Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-06-02
CAPTAIN SUFFER-.

The following graphic sketch OF Capt. suit
Ter, and Suffers Fort, is from an excellent
letter from California, in the Home Journal
will give, as you have requested, the
readers of the Home Journal, sketch of
Captain Sut,er,(pronouncod by himself Sootcr)
his means, the fort bearing his name, and a
few facts, in relation to the gold region. He
is about fii,y-two years of age, of middling
height, strait form and possesses that symme-
try and smalness of hand and foot which
Lord Byron sets down as sure evidence of
gentle blood. In manners and conversations
Capt. Suffer is a perfect Chesterfield he is
well educated, and speaks several different
languages, nuently; he is a native of Swtzer-
land, and was one of the officers of the Swiss
Guard in the Revolution of July, during the
reign of Charles X After the revolution, he
emigra,ed 10 the United States, became ma
turalized and resided several years i'll Mis-
souri-thencc, in 1889, he came to California
and obtained grant Of ninety miles square
of land from the Mexican authoriles-his
title is conditional one, and may, hereafter,
create trouble for him. In his private char
acter Capt. Suttcr is kind, hospital, and gen.
erous. In fact, his generosity frequently lays
open TO be preyed upon by the idle and worth.
less. When asked why he permitted such
large demands upon his hospitality without
a recompence, he replied: "What can do,
Sir-they come here cat, drink, and sleep
and sometimes without thankin" me-but
what can do? | cannot turn them out in
the wild forcstn Surrounded as he was, ON
his first settling in this country, by tribes OF
wild Indians, he has, by Kindness and inst
dealing, attached them 10 his interest, and
he now has from three 10 four hundred OF
these Indians devoted to him and his.-Thcy
for their food, and n pay from four TO six dol
lars per month, man his fort, work his farm
and mills and do all the labor generally re-
qurcd in new settlements. Capt. Suffer-
with all his landed and other property, is
subjected to many annoyanccs.-Whent the
Russians, through necessity, abandoned ,hcil
settlements at Ross and Bodcga, Capt. Sut,el
purchased their stock. cannon, furniture, etc.
and transported them, with great labor, ,c
his settlement to New-Hcvetia. This pur.
chase was effected for a consideration o.
$50, 900, to be paid in an annual insallmen1
of wheat, deliverable 10 one of the Russian
Fur Company's vessels. The instalmenis
owing 10 the unfortunate Seasons, have laid
over for some years, and should a Russian
vessel appears at this juncture, his large crol
will be swept away at n mere nominal value
| Suffers Fort, now called Fort Sacramento
is situated short distance from on one of tho
tributaries of the Sacramento, five miles from
its mouth, and one hundred and twenty mile.
from San Francisco. The fort is in form o
a parallclogram, five hundred feet length by
one hundred and fifty in breadth. ....
The walls and houses are built of the oft
mentioned mud brick or abode. Bastion
at the angles, with cannons mounted, protec
all sides, and numerous buildings, occupies
as s,ore-houses, dwellings, and barracks TO
the garrison. The main store house wa
rented. during tho fever Of gold digging, 70
$4,000 per month. The garrison of the for
being more trusty men are better fed am
clothed than the farm Indians. D..
| The crop of wheat raised by Capt. SutteI
for The year 1918, was upwards of 1000
bushels, which is valued al the round sun
of $4,000. This is the proceeds from til
labor of one hundred and twenty-five rud
Indians. He has also erected mills for grind
ing wheat and saving timber, and it was i
the construction Ola dam and race for a sa,
mill that one of the persons in his cmplo
discovered the gold.