Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-03-13
FROM CALIFORNIA.

BY THE GEORGIA.
Correspondence Of the Commercial Advertiser.

. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 81, 1850.
| We have been favored with an abundance of rain
during the last fortnight and the streets, although
absolutely impossible are as near tat condition as you
two months earlier than usual, and from this fact the
wiseacres predict that the dry season will open
pondngly early. To-day the sun is shining in full
snend5r and the weather would do honor 10 June in
New York.
The flood in the Sacramento and its tributaries has
abated but little. Steamers run up the Yuba and Fea
Their rivers where several towns have been located re-
centv-the overflow OF Sacramento City inducing
the people to resort more elevated sites than those hi
therto built upon in that vicinity Marysville, the
Yuba one of the most 1oushlng OF these new towns
Nine DAYS alter the first tent pitched election
was held for the choice OF an alcalde, and 23l votes
were poed Non-residentS were excluded that is to
three days The resulted in the choice of Ste
phen J. Field Esq lawyer recently from New Y ork.
/" Orc" and Yuba City" contendng in the market
for prominence aud spectators dip into the lots with
In this city real estate is bought up and sold at prices
really startling to those unaccustomed to ,liforna
rates. Rents have not deprecated yet there seems to
be remarkable unanimty OF opinion that they must
"come down"
There has been very great reduction in the price of
lumber within the last three weeks and have heard of
several cargoes being sold at 75 per and in one in
stance at $40 per NJ
number of brick buildings are going up, and give
to the city substantial appearance than it before
possessed. Some OF these buildings really very ee.
dngs in the Atlantic cities.
Perhaps full one half of the population of San Fran
cisco live in tents. Happy Valley" and the hills sur
| rounding covered with these trail tenements and
as the occupants pay rent for the land upon which
they locate their tents, they thus contrve to live quite
economically Board and lodging can be obtained at
S25 to S35 per week.
The news from the mines continues encolra nno-
All accounts represent the miners doing full we'll
as at any previous time Indeed the recent news is of
such character as to induce many people to start
| QlQQInpS. tha aIfu0a in
cessant rains and the bad condition of the roads. We
have accounts from the mines as often as once week.
brought by expressmen, who come down frequently for
letters, etc, for the miners. lump Of gold weighing
twenyone pounds has been picked up in the Southern
mines, and vaporng stories of Jumps twice that weight
find ready credence with hundreds who are hoping to
get few just such pieces Within the next months
the emigration from this city to the gold regions will be
very extensive Almost every other man is forming his
plans to depart as soon as the weather will justify.
San francisco is blessed with four newspapers
| Alta California;, daily, and the "Pacifc News" tr-
weekly. Both these papers are Democratic in politics.
Then we have the Journal of Commerce" neutral
little daily, and lie Caifornen,' French sheet issued
weekly The scarcity OF type has rendered it
ny to Autograph the Californian, and it looks queery
enough In SACRAMENTO city the Placer I ines is is
sued weekly. The papers have enumerated compose
the press in California but additions will undoubtedly
be made ere long Mr.. Crane is here daily expecting
the arrival OF printing materials for the establishment
OF wing paper. And arrangements have been made
| to start paper at San Jose, the Capital Mr. Robb
the Solitaire" ofthe ST. Louis Revelle will be its ed
tor The success ofthe Alta California and the Pacific
whole business will be rendered worthless SO fat as
| money making is concerned
L can say but little on political topics The Wing
goes into operation. At the elections which have ia
ken place this month for Councilmen and to fill va
cances IN the Legislature, the Wings have made eff
tort whatever not even making nomination My
own opinion is that it will prove the strongest party
whenever the srugg comes. An election will be held
on Saturday to fill vacancy in the Senate There is a
sort OF mongrelI party hereabout, called the King"
party. 1t is neither Wing nor Democratic, but is said
TO have "the good of California at heart"
Money has been literally subscribed for the purpose of
putting an opposition line of steamers the Panama
route The sum proposed to be rasedis 81 900 0OO and
more than hall that amount has already been pledged
MI Samuel Brannen is the prime mover in this project
There VIII be plenty OF business for anotherlne
The habor master has put forth statement of the num-
Der OF vessels immigrants etc, which have arrived at
this port from the 18th Of April, lS49 to the 29th of
the present It is interesting and reliable and have
transcribed at Tor the information OF your readers
Within the time above named sos vessels arrived at
this port OF which 497 were American and 319 foreign
American tonnage, 22s, 429 foreign 55So9 total 2S4
23S These vessels brought passengers as follows: Anne
ricans, % SAT males and 9l9 females foreigners $50
males and 5o2 females; total $685. This is exclu-
sive OF vessels OF war.
past two weeks number have sailed for the Sandwich
Islands and the East Indies; but during that Time the
arrivals have than exceeded the departures None
have sailed for the United States or Europe.
1t is matter of discussion here whether California is
to be admitted into the Union with its present constitu
tion Speculation is useless however for before you
receive this suppose the question will be settled.
Justice is administered very vigorously in San Fran
CISCO The worst criminals sentenced to wear a
"bal and chain and to work for the public for year.
or more or less, according as the Judge may direct
The chain gangs number twenty four at present. and
as they are generally engaged in working upon tho
streets; they form very disgusting exhibition
| CALIFORNIA COUNTIES
The following the names of the counties as set
forth in the bill subdvidng the State into countless and
establishing the seats of justice therein
San Diego, Los Angeles Santa Barbara San Luis |
Obspo, Monterey, Brancitorte San Francisco, Santa
Clara, Mount Dablo Marin, Sonoma, Soano Yoo |
Mendocno, Sacramento, Coloma, Suffer, Butte Yuba, |
Cousi, Shasta, Trinity, Caaveras Tuoumne Maripo-
sa--25 In number.
SACRAMENTO CRY, JAM 90, 1850
Gentlemen-We have been visited by ireshet in |
this aud other places the rivers and streams
| ofthls vast valley, which it seemed for time would |
! overwhelm and destroy US. The food came upon us |
very Unexpectedly, and in night we had from two
to five feet OF water in every street Of this city House,
were hoated hom their foundations, and our beautiful
little church did not escape, but noated completely
round and entirely off the lot which il was erected
The water continued thus for week. and then subsidized
and the river is within its banks, though there Il
remains much watern portions Of the town. Tomor-
row the citizens intend to zen masse" and en-
deavor to stop the mouths OF the soughs still given u.s.
IN some places deep water
Captain Suffer informs that during his eleven years
residence here he never knew great treshet. But it
has taught US wisdom, and this city will be next sum-
mef "lthout doubt embanked, and thus secured from
future overfows of the river Practical engineers have
reported that this easily be accomplished that the
labor it cost to "levee New Orleans and there too
much capital now here TO lett pass another year with
out securing the town by proper embankmens | have
heard of no loss OF life, though doubtless many who
were sick were fastened to the grave by exposure.
Much property has been lost, and many think more
than enough to pay TOR the embankment of the place
The cattle suffered severely and horses mules oxen
and cows lying dead in large numbers, the entire
length OF the Sacramento, from its mouth to far above
n ntaIr oolI
tercourse with the mines for the time being, except by
water, has been cat off But the miners, who are on
high land in the mountains, have had the most comfort
able time OF it in their log houses the hill Sides
Venson, elk and rabbits have been plenty with them
and around their camp fires they have "smed at the
storm" though beat so yehementy to prevent their
gathering gold.
You will no doubt find great falling off in the
OF dust sent home by this steamer and also the