discovery, it
is evident that the editors had heard only vague rumors, and attached
little importance to them. The _Star_ of March 25th says: "So great is
the quantity of gold taken from the new mine recently found at New
Helvetia that it has become an article of traffic in that vicinity."

None of the gold had been seen in San Francisco; but at Sutter's Fort
men had begun to buy and sell with it.

The next number of the _Star_, bearing date April 1, 1848, contained an
article several columns long, written by Doctor V.J. Fourgeaud, on the
resources of California. He devoted about a column to the minerals, and
in the course of his remarks said: "It would be utterly impossible at
present to make a correct estimate of the mineral wealth of California.
Popular attention has been but lately directed to it. But the
discoveries that have already been made will warrant us in the assertion
that California is one of the richest mineral countries in the world.
Gold, silver, quicksilver, iron, copper, lead, sulphur, saltpetre, and
other mines of great value have already been found. We saw a few days
ago a beautiful specimen of gold from the mine newly discovered on the
American Fork. From all accounts the mine is immensely rich, and already
we learn the gold from it collected at random and without any trouble
has become an article of trade at the upper settlements. This precious
metal abounds in this country. We have heard of several other newly
discovered mines of gold, but as these reports are not yet authenticated
we shall pass over them. However, it is well known that there is a
placer of gold a few miles from Los Angeles, and another on the San
Joaquin."

It was not until more than three months after Marshall's discovery that
the San Francisco papers stated that gold-mining had become a regular
and profitable business in the new placers. The _Californian_ of April
26th said: "From a gentleman just from the gold region we learn that
many new discoveries of gold have very recently been made, and it is
fully ascertained that a large extent of country abounds with that
precious mineral. Seven men, with picks and spades, gathered one
thousand six hundred dollars worth in fifteen days. Many persons are
settling on the lands with the view of holding preemptions, but as yet
every person takes the right to gather all he can without any regard to
claims. The largest piece yet found is worth six dollars."

The news spread, men came f