The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-16
GOLD MINES IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY AND
THE BRITISH POSSESSIONS.

THE BRITISH POSotSSlONS.
Our advices by the last steamer tend to confirm
the extent and richness of the northern gold fields
California is in blaze of excitement. Six steamers
and ten sailing vessels are ON the route from San
Francisco to Puget Sound. Wages had risen through
out California All the public houses of San Fran
cisco filled with miners from the interior of the
State on their way north. The San Francisco Herald
of the 10Th of June say:
sSnce the breaking out of the Frazer river fever we
learn that nine thousand two hundred and sixteen regis
tered passengers have left this port in steamers and sail
ing vessels for the mines 1t will not be too much
to estimate that at least three thousand have gone
whose not registered every vessel whether
steamer sailing craft, took many than the law
allows Besides these there has been quite extensive
overland emigration, which cannot fall much short of
three Or four thousand more Altogether it may be
judged that at least fifteen thousand people have left
California for the Frazer River mines since the LIST of
April last This tremendous rush to have alarmed
the Hudson Bay Company we learn from private adj
vices that they repairing all their old forts, and have
commenced to build at commanding points. In
couple of months there will be at least forty thou
sand Americans in the British North American posses
sions ruled by the Hudson Bay Company incon-
siderable force when collected together and properly
handed in event of war between England and the
United States should hoses grow out of the rghtof
search question"
From Puget Sound and Frazer's river the advices
are Of the most reliable character, Miners were
making on this river and its principal tributary
Thompsons river, from five to $3.50 per day six
teen to thirty dollars per day ordinary days
work These gold fields extend all through the
Cascade mountains Of Washington Territory. The
simple fact that the line from Frazers river to Col
vile has been kept open through tho Indian diff
culties of the past three years, and the lines from
the Sound to tho interior, by the Snoqualmoo and
Nachess passes have been closed, explains why the
first has been prospected and its mineral wealth
made known, and why the latter have not. 1t is
known, however that the gold is universally dis
seminated through the country, and that there are
rich depostes both and west of the Cascades in
Washington Territory. These mines undoubtedly
extend by Clark's fork and the Koutenay river to
the Rocky mountains.
We are apprehensive of difficulties in consequence
Of the and proscriptve of the Hudsons
Bay Company. They have blockaded Frazer river,
will allow no mining in the British possessions, ex-
cept license be taken out, and a tax paid of five
dollars per month. They will permit the introduce
ton of no supplies, tools, subsistence, clothing,
cept it be purchased Of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Our people have Gus out trail from Bellingham
Bay to the Thompson's river mines. The company
propose to occupy the point where the trail
one of the spurs of the Cascades, to enforce their
mining regulations and prevent the introduction of
American merchandise 1t is not known whether
this point is north south of the boundary line.
The company has already seized and confscated the
goods of Samuel McCaw, of Steilacoom. The Hud-
sons Bay provisions are inferior to those furnished
by the Americans, particularly in the article of -four
and these regulations operate very injurously upon
the miners in compelling them to purchase provis-
ions of an inferior quality. We invite the serious
attention of the government to this matter for it is
not to be doubted that unless arrangement can
be made at an early date, difficulties of serious
character will occur
Three towns rapidly growing up at Bellingham
Bay--viz Schome, Whatcom, and Bellingham City
A wharf to deep water has been nearly completed at
the frst-named place. Parties are about starting
from Seattle and Steilacoom to cross the Cascades
by the Snoqualmoo and Nachess passes Provisions
not however, high on the Sound. Large crops
are promised to the coming harvest. The farmers
have generally staid at homo and put in large crops
and as many persons on reaching the Sound, have
been compelled to labor for month or two to get
means to go to the mines, it has made labor com
parativey abundant and cheap for the farming, lum
bering, and coalmining operations Of the Sound.
T..