UNITED STATES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 501, 22 August 1857, Page 3

UNITED STATES.

(FromrtheJ^wtpire.)

CAXItfORNIA.

"VVe have received San Francisco papers to May 2. We extract the following from the ' Alta California.' The country was suffering severely from drought, in reference to which the journal iust named has the following observations : __Fmm nearly every portion of the agricultural districts of the State, there goes up a cry for water. From the extreme North to the extreme South the country—which usually, at this season of the year, is green and fresh looking—is now putting on the brown garb of Autumn, ar.d ; the grass is withering and the graiti dying, for want of moisture. The thirsting cattle; particularly in the southern section of the!^ country, look in vain for. a blade of' green grassland it is feared that unless some rain shortly comes, there will be not only great suffering but great mortality among them, -as there was many years ago, when they died by the theusand, for the want of food and moisture. In. that part of the country everything is represented as parched and withered, and the ' Herald,' published at San Diego, says "not one solitary blade of barley; wheat, or other, cereal; is left. Every blade of grass this side of San Bernardino is parched up and withered, ahdour rancheios are selling off their cattle at any price offered." This is a melancholy picture truly, and from most of the grain growing districts a report of entire or partial failure of the crops reaches

In Yolo, along Cache and Putah creeks —which have been flourishing localities for the production of grain—the crops are said to be a total failure; and about Mariposa and Merced, and in some portions of Calaveras, the same result promises to ensue. We publish in another column a number of extracts from interior papers, showing the condition of the crops in their several localities. In Napa and Alameda, and in the immediate vicinity of San Jose, the crops are said to be in a comparatively good condition. la Napa particularly, where the grain was sowed early, and receiving the full benefit of the early rains, became sufficiently "headed" before «,his dry weather came on, to prevent it from parching up the soil, a crop nearly as good as usual is anticipated ; but in most of the grain-growing sections of the State, unless rain comes soon, we may expect almost an entire failure.

This season has been the driest one since the country was settled by the Americans.

"We learn, that making an average of the rainy days in previous years since 1849, in the'months of May and June, we can reasonably expect only six more rainy days during the present season—but even would1 these come soon, great benefit would be derived. In the year 1851, there were four rainy days in May ; in 1852 there were three; "in 1853, seven; in 1854, lour; in 1855, six; and in IBst>, five. If the rain-king would only vouchsafe to us our average allowance of water, we should be entitled to some twenty days -rain yet, but that we can scarcely expect. As there has been rain, however, in May, in every year since 1849, we think we may reasonably hope.for a" wet-spell " yet, during the coming month, which may have the effect to prevent the disastrous results which will follow a continued1 drought.

The first payment made to the County Treasurer, under the new law levying a capitation tax upon all passengers by steamers, &ci, of one per cent, upon the passage money, was paid May 1, by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. It included the passengers by the Golden Gate and the Oregon steamers, and amounted to 2,300 dollars, a considerable item of revenue.

According to the Sacramento ' Union,' the prospects in the Carson valley are most gloomy. Every species of vegetation is suffering from the drought. The volunteer wheat has already been destroyed, and unless there should be rain within a fortnight, the growing crops will all share the same fate. They have already been greatly damaged, but timely rain might save them in part.

MINING NEWS. 8

TuotTTMTSTE County.—Reports from the principal mining districts of Tuolurarieare highly favourable, for, notwithstanding the remarkable dry weather and the great amount of labour required in constructing ditches, flumes, tunnels, &c, the average yield or gold is fully equal to that of last spring. -The ' Herald' says: "The bright prospects are not confined to one locality, butjippear to be general throughout the county. At Jackass Gulch, Benson and Co. took from their claim, in two days, 37 ounces, in large lumps. Another company, who are working

in the bank of Soldier's Gulch, are realising very large wages. They are taking out heavy gold. At Tuttletown, Judge Bronson and his partner are working a claim with hydraulic apparatus arid are making ten dollars a day each."

In tunnel mining, operations are progressing finely. Messrs. Stranahan and Darrow are taking out over.one thousand dollars a week from their tunnel. It is said that the proprietors of the Welch tunnel, in the same neighbourhood, are also taking out a great deal of gold.

The aggregate amount of gold received weekly ir. Sonora and Columbia, il is said, is from sixty to seventy thousand dollars.

i There are now using the water of the two Ditch Companies of Columbia, about 4500 miners within two miles of Columbia, who make an average of 4 dollars per day to the man, which makes the receipts of the | district of Columbia, Springfield, Shaw's Flat, Gold Springs. Yankee "Hill, and Saw (Mill Flat, about 108,000 dollars weekly. If the water should hold out the whole I summer, a.s is anticipated, it will be irn- | possible to calculate the amount of treasure j that will be unburied and put in circulation i from these localities.

A very rich gold-bearing quartz vein has been discovered near Tuttletown. The surrounding dirt prospects exceedingly well.

CATiA.VEK.AS County.—The papers speak encouragingly of affairs in this region. The miners are all busy at work, have, as yet, plenty of water, and doing1 well. The editor of the San Andres 'Independent' speaks from personal observation. He says :—-In all the different gulches leading into Yaque Camp, miners are busy at work—some working the surface, by sluicing down to the bed rock, others digging deep cuts into adjoining banks, preparing for ground sluicing, or to use the hydraulic. On the south side of Yaque Gulch, several extensive hydraulic claims are now successfully worked. The Table Mountain Ditch furnishes water for most of the raining now done in the vicinity. All along the Old Gulch road, more or less mining operations are visible. On French Gulch, the most extensive operations are to be found. Every foot in length and width of the gulch is claimed, and most of it now being worked by hardy and industrious miners. This section of the mines, on account of no water, has been but little prospected heretofore, a want which is now remedied by the Table Mountain Dilch. Several hundred miners are now profitably employed on French Gulch, most of them making from five to ten dollars per day, and a few from twenty to fifty dollars per day to the hand. Cabins, at intervals, line the gulch on either side, and several new houses were being erected.

The " Valentine Quartz Lead," located on Musquitoe Gulch, about 7 miles northeast of Mokelinnne Hill, is paying 100 dols. per ton. This lead is owned by Messrs. Eldred and Co., who are working with arastras and crushing quartz enongh to yield from 100 dollars to 200 dollars per day. They are arranging for the erection of a steam-mill, and will have the same in operation next fall.

Mr. H. Moriss, from Boston Flat, one of the owners of the rich claim of Orin, Plumb, and Co., informs the Calaveras 'Chronicle' that the claim paid 80 ounces last week, for men working. He also says that the miners in that vicinity are averaging about 10 dols. per day to the hand, with plenty of water at fair prices, furnished by the Whiskey Slide Ditch, from the Calaveras River. •

A rich and valuable quartz lead has'been struck in that vicinity, by some Italians, which has created a considerable excitement among the miners, and induced them to prospect extensively for quartz.

Makiposa. County.—Mariposa labours under the disadvantage of being without any artificial means of obtaining water. Times there are, consequently, particularly dull, except during a few months of-whiter and spring. The country is known to be very rich, and when water can be had the miners as a general- thing reap a rich harvest. We have no advices as to the present condition of affairs, the local papers not having a lh:e on the subject.

Amadoe County:.—The Miners of Amador are doing first-rate, and according to the 'Sentinel,' are saving their money. The 'Sentinel' says this is the only way to account for the absence of money from their market, as there are thousands, to the editor's personal knowledge, working in rich claims and making from 8 dollars to 10 dollars per day.

At Gibbons' Gulch none are making less than 8 dollars ; and on some claims—among them that of Andy Wells and Co.—the yield averages 20 dollars to the hand per day. There are four partners concerned in this claim, all of whom are honest, hardworking young men. Last week they washed out 680 dollars, the result of only six days' digging.

At French Hill are some extensive tunnel claims. The one known as • the "Martel," it is said, yields an average of 250 dollars per day to the hand !

Burretto and Co., an Italian Company, adjoining the above claim, are doing equally as well. The Quartz Mill Company, Dr. Heming and Co., is also in this vicinity, turning out gold as fast as four stamps will conveniently do it.

Much complaint is made on account of the exhorbitant charges for water. Many are, for this reason, deterred from working the innumerable claims now idle, and which only pay from three to six dollars, per day. Water is furnished to some of the miners from a ditch which obtains its supply from Sucter Creek, owned by a company of Italians, and sold for six bits per inch. lowa Fiat.—This is a small mining camp, about three miles from Jackson. Some three years ago, Messrs. Milligan and Co. took from a claim in this vicinity 15,000 dollars, at a time when water was running in a ravine near by, since which time nothing has been done for the want of water ; but, in anticipation of the incoming of the water by the Butte Canal, many valuable claims have been staked out, and extensive preparations are made to prosecute the mining in the vicinity of this place in a very short time. Hotels and stores are in process of erection, and in the course of the season it is anticipated this will be one of the principal camps in the county.