The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-05-23
IrrTrR FROM CALIFORNIA.

LETJEk fNVM OAAAr 0AsHAAA'
We make tho following extracts from q letter
received ~ oas c6tpablisher, written BY PIC
sbro,her-,u.law, Mr.. Ca. G. FOXY: Mr.. 7. IS
J young man, stout, healthy, industrious and ae-
cus,cmed 10 work in the lead mines. Hc cml-
grated 20 California Inst spring, reached thu.
country under as favorable circumstances as any
ono, has enjoyed health, possesses happy DIS
position. ever buoyant with hope, however op-
pressed with the "frowns ofoutrageous tor'une,'
vet read how shor. his success has fallen OF the
an,icipations INDUCED BY those who have gone
thithcr. The letter was written in February at
Weayervillc, but post marked Sacramento,
March 6th:-
III still remain in this town. which is sixty
miles Yves, OF the summit Of the Sierra Nevada,
or Snowy Mountains, and fifty miles north Of
Sacramento City. It is considered ono Of the
heal,hicst parts Of California, and was o portion
Of the riches. Of the diggings when first dlscos-
cred, hut the Mormonr, and the Oregon CamPa-
nv got the best Of il. This town, and vicinity,
has contained abou. three thousand inhabitants,
mostly Americans, but they arc leaving in num-
bcrs daily for the north, and other diggings II
is generally thought that the rainy season is over,
no it has not raincd since The last OF January,
The weather since has been delightful. like May
in the Statcs--wi,h the exception OF eco! nights,
and frosty mornings, owing to so much snow on
The mountains. Notwithstanding the fine wealth
81, there are large number OF sick people here,
and frequently two or three die daily. ] assist
ed in burying fine young man yesterday, he
was from bingham, Mass ; his uncle there otler-
ed him three hundred dollars TO stay ut home,
bu. he, like many others, will never see home.
An old gentleman dicd'the day before, who was
worth fifty thousands dollars in the States; SO
you will perceive, that many who made the ad-
venture here, will never return, many have nev-
er reached here, and very few intend settling in
this country. There are many sorry looking ia
ccs to be seen here, mostly those who expected
to make fortunes BY merely picking up gold from
the surface OF the Garth, but were disappointed
Il requires the hardest kind Of labor TO get IL,
such As digging from two to twelve feet through
very hard earth, and then often not find any. I
am satisfied with my condition here. arrived
safe, and well, and continue So Good health
here, is considered good capital to commence
operations this spring. have now about two
hundred dollars, clear Of all expenses, which
have been great, and which is better than many
have done. expect this summer to be more
successful. w,sl, ,ha, had some Of my con-
nections with me, but do think that whoever is
dong well in the States, had better remain SO,
and not be deprived of many Of the comforts Of
life, a. we are, which is the cause Of 81 much
disease here. The prevailing diseases are the
Scurvy, Diarrh9a, and Fevcrs, which are chiefly
owing to the scarcity Of vegetables here in the
mountains. In. the City vegetables are more
plenty and cheaper; they are brought from S.nG-
witch Islands, and Oregon, and parts Of South
America Sacramento City, i. is said, is very
unhealthy. II is situated on the river bottom,
Al has been inundated this winter, and the in.
habitanss had to flee to tho vessels, and to sat.
,er's For', now hospital, which is two mile.
from the City. have not yc, been to The C ~
but expect to go shortly, expressly for letter..
We often send down for that purpcse, bu, yer,
few, ever receive any, which is owing TO the
management Of the Pos, Office Department.
There have men gone expressly for letters
and we offered two dollars, besides postage, fol
every letter they would bring u.s.