The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-11

CALIFoRSlA.-The fact that the current sets
against California ut present in the number Of
passengers bv the Isthmus route, is obvious and
noticeable But it should be borne in mind
that, while omparaively few choose this season
for migrating thithcr, nearl Y all who may choose
their time for returning will naturally select the
| close Of the business season, or some time in
| November or December. And, while thirty
| to fifty thousand per annum take the overland
route from Missouri to the Sacramento, not five
hundred have returned that way in any year,
nor ever will until railroad shall have been
constructed at least part of the way. Once
crossing the mountains and deserts is n dose for
any man. Those who become homcsick or
! from any cause decide to return, take the 18TH
mus route, if any; if unable TO come that way,
they stay Thus, while we note only the de-
parturcs for California by single route, we
have lists Substantially of all Who return by
any and all routes, in the passengcr-lists of the
steamships from Chagres.
| California is in the main healthy country
yet there have been many deaths in it during
| the past season, and there was much sickness
VIXEN the Panama left. One standing reason
| for this is the irregular life led 10y many Of its
people. San Francisco is Sodom, where vice
and debauchery stalk brazonly at noenday-
where there is properly no female society, no
literature, no decided moral and religious intlu-
ences operative on the great mass Of the people.
To become suddenly and immensely rich is the
very general and absorbing purpose the gros-
scst sensuaiites are the current rplaXaions.
The gamblers are the most powerful and
wealthy class while a large majority Of the fe-
males are scandal to wonanhood. With
gambling and lewdness, intemperanrc OF
course goes hand in hand and the aggregate
per man Of utterly detestabe, poisonous dabo-
heal liquors consumed throughout California
was never cqualcd elsewhere since the world
was made. Gambling, RIGHTEOUSNESS, late
hours irregularities Of all kinds, and an inordn-
ate consumption of bad (as well as better al
coholic stimulants, would insure heavy bills Of
mortality even in Switzerland. We are prepar-
ed to hear, therefore, that the cholera has been
quite fatal in California, though neither so fatal
nor so prntmctcd as if it had broken out three or
four months caller.
There is another cause which must seriously
enhance the list of deaths. The fifty thousand
who started across the plains last spring, were
nearly all Western men, hearty, athletic and ac-
custolned to bounteous feeding For the last
month or two of the Journey, nearly all of them
We're on short allowance, and many nearly
starved to death. During this season of famine
they further weakened their digestive powers
by eating all manner Of unwhoesomc food
On reaching Sacramento and other settlements
with appctitcs sharpened by protracted hunger
in the keen air Of the Sierra Nevada, they fall
to eating like wolves, and are soon overtaken by
dvsentcry, &c, if not already suffering from
them With little or no medical counsel, and
very general tendency to drinking and other in
dulgenccs, the peopling of graveyards may well
be expected to proceed with remarkable activity.
That mining in California has not, on the
whole, been so successful this year as last, is
universally condcdcd. True, the aggregate pro-
duct is much greater; but three or four times
~ many have been employed in producing it.
Most Of the capitol and much Of the labor em-
ployed in gold-seeking were directed last spring
to the turning Of rivers, rs 20 lay bare their
beds TO the operations of the pan and the rocker.
Some of these were successful, but the far
greater number were prematurcly interrupted
by the early rains and rapid rise of streams in
autumn, or proved injudicously located. There
have OF course been instances OF brilliant sue
cess, but as whole the damming business in
1850 has been unluckv.
AS to the reduction of quartz rock or ven-
stone, by blasting stamping, grinding, &c, II
is as yet in its infancy In very few instances,
we have reports Of brilliant results; but as a
whole, this business has not yet begun to paw
We trust it may do better next year "A yet,