Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-02-18
LIFE CALIFORNIA.

The other side Of the pieture.-We have pub
lished great deal from the California papers
calculated to lead 10 further emigration, and to
induce those that are doing well at home to start
out on venture. We, therefore, publiah the
following note, which was yesterday handed to
us by gentleman Just arrived from San Fran
cisco, who informs us that it vas placed in his
hands to deliver to lis by young Baltimorean
in that city, hen about to start Tor home:
To the editors of The Baltimore Sun:
Say that am here alive, and that's all-(it is
not all gold that glitters.) TO my countrymen
and friends say that they will never know dis
appointment until they reach here Let every
enc remain at home that is at home, for out OF
one hundred, ninety-nine are either sick, broken
down in spirits, or loose their all by gambling.
Therefore never leave happy home for the de-
lusive snare set by few dreaming ones.
DEXTER.
We give the above verbatin as received, and
hope that tbs writer may yet find green spot
even in California. We also find the following
letter, giving a glimpse at the dark side of
things in California, in the New York Journal
Of Commerce:
IA funeral here is most hesrt-rending.-
A mule or a horse cart drives up to the door,
generally the came day of the DEATH Perhaps
few men may be seen hanging round, but fire.
euently no minister is in attendance coarse
pine box, something in the shape Of coffin,
stained black, OF dirty red, is then placed in
the cart, containing all that is left of poor hn-
snanity. Sometimes glazed black cloth is
thrown over it, and away starts the cart. Not
unfrequently the roads are so bad, that all de-
scriptions of urging and whipping the poor ami
NAL take place The few friends who follow
andattempt to reach the burial ground, at some
distance from the city, struggling all about, to
pick their way through the mud. They reach
the ground after frequently sinking to the knees,
and there they find scores OF new made graves,
and others in process of being dug. They hastl-
ly commit their friend to this most miserable
looking spot Of earth, and escape from it as soon
as possible. Every recollection of the last rest
ing place of husband, friend or brother is most
revolving and the imagination sickens at the
thought Of the charnel house in California"
A returned gold seeker also informs the edi-
tor OF the Boston Traveller of the suffering, mise
ry and death in San Francisco. He says the
newspapers there do not. record all the deaths.
He was told by the superintendent of that town.
that from sixty to seventy died weekly, and that
from six to eigh: were daily buried at the ex-
pense of the city, they have no friends to care
for them while sick, or to bury them when
dead. Many persons have come down from the
mines enfeebled, without money, friends or
home. They wander about the town, and often
sustain life by digging CLANS and muscles upon
the sea-shore, and by fishing finding lodging
at night perhaps, in the tent of friend; if not,
in the open street. The late fire, by decreasing
the number of buildings at the moment that the
population was rapidly increasing, has added
greatly to the suferings of this class OF persons
Such was the state of San Francisco at the COM
mencement ofthe new year. 1t certainly is not
y very inviting picture.
"A letter from Gen. Darcy, the leader of the
Darcy California party, published in the Newark
Daily Advertiser, dated Sacramento city, Dec
"a, says:
"The prevailing sickness of the season has
abated but there are still many deaths among
those who were broken down by severe bowel
complaints and scorbutc affections OF the ear
lier season. Twenty-seven persons were inter-
red on Saturday last Enjoying comfortable ac-
Communications and the lberaity of friends that
knows no bounds, | am fast recovering health.
flesh and strengh-haye gained twenty-six
pounds in weight since arrived at this place.
Hundreds of the overland emigrants, inclu-
ding men, women and children, waded through !
the snow four and five feet in depth and suf-
fered greatly living on their cattle which had
been starved and frozen to death. The parties |
were all finally brought in by the Government