The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1849-06-29
CALIFOENIA ITEMS.

A large number OF letters nave oeen
brought by the Crescent City from Cali.
foruio, giving a pretty full account of the
state of things in that country. We on.
ly notice few particulars.
The expenses at the mines are about
SIS per day for living. Brandy and whis-
key sell at SC per quart and Porter at $S
per bottle. Flour, Pork. Sugar, Coffee
&c. bring 81 so per pound. Other things
rate in proportion.
The quantity of gold is still said to be
inexhaustible. A population ofone mil.
ion faithful and industrious digger
would not exhaust it in 90 years. Yeti i,
requires labor. industry and perseverance
Without these qualifications nothing can
he made.
1t is said that the machines manufac.
tured here and taken to California, for
washing gold. are uSeless--common milk
pans being all sufficient.
The character Of the diggers from all
accounts is not the best. The popula.
lion is made up Of various classes and
people and difficulties continually occur.
Many young men, disguSted with the
hard labor necessary in digging, have
left the mines,and are doing well trading.
ExPENsEs OF LIVING &c A letter
10 the New York Commercial. d ited San
Francisco, April 4th, contains the follow
ing interesting items:
"As to this place, the short time that |
have been here must be my excuse should
not give you any very definite informa.
tion. The buildings are like those of any
small new growing town in The United
States, only the plastering or whitewaSh
is mostly Of common unbleached cotton
sheeting. The number of them is about
500. The inhabitants it is impossible to
enumerate with certainty, but probably,
not counting the last steamers, they a.
mount to 5000. Building lots aud build
ings are enormously high-too high. A
small hut neat cottage Of one story. with
its lot, was recently sold for S26, 900.
This cottage cost to build about $4,000,
but the lot, with three more of The same
size, was sold two years since for 81 ,050.
A small shanty but few feet square,
rents for $50 per mouth. Wages Of car
penters are Sl2 per day and others in
proportion. The rent of the house which
Gen Smith occupies is $4,000 per year;
and none of tho buildings are large ex.
cept hotel-whch is of respectable
size. Upon landing friend went with
me to small one story unpainted resiau.
rant. and for breakfast each had one sup
ofcoffee aud good beefsteak about half
the size of New York porter house
steak, some butter, but bread in abun.
dance, with small potatoe, aud the price,
as we had been told by another passen-
ger, was 81 so each.
DINNERS at the hotels, | am told are
$3.50 Board aud lodging in boarding
houses is SO single day, or 50, so a day
when more than week. At hotels il is
SIS per week. Washing is from SO to
ss per dozen.
There are in California men Of all
trades and professions, but tho physicians
are most numerous. One may sit down
in any place in San Francisco, and he
shall see doctor pass by once a minute
all day long. There are certainly lwen-
fy doctors TO one patient. Mechanics are
also numerous. but there arc scarcely
any engaged in their trades. except fe W
carpenters. who GO, SIC per day for their
labor. Agriculture is entirely abandon
ed.
There is no society. no such thing as
friendship, no pleasure Of any kind there
is no religion recognized in practice, and
no Divinity worshipped but gold, and to
its shrine multiludes Of pilgrims are daily
Aocking. Although the country is with.
out government, il 10 not absolutely with
out ordel--even better than existed at
any time bsfure it was annexed to the U
States, and better than exists nnw in
Mexico, or any of the South American
Republics. Every man goes well arm.
ed, and as great insuts and injuries are
pretty sure TO DO followed by instant
revenge without any chance Of escape
by 1.-The laws delay" they are not very
frequently committed. Murders, larce.
MES, and robberies, if the offender is
caught, are punished with great severity,
after trial by jury in due form. At the
mines, as they have no prisons, hanging
is the only mode of punishment. Upon
the whole, life is considered tolerably Sc.
cure, and property too; when properly
watched aud guarded by the owner. Blu,
the effect ofabsentees, though they might
not be feloniouSly stolen "con,rory to the
form the statute" would he plundered
and lost to the owner to all intents aud
purposes.
The "diggers are generally very sue.
cessful; tina: is, strong. healthy men, ac'
customed to hard labor. They get about
two ounces day, aud some much more,
some less. 1t is hazardous business
however. Some are robbed. some lose
their health. and some their lives. Itis
calculated that the quantity ofgold which
has gone out Of the country, since the
mines were discovered. is. in value, a.
bout seven millions ofdollars.
| ..I
GoLD DISTRICT. is said that ne "
mines OF gold have been discovered thirty
I vo;laa f,or, San Eran.;soo Tha.a j;o