Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-06-21
A CALIFORNIA FACT.

Truth, lis some times said is stranger than fiction.
A fact connected with the California emigration
though not directly with it's gold mining has to
our knowledge which, while it wears all the features
of an invention ofromance, is nevertheless strictly
true in all its parts II is the interesting to
readers from the circumstance that the hero OF the
ry went from this vicinity.
About year ago young man in a neighborlng town
failed in his business and after assigning his proper
ty, his assets fell short of his debts by about ninety
thousand dollars. This was pretty heavy load to
carry but he was not altogether discouraged, and
said the time would come when he should be able to
pay off bis debts to the last cent People OF course
lncredulous but strange to say, tile probability
is that his promise will be fulfilled very early
day.
lie sailed for California to his living by labor,
before any news had reached here Of the wonderful
gold discoveries Of that region. lie took out with him
small invoice of goods, and the machinery Of
two mills This cargo wrecked before he reach
ed his destination he lost all of his goods and barely
escaped with his life lie sailed from the Sandwich
Islands, where he had been carried after the ship
wreck, and found himself at San Francisco with ten
dollars only left of all his property. He Immediately
opened negotiation with old settler for fine tract
Of twenty four square miles of the best timber land in
that vicinity, with several mills upon it, He final
ly bought it for 100000 on a credit of and two
years. lie enabled to obtain this credit by pro-
ducng the invoices goods he had shipped though
same time he secured the seller by mortgaging back
the property to him security. Soon after the pur
chase the gold fever began grants poured in from
all quarters and houses and shantes could not be
piled fast as they we're wanted by the new COM
erS.
The consequence was that lumber rose to an enor-
NOUS prce-several hundred per cent. i'll fact beyond
its ordinary value, and the mills OF our pcnnless
but enterprsng adventurer soon began to coin gold
for him much faster than the favored Of the gold
dggers could find it. In three months time he had
cleared in actual cash $4,000 towards paying for his
purchase of 100000 With part of his earning she
bought the ship Huntress and resold her week af-
forwards at clear profit of $4,000. With another
portion of it he added to the number Of his mills
and flour mls-the latter paying nearly as round a
profit as the former. Lumber still maintains its
travagant priceemgrants hocklng in thicker and
faster than evcrcvery thing in the shape of board
or single commands almost its weight in copper
if not in gold-and Yankee friend at the last adj
vices, confident that the profits Of his business
will largely increase for months to come
| Nothing but some unforeseen contingency can pre-
vent him from speedily becoming the richest man in
California. He anticipates, with pleasure, returning
home at early day paying off his creditors. principal
and interest, and having princely fortune spare
Altogether it presents very rare and remarkable
of energy and enterprise combined with good for
! tune
The foregoing facts fully confirmed by intelligent
men, who have been on the spot, well by letters
from various and respectable This man went
out 10 work and carry regular business, without
thinking or knowing anything about gold digging. But
of all the mines which have thus far been opened in Cal
iforna it appears that he stumbled on by far the most
productive. Times.