The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-07-12
Highest Of N I@zveaing Pose-I.sese U Govt Report
Re-! R Rssd:ss
ABSOLUTELY pUpe

Ill directions, In town and country,
men we're actively preparing 70
start for the gold fields Those hvine
near the coast engaged pessaee on sailing
vessels for . voyage around Cape Horn;
those IN the Western and Southwestern
states hastily rugged up OK teams. and
started on the perisous journey
overland Preachers vacated their pull
pits and editors their sanctuns;
doctors abandoned their patients, Law
yers their clients and students their
studies: the blacksmith left his forge. the
carpenter his workbench. the printer his
cases and the farmer his pIow, to hasten
to the Esdorado on the Pacific. each in the
hope Of soon becoming the possessor
Of wealth vainly sought in his legiti-
mate trade and calling. Men owning
houses morfgaged them TO obtain the
means 70 90 20 California: men building
homes left them unfinished until their re-
turn. In short, the gold crsze was uni
versal; some were crazed in the pursuit
of it and some we're craxed by the
quick acquisition Of IL While exploring
the country the gold seeker sometimes
the precious metal, each in itself ANAL
fortune. Such finds usually turned the
brain Of the miner and thus proved mis-
f0Etune. The history Of gold mining pre-
cents many such cases.
The mad scramble for gold in the first
years Of its pursuit in Casifornia will re-
mind the reader. as il does the writer. of
the words Sir Waiter Saost puts in the
mouth Of Aiexius Comments when he ex-
claims:
yellow dross. Do they call that noble metal,
equally respected by Roman ard barbarian, by
rich and poor. BY great and mean. BY church
men and saynea. which all mankind are nghs-
Ing Tor. plotting Tor. planning for. Intriguing
iof and dAmafrg themselves for. both soul and
body. By the oppeob.ious name Of yellow dross:
But this is not what set ont to say.
In ls49. when the insane rush for the
mines was ~ its height, many people in
the Eastern states we're heard to express
the opinion teat because Of its abundance
in California, gold would lose its value
and ultimately be worth no more than
copper or brass. Some of the miners were.
OF this opinion and fastened their de-
parture for the diggings TO secure. ~ they
said. q share Of the precious metal before
its value declined. Nor will it be thought
strange that slch an opinion should pre-
vail when one bears in mind the vast
numbers starting and preparing to start
for the mines. They comprised multi
tudes that taxed &c the utmost the ca
pacify OF the shipping on the seaboard
aud the facilities for travel afforded by the
frontiers. And every one expected to re-
turn with q princely fortune in gold mug
gets. Thus it is seen that what has ac-
tuaiiy occurred in regard to silver was
once feared in respect to gold. In view
OF the apprehensions recently induIged
concerning the large shipments of gold TO
Europe. your readers will look upon this
statement rs curious If not amusing.
From isay inclusive. to 1860. Callfornia
produced $7JOM0.00. The gold pro-
ducing states in the last thirty-two years.
at reasonable estimate, have added
1900. COZ. GO 70 this large sum. The an
nuat yield in these states 10 now $1,000
90. which the gold fields Of Africa are
experimenting with 5000. 900 more, with
the promise of greatly increasing the
amount In the next feW yearx
Very naturally some will ask, "What
has become Of all this gold? Where is il
nowf" There was no great dearth of the
precious metal before Caiiforn!a began TO
yield her hundreds Of millions. II there
had previously been q seriously felt want
OF gold for trading, banking or other Dur.
poses the thought Of ITS depreciation
would not have entered the minds of any
people. On the contrary. there was often
scarcity OF silver some years after the
discovery of gold, and San Francisco and
Eastern merchants were compelled to nav
= high premium for MEXICAN dolIsrs 70,
shipment to China in payment for the teas
and silks OF that country. Here il a re-
yersai totally unlocked for by the wisest
heads in moneyed circles thirty years ago.
1t will afford food for thought to those
who make such questions . matter OF
study.
As to the disappearance of the gold
mined in early days in California, that is
well understood. Less than 10 per cent. Of
1t remained in our own country, the large
remainder OF il finding its way to foreign
countries. How il was absorbed there Is
left to the reader to discover
CHARLES PRoscH