Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-10-25
VOL. XIII, NO. 5o.---wHoLE NO. 2245.

OF San Francisco, California, with our ewes pro-
jectlng like the small onions that are sold here
ONLY four for a dollar. | would lust like TO have
what few onions there arc growing in the gar
dens about your town. and then would return
in the neyt steamer. Here ends the story of our
voyage, and also the end of my voyaging on the
high seas, especially around Cape Horn.
Perhaps | cannot make better beginning of
what ain now to write you about San Francis
CO, than TO tell you that 1t is all you have heard
1t represented to be, aud if anything even more.
In his have been most happily disappointed,
Tor greatly feared that our uncommonly long
voyage would Illustrate all hopes OF ever meeting
with successful or speedy termination to our
fond and perhaps wild antcipations. But am
so fortunate as TO be able to write you that we
have found everything as favorable and as hatters
| ing as we can wish. There is a plenty OF gold
aud by hard and constant aborit is easy 10 geta
good, and will even say sufficient quantity of
1t to carry us happily through all the remaining
days OF our pilgrimage. J am well aware that
tins is large story to tell 10 the inhabitants Of
the green hills of Vermont many of whom are
unable to gain livelihood that they would be
willing to call anything but agreeable yet it is
nevertheless true. In confirmation of what I
have here said, you will expect me to give YOU
some evidence, and 30 will, but must first speak
of San Francisco.
! nc CIlHhle Vi OdD francisco Is one
which any American can live to a good old age;
and this too, with no more attention to health
or discrimination about diet, than is usually Civ
en- IN the most healthy climes of the States 1t
is true, that many who come here, are now
sleeping In the grave, and neither the marble or
the willow mark the spot for the falling tears of
friends and kindred. But such graves are filled
by those who seemed to forget that the spark of
life Is most easily extngushed when the laws of
our existence are violated, either by intemper-
ance, or the numerous other foes and abuses
that man Is wont TO subject himself to. Is not
the same story the history of every churchyard?
The city itself is grand cluster of tents,
huts, and rough board frames. But these all
rent for one, two three and four hundred dol
lars per month. There is one house here, about
the same dimensions of common two story
building, that rents for one hundred and hceniy
fire thousand dollars u year. Excuse me mo-
ment as tell you what is now going on about
} the threshold of my state room. During our
voyage had an opportunity to buy some flour,
fourteen dollars barrel. | jumped at the chance
t and bought ii, thinking that would make great
: speculation on it on my arrival at this port
But as luck would have it, | cannot get over
f eight dollars for it anywhere about here. So as
, write you now, all the passengess that pass my
door coolly ask, Charley, don't you want to
purchase few more barrels of flour z" Willis
e mas just come in, and says he has made one
e thousand dollars tonight. l asked him how he
did it, and he replied that lie had Just boupbt
some flour to sell to me, atfourteen dollars Dbl
And SO 1t goes all about the cabin. While in
the story vein, will tell you few more equally
as Interesting. One OF our party, -, bro't
out quite large box of tobacco for his own use
/. on the voyage and when at the mines But
5 thinking that he could get large price for II
here, he was very sparing of it on the voyage,
, and denied himself OF all save what he could
2 beg. Going ashore, he asks the price of tobac-
, CO. The merchant replies, 'we don't buy. sir
r but we sell all kinds and quantities for FIVE
t cents THIS same tobacco cost him twenty five
cents at home. While on shore this afternoon.
saw young man open his chest and take out
S bunch OF files, some chlsels, bag of salt, &c.
: aud taking them to the beach, he threw them all
l. into the water saying he want green enough to
e pay sixty cents foot per month tor storing the
D contents OF an old chest filled with trash that he
n could neither sell nor give away. might fill I'd
t my sheet with incidents of this kind, but pre-
n ter to say something about the gold, as it will
probably be more Interesting. Miners are dally
returning from the mines with one, two and three
= thousand dollars worth OF dust, that they havo
}, obtained curing The last two months. And then
again others, equally as many in number, are re-
turning worse off that when thew first left here
S These latter are the kind that we had not heard
u Of when left home, but it is probably no news
e TO you new. If you are so fortunate as to find
s good place to dig, you can get large sum in
short time; but II not, lis hard to pay expenses.
y But here, III Sun Francisco, fortunes are made
e by spectators every day. | yesterday became
e acquainted with young man who came here in
Il the same vessel in which II. X. Riker smiled,
: and he informed Inc that he bought a small lot
OF land for the purpose Of erecting an eating sa-
e loon. But in three days after he bought it. he
disposed of it with profit OF six thousand dol
e lars. But this is small compared with some
5 speculations that are daily made here. Capt.
T, Simmons is estimated 70 be worth from one TO
d two millions, and some even say more than this
b. Our crew have all left and he offers fifty cents
e an hour for men to discharge our cargo. In a
: few days shall go to the mines myself, that is
e after close my speculation upon -four, so that
y when write you again hope to be able to tell
n something that my own hands have done in the
- way of getting these sparkling treasures. If SO
= | shall be pleased to send you few specimens
" Having said enough for you 10 believe at one
d time about the mines, will lay aside my mem
# oranda for the present, though have not spoken
y of half the subjects that have there noted BY
I, the next Mail will try to give yoc little better
e news II positively can, though for one, think
i that what have already written looks fully as
a inviting 10 young man as some of the salaries
e that many are now laborng with their might to
: earn. Hoping that ere long shall be able TO
c return to the pleasures and duties OF home,
i | remain yours, respectfully,
e s.
t p. s. ] have omitted TO mention any big lump
: stories, as you have doubtless heard enough Of
j them already.