Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1850-03-27
Corresponden OF the Ciaianati Gazette.
Review Of Things isl California.
SAY E's.Ncrsc0. Ian.


Review Of Things in California.
san Francisco. Jan. 8. 1889
Msssrs. EitorS:-I have desired. ever
since my arrival here. 10 write YOU in de-
tall. and to give you some account OF Cali
iornia-lts present position. and its future
prospects. | have been anxiously seek
ing. also the history of the past. VI the
present moment, il attracts more attention
than any other portion o! the worl!. 1t
is hardly possible. however. for any man
10 accomplish such purpose. The
longer one remains. the more he sees and
hears-the more he IS al loss what to
say. There is something SO peculiar. 50
unlike anything that has hitherto existed
III the worlds hisiory--oae becomes so
much involved and perplexed in the
whirlpool in which he finds himself, that
he cannot hink-indeeI no business man
has iime TO think. Time. energy and IN
dusfry. constitute the great capital OF the
country-ot more value than money
Talents. capacity. experience. avail but
little. No one n"ed anticipate ANYTHING
from the respectabili,Y Of his connections
at home. The +. f. VS. are here a,
heavy discount. Sober. seiate men. of
large experience, and who have heretofore
been governed by system, in all their bus
mess operations, are utterly al fault They
stop and look around them with astonish.
ment. While they are attempting to add
up the figures, and 10 ascertain whether
two and two makes four, the cars are off
and out OF sight. One will say cannot
afford TO give you ten per cent. per month,
tfhe usual rate of interest) and before
The objection falls upon the ear of the
banker, another steps up. offers twelve and
half, gets tn, money, while his cal
culating brother. stands with hands in
breeches pockets. Another will say, |
cannot give YOU six thousand dollars per
month, for such building. and while he
pauses the house is rented for seven thou
sand.
Now this is not fiction-i, is sober truth
The wheel goes round and round with
such rapldiy. that one becomes DIZZY
During this process hundreds have arrived
IN the country, while hundreds also have
departed never to return. Some have left
with fortunes realized in few months.
Others, with an amount varying from five
thousand to five hundred dollars. Ano-
,her class have left, broh en- down in health,
in spirit and purse. and dependent upon
friends Tor the means Of getting home
Home. no man calls California holne,-
Not one in thousand intends MAX.
California his home. The population
changes with every arrival and departure
OF a ship. For example there were in the
month OF November, 23I7 passengers ar
rived at this port from sea. AMI 1858 left
outward bound. You have not time 10
kno" your next door noighbor. and what
is worse, TO care for him. \ man dies
but no "mourner goes abou, the streets"
Wen. (not women) are here from every
every hue and ofevcry ton CUE
They are here too Of every grade. Men
of the highest talents--of pure moral
character. and strict integrity. And
others. (alas multtude) Of totally differ
ent character. had hoped for nay coun-
trymen. tor the sake Of my country, that
what history has established as true OF
every other people-of every other nation,
would be disproved, so far as the Anglo.
Saxons are concerned. Ifthere is a fixed
fact established by the annals Of other
nations where the precious metals were
found 70 exist. it is that the people become
gamblers. and that for all other objects,
and Mexico, are both living memorials Of
this truth. Thus far only one branch of
this truth has been established, and re-
grot TO say that that is the obnoxious part
Of it,
Gambling seems to have become a pro.
'eSSton as well as pursuit with many,
nay with hundreds 1t does exist to an
extent before unheard Of. in the United
States. Every hotel, with two or three
honorable excepiions.) in this city. is
crowded with gaming tables and the tables
with gamblers. Many of those who are
seen at the tables, dealing cards at Monte
are ofrespectable families at home. Some
have realized large sums, but they will be
ashamed to acknowledge how they obtain
ed their fortunes, on their return.-Many
an emlgrant. who has been ,oiling in the
mines for months, has been stripped of his
hard earnings, at these establishments, in
an hour. A band Of music is employed
At most of the hotels TO call the reckless
around their bars. You witness the same
scene every day and every night of every
week. The Sabbath forms no exception.
All night these dens are lighted up. and
all night are they crowded. The exhi-
o'lon Is startling. So far then, is the
ruth of history established. in this particu-
ar. But our people have no, been mes
nerised. There is energy, enterprise.
and untiring perseverance. A determi-
nation to acquire wealth. and that speedily.
more m arked. that can be found else where
IN the United States, or in the world
There is here, amongst portion Of the
people more self-denial-more sacrifice
Of worldly comfort. than | have ever be-
fore witnessed. Men are anxious 10 get
rich, and return to their families. Each
one has fixed his sum-has made his
mark. and the moment he reaches it, he
is off. To attain that object. he seems
willing to forego every thing that seems 10
render life desirable No one can under
stand this but he who sees it and feels it.