Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-12-21
From the New York Advertiser.
Letter from a Gold digger 10 his
Uncle.

hNtsti hVHa u OViu uiSSCl W HE
! Uncle.
4 TRANSCRIBED ACCURATELY.
! CALFoRsEY, IL Augt., 1913.
Dear Uncle-I wtitc this to 90 hdm TO yo,
! by a vessel that sails when the folks on board
are willin TO go but at present they are al
gone gold diggin, and if they amt no better
of than be in the way Of keeping gold after
1t is dug out, don't know when she will sail.
\ Every body quits work now and goes for
gold. The wbaleman drops the hafpoon-the
soldier drops the gun and bayonet, and the
missionary drops the Bible, and as for tracts
the only tracks he makes or uses is right of
to the gold region. IwOrk'd there myself
about a month, and got as much gold as
thought would last me all my life, but it i,
nigh upon all gone already. wore out my
shoes and irowsers and Jacket, and when
come to buy new ones | found they were
worth more than their weight in gold. | wish
Col. Benton was here ! reckon he'd Learn
something new about gold and other folk.
too, who say there is nothing valuable but
gold, say what ] now know is an everlastin
and etarnal humbug. There amt no prices
now IN all these diggns I; the question is, when
you ask the price Of any thing, "llow much
is handful. do rally believe, il things 90
on as they have begun and Californy ets to be
state of the Union and issues state bonds,
no body will take any of them unless il is
stipulated in the bond that it never shall be
paid of in gold no how and no way in the
world. FELL aunt Nancy and cousin Boisey to
sell of al once their gold beads ard goldrn
they set so much store by, for they amt of no
is now that there IS great chance for trade by
agreeing TO buy any thing in creation (ercept
gold ,)and to pay in gold 1T SO much per ounce
at It's present legal valy, which ] believe is
about sixteen dollars per ounce, and the fellow
who sess property for slch pay will be about
as bad of as II he lent ice in August and agreed
to take as much ice in January for pay
! have heard much said about Ia golden
age"-well, | think we have gat II ,pvS},rspd
will find after all it amt halfso good asa good
corn and potatoe and pork age. | am coDsid-
cradle bewildered by this state Of things, for j
find that the more gold one digs the more gold
he has got to pay for what he wants, and he
aint biz better of in the end | always
thought we sot too much store by gold, and If
man had not gold he was nobody, no matter
how much else he had now a change is COM
ing and gold has got 10 go down hill Jest as il
made other things 60 down hill. ] begin TO
think we have found here the head source of
gold, and all the other gold diggins are but
srnail streams and washings for this. There
aint no stock jobbing here, and no companies
chartered-every man does his own diggin.
] here are some speckelators here who try to
make some folks think thar the gold is what
they call "Mkey", but though you once told
me not to believe that all was gold because it
glittered, guess know the difference twixtI
gold and mikey as well as know the difference
twixt broad daylight and moonshine-so no
more at present.
Your loven nephew,
Ezekiel BARNES,
late Corporal Company b., n. Y. Volunteers
for Californy.
RAILROAD AcRoss THE IsTnNus OF PAN
AMA.--A company has been formed in this
city for building Railway from the Atlantic
TO the Pacific, across the Isthmus of Panama
and the following gentlemen selected as ,rus-
tees, viz
Gen. Winfield Scott Cornelius w. Law
renee, Esq, Matthew Mogan, Esq, Samuel
Jaudon, Esq, G. A. Davis, Esq, Judge VIII
lam Kent.
Books for the subscription of stock are open
cd for a limited period only.
The grant from the Government of New
Grenada, the control Of which has been sccur-
red by John p. Adams, Esq, Consul of the
United States at La Guayra, is limited to nine
'y-nine years, and gives the following advan-
tages, viz
LIST. An exclusive right of way across the
lsihmus, with the right to use gratuitowsly all
the public lands lying on the route Of the
road.
2d. An absolute gift of 300, 900 acres of
public lands 10 be selected by the company.
Sd. All the materials used for the road, as
well as effects Of persons employed thereon,
are declared free of duty
18th. Two ports, viz one on the Atlantic
and one on the Pacific Oceans, which shall be
made the temini of the road, are declared free
ports.
The preliminary surveys will tr undertaken
immediately, by w. Norris, Esq, engineer,
and it is supposed that the Road can be finish
I'd and ready for operation within two years
from this date.-Nao York poper.
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