Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-15
THE ENSENADA GOLD FIELDS.
An Experienced Miner Tells What Ee
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Saw and What He Thinks.
Several weeks since it was reported that
the Mexioans were taking out gold in pay
ing quantities not far from Ensenada, in
Lower Cali fornia. The news was tele-
graphed all over the country, and there
was grand rush for the new gold fields.
B. II. Miller. for long time Clerk of
Mono county, and gentleman well known
IN this city, has returned from the southern
country, and gives anything but glowing
account of the newly found gold fields. He
says the gold fields are in what is called
Santa Clara valley and in two gulches, the
American and Mexican. The gold fields
extend along those two gulches for a dis
lance of five miles, and no gold is found
outside of the channels, which are very
narrow. These gulches are nothing more
than water courses, which are perfectly dry
in the summer time, but in winter are often
raging torrents. The Mexican gulch is
now dry, and the snow in the mountains
will not feed the American later than the
first of May.
Those going to the mines from Califor-
MA by teams enter at Juana, a town lust
across the line. Here you find some OBJ
stacles. The authorities take from you all
your arms. They charge you $40 duty
upon every horse or OK, regardless of their
value. They collect $40 for every wheel
upon your vehicle, S. per hundred on your
flour, Is cents per pound on your bacon
and hams and 60 cents for each can of
canned goods and everything else in pro-
portion. In other words, you buy your
outfit in San Diego and have to buy it over
again when you reach the Mexican border,
and pay two prices for it. The claims are
only sixty feet square, and you have to pay
the Mexican Government ST for each loca-
ton before you are allowed to stick pick
in the soil, and they also exact 40 per cent.
of all the gold you take out. This would
not be so bad if there was plenty of gold,
but there is not. The reports about fabu-
lous sums Of gold being shipped from
Southern California are all false. The
mines are neither extensive nor rich.
There are no gravel deposits, but the chan
nels of the two gulches are shallow and
filled with float. There are no quartz
mines, but indications which might be
called trace rock are found quite frequently,
some of it gold bearing.
There are many more coming from the
mines than are going in. Most of them
were men from the East who know moth
ing of mining, and of course, all they get
out Of it is their experience, which costs
them round sum. When the first news
came out regarding the discovery, there
was a grand rush from Arizona and all
points of Southern California. Many
clerks in Los Angeles and San Diego who
had positions worth 500 per month, left
them on one days notice and started for
Mexico. The Mexican officials are very
slow and exacting. The red tape one has
to go through is amazing, and it takes
three days TO pass these custom officers.
The natives are the lowest class of greasers
and half-breeds, who live on berries and
nuts, have no stores, and sell no provisions
that an American can eat. 1t is barren
and desolate country, good for nothing for
agriculture, and so far has shown nothing
in mineral that would warrant an expert
enced prospector, under the existing gov
ernmental affairs, to even waste his time
in prospecting.
AT present from four to six outfits are
all that can pass the customs Office at Juana
in one day. They propose to get more
help, and the Governor of Lower California
seems to be glad to have Americans come
in.
Mr.. Miller advises all who want to try
their luck in those mines to secure their
passports of the Mexican Consul at San
Diego, as it will save them much time on
the border. The miners must get all their
supplies from Ensenada, on the coast.