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 from all the settled parts of the territory, and as they came they went to work mining, and gradually they moved farther and farther from Coloma, and before the rainy reason had commenced (in December) miners were washing rich auriferous dirt all along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, from the Feather to the Tuolumne River, a distance of one hundred fifty miles; and also over a space of about fifteen miles square, near the place now known as the town of Shasta, in the Coast Mountains, at the head of the Sacramento Valley.  The whole country had been turned topsy-turvy; towns had been deserted, or left only to the women and children; fields had been left unreaped; herds of cattle went without anyone to care for them.  But gold-mining, which had become the great interest of the country, was not neglected.  The people learned rapidly and worked hard.