Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-04-22
Letters from California.
SULLIVAN'S CREEK, UPPER CALIFORNIA, |
January 90 1850

acqualntances but quite different is it with me
to day no friends are near, save the few that
left Highland with me; yet the pleasing thought
of not being forgotten by those we love- cheers
the heart in the wilds Of the most distant land
however dreary and desolate it may appear
Your kind letter, mailed June 26, 1919 reached
me at this place on Christmas eve-il was really
the richest gift could possibly have received at
that time and a]tkonoh received d. C. Nc
Guflin's letter, dated August 10Th. some 20 or
30 days before yours suppose your letter had
been overlooked in San Francisco, lille the o.
Their had been foI warded.
/ | Will now give you short sketch Of or trav.
els from San francisco to the mines, known as
the Stockton or Woods Diggings We left San
Francisco, Oct. 90 in a small sail vessel, for
Stockholm which is situated on the San Joaquin
or San Waukeen, $50 miles from San Francisco
The land bordering on the bay which extends
within GO mles Of Stockton, is of excellent quail
ity and covered with wild oats the whole year
There is but little timber from San Francisco to
Stockton, or On the land bordering on the bay or
on the San Joaquin. We saw hundreds of Wild
cattle grazing Oh the ills After five days te-
dious sailing we reached Stockton, which con-
taills about 1900 people; most oil whom live i'll
| tents
The day after we landed in Stockton we bar
gained TO get our freight hauled to this place
60 miles, at S15 per hundred pounds, the money
to be paid when the freight was delivered The
distance across the plains from Stockton TO the
Slanislaus river being upwards of 80 miles with
but little wafer we were compelled to buy can
teens and carry water with us. The evening of
the second day we reached the Slanislaus, all
quite exhausted by the dust and sand through
which we travellcd-the next day we had good
roads, but q rain which fell that night and the
| followin@day rendered them almost impossible
Our teamster thought it advisable TO remain al
the place we had encamped and wait until the
road across the plain would Get better, the dis
lance being about 10 miles. After waiting six
days for the road toimprove, we set out with
two mule teams 10 cross the plains; but to our
great disappointment we fognd the road in hor-
rid condition. We had 10 double teams and
take one wagon two or three miles and then 90
back for tie other, by which means we succeed
ed in getting one wagon with 80 hundred,
within three miles OF boarding tent called the
Mountain Jam. AS there was no timber for the
teamsler TO tie the mules TO- we had to take the
load out of the wagon and tie them TO it, We
had no wood TO make a fine and no provisions
cooked; SO we had to sit in the wagon all night,
without anything to eat to keep the mules from
eating 1t. The next day about 1e O'Clock we
reached the Mountain lem with one wagon in
which was our cooking utensils, some Flour and
| Pork, and our tent But to get the other wagon
off the plains with II broken down mules was
deemed impossible by the Transfers SO we
pitched our tent the teamster promising lis he
would get the goods off the plain in few days
Six days after we arrived at the Mountain JAM
the WAGNER returned with his mules to get the
goods off the plaills but fortunately for us as il
has since turned out, ne as unable to get the
load farther than within six miles of Mt
jam, so he gave up the trip and we did no, pay
him anything for the distance he hauled the
freight. II he had succeeded in getting. us TO
the mines we would have owed him $IO50.-
We were ,alcn within IS miles Of this place
We offered $s125 to get the goods off the plains
but could not succeed at any price, SO we con-
cllded 10 buy an os-team and haul them our
selves, which we did. The three yoke of oxen
and wagon cost us 1918. We soon got our
goods of the plains and arrived safe at the dig
gines, after losing about two weeks al MI Jam
After getting all safe to tilis place we eola the
team for 5000, so we made upwards of $500 by
being left at the Mt. Jam. During my stayhere
| was quite lucky in making money-,here was
a reward offered Of 300 for four lost mul S
one Sunday while and a young man from
Rockingham county were strolling overthe hills
some three hises from CHI tent, we oasae upon
the mules, caught them, and got the reward.
After my good luck in mule hunting, | though,
! would try deer hunting which was indeed
HultC III lCW udyS killed. SIN UeGr
which sold at % cents per pound, reserving e.
noueh for otW company to eat. This young man
and myself quarfied rock five days at Mt Jam,
at 50 a day and boarded ourselves. Flour, Pork,
Crackers, Sugar and Coffee were then selling al
) per h. Travellers were paying 81 so per
bushel for Corn. The prices OF boarding at The
tents from Stockton to The mines was So tav
The rainy season has raised the price of every
thing Provisions were scarce, and very few of
the miners had supply for the winter. Every
thing in tine gfovision line sold at 81 per lb-
We have supply, so we can save our money
until Spring, vixen prices will be lower. We
found that a large company worked to disad-
vantage, so we thought best to dissolve and d.
vide such things as could be divided, and such
as could not we sold We had tareeaents and
a very comfortable log cabin. The two Slavcns'
and bought the house for SIT. I am quite
pleased with gold digging, although OIL an aver
age there are only about three days in the week
that we can work, besides the creeks are con-
stantly OVERLOOKING, so that we are compelled
to work i'll the ravines all the time Last week
Morgan and Shafer worked five days and made
upwards of 500. Yesterday, Saturday they
made $40. The largest lump we have found is
worth So AS soon as the rainy,season is over
so that we can work in the creeks we can do
much better. Shafer talks of going TO Stockton
in the SplIns-he says mining rs too llard work
for hm-as for John Morgan and myself we
like it quite well and will stay in the mines
next Summer. Our cabin stands on Sullvan's
creek, half a mile from whore it emntias- info
Curtss creek, and within half mile,t Nv ood's
creek, consequently we can work n either.
Some three weeks ago john Morgan with a
small party vert to the head waters of the
Stanisaus and discovered new diasiigs, but
owing to the road being bad they conil not get
provisions, and had to abandon it until Spring.
when 1t is probable we will leave this place and
go there Two weeks ago several men sunk
some holes within half mile of this place. at
the dry diggings, and made Sa5eo alaiece. This
country exceeds all Others in the world for max
ing money! and has the finest climate. As yet
there has been but little snow, barely enough to
whiten the ground but on an average it rains
three days in the week.
Shafer bought box in the Post Office at San