Democratic banner., 1850-02-25


ever since. should it continue miners will be
compelled TO 60 TO the city and remsin till spring.
that is, those of them, who have not their provis.
ions laid in. The roads are now almost impossi.
BILE and hallinE is worth $40 per hundred for 20
miles, and still more if carried on pack mules
There are an abundance of provisions in the city,
but owing to the great demand, octasiofes by the
approach Of winter, they have advanced rapidly in
price, within the last few weeks.
Flour is worth $40 per Dbl /; Pork $50
Beef i25; Sugar 25cts.; Coffee l5c; Rice
ilOc; Beans SC; Saleralus $l25; Mulssses
I$l75c; Fresh beef 25c; Venlson and Elk
ditto; fresh fish doc; Potatoes 81 to 40c
per pound Onions 81 per ID. Everything
almost sells here by the pound. Lumber is
worth : 600 per 1000 feel; labor by the day,
from So TO $50. Mechanics get no more
than ordinary laborers; there are a great
many Of them here and they generally re-
Ser working at their trade to other business.
These are the prices in Sacramento City,
in the mines things are much d%earer, as YOU
will readily perceive when ] inform on that
hauling is worth $40 per hundred for every
ten or twelve miles distance, and the coun-
try dealer must of course have a pretty
round per cent, vi bis o%utlays; so that it is
not unusual for the miner to pay a dollar a
pound for his bread, aud for everything else
in proportion: A good wagon is worth 5000.
4 first rate yoke of cattle 1900. Ordinary
cattle, that crossed the plains last summer,
are worth from 500 to $50. Mules Of the
first class ara worth $3.50. Tired mules,
such as crossed the plains this year, from
$40 to Al75. Mich cows are in great de-
mand. A good American COW and calf is
worth $3.50. American horses and Cows
are 10 great demand. The Spanish COWS
not being good for mick, nor the oxen so
durable. Guns and pistols are cheaper than
in the States!
As ] have frequently mentioned Sacra-
mento City, will tell you something more
about it. The place it now occupies, was
a forest in May last, with only rudeiy con-
structed warehouse in it. Ii now contains
several thousand houses; elegant frame
buildings. besides innumerable hot.ses OF
canvass, tin, &c. was there in Septem-
Der, the place then looked more like the
tented field thar a popu "a city. ] was
there again the lst of this month imagine
my astonishment, to See that the tented field
had been transformed as if by the slight OF
hand into a city sure enough. Stately edi-
fees of the best material and finest archi.
lecture had gone III from the very founda.
%tions, beautifully painted, and their inmates
transacting business as composedly as il
llthey had been there for years. Lots in the
city are worth from $1,000 to $40, 000-ac.
cording to their eligibility or proximity to
the water. 1t is situated on the east bank
lof the Sacramento. just below the moutfUf
1.-THE American fork aud near tire head OF
tide water.
From the position it occupies, in relation
to navigation and the gold region, it must
forever be the depot for two-thirds Of the
whole gold region Of California. The sal.
rIley Of the Sacramento is rich, and well
adapted to stock raising; and the city's
growth is turning the attention Of the peo-
pie TO the subject Of farming and gardening
in its vicinity.
am agreeably surprised at the morals,
or in other words, honesty Of the country.
There is no religion in California, except
the little brought in by the cmigrsn,sj end
not much Of that for many persons who
left the States with a pretty fair supply, un-
fortunately left a part, or all of it, with that
portion Of their outfit deemed useless, On
the way. Whether they will find it On their
return, is at least, pr%oblematical. The peo-
ple,~ however, appear honest. A man may
leave his baggage by the roadside, under q
tree, for weeks together, and return and
find it unmolested. Thefts are very rare.
The rights of all appear to be respected.
A man has less use for a lock here than he
has in the States. Women are scarce here
it is good for the sore eyes TO see one
If a woman happens to pass, there is as
much parade and staring amongst Us as
there would be If an elephant or rhinoseros
should pass through your streets. Woman!
sweet creatures! the pleasure of your anna
BILE, moralizing, soothing society, none can
properly approximations bot a miner in
California.
| must conclude, with something in reia-
1tion TO the laws of California. You know
more about the laws existing here by the
treaty with Mexico than | do; but the peo-
pie seem determined to throw off the Alcalde
system, and hare laws Of their own. To
this end, they have zone 10 work systemati-