The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-04-14
I.atter rom California.

following interesting letter received on Sat.
urdaay evening from some Of our friends 10
California. Itgivesa full and satisfactory
account Of what most OF them are abou. and
we beg to return our thanks TO Reuben and
Others lor their kind remembrance and hope
they win continue, as time serves, 10 let us
hear from them in the same strain.
>FoRr joins, Msuh |, 1851.
DEAR Sir Our winter is about drawing
to q close and thought il might not BE-
without interest TO you 10 learn something
ot the wherea bouts, doings and prospects Of
your many friends in this section, and pre-.
sutie we have as many here as could be
found ct any ole point in the mines. The
dpings Of msny, tknow are not "dreamed
If in your philosophy" and the prospect is
that these doings will not (msny Of them
at lrast.) be forgotten soon. TIE season has
been rms rksble one. We expected to
have rain much Of the time after November
and many had engaged before that time in
throwing up dirt iIi the gulches (favines.)
Much OF the dirt, no doubt, is ,rich but yet
unwashed, and it will probably liz until
ext rainy or wet season before the gold can
be washed out. II will keep many poor
hombrc here who would otherwise have re-
turned home this spring. We have not had
sufficient rain for vegetation, and ] presume
our hills presen. an unusual bsrrenness and
| the plains bloom not with the accustomed
beauty Of the California spring time.
The spring has been delightful one, all
sunshine, plessan: and bealthful. Even
here where our altitude brings us frosty
pights, coat is not used by The mint r, the
frost only contributing TO The cheerIulness oil
our cabin fire-sides. In q word the season
has filled our expectations ds little as il has
the pockets Of those who have waited fol
rain to wash out their gold.
But while the season has been tlu(ortu-
nate 10 many, many more expect to improve
il to great advantage. II will afford On -x
cellent opportunity to work the large strea ui'
the attempts at which have heretofore pro
, vrd SO disastrous TO most who have tried t,
turn them from tn ir chonnels by d'tchins
and damming WHEN The water was high
Should The weather continue dry, there il
little doubt that during the coming summer
the streams will BIZ much lower than before
and like att mpts will succeed. In view o
this, everybody is moving north and layinI
fclaims on the bars, and forming companie
to work thr beds Of northern rivers.
! M. Gre CORY, w. J. Finton, Jerry Kendall
Flint. Kendall, Tom Burke, A. G. Dyer;
VIM. Sa tiers. Harris Winkler and myself ar
here at work upon claims secured by WIN
Finton, Mr.. G. & Wolfe (of Grahams sta
tion) work one claim, and the rest wor
upon three claims in company. Finton-
, or uncle Bill, as he is lainillarly cslled-i
at present away prospecting for summr
dggings. We expect him back to-morro,
= when, il he reports favoraby of any pluct
: all will probably leave here together on
r. main together until fall, when we propos
, to 20 home togr lher, and some even promis
gathering at uncle Bills should they rear
home safely. In the event OF FintYn no
= finding good diggings we may possibly 6
q south to the Gala verds river. Byers and So
ters were there few days since.
Cook and Chas. Smith are we'll and expe,
= to remain where they are during the summe
j. The Junior boys are at the same place, al
n they, too, talk of returning home next ial
/. They have pretty fair prospects Of doing We
:, should the dry weather continue during I
;" summer. Bsers and Salters have seeur
D. claims with them and will 80 there abo
Is the 10Th of March. FInton, Jerry Kenda
Flint. Kendall and Wnker also have claii
4, laid at the same place and will work the
during the summer. Mlnard, Lytle, Clue
!. ton and Others ARE still in the Southern mln'
:, are well, and | believe, are doing tolerah
well.
er The claims of Finton & Co., have Great
ly considerable difficulty between some OF
n Scioto men, and although nothing sero
has occurred, there has been feelings enge
a dered here which will not bear a dellbcr'
ne survey when we get home and have time
is serious reflection. Minds which at ho
be never stopped TO matters OF minor (min
importance, will no doubt find that lit
" things have begotten too serious and unple
N ant attention. This is our opinion Only,
a we have heard hard words uttered and
;e feelings have ben manifested about b Q
~ inches OF gronnd, in which man might hi
'ne found two bils perhaps, and perhaps not
are All are friendly enough now, and trust v
be, at least, until better cause exists ior L
the ing otherwise. Nobody is blamable, nob'
no wrong!
llee- Our place-Fort John-deseryes some
su- tice. 1t is quite romantic place, sltua
ing at the head OF Dry Creek. II was only
IN covered as mining region last TALL, and
- now, venture to say, the best society In
nei mines. AS an evidence OF this wish
ter state that we have religious services e,
eat sabbath, AMI the miners attend, and BY L
close and respectful attention to the wor
ruth evince an interest on its propagate
are Our Temperance list mbers over one }
it'll dred--aboul holf the entire population
st we have great reason TO believe that ere
,lo the other ualf (save dealers and even som
them are getting ashamed) will attach
names to The pledge. For further partiou
La see Sacramento Transcript" copy OF W
lies, send you. "'f
Who We have debates two nights in each
ume and our meetings are numerously atten
sub and think are highly profitable. They
del 10 divert the mind and keep it exefc
while the physical powers are engaged l
Dor such as gold digging, which more
any other engrosses the attention.
ties The order OF 1901 too, deserves some nc
NO With its organization we date the CONNIE
r. ment of our temperance society. and we
Ia that while the organization continue
linal character of our community for benevo
,stly cannot suffer, since objects of charity d
, - lack for aid in our midst. The conseql
of all this is, that there is less drunken