The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-07-17
7 III L DISPATCH.
49,
SATURDAY MORNING. July ~. M,s.
The Frazer River Gold Excite
ment.

Tho gold fever 10 California has broke cut again,
Though now the course IL takes h in the direction
OF Frazer river In the British possessions, point
just north Of the boundary line of 10 degrees, to
which we backed down from sfiftyfeur, Forty, or
Fight" The excitement 10 rapidly on the increase,
and - favorable reports co.ne freia that region,
thousands Of californians are leasia. for the new
gold digginss The steamers carry four and fve hun
dred Passengers each trip and beats from the in.e-
rior of the State down loaded every night with
miners and othess, bound to Frazer riyor. The ho-
tells In San Francisco are represented TO be ecrowded
with people, waiting for an opportunity to leave:
while reports say that parties are setting out
overland tor the same locality. Throughout tho
entire length and breadth of the State, the Sra
ger river fever" seems to have seized bold OF the
people, and threatens to break up, at least &C.
riousiy d.sarraDge, for the time being, the entire
mining business of California. The Philadelphia
Ledger, in an editorial, says:
The news from the region leaves no doubt that
gold is 10 be found there sufficient to pay we'll for
The labor. The snfferiugs aud privatioDs to be
countered in the pursuit Of II are hot yet fully
known. The great difficulty will be to get full
supplies of the of life for the thousands
Who have already gone into the mining regions
These have taken their own stores for the present.
packed in canoes on the backs of mules, but the
difficulties of the passage mp the river, or thas
through the mountains are great, that supplies
of food will probably be scarce till better facilities
FOR transportation are afforded. At Bellingham
Bay, the starting point, there was plenty OF food
OF all kinds at the following prices: Flour, from
SIS to S20 bacon, 81 to 40 CTS. per 10; mess beet,
35; pork 35 fresh pork, 80; fresh beef, 20 fresh
yeDison, 12l2; eggs, 90 cts per doz; dried apples,
Is cts. psr ib dried peaches, 70 Cts; tobacco, 50
cts to ST. potatoes, cts per 10; butter 80 to IS;
lard 35 beans, S. m0lasses 65. syrup, 10 to 81 70;
rice (Chipa) Is; do (Caroina) 70, coffee, (groand)
do. tgresn, 20; sugar, tCbina) 10 to 20; do.
crushed, 3::}l All other articles IN proportion.
A hundred mites iurther up in the mines, Il ur
was selling at hupdred dollars the barrel, ane
pork one deliar per pound These are something
like the old California prices JUST after the hrst
rush to that country But there Is thisdiflorence.
however, Oregon and California rich in agri-
cultural productions, aud SUI plies are plenty IN
those quarters. Steamers can carry up any guam.
tity required. Therefore 1t is not likely that the
miners will suffer long for want OF any OF the ne
cessarIes of life. In This respect they great
deSl better eff than those who went to California
first after the discovery of the gold fields. They
had to wait for supplies to reach them for longer
disiaGce, and the difficulties OF getting to the
mines were nearly as great IA at Frazer river. IL
is not To be expected that anything else than wild
adventure and hardships will lie encountered AT
the beginning. but these are difneutles those &C
customed to miuers life are used 10, and such as
they will overcome with energy ahu determine
ton.
Six dollars per day is said to be common
Weld Tor miners with the shovel and pau, and
thousan nd dollars 4 month have beeu gathered By
some of the miners. This looks as if the pscers
were rich and the labor likely to be properly re-
warded. An old California miner says they are
richer than the best in California. The gold IN
quality il as fiue as the California river geld, and
tue deposits at the mint, contain 20 iridium, espr
um or slatna; the presence OF which is almost tht
only cause tor the rejection of any gold unmixed
by art Frazer ri.er j. yet so high that miners
cannot work 10 advantage. By the end of July il
oh hat "a
enough to favor operations The difficulty OF getting
TO the nues appears to be very great and the best
route has lot yet been decided upon. Some go III
canoes, but they encounter great labor, besides
risks from the Indians Others start from Belling-
ham Bay in puget's Sound, and 90 by land along
the base of the Cascade mountains, where the
Boundary Commissioners were cutting road OF
trail at the rate of five miles day. About
ninety miles have to be cut to the open country,
and nearly the whole work had been accomplished
The total distance is one hundred and fifty miles TO
the centre of the gold mines at Fort Thompson
from Beliingham Bay or Puget Sound. Other
routes through oregon in American territory, 10
avoid the exactions of the Hudson's Bay Company
are talked of.
The chief trouble at present appears to be with
the Hudsohs Bay Company and the arbitrary
ton of their agents They not only mon0polze the
navigation of Frazer river, but they will permit
no goods to be taken into the territory that are
not purchased of them. They have the total and
exclusive monopoly of the trade of the territory
aud, regardless of the number of people who will
find their way there. all their Substance must be
put chased of their factors and at their prices
The attempt to enforce this rule will lead to diff
cusies with ,he Company, unless the British gov
ernment should interfere to bold the Company in
check. Ii 1t does not, the physical power of the
IN iners will settle it to their own satisfaction and
in the resdiest way.
The effect of the gold excitement is likely. for
the present, to put check to the increase of popu
lation in California. 1t has already raised the
price oflabor and Frustrated business in many local
ties These are, however, but temporary incon-
veniences. A few months will set all right again.
Labor will go where il is best paid. and the unem-
pIoyed workmen in the eastern cities will sson
find their way to the Pacific. where the pros.
pect of relief is brighter and the future istui
hopeful.