Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1848-09-23

not less than 5000 persons, whites aud Indians gath
cring this gold San Francisco Sonoma, santa Cruz
and San Jose are literally deserted by their nhah-
tants, all have gone the gold regions The farmers
have thrown aside their plows, the lawyers their
briefs the doctors their pills, the priests Their prayer
books, and all are now digging gold ne diamond
broochcd gentleman aud the clourd Indian work side
by sidr lovingly, if they had been rocked IN the
cradle Tin pans to wash the spark ling sand IN
have sold as high rs piece, shovels Tor > ~,
aud wooden bowls for -! trough scooprd from "a
hollow tree ten feet long, and with willow sieve
attached, sells for Sl25. Boards are 5OO tor oJO
feet
A very large company left Monterey to-day for
the gold scene-Somc on horses, some IN wagons
some in carts, some on foot, and some on crntches
The tract Of land where the gold is found covers
hundred miles in one direction and fifty IN another:
1t is said that ten thousand mcn in ten years could
not exhaust it, As soon the news reaches Oregol
we shall have lLrg. emigration from that quarter.
Nobody thinks of fighting here any lohger-th' ma
tves have gone for gold, the sailors have run from
the ships aud tn" soldiers from their camps tor The
purpose. The last vessel that left the coast
obliged to ship an entire w, and pay each
9 30 month. No can b. hired 10 dig gold short
Of SIG or : 20 a day--he prefers working on his
own hoot-he may make less than that, but he has
a chance Of making much more
Thu squadron is still at Mazatan, but the treaty
be confirmed, we shall look for the Ohio here IN
few days The Congress and Cyanc will go home,
and the Indeprnd probably go to China The poo
pie Of Lower California will never consent TO go
the arrangement for time but they will before long
run up the stars and stripes. That section Of the
country is rich in minerals particularly in silver, and
would be a valuable acquisition. England has her
eye it, and will probably bid high, but the people
don't like the idea Of being the colony OF crown.
We want, in California, some good school bookS,a
few good teachers, and few of-hand preachers
All these would find persons 10 read and to listen.
We gathering the elements of great and intu-
entia community -ifwc are not ruined by his gold
excitement There never was yet people strong
in wealth and sound in morals, in the midst OF gold
and silver mines.
You talk of turner's! Why, I saw farmer here
brand last week. thousand calves, all Of one years
growth, and he is considered here rather small
farmer. You reckon by acrCs and here by
miles and leagues. Your sheep produce one lamb
year-ours always two, and often four Our streams
have few minnowS in them and ours are paved
with gold! How are my Philadelphia friends? ]
expect 10 leave this Ell Dorado in few months and
be among them.
Very truly yours, w. c.
Los ANGELES, CALtFoRS1A, April 81.
1t is just possible that yon would like
TO know what | am about, and how like the coun-
try, &c; believe have already written You about
San Francisco and Monterey; the next town along
thr coast is Santa Barbara, which have not seen,
and of course know nothing about, except hsarsay.
From what can learn il is about the size OF Oh Try
Val"y. 1t is seaport town, situated on sandy
beach, without shrub or bush within sight; and tor
eight months in the wear there is not a green
thing to be seen, always excepting Company of
New York Volunteers, which is stationed there.
The next seaport to,cn San Pedro, b'antn little
placc, consisting of two mud hons $, on high bank
overlooking the BAY or rather roadStrad of San Pc
Dire; thus III Sc twoh houses gloomy and alone, with the
nncharging waste Of wat'r in lr)nt, aad b ak bar
rem hill shutting out the view OF the surrounding
country constitute Of the ''thrvng little towns"
of California.
One Of these earthly habitatons is occupied by an
old bachelor, who is Collector and Harbor master.
The other is entirely m1nopolizcd by the rats and
owls; lis former occupant and owner, an American,
having recently drank hims IT 10 death, merely be-
cause lac had nothing else to do. There is very
little water to be had at the distance of mile and
a po,r article of wood can be found within some 10
or 30 miles. The monotony of this place is OCCASION
ay broken by the arrival Of vessel 10 trade for hides
and taIlow-and in this delightful place was sta.
toned two months as Custom House officer, until
would stand it no longer and did not succeed IN get.
ting relieved until left the place without leave, and
came 10 town, distance of 30 miles, on foot-tor
there is not horse be had there; for this heinous
crime was reduced to the ranks, and once more had
to stand guard, sc. However, am now restored
to my old position in the Quartcrmaster's Depart
mpnt and once more s'shovc quil'' for a living.
Thirty miles inland from San Pedro, is this town,
the largest in the country, which for some reason,
to me quite incomprchrnsbIe, is called the CITY OF
the Angels" High sounding title, is it not! Like
every other town in the country it is built of adobics;
and accordingly every days rain does more damage
than eau be repaired in m1nth-this makes adoby-
making the best business in the country. he modiS
operandi Of making these miserable apologies Tor
bricks is as follows: quantity OF earth Ono matter
what kind is dug and puvcrizad, with this is mixed
small quantity Of cut straw, and wet TO the consist
cncv Of mortar; acvr place then cl 'ancd OF stones
and rubbish, and upon this the adobes are moulded
in a mould - by Is inches by deep; the mud IS al
lowed 10 stiffen few moments in the mould, when
it removed and left exposed the sun for about three
DAYS when they fit for use; OF course the MON MT
thcv come in contact with water they are entirely
DESTROYED. or such material as this then is the
=. halle In, fhat Ia fDNNn
Timing over 9 900 inhabitants, there are scarcely
twenty females who would be considered white IN
the tcs-notwthstandmg which, there are many
very beautiful girls here.
In this delightful society pass my time, mostly IN
idlcness During the Autumn there is an abundance
offruit-pears applr peaches, oranges p9mcerana $
&c There are two billiard saloons aud one tcn-plh
all.v: every other house is groggery and gambling
hell There is at present band OF stroiiIng players
here: last evening number OF soldiers hlred inc
theatre, and had a performance in En@iISh Ihcy en-
acted Fortunes Frolic the tent scene oil Richard
HID Clown and Dentist, &c. &c ; the regmentaI
hand was in attendance. The next and last town OF
which know ANYTHING about is San Diego, 40 miles
south of Los Angeles 1t is also seaport about one
third the size of this place, and the duest and most
miserable place ever saw. Between this place ana
San Diego are three houses and two missions, or ola
ruined Catholic churches. part OF the country
would be fertile enough il it was not Tor the iact hat
there is no water: but the greater part could MOI o.
made produce more than il now does, VIZ: stnntrd
bushes and grizzly bears, If it was ever so well water
ed The fact of il is the lower part OF the country is
NOT worth owning any how, and have NY doubts
about the upper Northern district. only saw a
small norton Of the country in the immediate vicnl-
~ of San Francisco, and that entirely worthless
The whole country is grand humbug. and we,
that is the "sogcrs " feel like lot Of fools for coming
here Not one in fifty will remain in the country;
I hone TO shake your hand before the year is out
could fill volume about how the men are humbugged
and abused at this port. but must get the Quarter
masters papers ready for this mail IN five days.
Within eight months hope to tell you all my Call
fornia trip g.,
Your, truly, JERRY, "Ihe SOCCER
Chicago Beef Pdcking season for slaugh-