Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-09-11
From CalifOrnia---MOrc About the Fra
ser River Gold Fields---I he Excite.

ser River Gold FieIds--.y he Excite.
ment over.
The steamship Moses Taylor, from Aspin-
wall on the 18th inst, arrived at New Yor,
on the 9th.
Though the rush from this State to the
new mines in the British Possessions on this
coast has now pretty much ceased, still the
news from there has occupied large por-
ton of public attention. Our latest dates
from Victoria, V. l., are to the 26th July
and from the diggings on Fraser river to the
10th of the same month. The news is not
yet conclusive either as to the richness or ex-
tent Of the new goldield but our latest ac-
counts are certainly very favorable. If we
are to believe Gov. Douglas, there can be lit
tie doubt of the existence of rich gold fields
in that region. That functionary, who pos
sesses better means of information than any
other person, is reported to have used the
torla, on the 18th July, when addressing a
crowd of miners:
"This will tell you, as my own settled
opinion, that l think the country is full Of
gold, and that east and north and south OF
Fraser river there is gold field of incalcu-
liable value and extent [ have told our glo-
The water in the numerous streams was at
last beginning to fall for the season, and the
snow in the mountains which heretofore has
led them, is pretty nearly exhausted. A
good many miners are already working on
tue bars in the rivers, and some of them are
doing very WELL All were sanguine that as
soon as the streams fell they would take out
large quantities of gold. A new route had
been discovered to the Upper Fraser river
region 10y way of Harrison and Lillooet rivers
and lakes, and some easy trails. This was
considered of great value, as one of the prin-
cipai difficulties heretofore to be contcndcd
against, was the difficulty of transporting
provisions to tue upper waters Of Frascrs
river, where the principal diiggings are said
to be located.
The Hudson's Bay Company now permit
| all persons to take up an unrestricted guam
tity of provisions t. the mining region, and
there appeared to be little or no suffering
there now for the want of food. The Hud-
sons Bay Company and its officers have
acted with the utmost fairness and liberality
in all their dealings with the miners and
others, and are very popular, and universally
respected.
The New Route to the Upper Fraser Cod
Mines-Reported Rich Diggings on the Up
per Fraser.
A special correspondent of the Victoria
Gazette gives an account in that journal of a
iecent steamboat excursion from Victoria, up
the Fraser to Harrison river and lake. and
the projected road from there, up the Illooet
river and lake, across the Cascade mountains,
to the Upper Fraser gold mines. Much has
already been said in the Bulletin in regard to
this route IL appears that its discovery has
created quite fnrofe in Wet ,ria. The
Governor h IS placed large force upon it to
open up the trail properly.
This writer gives an account, by Joseph
Lamaire, French trapper Of intelligence,
Who had been recently at Victoria for pro-
visions for his party on the Fraser, rear
where the LilloOet river came out, of the
character of the digsings thercabou- La
maire had been twice up and down he route
and had acted as pilot to the Umatila on Che
present occasion, He informed the writer as
follows :-Lamare prospected with foui 9th
crs, from where the Liliouet trail strikes the
Fraser, 60 miles up the latter river, finding
gold in every instance, and on his trip of five
days making for his share Zone fifth) $l60.
The party went up on one side of tine river,
and returned on the other. In not one of
the panfuls of earth they washed out did
they fail to find gold, and that coarse gold,
averaging about two bit pieces. Their, are
extensive dry digeings all along that region
Most of the gold obtained by Joseph and
his comrades was taken from dry diggngs-
that is, high upon the banks of the Fraser
or often in gulches and ravines. He is now
preparing 70 ascend, for the third time, the
LioOet river, with such provisions as he may
require for the rest of the season.
The stories of others who have visited
that region | am not so willing to rely UP N;
though TO bring the matter down to point,
| have actually no reason for doubling what
they say. With the unders anding, then,
that the reader gets the information as cheap
as do, will simply state that these men all
agree in affirming that The Upper Fraser is
an egtensiUe and rich gold region, with room
for tens of thousands to work. | could am
plify on what they say they have made; how
they killed their horses one by one and dealt
out the pieces to the furnishing Indians, last
winter, to prevent them from ealing every
thing they had, and the amounts of gold they
took out: but it would answer no good pur-
pose, and should any easily-infuenced reader
start for the miues on such information, and
be successful, he might impute his i'll luck to
having been led by such reports. The patty
now referred to crossed the country from
Oregon last year, and wintered, as they al
leged on the Upper Fraser.
My own Impression is, that there are ex-
tensve and valuable gold mines in the country
referred to, and L judge (wthout having Wis
tied it personality from wat those who have
o(,l <lno IL rof, Ill
me. believe it is the general impression,
however, that the Upper Fraser is good
gold religion; and, acting upon that idea,
most OF those who have not secured claims
anywhere below Fort Yale, are endeavoring
TO reach the higher portion of the river.