The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-30
ONE NUGGET
ALL THE COLD
ON BOARD
Steamship Curacao Brings
News of the Lower Cali
fornia Placers.

The steamer Curacao arrived from
Mexican ports yesterday with the first
news that has come direct from the gold
fields of Lower California. The officers of
the vessel report great excitement at
Santa Rosalia and Ensenada and it was
almost impossible to obtain laborers at
either place owing to the exodus. The
gold is said to be plentiful and the miners
average from one-half ounce to two
ounces a day. The dust and nuggets are
very pure, being nearly 900 tine and worth
Sl9 an ounce +. Andonaegui of the firm
of Andonaegui q Ormart, Ensenada was
one of the passengers by the Curacao.
Very little if any gold has come into
Ensenada from the placer mines" said
he, yesterday. AN American with dust
valued at from $4,000 up as high as $4,000 is
said TO have come in, but / did not see
him: His, arrival is the only event 1 can
think of that would give rise to the story
that gold dust to the value of $780, 900 was
shipped on the Curacao. About the only
gold from the mines on the vessel is what
l have in this small nugget. and that is
not more than five ounces. 1t is the pur
est and prettiest sample of the metal [
have ever seen, and they say that all the
product of that district is the same.
"Ensenada is the port of entry for the
new gold fields. Thence prospeCtors must
go by steam or sail to a place called Asun-
cion, an open roadstead between Point San
Domingo and a small port called Santo
Domingo. The fare TO Asuncion is S35 and
$50 Mexican money After landing there
the miner in search of the gold fields will
have to walk at least fifteen miles over
the desert sands unless he by great good
luck strikes a bullock team. OF course a
good many people are going by way. of
Santo Domingo and Santa Rosala but
while 1t is easier to land at those places
it means a longer walk over the sands
than 1t does from Asuncion.
The placers are three miles long and
true they are very rich. AT Calmalli the
Ybarra gold mine Is closed. All the hands
deserted and have gone to the new field.
AT Ensenada and Santa RoSala there are
ira work, as everybody has gone to the
gold fields. Many of the business men of
Lower California have gone to investigate
the find and If 1t is what 1t is reported to
be they will start in business on the fields.
For the present everybody who goes in
We left Ensenada last Saturday and up
to that time the only supply of water on
the field was from Coyote Spring, al
though plenty was to be got from the hills
eight miles away.
''At Santa Rosala it was reported that
a Spanard had come in with three pounds
of dust and nuggets. In fact, his wife was
aboard the steamer and told the story
herself. | satisfied there is plenty of
gold in the new placers but there is also
1t and far more people will take out half
an ounce day than will take two
ounces"
The Curacao will sail again for Ensen-
ada and other Mexican ports the latter
part of this week and quite a number of
Some Of those who quailed before the
rigors of an Arctic winter on the Yukon
are now going to try the effects of the
torrid zone.