The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-20
The Frazer River Gold Mines.

The Frazer River Gold Mines
sN0LISn ACCOUNTS OF THIS PRODUCTIVE RUSH
FROM CALlE0ENiA--PAO POSaD EXODUS or QUE
COLOERD FyLlOw CITIZENS.
Sao abcisco (Msy l9 coiesp ndence or London Times
Two vessels have arrived here from the British
possessions in the northwest since the despatch OF
my last letter the Sth instant. The last steamer
from Yancouvers Island arrived the day before yea
terday. The richness OF the new gold mines is fully
confirmed. The accounts, both private and public,
voinminons that can only venture to give the
salient points First. will quote few facts 10 show
the productiveness of the Mines "Areturned miner"
writes the special correspondent OF San Francisco
paper from Fort Langley, the Frazer river whose
name is given, and who was two months i'll the
dggings-
EsILsd from sis TO $40 per day in his 'ciaim He
br0rgby down ah BIN S2sto ~cr.h ~ gold oust which
he sold q. Foat Lar gley There nu os,s ~ eu here
uitt gold they 81 intend 10 retuia to the mines with
ynov'sions wb Oh toes cane down for
From Victoria, vaDcouver's Island, gentleman
writes on the 9th INSTANT
Yesterday the Aud,o1's Say CcmpanS steam propeller
Oer arrived btie fsom Fort their traaeg
psr,s The Frszsr isef and bsops yud Gus vaed
$500 jucgre ,Yor, The fact hL, is wsight Has
much usat cou1 stlY carry hEevy go,d
is fopRd ten les he moth OF Thomnson river, at
place called Neca~mao the heaviest nugget yer tound
Mas So 20. Faux an fiver mining Is gcog oetsesn
tie foss sno big fsiio oi Frazer river into which ropo
n ute- xo-os, II trort,ry u tns
ner. The rursosr ~ ui,srs nov working ia .stulaed
By Of their Lvubs rcm xSo received tho above,
al 900 nen-sl of SION, he assured ne, aoiog
well To quote bis figures they mskng IRON BIO 10
$40 per day.
From other sources we learn that miners located
near the forks of Thompson river. about two hun-
bred miles distant from the mouth OF the Frazer
river, successfully at work. One man writes
that he is getting out 1856 day. The higher up the
richer the diggiDgs, II would appear; FOR at Fort
Yale. some eighy-dve miles lower down the yield
is only from 81 to SIC day 10 the men. From the
last named place We have the following iniorma
tion:-
Some cry Al serk few mice sbovs Fod
Yale. Mr.. hraw stecsdec The river t~en;y
rich along the whole Of that ctSrce the miuss yedu
hversge CT lot loss oan $12 per dag per osa Tue
sod Is touLd lad within Fix isobes OF tss surface
Mr.. kCaw brings city ounces OF oe gold with hun, me
1Gest pieces OF which worth s. OF So ie received
this In trade with the Indians.
From new town just springing up. called What
com, near Bengham Bay, on The Gulf OF Georgia
a correspondent writes:-
From tie mnes the ia quito as fsvorabis al any
heretofore r1ccsvSd. Mr. (iddirgs estimate. that 10
w.,cs ct ~ COO oae oeeu reoeeo a. shs.ccrc by
chsn1 wrhn tie week preceding bis departure, IN
peyutn, for goeds AceIs arriving aud aepsruos
every cay hose arriving Invariably ssiaz their SAP ss
thoit ss pces Bile. pattv had r.tur1ed 20 Whsicon
few Gays psevoos to Mr.. Gieomg' cApartnre yho rad
proceeded a. far "a fcIt uope, ~befc hsy largo
company just FROM the mines, 10 ~hou they tsccse1 "
provisions ~ about zoo cent above est che
instantly retraced their steps, whe the oherS rescrDsd
We .ere shown by Mr.. G.eisss = spoclmsn OF the
gold brought from The nnes. II Is lns. sns o.
lind known "a scale gold 81 those faaIilar s-tl u
~e are morn cd lat !, very su,sr ~ tue placer
sold" Of CAlborbia. snloIg the sno~n US winch
amounted 10 f2eo, arga In pS boaut.
iul ,pecimens, which were probably Worsh from 81 80
" 30 each. ne gola s Of dsik roa coio-.
On the last day Of April, miner, writing from
MCsw's Rapids, beyond Fort Yale On his way up,
says
We have rrospcctea on several bars, and on ore Of
them gct from 90. 26c o. tee par took only tho
TOO dirt On snnther get from &c. o. Ice ~ The pau
W. ooald rot atop nj the former place. the Indians
would not ALLOW u.s. and we we're not strong eGough
them.
The indians we're all az work themselves and vrs saw
tao or three para with about scs In A. the s,ler
place We cannot wors 70 advantage vaou. quicksilver
racGiDe. An ola C-liorIis ts.t lns place
very closely resembles the Jorh fork o. American
liver IN California aud tIat rich-r In!ues viii
be dsccversd here tna1 have ever been discovered In
Alec miles below Ls there .. pnty Of whites. Who
were 10 Lave suics In opcrst ethsr 70 Gag 10.
teh ih5 sulne Operation TIA, they arc q. nv
eIs "hbn Ter pltt'yl Soitn Major Md and ar. Fnrs
San lave both sislied 10 zee them.
There Is no necessity 10 multiply instances Of ind
yidual gains, "sti kcs or "luck 20 prove that gold
exists in abundance. The area Of the aurferous
country IA ~ yet unknown. II 10 be. in fact
a continuation 81 the great Californian Eu,d ii.ld
running through Oregon (whese is treasures have
for years mast been Dug up) and the intermediate
American Territory Of Washington to the extensive
British possessions washed ty the waters Of The
Gulf OF Georgia and Of Puget Sound on the vest aud
extending northwardly and eastwaSdly 10 the Rocky
Mountains.
There are at present difficulties 20 be encountered
in citing to the mines, owing to the swollen stat.
Of the Frazer river and TO the country near is banks
being inundated by the rcshcts which prevail az this
tason from The melting of the SHOWS Of the Rocky
Mountains, and In consequence of the "apids.
which necessitate long and wearisome "portagcsr
Several persons have been drowned by the upsetting
of canoes which they we're not acquainted with the
management OF. Indians are TO be had In plenty IN
perform this labor. however and at moderate wares
al day ana meals.
The following are given rs the distances from Vic
tora TO the trading posts Of the Hudsons Bay Com
pany On route 20 the gold fields viz: fron victo-
RIA, Nancouyer's Island 10 Fort Langley. 30 miles;
from the latter 20 Fort Hope 60 miles; Fort Hope %
Fort Yale, Is miles; Fort Yale 10 mouth OF Thomp-
son River, ITO miles: thence TO BIG Falls on the
Frazer, as miles; total $40 miles 10 the dgvings
yet found 90 he the richest. The means and expense
" getting from the coast 20 the lower and nearest
mines are thus described by person at Port Town
scnd:-
Htpe Frazer be psvirs'so by sailing vetssls
Of considerable 90 the morth az srrson river
or halfway se4~een Fort 1sngly and Fort Bore. scs
les satG frcm Port Townsend crargu flo p..ears 70
Fort 1arsey. and sl6 10 Harrison river, allowing escn
msspser 10 take three months provs'crs without
charge for regtt Al tbs mouth OF he usrrscn river
be rapds commence but form very serious obs'ruc
lion. Light steamers 20 up 10 the very god rnIres
fifteen miles above Fort HoDe.
Some rival routes 10 that Of the ascent by the
Fraser river have been tried but experience il PROV
ing that this river affords the safest and easiest
rUute.
The Pacific Steam Navigation Company's boats
which leave san Francisco twice month for Puget
Sound, will call TO land passengers and freight on
every trip, either at Victoria or Esquimst Harhor
(close to the forner), Nancouvers Island in terms
d an arrangement made last week with the Cover
nor; and II e understood that the Hudson's Bay
Company will make provision for the conveyance OF
passengers up the Fraser river by means Of suitable
steamers. This river is navigable distance Of lJO
mules Tor vessels drawing four feet OF water, All
which will greatly facilitate getting 70 the new Ell
Dorado.
The Indians are said 20 be behaving, on the whole
very well engaging themselves In the labor OF work
Big canoes and uading freely IN few cases they
ltuhihiltd white men from digging IN their
l'acers sut 10 other instances showed spirit OF
Hberality
" and will continue 50 ss long ~ they fcmain un-
noestcd" This report is coroborstod by Others.
Ihe tact is, these Indians arc brave aad walkke,