Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-05-03
WApELLo, April "a, lS49.

Fa1ErD EpwA RDs :-Supposing that
some more California news may interest
your readers when il is authentic, | send
you copy Of portion Of letter from
| VIM S. Clark to his brother John Clark,
near Dubuque. Mr. VIM s. Clark left
for California three years ago this Spring.
.sSAN FRANcIsco, Dec. 2, l848.
DEAR BRoTHER:--In relation to the
| country generally it is different in every
respect from that Of the States II is de-
stitute Of timber for fencing and building
except in the mountains and there is the
finest timber in the world. The pine, the
fur and redwood are the principal timber
Of the mountains. There are large groves
Of oak timber in the valleys, which are a
species Of the live oak it is always green
and never. sheds its leaves. II is short in
the. trunk, say s to 10 feet round and
branches out into immense tops, the limbs
running ont from the main trunk from 20
TO 80 feet in length horizontally. The soil
in the valley is very good, but not any bet
ter than you have in the States. The cul-
tivation is as yet confined 70 the valleys,
although the soil appears 10 be good on
the hills and the lower mountains. In
many places the oats grow over the hills
and have the appearance Of cultivation.
They ripen when one or two feet high and
the seeds fall on tie ground and remain
in perfect state for the animals to eat at
their pleasure, until the rains set in which
Is in November or December. As for the
seasons, the rains fall in, occasional show
ers i'll October and November and some
times in December, January and Febru-
airy are looked upon as the rainy season,
ana sometimes shower or two in May.
There is seldom any thunder, and as sell
dom any lightning; but when it is seen at
all it is at a great distance to the eastward
in the mountains. II is very rare thing
to have frost, and if ice at all not thicker
than pane Of glass. The wind blows
during the summer from the north east,
and during the months of June, July and
August it is SO cool that we require WOOL
en- clothes and FIRE in the evening if we
have any place to make it, say fire place
or stoves, which are not in general use.
However, the climates much milder be-
tween the coast range and middle range
Of mountains, where il is almost perpetual
summer. And between the middle range
and main mountains there is some winter.
The snow falls from one to two feet deep,
and on the main mountain there is perpet-
ual snow. The fact is that there is eli
mate between the main mountain and the
coast 10 suit any and every body in the
dsSfo IT ,hD,,f fhcno lo,,
east 10 west all the varied climates can be
experienced any season Of the year.
can hardly realize the fact myself of the
best harbor and the best climate, and the
best country in the world, remaining un-
occupied and mcullivated for centuries
until the last two years.
In February or March last, poor emf
grant was experimenting gang of In.
dians for Captain Suffer, in excayatins the
tale race for little mill on the American
fork OF the Sacramento, when he discov-
cred some particles which he pronounced
copper or brass but finding it somewhat
plenty, curiosity prompted him 10 save a
small quantity, and he carried it in as spec
cimens Of something, but it was finally
pronounced gold! Then man was dis
patched 10 this place 10 have it passed upon
by silver smith, who pronounced It pure
virgin gold, "a carrats fine. The news
spread over the country like wild fire,
when the search was extended and they
began 10 save few dollars each day.
Much richer beds were found, where each
man could save one ounce day. This
news soon reached all over the country,
to Oregon and the Islands and the gold
is now found to exist to a very great ex-
tent, say 600 miles north and so1,h and
60 TO 100 miles in width, all government
land. and it has proved to be the richest
discovery in the world. Many men have
taken out several pounds day of the pure
metal. ] visited the mines myself in the
summer with the necessary implements
for mining, which were nothing more than
pick, spade and large tin pan. Ire
manned two months and found no difficult
ty in saving from one 10 ten ounces day,
while many Of my neighbors were taking
from one ounce TO $500 day, and they
have taken out as high as $4,000 in one
day. 1t is found in many places in chunks
from one TO seven ounces in weight. The
fact is the most exaggerated accounts fall
far short Of the reality. The mines are
confined entirely 10 the uninhabitable por-
lions Of the country. In many places the
Indians are hostile and very numerous,
but that does not retard the operations of
the gold hunters. They go in parties well
armed and drive the Indians back. Many
have lost by their imprndence. Almost
the entire emigration have come TO this
country TO better their condition, and the
prospect for gold absorbs their better judg-
ment. After man has tasted mountain
life, fear has no room in his breast. The
country abounts in all other minerals
Silver, quicksilver, iron, lead, copper and
coal, but they are all lost sight Of since the
discovery of the gold. The quick silver
hines were worked to considerable ex-
tent, but are entirely abandoned, and also
almost everything else, when people can
go into the mountains and dig out the pure
gold by the pound per day. They neg
lect all other business and sometimes their
wives and families. Provisions are very
high and are nearly all brought from 9TH
er countries. A great deal comes from
Oregon and Chill. I.have enjoyed very
~ro~.l bc,lyl, a:ooo l.. AZ