
Mr.. Christee, of Volcano, has quite il fine
mill IN successful operation. DIR. Fisher
& Mensel, of Mokelumne Hin, washed mp
last week, their six days labor, of two
men, and took out ninety-four ounces.
Messrs. Daniels q Lockwood of San
Francisco, are here, and have purchased
extensive leads, and are now in rapid pro-
gress of getting out rock in great abun-
dance and will shortly have large and cont
modious mills erected on them Success
to their enterprise.
Messrs. Smith & White, of Jackson,
will have their mill running in few days,
which will be able to crush twenty tons
of rock per day The mill is situated on
the celebrated Woodward Lead.
Messrs Cadisch & Co. S, are in full blast,
and are realizing handsome reward for
their labors.
There is a population here of some five
hundred Mexicans, who are wholly en-
gagged in the above mentioned business
those who are less able to erect mills have
their arastras III constant motion, which
employ large number of men to do the
work required. Some few mills have
ceased for the want of the necessary pow
erto run thcm-the greater portion of them
use water for their motive power. Mr..
johnson is now building quite a fine
Steam Mill, and calculates highly on do
ing quite an extensive business in the
way of crushing rock
| will not further particularize quartz
mining here as time will not allow me-
besides my limited knowledge of it is
much the greater reason, - time alone
will only unfold the hidden treasure that
lies in and around West Point
The country, as yet, is not prospected
to any great extent. The immigration
which is pouring in from the Plains, occa-
sionally leaves portion in this place,
which adds to the number, still we need
enterprise in prospecting this part of the
mineral region. The branch of the Big
Tree road is completed, which has the
reputation of being decidedly the best
portion, for the length, of the road. A
gentleman arrived here from Carson Val
ley, yesterday evening, who states that the
Mormons were to- leave this Monday morn
ing, for Salt Lake, in accordance with
Brigham Young's orders. Not wishing
to weary your patience, | will now close
with period. Yours in haste
WEST POINT.
A "FAsT" YoUTH-A western contemporary