Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-07-11
FROM CALIFORNIA.

we nave hsO the pleasure OF cO0Ve1Slne WIN nj
Doniemire, formerly Of Van Buren, county in this
atate, but more recently OF the wyandot Mission,
Missouri. He went out with the emigration oflast
year over the mountains, and returned across the
Isthmus in one Of the last packets.
Mr. D. was one Of the thirteen, whose great sue
cess on Deer Creek, famous tributary ofthe w.
ba, caused 90 much excitement in California du-
ring the latter part Of April. He draws the infer
encs that il the luck Of those thirteen was 90 very
remarkable and the amount they obtained caused
90 much excitement, then must nine hundred and
ninety nine out of every thuossnd be slender in
deed. Tho bankers where they deposited their
gold expressed great astonishment at the amount
they brought in, and hundreds in San Francisco
were enquiring for sight Of the men from Deer
Creek. Now the amount deposited was well known
all over town. II was only between $4,000 and
$4,000 dollars, to be divided among thirteen men.
A little over or about $4,000 each.
Mr. Doflemre speaks very disparsgingly OF the
country. He says that not more than one in ten
succeeded in making any thing. About one fo' tn
die. Most of them give themselves up to gambling
and debauchery, ruin their constitutions and sink
into premature grave. There had been four
CO from last September to the LIST OF May. About
the same number had been buried during the same
time at Sacramento City. The prevailing sickness
is the diarrhea which proves nearly a. fatal a. the
cholera.
The fame Of the good diggings on Deer Creek
must have done more in filling their pockets, than
the actual amount they dug from the bowels OF the
earth. It enabled them to sell their claims At
large price. Among them all. one party obtained
fourteen thousand dollars for 10 feet in length
The next claim below sold for the same, 1000
Another sold for 100000, and another for $1,000.
They h,d turned the bed Of the creek, and when
they Sold it was very doubtful whether they would
realize by digging all summer the sum they got
for their claims.
Mr. D. saw, just sefore he left, Brooks, J. S. Da-
vid, Mcclure, Fouts, McCaslin, O'Conner and Mat
thews of this place. The latter had hurt his arm
and had been disabled for some time, but was get
ting over it, and was cooking for Frank Brooks
boarders. They all heartily sick Of the coun-
try, and propose to be home the coming fall. This
is the case with all who are there. They want to
get back to the states.
He attributes his success mainly to his frugal
and temperate habits. He, with his two compan-
ions-Messrs Atterbury and Douglass-were all
Sons of Temperance, and two Of them were MEM
bers Of church. They spent nothing for liquor,
cigars or tobacco. While those who surrounded
them lost much time and money at gambling, they
never permitted \ card to come into their cabin.
Mr. D. was twenty one days from San Francisco
to Panama. Great dissatisfaction was evinced by
waiting at the latter place for passage. There
were 1000 thus waiting, and by this time he pre-
there nearly 10000, and it was estimated,
before he left, that some would have to wait until
February for their turn. The proprietors CT the
steamships are visited BY the strongest anathemas
for the non-ful6lment Of their engagements. The
state Of morals at the Isthmus - well a. at San
Francisco 10 awful. Mr. D. was two days in cross
ing the Isthmus, and ten days from Chsgres to New
York. The whole passage cost him shout $500.
He tells US story Of two young men who had OBJ
tanned some FIVE or six thousand dollars, and were
on their way home. They had employed . negro TO
take their baggage, a. is usual on such occasions.
They had not got far from Panama, when the negro
made = sudden dive into the chspparal, and was
never seen again BY the young mer. He took with
s'ss's zee s''sy su,sss
they had toiled hard. Disappointed and dishesrt-
ened they both returned to Panama. Shortly after
one shot himself, ind il was thought by many that
his companion would soon follow his example.