The Texas Democrat (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 2, Ed. 1, Saturday, February 3, 1849 Page: 1 of 4
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AUSTIN, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1849.
NO. 2.
' eJ--P-
8pii51 JIL
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THE TEXAS DEMOCKAT,
Will be published every Saturday by
W. H. CUSHNEY.
tu tpyi? nr.TfinAT will bo continued until the arrange
ment in progress shall have been completed to issue the TEXAS j
STATE UAZbl lfci. it will men giepiacu iu iu.h. jiajici.
- The Democrat will be sent to all those who have paid their sub-
scriptions in advance until the engagements of the former publishers
shall have been fulfilled. .
Those who subscribe to the State Gazette, will be furnished with
the Democrat until the new paper is commenced; and charged at
the rate of $4 per vear for the time they receive it.
All letters to the" publisher must be Post Paid or they wil. not be
taken from the office.
are now on duty in that department. The battalion
of the 3d is under orders for the Ninth Department,
and will be advanced to the Paso del Norte, New Mex-
ico, as soon as the road can be surveyed and opened.
The Sth Regiment of Infantry and two companies of
the 2d Dragoons are en route, and will have arrived
in Texas by the time or before the best positions for
militarv stations can be selected.
ADVERTISING.
Oie-square J-of3 lincstjrfessifirsrJnsertion--
$r?oo
50
Every subsequent publication,
Advertisements of more man a square in the same proportion.
A discount of fifty per cent, will be made to those who adv -rllsc
by tile year.
The Cask will always bo required in advance for Athcrtising.
'One hundred words may be considered as constituting a square.
PROSPECTUS
OF THE
TEXAS STATE GAZETTE.
.Early in March next, the undersigned will commence the pub-
Jation of a weekly journal at the City of Austin, to be called the
: Texas State Gazette." For this purpose, an abundant supply of
lew material has been ordered, and will be on hand in due season.
The state Gzgtte will be ivued in quarto or double form, simi
lar to that of the best weeklies now printed in the United Slates: in
size, it will be considerably larger than any newspaper now
published in Texas. Great care will be bestowed upon the style
and mechanical execution of the work; and the form and size
. adopted, together with its regular publication at the seat of govern-
ment, will render it a convenient repository of much valuable
matter pertaining to tl.e affairs of the Slate, which may be readily
preserved, and filed or bound for future reference. As the name
imports, its columns will be especially devoted to the interests of
the stale ann people ot J. eras. particular attention will be civen
to an early, full, and faithful report of the proceedings of the Le
gislature, to the publication ot the laws immediately after their
passage, and to the acts and measures of the Executive Adminis-
tration. In politics, the State Gazette will be thoroughly democratic; and
will advocate earnestly and faithfully, but without violence or
vituperation, llmse doctrines and principles which lie at the found-
ation of onr republican system, and on which rest the prosperity
and happiness of the great mass of the American people.
In addition to politics, both S:ate and Federal, the State Gazette
will contain full accounts of the current news, foreign and domes-
tic; and likewise selected articles, from the bist ources, upon
morals, education, health, agriculture, science, and the arls.
Nothing in the nature of an attack on ptivate character, or per-
sonal nbue, will ever be admitted.
During the sessions of the Legislature, the State Gazette will be
issued at least twice a week. Fiftj'-two numbers will constitute a
volume, for which the subscription price will be five dollars.
It is deemed best for all parties, that the cah system, without
qualification, should -be adopted, and strictly adhered to: siitacrip-
tions, therefore, will not be received, nor advertbements inserted,
unless paid for in advance, or the paj'ment assumed by some res-
ponsible resident of the citj- of Austin. Advertisements will be
inserted at the usual rales.
The names of subscribers should be accurately and legibly
written, pr.d the post-office to which their papers are to be sent par-
ticularly specified. An extra number of copies will be printed, to
supply su6-cribers u ho may desire to have the paper complete
Ironi the commencement.
An allowance often per cent, will be made on all sums collected
and paid over by agents.
W. H. CUStLNEY.
Lusti.v, January 8, 1819.
Cholera in Eastern Texas. The Banner publishes the fol-
lowing extract of .a letter from Col. James McCown, dated Mar-
shall, Harrison County, Dec. 27.
" The cholera is spreading from New Orleans thro'
the up country. We learn by a boat that arived yester-
day, direct from the city, that the epidemic is slaying
all before it there, and making its way to all the towns
up the river, feeverai persons-diedip'orrtheTjoatf'and
some oi me passengers nave aieu since iney lauueu
home. We have had one ease in this place. The victim,
a stout young man, yesterday, died in one day alter
being taken. Some of a large gang of negroes, who came
up on the same boat,are now down. I think the cholera
will spread all over our country, particularly upon
and near the water courses. It has appeared already
at every town from New Orleans to the head of the
Lake. We learn that every body is leaving the city
who can get away. Our citizens are greatly alarmed.
We are preparing a hospital for strangers, as there is
now a heavier emigration to this section than was ever
known before the rgrea'er portion coming by water.
We were getting along finely all kinds of property
rising, but the cholera will, I fear, knock every thing
in the head."
"Jf FRONTIER PROTECTION.
,. From he late report of the Adjutant General of the united States
Army, accompanying the report of the Secretary of War, we com
pile the subjoined statement in regard to lhe distribution of the mi
litary force designed for the protection of the Texas frontiers. Our
Slate constitutes the eighth department, "Western Division.
Fort Polk, Point Isabel 1 company 4th Artillery.
Fort Brown, Rio Grande, opposite Matamoros 3
-conTpnnica 1st infantry.
Davis' Landing, Rio Grande, opposite Comargo
1st co. 4th Artillery, 2 co's 1st Infantry.
Post on the Medina river 15 miles above Castroville
1 company 2d Dragoons.
McCulloch's Station 6 miles east of the Colorado
and 50 miles above Austin 1 company 2d Dragoons
Ross' Station on the Bosque river 1 company 2d
Dragoons.
Conner's Station, on Richland creek, east of Brazos
river 1 company 2d Dragoons.
Fredericksburg, on lhe Pedernales, SO miles north
of San Antonio 1 company 1st Infantry.
Austin 4 companies 1st Infantry.
San Antonio, and along the line of the Rio Grande
-and Indian frontiers 2 companies 2d Dragoons ; Sth
. regiment Infantry. (Boih en route.)
Santa Fe, near the upper Rio Grande 1 company
2d Dragoons ; 1 light company 3d Artillery.
Taos 1 company 1st Dragoons.
Albuquerque 1 company 1st Dragoons.
r .Socorro 1 company 1st Dragoons.
El Paso del Norte 6 companies 3d Infantry.
Posts to be established 1 company 2d Dragoons. 2
companies 2d Artillery, 4 companies 3d Infantry.
Instructions have been issued for the careful exam-
ination of Texas, New Mexico, California and Ore-
con, by competent commanders, assisted by officers of
Yun or of Engineers and Topographical Engineers,
tne coiw-. .,'-.' r ... '
--:-nr tft thn tTmanent location of military posts
withav.t,.. -l Mpnnv.'TtU antI until aH the
within their limits. Ld" - -t. lheir sia-
,lr-;.-.r1 frt nni,imr linr. U 1WU'
lions, the best disposition has been made or bux...
es as were already in the Territories, or couldbeatonce
pnt en route, to check Indian depradations and pre-
serve quiet and good order along the frontiers and Pa-
cific seaboard.
In the Eigth Military Department (Texas) the Indi-
an frontiers, heretofore guarded by Texian Rangers
mustered into service or the war with .Mexico, era
THE GOLD MINES OF CALIFORNIA.
The Globe of Dec. 22, contains several long and
graphic'ijetters from Capt. J. L. Folsom, of the Q.uar
termaster's Department of our army, to Major-Geueral
Jesup. in which lhe discovery of the gold mines, their
extent, nfode of working them, ifcc, are fully detailed.
We compile several extracts from these letters, and re-
gret that we have not space to publish them entire.
Afterdescribing the prosperous and thriving condi
tion of things in the agricultural and industrial de
iron bars, spades, butcher-knives, sticks, &c. &c. In
many places, the .streams flow over strata of coarse
slate or shale standing vertically, and between the dif-
ferent layers the gold is deposited by the water.
From all that i can learn as to similar deposits of
gold elsewhere, I believe these to be the richest placer
mines in the world. I am satisfied, from personal ob-
servation, that active workmen cau get from $25 to
$10 per day, estimating the gold at $16 per ounce,
trov. Many instances are known of nersons having
partments in California, shortly after its conquest, Capt. obtained from $S00 lo $1,000 in a day for each marl
Folsom then introduces the discovery of the gold dust, 1 I im meeting persons daily in this place, who have
and its effects upon the people
But a change came over the face of affairs. In lhe
latter part of February, 1S4S, a mechanic named James
M a rplljvas, employed in building a saw-mill for
John "A. Sutter. Esq., on the "South branch of "a river
known in California as the American Fork, some fifty
miles from New Helvetia, or Sutter's Fort. On Fre-
mont's map this river is called "Rio de los Americanos."
It is the stream by which Capt. Fremont descended into
the valley of the Sacramento river, by a perilous march,
in the winter and spring of 1S43. While employed in
cutting a mill-race, or canal, for this improvement,
Mr. Marshall discovered the pieces of gold as they
glistened in the sun-light at the bottom of the sluice.
Pieces of considerable size were taken from the water,
and in a few days gold to the amount of $150 was re-
moved in this manner. The laborers, mostly Mor-
mons, on the works soon became satisfied of its pre-
cious nature, and the news spread rapidly about the
country. Examinations were prosecuted' at other
points along the stream, and almost every where with
success. Reports of a most marvelous nature soon
reached the coast touching these mines. Their appa-
rnnf nvft'm'fifrnnnn rvrsnfnrl itrrn7ii li ttr on1 fl-ira rnllir
IHIH.O.IUH1H-UIH.V. v-inn-u m.iui-niv. iuu mi, jjuum,
Tin: Gold Region Letters have been received in
this cifv, from the capital of Mexico, containing later
advices from California than any which have yet been , attention was not fully called to the subject, until gold
published. One of these letters, from an intelligent
gentlemen, and who is well informed on the subject,
states that further discoveries have been made in the
gold region, which yield even a more abundant supply
of the article than the previous "diggings." The
quantitygathered already amounted toat least $1 00,000
daily, and was constantly increasing without apparent-
ly an exhaustion, or any limit to the supply. There
was a great deal of distress among all the diggers, for
the want of the common necessaries of life, and atten-
ded with very extensive sickness and mortality. Men
loaded with gold, appear like haggard vagabonds,
clothed in filthy and tattered garments of the meanest
kind. It is staled that one man, who had two barrels
of brand)'-, sold them out at the mines, by the small
wine-glass, at rates which realized hmfourteen-thou-sand
dollars in gold. Everything, and particularly
articles of food and raiment, were at most unheard-of
prices, for gold was so plenty, and in the possession of
every one, that it seemed to have lost its value.
Daily additions were made to the number employed
in digging, though as yet no portion of the vast flood
of emigration from the United States, had arrived.
The first arrivals of provisions, and other supplies, will
no doubt realize larger profits than any previous in-
stance, that can be found in the annals of trade. N.
O. Bulletin.
More Gold the"Big Pile not found yet. With-
out wishing to add to the "excitement" in these exci-
table times, of '-'yellow fever," which has more victims
than the Cholera, we cannot refrain from adding the
following item from the pen of Mr. Solon Robinson,
who many of our readers undoubtedly know as an
agricultural writer, and who is now making a tour
among our planters, for the purpose of gathering in-
formation to communicate to the American Agriculturist.
Communicated.
Editors Delta : In reading an item in your paper
of this morning, of the report of Col. Emery, touching
the fact of gold being found on the waters of the rive'r
Gila, I was struck with a very singular coincidence.
Soon after the report of gold being found in California
reached us, and before all of us believed it, I was talk-
ing with an officer of Col. Cook's battalion, who went
from Santa Fe to California, about the gold being
found in thin scales, etc., when he remarked, "6
shaw ! that is not gold ; for, when we were hunting
for water in the desert before we reached the Gila, I
entered a gorge of the mountain, in the bed of a dry
stream, where-! could have taken up that same kind
of yellow stuff by the shovelful. I rode over a large
unit of sand, where these yellow scales formed half
dust or grain gold was brought into the market in con
siderable quantities, for sale. Doubt soon became be-
lief, and a change almost magical in its nature pervaded
the whole population. Lawyers, doctors, clergymen,
farmers, mechanics, merchants, sailors, and soldiers,
left their legitimate occupation, to embark in a busi-
ness where fortunes were to be made in a few weeks.
Villages and districts where all had been bustle, indus-
try, and improvement, were soon left without male
population. Mechanics, merchants, and magistrates,
were alike off to the mines; and all kinds of useful
occupation, except gold dfgging. were here apparently
at an end. In most cases, the crops were remarkably
good ; but they are generally lost for want of laborers
to secure them. In some parts of the country, hun-
dreds of acres of fine wheat will rot in the fields, from
the impossibility of getting laborers. Vessels are left
swinging idly at their anchors, while both captains and
crews are at the mines, and the most essential private
and public improvements are arrested in their progress.
The wages of clerks have advanced at least two hun-
dred per cent., and those of common laborers at least
four or five hundred.
The Localities of the Mineral. After referring to
the high prices of labor and commoJities, and the sick-
ness produced by exposure in gold mines, the writer
goes on to say :
Most of the streams upon which gold is found, are
mountain torrents flowing through rocky and precipi-
tous channels, and a yellowish red soil. There is ap-
parently much iron in the earth : and where most of
the gold is obtained, the bed and banks of the river aie
composed of coarse gravel, intermingled with sand and
a yellowish earth. So far as I have observed, or can
ascertain from others, the gold is always found in the
stratum of "fdrift"' or "diluvium," unless it has been dis-
placed by mountain torrents, or through other compa-
ratively modern agencies. The fine gold is found in
the lower portions of the streams, and is extracted from
the earth by means of washing in common tin-pans,
and vessels of every kind whicn can be substituted for
them. The finest poi lions of the earth are removed by
washing and a kind of gyratory motion of the pan :
the gravel is taken out with the hand, and the gold is"
left in the vessels, with a kind of black, ferruginous
sand, not unlike that used in writing. The residue
(gold and sand) is then left upon a board or cloth to
dry, when the sand is blown off with a common bel-
lows, or the mouth, while the greater specific gravity
o! the gold causes it to remain behind. Much of the
finest of the gold is thus blown off with the sand, and
lost.
Vast numbers of machines resembling nursery cra-
U 1...11- ! . ...-',. ...
r ""j.' y"g" J"si as it una been washed clown trom j dies, are used in this business. The rocking of the cra-
uie mountain, i tiiu not get oft to examine it, but de- die a
pend upon it, it was nothing but vellow mica : and it
is just like that that they describe on the Sacramento
river, if that stuff is gold, I can load a wagou with it
where I saw it." Now I give this conversation for just
what it is worth. Adding, that I believe my inform-
ant to be a candid man of truth ; and from his full
description, I have not one particle of doubt that what
he saw in such quantities as entirely to prevent him
from believing if to be anything worth his notice, was,
nevertheless, pure gold. I could give his name, but
as it might not be.jagrecable lo him, I refrain.
Respectfully, &c. SOLON ROBINSON.
VcranCh1.1 Hotel, N. P., Dec. 30, 1S4S.
The N. Y Post say".! liat onr oiintrymnn, S. F, B.
Morse, has just received from, wunstanunopie an orna-
ment of gold, set in about two hundred diamonds. It
is the decoration of the "Order of Glory," called the
"Nishan Istikar," and is of the second class, the Sultan
wearing the first. Mr. Morse hasreceived this magni-
- . . i c fnr -i j i wuuii
brace a distance oi upwarus, oi uu nt.es, ami a por- ficcnt ,u from lhe Sultan as a lestimonvof his ap
lion of the Indians are reported to be now in actual I bnton of ,lis syslem 0f telegraphing. '
IlOSlllW towards U1U Will iuj. iiiuiaiueum:iHuiiu-- -
fan try, four companies of the 2d Dragoons, two com-
panies of the 4th Artillery, one having a light battery,
and ik batliilion of six companies of lhe 3d Infantry,
answers to the gyiatorv motion of the pan, lhe wa
ter, mud, and fine sand, escaping from the foot of the
machine over a series of small cross bars on its bottom,
which arc sufficient impediments to stop lhe more
coarse panicles of gold. Over the head of the cradle
is a coarse sieve, upon which the auriferous earth is
placed, and the machine being in motion, water is
poured upon the sieve, and the gold, sand, and fine
earthy matter is thus taken into the body of the ma-
chine, while lhe gravel is rejected. All these methods
arc more or less imperfect, and the process by amalga-
mation with quicksilver has not been adopted up" to
this dale. It i sunnoscd that at least one-half of "the
I gold contained in a given quantity of earth, is lost by
the imperfect measures taken for cleaning it.
I As '.Li, workmen ascend the streams into the mount-
' ttins, the "old becomes coarser and moie massive. On
j the lower portions of the streams, it is found in thin,
. fiat pailicles, resembling small golden fi-sh scales.
! Higher in the mountains, it is found varying fn size.
from the finest particles to pieces of five or six ounces
j in weight, and of all conceivable forms. Many of the
I largest" nieces contain small portions of ouartz and
That which makes man so discontented with ins other granite rocks lmhedea in tnem. i ne coarse
own condition, is the false and exaggerated estimate ' gold is dug out of the crevices among the rocks, in the
he is apt to form of the happiness ol otheis. Iclry beds of mountain torrents, with pick axes, sm.ill
been absent less-than three months, and have returned
Willi Iroin $2,000 to $5,0U0 in gold dust. While
among the mines, I colleticl a large number of facts,
from which the folio wiifaretaken at random as a
specitiiSiri " " ". A1"-ibj-1---- ..
lhe Gold Inexhaustible. Ton will be anxious to
know where this is to end. I see no prospect of ex-
hausting the mines. The gold is found extending
over an immense tract of country-; and it is so univer-
sally diffused in the carlh of the gold rpgions, that it
may be said to constitute a portion of the soil. It is
most abundant in the valleys and the beds of streams,
because the earth has been removed by water, and the
gold remains ; but it is found on the tops and sides of
the mountains hundreds of feet above the water.
Te?njJtations to Bobbers and Assassins. In the
solitary recesses of the Sierra Nevada are little clusters
of men, with nothing but the trees for their covering,
and no protection but their own vigilance and strength.
Many of these people are known To possess very laro-e
amounts of gold (sometimes $20,000) wrapped in their
blankets, where there is no eye to see and no a-ent to
pursue the guilty. Is it strange, when the temptation
is so great, that the robber and assassin should be
abroad among the mountains? Many robberies, and
some murders, are known already to have occurred
but little attention is excited by these events, where all
are in the eager pursuit of wealth. No one can con-
jecture the extent of these outrages, for living witnesses
are not at hand, and j:dead men tell no tales." The
strong and firm hand'of Government must be prompt-
ly extended to save the country from the most revolt-
ing acts of violence.
Difficulty of our Army Officers. A few days since
I sent a wagon-master to employ some men to handle
stores in the public warehouse. "After searching about
the town in vain for several hours, he saw a man on
the dock, whom he felt sure of getting, for the indi-
vidual in question did not seem to be blessed with a
redundancy of this world's gear. He was wearing a
slouched hat, without a crown, a dilapidated buckskin
nunung snirt or iroclc, a very uncleanly red woollen
shirt, with pantaloons hanging in tat'ers, and his feet
had an apology for a covering in one old shoe, and
one buckskin mockasin, sadly the worse for wear and
age. When asked if he wanted employment, he re-
plied in the affirmative; and as the young man was
proceeding to tell him what he wished to have him
do, he was interrupted with "It is not that kind of
work, sir, that I want, (at the same time taking a bag
containing about two quarts of gold dust from his
buckskin shirt,) I waut to woik in the mines, sir.
Look here, stranger, do you see this ? This bag con-
tains gold dust; and do you suppose I am to make
a damned nigger of myself, handling boxes and bar-
rels, for eight or ten dollars per day ? I should think
not, stranger !" and our friend left in a most contempt-
uous manner. Nor was this a solitary instance of like
conduct; they occur daily and hourly in this village.
All sorts of labor is got at enormous rates of com-
pensation. Common clerks and salesmen in the stores
about town, often receive as high as $2,500 and their
board. The clerk now in my office is a young boy,
who, until a few weeks since, was a private of volun
teers, and I am now paying him $1,500 per annum.
This will not appear high, when I tell yon that I have
just seen upon his table a wash bill, made out and
paid, at the rate of eight dollars p?r dozen ; and that
almost everything else is at corresponding prices.
The principal waiter in the hotel where I board, is
paid $1700 per year, and several others from $1200
to $1500 ! I fortunately have an Indian boy, or 1
should be forced to clean my own boots, for I could
not employ a good body servant for the full amount
of my salary as a government officer. It will be im-
possible for any army officer to live here upon his pay,
without becoming rapidly impoverished, for his time
is not his own to enter upon business; and although
he might have money, his opportunities for making'it
use'ul to him are few, unless he invesls it in realms-
late. Unless something is done, I am unable to sec
how it is possible for officers, living upon the salaries
granted by law to military men, to support themselves
in this country. I believe every army officer in Cali-
fornia, with one or two exceptions, would have re-
signed last summer, could they have done it and been
free at once to commence for themselves. But the
war was not then terminated, and no one could hope
to communicate with Washington correspondents, ti
set an answer in less than six, perhaps ten months.
For some time fast summer, (August and July) the of
ficers at Monterey were entirely without servants, and
the Governor (Col, Mason) actually took his turn in
cooking for his mess.
Some Room Yct. The territories of the United
States north and west of the regularly organized States
.of the Union, embrace an area of 1,9S6,909 square
, j miles;- which makes 1,274,621,760 square acres.
The gold mines of Russia now produce $20,000,000
annually. The Spanish silver mines, for ten years
after they began to be worked, yielded about $24,000,-
000 per annum. Ten years ago, the product of the
Ilii&Mau uokl mines was less than 5,000,000 a year.
J
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The Texas Democrat (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 2, Ed. 1, Saturday, February 3, 1849, newspaper, February 3, 1849; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48384/m1/1/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.