Democratic banner., 1850-01-28
Late and Interesting Letter from Cali
ROrniR.

OuE " - kbS w
ling letter Of Gur c%ountyman, Timothy Ford, for
reliable facts from California. Mr.. Ford former
lily resided near Frankfort, in this county, and is
known by the most of our citizens. The news
is not so late as much intelligence which we have
received, but becomes the more interesting from
the general acquaintance with the writer in this
section. His statements may be relied on.
AMERICAN FokR OF SAcRAnrsro Rrvr.,1
CALIroRNIA, October 20ih, lS49
.Messrs. Editors: On leaving .'Old Pike" last
Spring, | promised TO write to many individuals,
which | find it impossible TO do individually /; l
therefore hope, through your indulgence, to re-
deem my pledge to them all through the medium
of the press.
SKETCH or OUR TRIP.
We left St. Joseph on the 9Th May, arrived at
Fort Kearney on Platte on the 1Hh-crossed
North Platte June 20th-at South Pass June Both
- reached Green River July 3rd--passed Fort
Hall July l7th--at sink of Mary's river August
l1h--reached Pleasant Valley Gold Mines Sep
TENDER 4th. --sa..
The whole route is comparatively good with
few exceptions. Indeed l do not suppose that a
road can any where be found to equal it. From
ST. Joe ~ Fort Larimie the road cannot be equal
ed in the United States. From Fort Larimie
across the Black Hills the road is undulating but
not bad, excepting on account Of sharp stones or
pebbles, which wear the animals feet rapidly;---
from thence up North Platte and Sweet Water
1.-THE road is fne---from Sweet Water through the
South Pass 10 Green river, road very good---
from Green river 10 Bear river road rough in
places. with much sand and dust. Down Bear
river TO Soda Springsi is the most beautiful valley !
ever saw, all il lacks is timber 10 make it a para
disc. From Soda Springs to Msry's river ria
Fort Hall and Raft river the road is but ~tolera-
ble---sand and dust bad. Down Mary's river toI
the sink (S00 miles the road is level, but owing
TO the vastcrowd Of emigrants the dust was from
two inches 10 two feet deep, and grass scarce.--I
From the sink 10. Carson river a desert Of 45|
miles, without grass or fresh water. Up Carson
river road good, except the dust. From thence
through pass Of creek Carbon, over the LIST and, I'd
ridges ofthe Snowy Mountains, l do not suppose
a wagon ever passed over q worse road. Its moi
worth while for me to say 'they can't" after
passing over this road. From the dividing ridge
to the gold mines the road is not very bad, butt
grass so scarce that we were compelled to resort
10 cutting down oaks trees for our cattle to browze
upon. There is no timber scarcely from 81. Joel
until you reach the head Of Carson river, FROM
that place inward timber plenty, and larger pines
than | ever expected to see. Water in most
places was good. Fuel reather scarce. The
wild sage, however, generally afforded us a full
supply. so that we were not reduced to Buffalo,
chips but once on the entire route. Game ralh-
er scarce. Indians few and friendly---not trou-
blesome, except now and then to drive of an OK
or so or a few mules. Upon the whole, the tripl
- ana a,u.. r,o ,ar,, horJ lahor o-J 1870 |
sure; one | could scarcely be hired To perform
again. A few thousand would not tempt me tol
undertake to drive another OK team scrsss those
plains.
THE GOLD MINES.
II is a fact, fellow-citizens, that there is gold
here, and much more Of Il too than l expected toj
find. But there is another thing about it: It'll
is much harder to get than l supposed it would
be. 1t is the hardest work that l ever did. YOU
can't make easy work of it. You perhaps will
remove 20 tons Of rock in a single day, many
boulders Of two or three tons weight---this you
must do TO get the gold. The gold is found not
in the loose sand on the surface, but under it in
a clay, on the granite or slate. You no doubt
wish to know how much a man can make afterI
doing all this lard labor. / can only state what
| know. Eight or len of the boys from about
frankfort opened the diggings on this bar, which
We call spike Bar" on or about the 18th of
here we have been ever since. We have
made something like $40 per day 10 the hand,
our bar is pretty nearly exhausted, and
it may be some time before we find another place
to make anything. As q general rule if a man
is not making his ounce, he hunts out for a new
place. The cream will be taken off this year,
but the mines are inexhauslible, and a hundred
years to cvne California will be celebrated for
its rich gold mines. There are thousands and
thousands Of menhere--some coming in and many
going back. 1t won't do for Boston clerks and
Missouri Doctors and lawyers TO come here ex-
pecting to dig up a furtune---they soon find it foo
much for their delicate fingers, curse California
and take the back track. A man to make money
here, by mining, must devote himself to a hard
way of living. He must calculate OH packing his
provisions and tools on his back frequently from
one 10 ten miles over mountains too bad fer even
mules to sleep by the light Of the moon upon
the rocks or sand as best suits him. Sit on theI
ground and eat his meat ont Of the frying pan,
drink his coffee out of attn cup, and not Be over
nice about anything. Thank God we have good
California appetitCs. ''i '" SIS
PRICES AT SACRAMENTO CITY. 5"-
Flour, (best Chilian) $3.50 to 8 per cwt.--
Pork, 1888 70 @4O per bbl, Sugar. i6 to 22c perl