Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1849-11-29
Letler from cnIifornia.
Com MISks, NORTH FonK. !

Dear Sir-You have, doubt. heard hefore this OF
my safe arrival in the gold mines Of California. as
wrote my wife the next day after arrived; and
as the mail only departs month from this to the
States, have delayed writing you that might the
better give you such information you would feel
ious TO know.
After our arrival, company. by mutual consent was
dissolved. Matthew Afford and ssml Dunlop going
themselves separately. and F. p H. and myself connu-
ing together After spending few days in preparing for
mining, left Coloma, (where first anded.) in
search Of place to commence digging for gold. We
cordingly packed our mules with provisions and i'm
PIGMENTS for mining, and each Of leading mule.
siecrcd our down the South Fork. There 8
forks to the American river the snuth north and middle
forks. We would travel three four miles down the
river. AMI when would place that promised fair we
would unload mules and prospect Tor gold until satisfied
that it would not pay, and then would again repack
and travel Not finding the prospec, fair the South
Fork, struck for the North Fork, and here
we have remained, supposed could do well
here any where in the dggings. The place where
work is called the Oregon Bar from the fact that
Oregon miners first found and worked on il. Here
commenced work and have made from $40 TO $50 per
day. Some days .ied much better than others but
none Of them yield sbundanty expected. There
10 New York company turning The river this bar and
when they get tkeir dam finished have no doubt they
will make large amount of money. The gold is most
abundant in the beds of the river and when companies
succeed in turning the stream they almG always make
fortunes company about three quarters of mile be-
getting from sr pounds Of gold per day,
but the expenses attending undertaking OF this kind
very great, Companies for this purpose consist gen.
orally Of from Is TO so and for all help they hire
they have to pay from 10 dollars per day, per
and board him besides il is rather expensive boarding
the Mines you will learn from list Of the prices will
give you before close.
There is quite difference in the gold found in the wet
diggings from that found in the dry dggings The part-
Giles found in the fmer very small. while those the
latter large, weighing from fly an ounce and
sometimes much larger. We have not been fortunate
yet to strike good "sresk" they say in this
country, but we erpect do day. and hope
to make This fall and winter that will take home
little befter off than came here Large fortunes are
not made every day-some make fortunes in few months
but hundreds make very little money during whole year
Il requires hard labor to make money by dgging-some
unable TO stand it, while others labor hard but from
some cause or other, make comparatively nothing The
labor in mining msy well be compared that Of canal
ing through rocky country, for gold is always found
among the rocks. and to get it you them,
and then. in wooden bucket pack your dirt to the
as 10 wash il in your machine. bucket full of the
dirt and stones will weigh about 40 pounds and has be
carried from to 25 feet and then the path along which
you have carry it is generally B. of stones OF
various sizes, making the ''road wealth very rugged
one. have in this way, carried to machine more
than 5000 pounds per day. and then night as vou NAV
suppose. would feel hale fagued My health. not
wthsfandng this, TO me, very labor very fine,
and eat my "humble meal" with appetite very becom-
ing one Of my profession. My bones. however, of a
night ache as though they out fitting my frame for
attack of bilious fever Men who make the most
generally those who deal in provisions groceries and
the right kind of dry goods and clothing, and think
this winter OF commencing something Of the kind our
selves II will be almost impossible mine in the win
ter and rainy and that is the time miners spend
the most money. Rents very high in the mines but
we in two weeks put up log house and in that
we can trade with much if il a four
story brick. called of old Manhetc Alnan's
sons the other day. and he has a little establishment Of
this kind and enqurng of him about his business be
said he doing wehat he took in from hundred
TO four hundred dollars per day. had long talk with
him about old tmes-whiIs there sold grains of
tar emetc to a sick for dollar the fellow ap
peared to be poor and very sick at that
We have been mining abont three weeks and have
cleared five hundred dollars This in the States would
be called fair wages but we do not look upon it in tina
light here. We think ought to make least $500
week, and hope shall do SO in short time.
September ID. Since writing the foregoing. we, ir
company with four Others have been engaged in turning
the river by means OF dam partly across the river We
will complete the dam in three days more and Their
we think will make money very fast. Our bar il
about hundred yards below that of the New York
where they doing well and judging from what W.
have seen, think will yield better than theirs
They that our prospect much better than their
was when they commenced work. To-day, after qui
work for dinner took large spoon and in less thar
half an hour dug up and washed sl2 worth of gold
This has encouraged very much and doubt not in
my next shall be able give you an interesting &C
count of our doings on this bar
The gold mines IN this country almost inexhausti
Bile, but the gold s very difficult get at and always vii
be The accounts heretofore given by writers have
been greatly exaggerated Il that there is sbun
dance OF gold in the mines but the stories about get
ting II IN such large amounts and in short time is
true now, nor do believe they ever did. But STILL har
as it to get, make money here than an,
place ever before.
The country far have it, is one of the
desoae, poor and unpromsing countries know Of any
where. The SOIL If soil it be called. looks like tn
dust about brckkiln, and certainly produc
sny kind OF grain. fruit any thing else, except tn
pine the scrub oak and few other and shrub.
IL said that grows well in the rainy whic
commences about the first of December but this looks
reasonable to me the nights already very COOL
much so that four heavy blankets be borne very
fortably. The country, however is nothing, the gold
oil, and this will keep people here while i, lasts.
IL may be little amusing TO you to know how we lv
in the mines, and giving you rather a sketch
things than regular historical account will tell yot
We have located under the shade Of little shrub
Here we dug away the rocks, scraped away the dirt
to make 1t Level, and then spread down Buffalo skin
and blankets This constitutes habation. and the fe,
leaves on this little tree only protection from Oh
nclemency Of the weather Our meals consist general
of fat pork, bread and coffee sometimes, when
lucky, we purchase small piece Of fresh meat,
10 forget entirely how fresh meat tastes. We general
get our breakfast by up, and then put off to worl
After working hard until about IL IL o'clock, we re
turn to our Dwelling place, and prepare for dinner whc
consists of the stands had for breakfast
then, after resting hour two, again
work-then we work until night, and returning W
prepare "tea" which consists Of tie preciou
articles as those enjoyed breakfast and dinner,
in this way work and live and notwithstanding W
live on the diet above described and sleep in the open al
we enjoy fine health. The greatest trouble have
counter Is the hard pallet which have to sleep.
affords very little rest to my tired bones, and instead @
that sweet SLEEP which clean, comfortable feather bed
fords roll end tumble about for nearly half the night
but such is the miners fare, and enjoy il best