Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-04-19
Letter from California.

Life in San Francisco. II is dated
MURPHY's DIGGINes, CALIFORNIA,
January 25th, 1850. J
In leaving San Francisco for this part of the
country, we pass through three beautiful Bays,
but very rough in time Of storms. First is San
Francisco, next PebIo, and then Suison, after
which we enter the San Joaquin. The Sacra-
mento river empties into the bay near the same
place. A few miles below the mouth of these
rivers, on the north side of the bay, is -four
shing village called Benetia, and two other
small villages on the south-all commenced since
the Gold Fever broke out. After leaving the
bay, the land for miles is beautiful and rolling
Large herds of cattle to be seen as far as the
eye will carry grazing the plains and sides
of hills. There is very little timber and al
though there are but two seasons in this country
in many places the pasture is fine the whole wear
There are plenty of wild oats, and very heavy
grass, somewhat resembling our swamp grass
The seasons are styled Wet and Dry. When
the dry season commences the grass natures
and retains its substance, and cattle will keep in
hDe case the whole year.
When we arrived in San Francisco we were
at loss to know which was the better route to
set our compass for gold, as that was what we
were after, and were not within two hundred
miles of it. We finally concluded that we had
better divide and prospect several of the mines.
| was one of three that went up the Sacramento
river. The city of Sacramento is situated on
the bank Of the river, about one hundred and
fifty miles above San Francisco. Suffers Fort
is two miles from the river, with fine country
about it. If you remember, in Gov. Mason's
report after gold was discovered in California,
he said farmers had left their farms, and their
grain was standing uncut and spoke of Captain
Sutter following his occupation, and gathering
in his harvest-that he would have forty thou
sand bushels of wheat, &c. When looked at
the Fort, and the premises round about, and
could see no farming utensils, nor anything, as
thought, to raise wheat with, | concluded it was
a wheat story ;" but on our journey from
Sacramento to Stockton across the country, one
day we overlook an elderly man, an older man
indeed than thought had any business in Cali
fornia, who had stopped under large tree and
was letting his mule feed on grass, as they all
do in this country. We stopped and had con-
Yersation. | asked him how long he had been
in the country. He said since lS45. He was
native of Kentucky, but emigrated from Mis-
souri,. | spoke about Gov. Mason's report, and
about Sutler raising much wheat He said
Il was all truth-that he had seen more than
forty thousand bushels raised at the Fort; and
on the same day was fully convinced that wheat
would grow in California. We stopped
night near a Rancho owned by Mr.. Murphy, and
in the morning when the teamster was harness
ing his mules, went up to the house, and he
took me into a little warehouse and showed me
one thousand bushels as fine white wheat
| seen come from Black Oak Ridge, and two
years old. | asked him what he could get per
bushel for il. He told me So. They sow their
wheat In February.
We were then on the hunt of the balance Of
our Company, as we had been unsuccessful on
the Sacramento, and were anxious to know what
success they had met with. On our arrival at
Stockton we were informed Of their being about
eighty miles north, mot bad little walk in the
month of August aud on the 4th day after leaV-
ing Stockton we found them the Company hay-
ing dissolved, but not altogether by mutual con-
sent. We are now in the same place, near the
head of Angels creek, about two hundred miles
from San Francisco and seventy-hye from Stock
ton, right up in the mountains, in beautiful
little valley surrounded by hills.
We are 10 what is called the Dry Diggings.-
Part of our Company arrived on the 7th of Au-
gust, but did not get here until the lst Of Sep
tember Some OF them had been successful
and some left the mines for San Francisco
among them Beck and Levy. ] found Scott,
Campbell and NandlIng working to-
gether and getting gold. ! was admitted into
their Company, and we are now the only mem
bers Of the Juniata Company IN these mines, and
the only Pennsylvanians.
Now / will give you short history Of the
laws and regulations, the manner Of getting
gold, &c. In all mines the miners make laws
to prevent any difficulty that might arise with
one man encroachng upon another'S place or
lead where he was working. Each man Is al
lowed certain number of feet of ground TO
sink hole, lin these mines eight feet square,
and when absent from your place Of work you
are required 10 leave tool in, and If one day
absent from the place, Except in case of SICK
ness,) you lose your title II any one com
mcnces work he can keep possession. No man
can have or work more than one piece OF ground
at the same time.
10 bar "a laro nd
L. is found by sinking holes from three to egh-
teen feet deep-seldom as soon as three feet
When down about six feet we have IN some IN
stances found rock or a very tough mud, where,
by taking knife and scraping Oft three or four
inches Of clay or gravel, the larger pieces can
be picked up; then by taking this dirt and wash
lhg IT in TIN pan or cradle, the small particles
will settle to the bottom. The largest piece that
we have found weighed 81 ounces, worth $50
When we came here we were fortunate. We
sunk three or four holes, and happened to hit 1t
pretty well, but not SO well as we were led TO
expect by the glowing accounts IN circulation
We occasionally get to see a newspaper from
the States, and am sorry to say that sec some
great falsehoods as regards tho amount OF gold
and the SIZE Of pieces obtained by individuals.
Only few days since | was looking over Bos-
ton paper, which stated that piece had been
found on the Mckluma river weighing thirty
pounds. That is not the case. We are within
about twenty miles Of that river, and know that
no such piece was found, as the gold obtained
there is IN fine PARTICLES. There may have been
a large stone found with particles of gold in it,
nave heard of several pieces weighing four
eight, aud ten pounds. The largest piece have
seen weighed four pounds, and il was not pure
gold, being mixed with white quartz rock that
Is always about where gold is found These re-
ports gong 10 the States will keep up the ex-
element; but on the whole / don't think that
me amount of gold in California has been over
tated. There are new discoveries making every
day, and will be for years to come and have
no d"unl as rich mines remain hidden al have
yet been discovered
A steady, industrious man can make more
money N this country than he can in the States
but then he IS cut of from all the comforts O,
liie have not told you what our success has
been After our arrival here we laid off ou,
territory according 10 the laws Of the miners
] and sunk holes about FIVE feet ,Rhen ue disnou.