Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-10-07

The Dark Side Of the piesurs-Ltfe in tie Mines
Stories Of the Speculatsrs--Adyies to Califor.
MIA Fever Patisnts.
The following extracts from letter from q
young Baltimorean, who had been year in tho
the mines, to friend in this city, says the Bal
timore Sun, will be read " it'll interest. Il eivas
a peep at the dark side Of the picture. It 10
written with All air of candor that will carry
with it much influence:
YAsKtr JfM's DRY Drce1Ns, }
| August I'd, 1850.
1t seems that you nave got the gold fever, the
worst kind, and wish ME either 10 kill or curc.--
Well, i'll my way, will prescribe, and you can
take the dose or not.
There has been, and is STILL great deal Of
gold in this country, but don't think for mo.
ment that man can pick up his pile here, just
for Washington he can't come it. II depends
on mans luck as much as his exertions. There
are now thousands of men more here than will
be paid for coming, and thousands still on the
road
thought the country full to OVERLOOKING some
time ago, but still they come. There are thou
sands per day now arriving by the overland
route. They come into the country strapped,
and have no place to strike lick, for all tho
dlgglngs are claimed, that can be worked, Of
that have not been worked. In fact it " i'll keep
them moving 10 make a living from now until
winter, aud then see other help for them
but TO give up the ghost and die, unless they
find some friends That have little to spare and
will share it with them. God help them, say.
there are three times as manly here as will ever
get able TO pay their home passage.
The people in the States listen too much to
the reports Of merchants and spectators You
must know that il is to their interest to keep up
thu excitement it is the way for them 10 get
their fortunes. II Il man, more by good luck.
hon anything rls.'. happen. 10 blulder on few
th"nsarI. ;, h. lets II get out in San Francisco
and the merchants get hold of it, and then thew
make capital Of that mans luck, and the PEG
pie III tn States 90 crazy at once. But ,or
must recolct that it is only one out of hun.
dr.d that makes decent wages, and but one out
Of a thousand that gets paid for coming here
speak OF the miners.
There are, however, good many men who
make money here b! ealing, gambling, trading
tavern.keeping, &c, but the miners have TO pay
all, and by the time they are done paying they
have nothing left for themselves. In fact it
will be mighty few that will make much here
after.
The country 10 crowded. and all business 10
monopoliztd, except mining: and that 10 worse,
or SOON " i'll be, for it all will soon be dug out,
or 50 near it that it will take as hard work for
man to make living here as in any State Of
III. Union aud dogs life it will be at that
My candid opinion OF the matter is, that all who
have home in the States, or any prospect Of
getting one had better BE- satisfied and stay At
it, aud appreciate the good things Of life.
The letter that you saw from me was written
last spring, before could iolm correct idea Of
the mines, for had not then visited many Of
the dlegings but now am satisfied that know
something of them. About the middle OF March
| started out 10 the mountains, where expected
to 6nd new digging that would prove extensive
and rich, but after tram ping for three months
vas con- nctd that the gold was not ineAhausti-
Die as first thought They may come and tell
as many tales about the mines DIS they please,
but wait and it will speak for itself in u short
time.
There may be great deal Of money dug here
but look at the thousands 10 dig ii, and look at
the expense man is at Ia live. You must re-
collect that the mines are the only SURGE here,
ali must depend on them for as to this country
being good for anything Else, it is all mistake.
Col. Fremont may say vi hat he pleases but
know something about q. icuural pursuits, and
assure you that far short, in general way, Ia
this of being an agricultural country.
It is no use for me TO write to you in regard to
next year, for believe the country will all be
turned topsy turvy this fsl!-at least so that =
man can't more than make living aud that
dogs life. We are now at work, and don'e
make on an average over $40 per day, and have
spent $500 travelling round to find such dig
gings. These are my sentiments, opinions and
judgment, if have any OF the three.
You may think this strange 1eW TO come from
the Ell Dorado of the world, but strange as it
is, it is nevertheless true just wait short IL
months and the doleful tale will be told. You
will see more penniess men f1ocking home, by
and by than you can shake stick at; tho thou
sands will never get home for the want Of means
and some few will come home with fortunes,
though more of them well get it by traffic than
any other way.
have been in nearly all the mines, and find
every where crowded to the extreme, and still
they come. Yours, &c, D. ]. 1.