The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-07-29


VOL. XIV-NO. "a
1 Il + SPATCH.
THURS lAr MORNING. .........~.JULY %, lsss.
1HR FRAzTHR'S RIVER Ex-
CITEMENr.
DEP0PtLATY0N or cAIfFoRNTx- Rry1
OF PARMERS AND MERCHANTS T0 THE
DiCCfNGiy-REPuSAI. or TIE CHINESE
TO Go-ScARCIfY OF SERrANTS &C., de-
The California papers Of the 9Th inst, by the
last steamer slled with accounts OF the effect
produced in that State by tho discovery Of the Fra
8ier:giyer gold disgipgs. A correspondent of the
N. Y. Journal Of Commerce, writing from San
francisco, gives good summary of the news with
re ard to tho new III Dorado, from which we take
the following:
RUSH 70 TUE MINES.
II 10 now more than three months since the n.
dings came to US, in tangible FORM that gold could
bs found there 10 quantities, aud although we
tent and richness, jet SO strong are the convic
.ions In the mincs Ut the masses that the mines.
arc rich, far beyond all previous discoveries that
eur people have suddenly become seized with the
III suia. called "tho "fra zier River fever.n Thus
FAR we have been unable to provide the means of
transportation to all who desire passage to the
New III Dorado. Since April last, the following
steamers have been rnnnins on the route: Com.
modore alias Brother Jonathan, Pacific, and Pa.
cana; more recently, the Oregon Republic, Cortez.
Sierra Nevada, 0rizaba aud the Santa CRUZ The
steamers now running regularly, making round
trip every 10 or II daysand averaging each passage
10 v,<I a..
aod full freight of merchandise; on the re.
turn trip an.average of but 80 passengers and no
freight Added to this scores OF clipper ships and
other sailing craft have been put the route, and
yet the cry Is for more The steamers Surnrise
and Sea Bird are now on Frazier River-the former
making regular trips from Victoria and Belline.
ham Bay to Fort Hope, which is the head of nayi.
cation, and the point where the gold mines first
begin to show themselves In quantities sufficient
to pay.
THE CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO Co.
Up to this time, it il safe to say that at least
twenty-five thousand able bodied men (Califor.
nians have already left this State aud gone to the
North. These embrace men OF all classes The
majority are industrious miuers, who have been
toiiing Iaboriously for months years, digging in
our own mines at from 50 to $l0 per day, but be-
lieving that Frazier River mines would pay better,
say IS to SIS per day, they have been tempted to
sell out their old claims. aud packing up their
shovel hoe and pick, aud shouldering their cradle.
have gone of to the new aud unexplored mines
in hopes of bettering their fortunes. All the idle
of the cities have also gone North, and il the
news yet to be received during the present month
is confirma.ory CT what has preceded il, we believe
that California will lose at least onesixth Of her
workiDg'population. Our interior cities Of Stock
ton and Sacramento have already suffered terribly.
Particularly is this true of Sacramento city,
Stores and dwellings are being closed out, the in
mates leaving at any sacrifice for the North
Brick stores on Jstreet, that have heretofore rent
ed for one or two thousand dollars per month, can
now be hired for one dollar per day.
SPECULATION AT THE DIGGIgGs.
Broken down merchants, brokers, traders, DC,
who could ecrape together. by borrowing of their
frieuds, few hundred dollars, went early to Vic
toria, and purchased largely of town lots at $50
each.-after which government put up the price
to $l0o. At the latter price many were taken up,
and now held at thousands advance. Others
located at Whatcom, Selome and other ports on
Belliugham Bay, where they hope to build up
cities and make piles this gear. How far they
have will succeed, time alone must determine.
No doubt many have already increased their world
ly gains, upon paper, a Thousand fold. As 1t is,
cities, towns aud mining camps are being set up
over a large tract Of barren territory upon the
river banks aud bars IF Frazier and Thompson ,iv-
ers, where the reported gold discoveries are said
to exist In immense quantities As yet, we have
no tangible evidence Of gold being there in such
past quantities is reported. 1t IL doubtful
whether we have yet received in gold dust one
dollar to the man of all who have yet departed
+ ON this State Of the existence of gold in the
bed OF Thompson and Frazier rivers, there can be
no doubt; but whether the water ever falls sufi.
cientiy to allow the drainage of the rivers or the
working OF the bars to exteut to remunerate the
great army OF miners who have gone, aud are yet
to leave us, is quite probematica 1t is, however,
quite remarkable that we have as yet received no
we'll authentieat news of a failure to find gold
dust. None have yet returned from the niues un-
rewarded or discouraged The few that have re-
turned, came down for goods and stores suited to
their wants, and have gone back, full of hope, 10
. tnnc NAM l htrJ1 Dxuk<
in April to prospect the country, have written
back encouragingly to their friends aud CO part
ners, and there are mauy instances where stores,
workshops mills, &c, have been closed up, and all
hands gone eff with bag and baggage, carry ing
with them their wives and children. y"
EFFECTS UPON TRADE.
There is no doubt but great injury has already
bcfsllen our State, when viewed from q mercantile
stand point The trade of and with the interior of
the State has we'll nigh been ruined, and, for the
time broken up. AS for our own cityno great injury
has yet become pefcepiible, though many OF our
gbbers of clothing aud dry goods are greatly trou
bied. and indulge in fearful forebodiogs The town
ia filling with miners who are focking here from
all parts OF the State route for Frazier River.
Our farmers are now busy gathering in their crops
hurryipg their grain to market, that they, too,
may be IF to the new Ell Dorado of the North, not
stopping to count the cost OF an Indian war, or the
effects of a northern winter in those high latitude
/ he calm and rejecting believe that these new
mines cannot be worked but about four months in
the year, owing to the high water and the win
ter's cold snow. The immense fisheries and fo--
ests of impenetrabie will attract many of the
hardy sons of ths Pacific to locate at the North,
" hiie the farmer, who cannot here purchase IT,
lie to his farm, nor own the land which he him.
self has been tilling in California, will 60 North
and locate where lands c8A be had at government
price. and an easy market opened to them on the
Pacific.
The price of passage by the steamer from here
to Victoria Bellingbam Bay &c, is on the average
A. IaI H. Dc and& fNe
river passage the steamer Surprise, or by canoe
to Fort Hope 1t s fai- to say, that miner, to go
from here to Frazer River mines, wants at least
$200a$250 cash to enable him successfully to reach
the mines and to procure the requisite outfits.
Many OF our steamers go to sea crowded like
sheep with passengers and so many on board that
sl cannot sit or lie down at once. But there is
this aboutit the steamers run UP against good
North wind in three, four or five days, at the ont
side, and up to this time no serious Disaster has
befalien any of them, though many, in fact most
Of these running, old steamers, quite worn
on the Panama route prior to being put on this
route.
The Hudson's Bay Company through their |
agents, are very large purchasers of provisions, |
hour, &c, in this city. They monopoliZs all tho |
Il eight room of the steamers. and tax their capa
city to the utmost to get off goods enough to keep
this immense immigration from star wing, after
they reach the mines. So sudden and unexpected |
was the rush, that provisions could be made for
them, and suffering has and will be endured by |
many who had not provided themselve es with the |
necessary stores for a three months campaign In !
tina. wilderness of savages. The Hudson's Bay |
Company have also chartered and loaded several |
clipper ships.
The steamers can coal at Belingham Bay, where |
there are abundant supplies at IS $40 per ton, it
having gone up from So since this trade began
Several large fine clipper ships have loaded with |
merchandise and passengers for Bellinghanl Bay |
As many as seven vessels of large size have cleared
At our Custom House in single day, for this new
Eldorado
REFUSAL OF THE CHINESE TO LEAVE.
IT has been statad in some of our journals that |
the Chinese would take up their march to new
Caledonia but although rich Chinese merchant
did contract for the passage of 800 Cinnamon, on
the ship Caribbean for Victoria, yet il is said that
they subsequently refused to leave; and the con-