The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-04-18

he went up last spring, got claim
which turned out trump, and he sold it
for $5, 900 paid down. He then worked
another claim with three others, and be
took out of this latter after paying expenses
10 the mines, upwards of $4,000 for his
share. His partners earned the same. The
claim yielded 10 gross little over $50, 1000.
He had then with him in New Westmin.
ster Sis, 900 of his own. His partners had
each $4,000, my friends fortune being
augmented $4,000 by the sale of his first
claim. The time the four of them took to
earn this amount was six weeks. But
we did not work all that time either" he
said "perhaps month would cover it,"
l advised him on the disposal of bis gold.
On my return to Maria met him coming
to me for advice upon another subject. He
had bought an interest in another claim.for
$4,000 of an Oregon man, and be wanted
a draft in which to remit the payment and
so on.
In consequence OF the scarcity of coin
and the heavy depreciation on gold bars be
went down by the last steamer to San Fran.
cisco to have his gold coined at the Ameri.
can mint there. He calculated +" that he
would save 5000 by the trip, for be would
60 down in the second cabin at low fare,
be would save freight on his gold by carry
ing it about him on going on board. Once
the vessel started the purser would take
care of it for him, and at San Francisco he
would get full value for his gold. He was
not at all spoiled by his sudden good for
tune. He did not seem to be elated even.
Had he retained his claim longer before sell
ling it, he would have got $l4 900 for it.
1t was a I" big strike = but, with true phi
losophy, he did not regret having parted
with it. His name is Greer, w elshman;
be has sent for his vile and family, and, as
Vancoavre Island peases him, he intends to
buy land and settle 10 this colony. alter
next sessions campaign 10 Cariboo. where
he expects to make $4,000. He corrOb.
GRATED pretty much all have narrated 10
this letter. He worked on Williams Greek;
he enjoyed coed health, and has grown SO
fat and ford that did not recognize him
when ne addressed me. He laughed at the
current stories of the severity OF the winter.
Had be had time to knock up house he
would have remained 10 Cariboo all winter
and worked his claim in the spells OF good
weather.
1t is generally conceded that, including
Chinese, there were five thousand men en-.
gagged in gold digging this year. The va,
rlouS Government returns of Customs du-
ties, and of interior tolls on roads, charged
on the passage of merchandise, collected,
justify this assumption, while the miners
licenses issued tend to corrobOrate it, The
mining population in the Cariboo county,
including within this division the Forks OF
Quesnele River fifty miles below is put
down on general testimony (of miners, tra7.
elers, other residents, and Government re
turns) at 1900 men. To work out the
earnings OF this aggregate of 5000 miners,
adopt statement of names and amounrs,
made up from miners information, that 70
men on an average, look out in Cariboo
$926,680 The general opinion of the
miners is, that lin addition to the lucky
ones who made +" big Strikes" and which
limit to the above number of 69) every
man who had claim or o share in claim
made from $1,000 to $4,000. Of these
there were at the least 400. and taking their
earnings at medium or average between
the two sums mentioned say at 81 500 to
each-they would produce 100000. There
remain l,02l men to be accounted for.
Putting their earnings at seven dollars
a day each, which is the lowest rate
of wages paid for labor in the Cariboo
Mines, and assigning only lO7 working
days as the period of their mining operations
during the season, to make allowance for its
sbortness by reason Of the distance from the
different points of departure and of bad
weather, they would have taken out 1884,
729. These several sums added would
make the yield of Carboo and Quesnele
$2,29l, 400 to 1900 men OF the season, by
Tar the greater portion, or nearly all, in
tact, being from Cariboo; although the
north folk OF Quesnele is also very produce
tive and so rich as to induce its being work
ed by fuming this winter by about 100
miners, who have remained for the purpose.
The remaining $500 of the mining popu-
lation who worked on Thompson's river, the
Fraser, from Fort George downwards
Bridge River, Similkameea, and Okaneo-
gan livery few,) Rock Greek, and all other
localities throughout the country, shall
divide into two classes the first to consist
OF 900, who made $40 a-day for--say $50
days Sundays thrown ofD, and which
would give 50 100000 for their joint earn.
iGgs. The second and last class of 2 900
men, who were not so lucky, shall assume
to have made only SIS each day for the
same period, and which would give 81 $780,.
600 as the fruit of their united labor.
The three last categories, which number
4,52l men include the many miners who in
CariooO were making 500 to $50 day
each, as we'll as those who, 10 various other
localities, were making from $l5 500
day occasionally, SO think my estimate,
although not accurate, is reasonable and
moderate The Government people think I
have rather understated the earnings of the
miners in these three classes of 1921 men.
And the Governor himself. who takes an
absorbing interest in the affairs of this por-
ton OF his Government, and to whose ready
courtesy am indebted for some OF the in
formation given in this letter, as well as
for much formerly communicated in my
correspondence, thinks my estimate is
very safe one.
But must finish this long letter with