The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-19

Secretary OF State
CALIFORNIA;.
From the very interesting letters Of BAyAap TAy-
LoR, the special correspondent of the New York
Tribune, we have CLEANED the following para
graphs:
GROWTH OF SAN FRANCISCO.
The world never witnessed more wonderful
growth than that of this place. left here for the
Sacramento country on the I'd ult, and returned
on the 24th-yet in that interval the city was so
changed that no longer recognised the streets.
The small, one STORY wooden buildings which re-
placed the tents standing when first landed in Au-
gust had been moved to the suburbs, and spacious
The vacant spaces had been filed up; fronts of
brick began to make their appearance; large hotels
and restaurants, showily furnished, stared at me
in unaScustomsd places the throng in the streets
noise of great city was 80 well initiated, that on
landing from the Senator on a clear moonlt even
ing, could see little difference between Clark 8
Point and Pier No. !, Montgomery street, and the
lower part of broadway, or Portsmouth square and
inhabitants in San Francisco ffhcrc arc now, at
low calculation, upward Of 10000.
PRICES AND WAGES.
Prices are higher than ever, and there is no pro-
liability of their falling before spring: at least,
provisions of all kinds, am informed, arc more
expensive than they were at this time last year,
notwithstanding the supplies constantly coming in
is no variation in the cost of living, except that
lodgings may be had at cheaper rate Houses
fitted up now, ship fashion, with state-rooms,
each of which contains four berths In this way an
ordinary room will lodge twenty or thirty persons.
The cost of lodging in this style is $6 per week.
Boarding, of plain kind, may be had at s Ia and
SIG per week, but at most Of the eating houses il
is $50 and $25. see no probability Of much re-
duction in prices for q year TO come. In view Of
the enormous expense Of living, even in the SIM
plest way, there should be Immediate provision
made by the General Government for the proper
remuneration and support of the army, navy, and
all the civil Offices.
Laborers' wages have slightly decreased since
last wrote. The carpenters have had strike here,
well in Sacramento city, and gained their
point. Walters get $50 per month. Many per-
sons have come down from the mines, seeking en-
ployment for the winter. have doubt there
will be of want and restitution here every
where. Several suicides have been committed
through disappointment and dependency Ply
scians who are connected with the hospitals here,
inform me that they have frequent cases Of lunacy
under their charge, some caused by the sudden ac-
emulation Of gold, and others by the lack Of it.
Poor human nature!
Mr.. EAMEs, Commissioner to the Sandwich ISL
ands is still here, having lately concluded treaty
with Dr. Judd, before the latter dignitary (who is
the virtual ruler Of the islands) sailed for New
York. II is understood that Mr. Eames has since
resigned his commission, and will undertake the
cditorship of the Pacific Nesos.
Mr.. MooRE, the interchangeable postmaster, is kept
at work night and day by tho rapidly accommodating
about 1900 letters, and the Unicorn will take
about III 900. From sunrise until after dark there
is constant throng at the Office windows, and the
queues formed when the mail is first opened reached
down the hill, into Portsmouth, square.
SOCIAL ORDER.
At all these winter settlements, however small,
an alcalde is chosen and regulations established,
possible in accordance with the existing
cised by the alcaldc is sometimes nearly absolute,
the miners invariably respect and uphold it. Thus
at whatever cost, order and security preserved,
and when the State organization shall have been
completed, the mining communities, for an extent
of five hundred miles, win, by quiet and easy
process, pass into regularly constituted towns and
az good government and protection as any other
part of the State Nothing in California seems more
miraculous 10 me than this spontaneous revolution
Of social order from the worst elements of anarchy
II Is lesson worth all the gold
DEscRRrroSs OF NATURAL SCENERY.
Our route lay up the river TO the Middle Bar.
Climbing the mountain behind that place, we took
n line for the Butte, lofty, isolated peak, which
serves a landmark for the country between the
Costume and the Mokelumne. Descending through
wild, wooded ravines, We struck an Indian trail,
with fresh tracks upon IT, The thick chapparal,
here and there, made US think of ambuscades, and
we travelled more cautiously and silently than was
actually needful In the deep hooks and recesses
of the mountains we noticed ruined huts and the
ashes Of deserted camp-f fires. The gulchcs in all
directions had been dug up by gold hunters during
the summer. One, in particular, at the foot of the
Butte, showed--as we assembled IL, for more than
a mile-scarcely foot Of soil untouched. The
amount of gold obtained from il must have been
very great The traces OF these operations, deep in
the Wilderness accounted for the fact Of miners be
coming suddenly rich, after disappearing from tho
bars for few days s. $500 1900 +.
We climbed 20 the level Of the mountain region.
out Of which the Butte lowered thousand feet
above us. Our trail led eastward from its foot to-
ward the Sierra Nevada, whose shining summit
seemed close at hand. The hills were dotted with
forests of pine and oak, many specimens OF the for
mer tree rising 10 the height Of two hundred anc
fifty feet Theconcs, ola dark-red color, were fully
eighteen inches in length. The ground, In thu
sheltered hollows, was covered with large acorns
very little inferior TO chcstnuts in taste. The dcc
and bear become very fat at this season, from feed
ing upon them. They form the principal subsist
ence Of the Indian tribes during the winter In on'
of the ravines we found an " Indian wind mill,
as the miners callit-a fiat rock, with half a dozer
circular holes on lie surface, beside each Of which
lay a round stone, used in pulvcrizing the acorns
We passed one or two inhabited camps short dis
lance from the trail, but were apparently unob-