The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-02-14

Higgins. They came out in July, went L
the North Fork Of the American, prospere'
in their digging, and were going southwark
to spend the Winter. They were goot
specimens Of the sober, hardy, ,perseverine
goId-digger-a class who never fail TO max,
their piles
The next morning brought another rain
and the roads grew deeper and tougher
At Coates's rancho, two miles further,
was ferred across the Cosumne, in ca
noe. The river was falling, and team'
could barely pass. The day previous ,
wagon and team had been washed severa
hundred yards down the stream, and the
owners were still endeavoring to recover
the running works which lay in deep hole
Several emigrant companies were camped
on the grassy bottoms along the river wait
ing a chance to cross.
walked down the river to DAILY 3 rancho
hoping my horse might have been left there
The rain increased so fast that took shell
ter in a new adobe house near the rancho
ria, and concluded to stop for the day
Several other rtravelers--miners, all Of them
Joined company. Mr.. DAILY lent us an
axe with which we procured fuel enough for
the day and night and built good FIRE. A
Mexican driven in by the rain, took out his
cards and set up monte bank Of ten dol.
lars, at which the others played with shil
Iings and quarters ltried to read an odd
volume Of the Scottish Chiefs which
found in the house, but the old charm was
gone, and wondered at the childish taste
which was so fascinated with its pages.
We slept together on the earthern floor.
All night the rain pattered on the tnle
lhatch. but at sunrise il ceased The sky
was still lowering. and the roads were grow
ing worse so rapidly, that instead Of start
ing across the plains for Mormon Island.
the nearest point on the American Fork
where the miners are at work, turned a
bout for Sacramento City. thinking il best
to return while there was chance. Twas
accompanied by one Of the Iowa RaQgers,
from Dubuque, n. He had been Al work
at the Dry Digeings on Wcaver's Creek
He was just recovering from the scurvy,
and could not travel fast, but was an excel.
len. hand at wading streams. Before
reaching the timber of American Fork, we
crossed thirty or forty streams, many Of
which were knee-deep. II was one form
Of the water cure did not relish. IF this
lie travelling in the rainy season. thought
.I'll have none Of it,
On the banks Of the American Fork We
fnnnda sandy soil and made better progress
Following that beautiful stream through tht
afternoon, we came at dusk to Suffers Fort
which was surrounded by moat Of deep
mud. picked my way in the dark tc
Sacramento City, but was several times
lost in its tented labyrin,hs before reach
ed Capt Bakers store-under whose hos.
pitabIe roofl am now sojourning.
\
The plan of Sacramento City is very sim.
pie. Situated on the eastern bank OF
the Sacramento, at its junction with the
Rio American, the town plot embraces n
square of abou, II miles. II is laid out in
regular right-anges, in Philadelphia style,
those running east and west named after
the alphabet, and those north md south af-
ter the arithmetic. The present limits Of
the town extend to nearly one squire mile,
and the number Of inhabitants, in tents, and
houses, will fall little short Of 10000. In
April last. there were Just four houses in the
place! Can the world match growth like
this?
The original forest-trees, standing in all
parts ofthe town, give very picturesque
appearance to this place. Many Of the
streets are lined with oaks and sycamores,
six feet in diameter and spreading ample
boughs on every side. The emigrants have
ruined the finest Of them by building camp
fires at their bases, which, in some instan.
ces, have burned completely through, leav-
| ing a charred and blackened arch for the
superb tree 10 rest upon. The storm o.
last Friday snapped asunder several trunks
which had been thus weakened, one ol
them crushing tothe earth a canvass house
in which a man lay asleep. A heavy
bough struck the ground on each side OF
him, saving bis life. The destruction Of
these trees is the more TO be regretted. as
the intense heat Of the summer days.
when the mercury stands at l2O degrees,
renders their shade thing Of absolute ne
cessitv.
The value Of real estate hero is only ex-
ceeded by that Of San Francisco. Lots ~
by IS feet, ia the best locations, bring
firm $1,000 to $4,000. Rents are on .
scale equally enormous. The City Hotel,
which was formerly sawmill, erected BY
Capt. Sutter, pays $50, per annum. A
new hotel, now going up on the levee, has
been already rented at $35 600. Two
drinking and gambling rooms, on business
street, pay each $1,000, monthly, inraria-
bly, in 0drance. Many Of the stores here
do business averaging from $1,000 to
$4,000 daily. Board is $40 per week at
the restaurants and SIS per day at the City
Hotel. But what is the use Of repeating
figures? These dead statistics convey no
IL. .c ~ ,,,ryalo,,o ct ato ri thinUs here.