Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1850-08-08
Letter from California.
PAS LA PINE, STANIsLAUs RIVER
June 10Th, 1850.
Nr. T.. g. Eaughun:

Mr.. f.. u. vaughan:
Dear Sir:-Per-
haps YOU are anxious TO know whether
pectations in California If so. ! believe
! have. so far as lite in California will
admit Of As regards the mining opera
tons, Gold is not as abundant here as
was represented in the States. There is.
however, a great abundance yet, but II IS
difficult to obtain. | have not seen or
heard from your brother Andrew. since
we separated in San Francisco, in Janu
ary last. lie went 10 the Northern Mines
and to the Southern. | associated nv
self. at San Francisco. before starting for
the mines. at their urgent solicitation
with Dir. Wayman, Of Cambridge city, j.
VI. Hiatt. Joseph Hartley. Clawson Wat
ters and George Michaels, Of Milton. Ia.
and have been living and operating with
them ever since. They are all the right
kind of men,-honest and true. We
live like band Of brothers; participating
in each others pas,imes and sports. as
well as in our tolls and cares. This is
the place to try a mans real character; if
he is destitute Of those essential princl-
Plies which il takes TO constitute a gentle
man, and which serve 10 elevate mankind
above the brute creation. il soon becomes
apparent. We pass many very pleasant
hours here together in our tent, oversee
ing aud arranging our domestic matters
Here. every man is his own cook and
washerwoman. We take it turn about.
in the cooking line.-twO Of us operating
together each week. DR.. Wavman and
myself do it up together. and you had bet
ter believe we have some very good eating
out here. Just imagine to yourself
large dinner pot full Of veniSon and pota-
toes. stewing on the fire. fine large loa.
of bread baking in one OF those old fash
icned dutch ovens. such as we used to
have in days of yore. a large family coffee
pot boiling on the fire. with few other fix
ings. and large dried apple pie for our
desert, and you have fnc Simiie Of our
dinner to day | am now located at the
place designated above. about 800 miles
South East from San Francisco. with
company of 10 men. engaged in digging
canal tor the purpose ot turning the
South fork OF the StaniSlaus River. pro
nounced Stancs 'o1g'.) We have our race
nearly finished. i, is a heavy job. we have
Il great many large rocks to contend with.
which we have to blast with powder, and
draw out with rope and teackle. We
shall not put in our dam until about the
first Of July. after the annual freshct shall
have passed. which is caused by the melt
ing and running of the snow from the
mountains.
Whether this enterprise will pay or not
is like all other risks that are 10 be
realized by future operations. one thing
we know. that we are in gold region
Large amounts of gold have been taken
out each side of the river. the channel
being still lower than the original place for
il. The earth and mountains on each
side have been subject TO heavy volcanic
action. and as gold always seeks the low
est place for lis deposits. we hope TO find
in the channel some of the precious stuff
Those who are acquainted with our claim.
say we have. no doubt. a sure thing Of it:
but time alone. will determine this matter
The truth Of the old adage. comes very
iorcibly TO my mind here. "a bird IN The
hand. IS north tmo in the bush" How
ever. we could now sell shares for $500
each. if we wished. but prefer hiring. if it
will pay There can be any number Of
men hired here this fall. at from 50 10 s.,
per day. from the fact that they have no
place TO 60 TO work: all of the most natu-
raj and accessible places. have been
worked over some two or three times
There is decided advantage in having
a clam like ours. because none others
dare intrude upon it. whereas. in other
cases where an individual sinks hole.
and II proves rich. in less than 48 hours
there are that many more sunk around
him. thereby depriving him of the oppor-
lunity of getting another. Not so in ours.
il gives us about one quarter Of Of mile
N the channel of the river. all the ground
between the river and canal.-each bank
Up 10 high water mark. Ii is a very con.
siderable river we have to turn. very rap
i. about one hundred miles long takes lis
ise in the mountains, is pure snow
water; the gulch through which j, passes.
$ merely wide enough to admit its pas
sage. there being mountains each side
some 5000 feet high, almost excluding the
Sun
Let me give you description Of the
ocation Of our Tent. as it stands here