The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-03-09
THE GOLD HXCIYHNHNY.
Hundreds FIooking to the New
Fields in California,
TOWNsALMOSTDEPOPULATED
Everybody Bound for tho Mlnes-No
Question About Their Richness,
The Greatest Excitement Since
the Days of Forty-NInc.

Los ANGELES, CAL, March s,-The
gold discoveries in lower California have
created intense excitement in every
town in the southern part Of the State,
The Santa Clara district, where the
crowds are rushing, is about l5O miles
south OF San Diego and 400 miles west OF
Ensnada, All along the line thousands
are enroute to the scene OF the excite
ment, At San Diego the streets are
filled with strangers QUILTING for the
mines and with wagons and pack mules
loaded with miners outfits. An average
Of 600 men day have left for the mines
the last four days, and to-day the num-
Der was much larger than that. Wait
ers at the hotels and restaurants have
largely left, and two-thlrds Of the force
on the Cuyamaca railroad are gone. The
best indication regarding the value OF
the mines Is that no one has returned
except to replenish grub stakes" The
telegraphers have also joined the pros
pectors. Eight hundred men were
camped at Tiaguana last night waiting
clearance from the custom house. En-.
sanada is practically deserted by men.
w. O. Van Derm and @. Amendt, Of
San Diego, who were among the first at
the mines, arrived at Ensanada lasI night,
Both are enthusiastic. Fifteen good
rich lodges have already been discovered
and promise permanent camp. James
kerrane, OF Los Angeles, returned from
the camp last night. He said; "There
arealready over 900 men on theground.
The stuff brought out Is placer gold and
light and tlaky. The valley in which
the mine was discovered has three we'll
defined gold quartz lodes. They descend
from the mountains above In separate
gulches. The gulch to the north is the
one in which the greatest find has been
made. Above are to be found groupings
Of slate and porphyry. A traCi5g has
been made Of one lode 1,4OO feet from
tho upper side Of the valley into the
mountains. AT present In tho valley
four dry washers are located, only ono
Of which Is in operation. A great many
rockers and ground sliuCes are being
worked. The dirt is easily handled, and
the richest Of returns are had In some
instances. saw one man who had
knocked out $500 in four hours, and he
was nearly wild with Joy. But above
all things the prices OF provisions are
simply outrageous. | paid S. for n fifty
pound sack Of -four and s. 80 for a ten
pound sack OF oat meal"
San Diego has gone in body 10 the
gold country. -Four kilograms have been
received in this city requesting that ho-
tel walters be sent at once to San Diego,
as none could be had there at any price.
The guests were left to get their own
meals out OF the kitchen for IN entire
day.
Yesterday afternoon gentleman came
up from the Santa Tarranta mines and
brought with him $1,000 In gold dust,
which he deposited in bank. Miners
who came to this city for supplies re-
turned at once on the evening train.
They say the MexiCans who have been
long at work in the diggings, are taking
outgold TO theextent Cf 81 500 a day each.
They say there Is a great lack OF mining
implements, and that there Is q crying
want for rockers.
AS to the richness Of the ground there
Is no doubt. The Mexicans pan out
from twenty-five to fifty cents to the
pan, with which the old miners now
seem TO be perfectly content. Indeed,
they wink their eyes as much rs to say:
"When those buffers get through we'll
have a picnic" A Mexican took out
81 800 In two days in space eight feet
square, There is no doubt as 10 the
richness Of the placers. The only ques-
ton Is how extensive are they. The
best answer would seem to DO found in
the fact that tho Oldest residents and
business men OF Ensanada went 10 tho
mines several weeks ago, and despite
the fact that the merchandising offers
unusual inducements and large profits,
none have returned. Upward Of 500
men will leave Los Angeles for the
mines ut once.