The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-19

Interesting Cali1orni. Intelligence.


From the New Orleans Delta, May 10.]
The following letter for which we are Indebted to
friend from an Intelligent merchant Of this city who
went out to California in the California gives the most
clear, connected and graphic description we have yet
read Of the condition Of affairs in the new Ell Dorado
The of the writer enables vouch for the
perfect accuracy of his statements Truly is the con-
ation Of this State most singular and unparalleled
We hope however, that affairs will settle down
into quiet and order and the great resources OF the
country be developed in peaceful and gradual man
neg
We sailed from Panama the LIST February, and ar
rived here ON 2sth February touching at Acapulco
than four hundred SOULS with only fuel sufficient
to reach Monterey where remained hve days to get
wood enough to to this port Most fortunately
we had calm weather nearly the whole PASSAGE
should have run short of fuel many hundred miles
south Of this which would have placed us In very
pleasant situation, as the California does not work well
under sail
most singular state of things prevails here 1t is
believe without precedent in the history OF the world
The cold weather and have driven all the miners
from the mines into this place and Monterey. They
devsing all sorts of modes of spending their gold
and killing time of which gambling appears to be the
most in vogue la fact there is nothing going here
but gambling and drinking Everything is selling very
high at retail; Wholesale prices ere more moderate.
Flour S18 per Dbl pork $40 beef Sl6 All kinds Of thick
clothing very DEAR coaks at retail Sl0o coarse pants
So to $i2 per pair boots SIS to s25 blankets $50 to
$40; butter 81 per ID brandy, 81 to $40 per gallon;
milk SIS per gallon cut nails rs cents per ID wrought
do SO cents lumber $500 per 900 feet There are in
this harbor about forty merchant vessels ships briggs
schooners many with cargoes aboard there being few
places on shore for storage. The greater portion Of
these vessels from the South American Pacific
coast and freighted with -four and assorted dry
goods and groceries; some from the Sandwich
Islands, with sugar. fruit &c. The variety of flags
among the shipping strikes with surprise-thers
are American, English, Hungarian, Spanish, French,
German, Ecuador, Peruvian CHILEAN, Russian and
Mexican vessels all huddled together Labor especial
y mechanical is high carpenters command from 81 to
SO per day man with a horse ~ can earn from
S40to $50 per day Board is quite reasonable under
the crcumstancesS3 and - per day being the usual
price; washing Is ~ per d9zensS Is frequently paid
pants Wood Is $50 per cord Nearly all the vessels in
port without men, their sails unbent slowed
away in the hold with perhaps the captain and mate
aboard ship keepers The California has been port
four days and the have all left engineers andan
with the exception of the boatswain cook and steward
who, in all probability, will soon follow The condition
OF the ships here is like that of the ugly sinners de-
scrbed by Virgil who crossed the river Styx, and
condemned to wander forever on its banks looking in
vain for the means Of crossing 1t Is probable that
we shall have all the Company's steamers here in a
bunch, like box of bad herrings. 1t would be easy
matter to frame an advertisement as to the probable
date ofhe CALIFORNIA; departure Sailors have offered
to ship for Oregon short trips to Southern ports
for S!O0 per month Jack appears to delight in the at
mosphere Of California and generally refuses to 90 be-
yond its influence All We heard in the States about
the gold mines il fully confirmed here There is gold
in abundance. All who go to the mines do wel-some
return with fortunes discoveries made every
day. The millennium - far as a plenty Of gold Is con-
cerned cannot be far off That this mining region,
extensive and so rich, and travelled by Indians
for hundreds Of years, should so long have remained
secret, is certainly astonishing have single
lump of cold found near the "iddle Fork valued mt
50 400 might recale YOU with ma nv other gold stories
but fear You would think me somewhat fighty from
the effects of the aunne which took on the sthmus
TO cure me of the Panama fever which Inv the nv did
not leave me until made the latitude of Inner Ca
liforna.
Flour has been sold at the mines ut 81 per H. $500
Der Dbl: shoes $50 per pair; pants $40 whiskey or
brandy "a a drink and not allowed To helm vo,,rself
Prices are now n little reduced though vet very high
Int will fall considerably ON arrival Of the stocks from
the States: vet believe all will do fair business
Transportation hence to settlers on the Sacramento is
terribly high S12 per Dbl for -four SIS for pork and
other things in proportion A paltry launch of few
tons earns ST 200 or 81 500 in few days o! for a
in il saw coo refused for an old leaky launch of
about six tons which might sell in the States for 500
or $780, There plenty of foreign schooners here
but Commodore Jones will not allow them to up the
Sacramento; hence the high of ira ortation
small iron steamer to run coastwisc between here
and Oregon, the north. and San Diego San Angeles
Monterey sc on the south would do a splendid bust
As the existence OF coal in this region Is doubt
full, steamer should be so built that wood might be
used to make steam
am greatly disappointed in the much Wanted eli
mate Of San Francisco. Since my arrival the weather
has been very disagreeabe-chilly and cold and the
worst OF 1t Is that 1t remains so during the entire
| am writing in my sate-roch on board the Ca
liforna, my CLOAK wrapped around me, and my hands
and feot cold rs charity. Snow may be seen upon
the distant mountains and hills in almost every drec
ton. In tins town. winter clothing Is required the
whole year round. During the summer the mornings
winds from the north in changing the weather
piercing cold Confound such climate am told,
however, that short distance from the coast the cline