The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1849-12-22
SACRAMENTO CITY, California, !
October II, lS49. {

October II, 1849.
My health is quite good, with
the exception of slight attacks of rheumatism
Since 1 last wrote, Rob't II. Caldwell has had the
prevailing diarrhea of the country, but is well
again. There is good deal of this complaint in
this country and always will be to newcomers, for
they nearly all have to live on salt meat until they
reach here and then all go in for fresh meat this,
together with the mineral waters brings on the di-
arrhoa, but j: is seldom dangerous, if attended to
in season. The boys [the Lower Sandusky boys
were down from the mines last week, they have all
done well for new-bcginners. We see some of our
acquaintances almost every day. DR.. Anderson
and son, of Maumee city, arrived here few days
since; the Doctor reached this place on an ox-cart
the sorry remains of two splendid teams with which
he started R. H. Pinney, (the Texian lawyer who
once figured in Lower Sandusky,) Hiram Kelley,
(tinner) Lewis Green, Peter Hershey, and quite a
number from Sandusky city-all we'll Eight out
of ten of the people here are from the States and
every thing goes smoothly.
There was considerable excitement here yester-
day; we had an election to see if the people were
willing to have corporation and town council, or
not. The gamblers and liquor sellers rose up en-
masse against the measure knowing if it should
prevail they would be taxed But their endeav-
ors were all fruitless the measure was carried by
a large majority. So order must prevail To talk
of rabble and cut-throats-why this place is as or
derly as Lower Sandusky, either on the Sabbath or
a week day. The fact is, the Yankees brought
+lo I,abitc aIopor with tbar,
have just returned from visit to Suffers Fort
the place is in qutea dapidated state; many of the
outside walls having fallen down. They are built
of what we here call dobys, being brick Is inches
long, inches in thickness and % in width, made of
mud and dried in the sun; this is what constitutes
Mexican hiacendia. The Fort has now two hos
pitfalls kept in it. which look very neat and COM
| Portable.
The emigration still pours in by land and water.
Sacramento numbers about 1000 men and II Ia
dics This is California-the land of song, gold
dreams and diamond boys" AS for the diamonds,
| have seen none of them,-but gold dust is as
plenty here as paper money in the States, and ten
times more so for the meanest kind of men have
their pockets full oft. have seen many who have
made themselves rich in few days, though these
are rare many that were not used TO work at home
when they come to dig in the mines, if they do not
make themselves rich the first or second day, GET
discouraged leave the mines, curse the country
and 90 home; fully half are Of this stamp, and
many more gamble it away as fast they get it
The fact of it is. people here set no value on
dollar than the people there do on a six pence
as it is as easily earned as sixpence is there
| For instance-an old miner who had made some
$4,000 in the mnes wished me to make a ram
rod for his rifle, when it was finished, he counted
me down eighteen Mexican dollars; my price was
but two dollars.
suppose there is as much gold in these noun
tains as has been represented; but that which il
got and is to be got hereafter, will take twice
the labor that required the last year. II is
the most laborious kind of work. but it creates, d
kind of excitement which enables them to do mucl
more than they would at any other kind of labor
They have to dig through gravel and rocks from
one three feet, and frequently have to throw ou
heavy rocks to reach the metal and then after hav
ing opened their iead and are digging from SO t.
500 per day. in week it may entirely fail, ano
they have to hunt another spot But sometimes
they may make fortune out of one hole; SO yor
SEE IL great uettl o
perseverance,; in fact it is any thing but pleasant
business. Men not accustomed to work have nc
business here; but any man who has his health
and is willing to work at any thing can make mon
ey, plenty.
The rainy season will soon be on u.s. What ef
feet this will have upon the business in town can
not tell The miners generally, intend to winter
in the mountains, and are taking up a suffcien
supply of provisions and other necessaries. Sew
eral small stores have been removed from the city
into the mountains for when the rainy season com
mences the roads become impossible, so there vii
be little communication between the city anc
the mines. There has immense quantity o
goods arrived from the States. About fifty large
vessels are lying in the harbor which will have tt
winter there These will be used as store ship.
and boarding-places. A number of slaves have
been brought to this country by their masters, bu
on their arrival, they went to work for themselves
and left their masters to do the same-as this i.
the land of 'free-trade and equal rights The peo
pie in the States need have no fear that slavery viii
be planted here. l know of some negroes who ge
their $3.50 per month, as cooks in our boarding
houses.
Rob't H. Caldwell, VIM. Pettibone and mysel
have purchased blacksmith shop; Caldwell work.
at black smithing, as wagon n-maker and house
carpenter, and Pettibone is now at the mines We
board ourselves, it costing about 81 25 per day.
We have No l mackerel for breakfast 25c per lb
I-beef-steakS for dinner and sumner at 25c ner In