The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-06-25


here; house and ship carpenters readily command
from $l2 to GIG a day, but cannot be obtained
Lumber Is worth from $500 to $500 per 1000 feet
none In market.
Persons coming here should take with them
only few indispensable articles, as luggage can
not be conveyed to the mines, nor readily deposited
tor safe keeping.
The inexhaustibe abundance of gold at the
mines is more and more confirmed, by the observa-
ton OF every day SINCE my arrival here. 1t is in
the hands of the diggers who daily arrive here
from the mines, and at all hours of the day you
will see the shopkeepers weighing it in exchange
for goods; might almost say that have seen a
cart load of it since have been here; and not one
man whom have seen from the dlggngs. but
speaks In the most glowing terms of the productive
ness of the mines. IL is true some are more sue
cessful than others some will make thousands of
dollars in few days, while others may not get
more than few ounces in the same time.
San Francisco Is, however no place to bring
family To; and all that have families here are about
sending them home, including Governor Smith,
whose lady is to take passage III the next vessel.
Tell any friend that may be coming here not to
bring any KIND OF goods on speculation, but simply
bag light as possible, as goods of all kinds in
abundance may be purchased here.
Mr.. Trip states that III order TO proceed to the
new diggings in the Stanislaus river, he had, in
company with several others, purchased an old
whale boat, which was considered a great bargain
at four hundred dollars, although In New Bedford
It would not have brought fifteen dollars. They
refused an offer of $3.50 for it the day, and
having procured spIlt, worm ABOUT % cents, Tor
which they paid SIS, and fitted their craft for sea-
they were TO proceed directly for the mines.
From the Salem Gazette
- ST, Francisco, April g. 1919.
Thank God, am at last arrived at the place.
we arrived on Sunday, April l, and start up the
the brig Mary and Ellen, Captain Eagleston, OF
Salem, and take breakfast. He will make great
voyage He told me he had sold some woollen
shirts, that cost dollar EACH for $St dozen, and
u narr IVa 4.
have been offered, as clerk, $4,000 year. This
is country Money is used like water; men get
$l2a day, and 81 an hour; carpenters get $l5
day; powder Is worth IS pound, and shot 81;
about Si5 barrel. You will AK If have seen
any gold: Plenty of it. | saw one piece that
weighed q pounds troy, worth 81 ,2is, and good
Is worth 70 pound, and boat that is worth 800
at home is worth 81, 600 here, and they ask 500
nsy Tor r the use Of 'kem Frank Bates is at SUIT
we shall be all right. The greatest thing is to see
Them drink and gamble; the most Disgusting scenes
You ever witnessed. Rum is Is cents a glass
They bet as high as $4,000 on game of cards
It's l2O miles to Suffers, and 40 from there to the
mines. They ask $50 passage, and SO hundred
tor baggage, up to Suffers Fort, and about as
much more to the mines.
tiers, that the. brig Mary and Ellen, Captain Ea-
geston OF this city, referred to above, which sailed
fIcm Salem, in October last, has been advan-
tageously sold in California. Mr.. John Henry
sick shortly after leaving Salem. and died of Cape
Horn, OF consumption, January 18th.
The annexed are extracts from letter from Pay
master -, dated
MONTEREY, April 4, 1919.
In answer to your inquiries about California, and
whether would advise you to come here to live,
and bring Mrs. -, will say, that as to bring
Some three or four of the officers have brought
their families by the steamer; and believe they
all repent having done go. ] know that the ladies
repentr; Several of them-among them General
Smiths lady-intend returning by the first steam
or. You would have to pay here $50 per month
tor cook, and very inferior one at that. As to
servants, we never think OF such luxury We
have 10 clean up our oxn rooms, make up our
beds, bring water, attend to our horses, and, in
short, do everything.
see it is reported in the papers that the officers
are king fortanes: 1t is all humbug. Capt.
Marcy is reported to be worth one million in gold
dust, DC. As to Marcy, who is my messmate, |
can speak with certainty. He went TO the mines
last fall, and was absent some two months, and |
am sure he did not make more than his expenses.
HIS friends here think he lost on the trip / think
not one of the officers has ever made anything by
digging gold" Some have, no doubt, made a
little by speculation in gold dust and town lots.
Those who purchas ed lots in this country when
Gen. kearDy was here, have made money.
AS to your proposition to go into mercantile
operation here, would have been glad to have
joined you some nine months ago; but would not
advise you, or any OF my friends, to bring goods to
this country at this time as there Is already heavy
stock on hand; and from the number of ships on
their way laden with goods, I should not be sur
prlsed IT they were lower here next fall than in
New York. The merchants who have a large
amount Of stock en- hand are very uneasy, and are
anxious to dispose of them at reduced prices.
think, II were In your place, being good clerk,
would come out and see the prospects, Clerks
are IN demand, and when here you could embrace
any. opportunity. that might offer. Business is
easily obtained for almost any capacity, from shoe
black up to lawyer The only objection see to
yonr coming would be leaving Mrs. -, for it
will beyears before the country will be fit one
for ladies' to live in and know, from experience
II Is no small matter TO be separated from ones
family.
am much In hopes some paymaster will get the
gold fever, and ask to be sent to relieve me.
As to agriculture IN this country the gold has
Gold dust is selling "a: $l4 30 per ounce Last
year, in the fall it as low as $40. II they es-
tsbli.h mint in California (Which they shonld
do) the price will go up much higher.
From the Lowell Courierl
SAN FRANCISCO California, April "a, ls49
To see how certain other articles are selling,
look on the other side Fine shirts, 81 all kinds
Of theetings and sh'rngs, drug find pur-
chs,ers ] saw silk shawls, which cost IN New
York $50, sold at auction for IS 81. The best
of kid and buck gloves sold for 25c per pair-cost
81 80 TO make. Board for IS per- day.
There has been new mine discovered here,
called the Stanisaus, very rich indeed. We have
secured our passage to Stockton, only few hours
SAIL paying $35 apiece. From thence we have to
walk SO miles with our baggage, crow-bar, wash
bowl and shovel, and blankets. The mine of Sta
nislaus is situated the San joaquin. The rivers
are all very high now. The mines on the Sacra-
mento are still sought for. The Indians attacked
the Americans above Suffers Fort, and many were
killed. Many men, ALSO have been killed in the
mines, and many bodies found in San Francisco,
around the outskirts.
l only wi.h could tell you all, but cannot. I
have not the first cent in the world. Hundreds
leaving daily, account of the sickness at the
mines. have got along well, so far / have been
offered $500 per month, and my board, rs Inspec-
tor at the Custonl-house, which refused. You
Gun have no idea of the kind OF persons VINO have
tie principal charge OF the place, and the bus-
ness men heIe-ihe ton OF the place. ] am sur