The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-08-24
SAN FRAYcIsco, June II. 1870.

interesting
SAN FRANCIsco, June II, lSi9.
Dear Oycdr-At last have reached this
great city 50 muchtalke ed about, aud where
so many would like TO be but caunot come. .
1t is just four months since left home, and
long months, too. II is with any but unplea.
SAINT feelings that | now sit down ON this
pleasant day, and in San Francisco. too. to
write to my friends at home. | wrote from
Panama, hich place we left on the 23d IF
May. Our vessel was crowded: some came
on board sick; many without dollar; but
all felt IN good spirits when the wheels NOV
cd and our vessel left that grave yard Pa
mama. Nearly all on board were sea sick
Tor two or three days. We had no very
rough sea, but the bilge water in the ship
was dreadful. The drinking " alter was the
most sickeniIg stuff | ever drank. Old sal
Tors said they had drunk what was called
poor water, but never such stuff as that.
You have Ito idea what poor water is in a
no. climate, al sea, the thermometer at no.
AT the same time there was good water on
board, and enough to last to this place. but
no one of the passengers knew it, or think
we should have had it. But Capt. Pcarsons
wished TO sell his miserable ale at ST a bot
tie, and he knew very we'll that no one
would drink it unless he gave them worse
than bilge water TO drink. He is no more
1T Tor Captain OF passenger steamer,
than hc is to associate with respectable
people.
We reached Acapulco on the 30th. Here
the stecrage passengers provided them
selves with provisions, as the stuff which
was served up TO them on the boat was not
fit for hog TO eat. Inever was on boat
where there was such general dissatislac-
ton as on the Oregon. At Acapulco we
found several vessels which had been from
25 TO 40 days from Panama. They were
all crowded with passengers, and many
came and begged hard to come on board the
/ Oregon, but we were full, They had paid
5000 for their passage, and would give any
price TO get on board the steamer. piiied
them, poor fellows, but could not help them
/ We stopped at Acapulco but few hours,
and then lief, for San Bias, which place we
reached June >. Here we stopped three
J days to take on coal. This is a miserable
place, and is only the landing for goods
which 60 into the interior. We were glad
TO leave as all were in hurry TO get to the
gold diegings.
! When the Oregon lef, San Francisco two
months ago for Panama, mules were worth
$500 each. So the Captain, thinking he
could make a speculation, bought at San
Bias six mules, 800 bushels Of onions, and
300 or four hundred squashes, at the same
time refusing to take on board men who
had been there Tor weeks. and were actual.
ly suffering, and would have given almost
any price to have got aboard. When we
arrived here, the Captain found that mules
were down to $50 to 800, which would
hardly pay cost.
We stopped short time at Monterey and
San Diego. will not give you much OF a
description Of our voyage, nor the many lit
tie incidents with which il was attended
When get home shall have much TO tell
you. Suffice il for the present that am in
San Francisco, California, aud in better
health than have had !oryears. We were
20 days from Panama, which is quite long
to be ut sea on a steamer with $50 lassen.
gers. Any one who comes TO California
ought 10 get rich. But fcarthat many will
be disappointed. We anchored about mile
/ from shore, aud soon the whale boats were
round taking passengers ashore for 81 each,
which is 2or dollars less that they charg.
ed month ago. | was astonished at tho
appearance of the town. There are nearly
100 vessels in the hNrbor, and the town is
built with canvass. In the morning stakes
are driven into the ground, then covered
with drilling, aud let for $3.50 per month.
thought Of Chicagoin 1884. San Francisco
is just as Chicago was then, only the excite.
ment is on a grandcr scale. Ishould Judge
that there were 800 buildings, one story and