Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-02-10
From California.
San FRANclsco, Dec. 18th, 1850.

DAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 10Th, le5V.
Friend 1eesd0le:-- ii5g
ssel': hi.iys The "mail day'' a
gain rolls round, and avail myself of th
half hour left ere its closing, 10 jot dowl
what OF interest may happen to think oi
toryour numerous renders.
he weather, since my last, notwilh
standing The dreaded rainy season has beel
upon us.--has been exceedingly pleasant
the ruins having been rather inconstani
and whole days Of delightful, ,balmy, wealth
or intervening. Indeed, the winter season
in this region-but for the general damp
ness caused by the rains-is by far The
pleasantest season of the year. The cold
piercing winds from the north west, ano
the driving sand, are exchanged for ge.
nial southern breezes; and the improved
condition Of the city-comfortaole houses,
in place of canvass tents; planked streets,
where mud, hip deep, prevailed; and stoves,
fires, good board and the thousand other
comforts Of civilized society-render the
condition o[sojourners much more tolera.
BILE than last winter. Ra
80 The health Of the city, too, is much better.
The cholera has almost entirely disappear
ed, and the mortality from diarrhea and
other diseases, is much less than at this
season last year. Sacramento is again
restored to its usual state Of health; and as
they have constructed a leyee around the
entire limits Of the city, 1t is supposed 10
be proof against such catastrophes as the
destructive food of last winter AS they
are following in the footsteps Of this "em-
porium," and planking their streets, the
probability is that the Sacramentons, and
their numerous sojourners, will have os
agreeable times this winter as the circum-
stances of the case will admit.
ln tho mines, il tisrepresented as healthy
at the present; though the scarcity of wa
ter as yet, still keeps the poor fellows a,
work there in q tight fix. This has, on
tho whole, been an unfavorable season for
mining; though you see accounts, now and
then. of one who has made his "pile" in q
few days or weeks, rolling out the large
Jumps, one after another. Large ship
ments of gold dust nre being constantly
made to the States. Even enough 10 sup
port The miners-and they must live-a.
mouRts to large sum; and this, finding its
way into theI cities, through the various
channels of trade, is shipped, as before
mentioned, looking large to The eyes and
sounding loud to the ears of the world,
while thousands of poor fellows who have
left their families and friends and the CON-
forts Of home and are daily delving amid
rocks and dirt. deprived of oil their former
comforts, to obtain it, can scarcely keep
soul and body together. But, it is" hoped
that winter operations will in measure
reward them for their toll, and that ALL
may be enabled to get enough to take
them to their homes, if not enough to make
them RICH after they get there; as mosl Of
them deserve to be,
With regard to our SummitC County Boys,
/ have learned but little since my last;
though as general thing, they are not
probably making rich come very fast
Mr.. Orion Church asriyed in the city this
morning, en- route for Akron He says he
has now got enough to take him home and
goes at this time, lest he may not have
enough by and by. fle takes sail yes
sci 10 morrow, and will not get there prob
ably, until afier the arrival of this. He
looks healthy, though he states that he has
been good deal out of sorts ever since he
has been in the country. Mr.. G. will be
able to give some definite in formation about
some Of the Arkonians upon his arrival
um of the opinion that Summit county
will not send SO large delegation to Cali.
fornia mex. spring as she did the last.
Business in this city is at this time ex-
tremelv dali, and whether ii will brighten
up before Spring it is difficult TO determine.
Cargo utter Cargo OF oil kinds Of merchan-
disc, is being forced into the market, and
most kinds are slaughtered at immense sac.
ri6ce. Clothing, Of all kinds, is full as
cheap as at home; while heavy Boots, and
dry goods generally are little below
par.
Immense quantities oflumber, sash rea.
dy glazed, blinds, and in fact, houses COM
plete, are sold at public auction; bringing
bu. little if any more than they cost in
Yankeedom.to 10 say nothing about the freight
charges.
Then there are heaps of totally unmen.
tionnble traps sent 10 this market that
ought TO break down those who send them
Refuse and questionable clothing, wo.
mems and children's goods, and ten thou.
sand other things, by the cargo, which
would be well enough 10 the States, but
cannot for years be needed here, are sold
and transferred from one to another at
prices that would make the Yankees stare.
Books is another article upon which money
is made, over the left.
We received consignment Of Books,
q few days since, of some three or four
hundred volumes; consisting Of Histories,
Biographies, Bibles, Novels, &c, beauti.
fully illuminated, worth from fifty cents to
FIVE, six and even eight dollars per volume
in the states. and they sold at an averege
of about SO cents volume! Splendid gilt
edged, Morocco, tuck Bibles, worth at least
a dollar and half at retail, are selling un-
der the hammer at shilling! while i'm