Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1852-04-09
SACRAMENTO, Feb. 8, 1852


SACRAMENTO; Feb. 3, 1892.
DEAR FRIEND:
now undertake 10 fulfil that promise made,
while | was yet with you. | have been in Cal
ifornia just one month today have been in
Churches, Gambling houses and other places
Of public resort in the city. Gilded vice holds
up her head and shame knows no blush-tem-
perance and virtue sounds in the ears of their de-
voices like tinkling brass. Man degeneraies fast
in this country of goid-seeking. 1t is the direct
tendency in this or any other country where the
chief mission Of man is mammon. There
are three licensed gambling houses in this city,
which are kept open night and day, Sundays
not excepted. They have s or 10 tables in each
room, On them are piles Of go d to allure the
unthinking, and inspire hopes of sudden wealth :,
hopes that are as sure TO be disappointed as in
dulged. Gambling aided by interperance, has
been monster curse for California. On almost
every side where you turn your eyes, You will
see the traces Of the fell destroyer in the piles Of
bottles which are thrown ont as useless, be-
cause the liquor is out of them, and those who
drank the liquorare soon thrown away as useless
as the bottles
have been to the mines, and 10 be candid |
must say they are nothing but source of disap-
pontmcnt ard misery. All the ravines have been
dug over and over again. The country is al
most all hills; there are probably acres of val
lies to 1000 of hills, and such hills you never
saw,-and nobody else on, of California. Nine
teen out of every twenty companies, who have
I worked the Quartz mines have failed, and burst
ed up.
Tavern keeping is the only thing tina; pays
here, and cooks get the highest wages of any
body. All other kinds of business are preca-
rious and uncertain. People are flocking in
crowds to the city for employment, and are soon
to be disappointed.
The city is very near the size of Milwaukee,
although not half so handsome. Everything is
temporary. BY the appearance of the cloth huts
you would think the residences had been squat
ted for the night, and would be off by daylight
| in the morning. Some OF them have their roofs
painted to keep IF the rain. The best looking
houses in The city are kept as houses Of proatitu-
! ton, the wome who keep them have mace i'm
mense fortunes by their disgusting life
There are a great many stores, but not half OF
them paying their way-times are awful hard.
shall run my cI ance to get what employment
| can in the city instead of an uncertain and dis
appointing hunting in the mines. Those cir
| a. ,v,J lo.J Il. -,
compel man to leave his family to seek the
means Of subsistence in this far off land As
an instance of piety ard lis influence in this
country, let me cite you the case of Il prorric-
tor Of the house where | board. Himself and
wife are good MeIhodists, and are now at church.
! rhey have two hopeful sons about 10 ard 2
years of are, they went to the Sabbath Sclool
his morning and arc now engaged in playing
cards and gambling for money. This IS q great
| country.
For two days have been handling bricks, an !
my fingers are so stiff can hardly finish this
! otter. The bubble will soon burst times are
awful hard and DO mistake, the merchants are do
ing nothing, in fact, California las seen her best
days The miners have not paid their beard this
winter, they owe great deal to the II erchants
and they can never pay them. The cmi2ra-
ZION is immcnse-thc city is full Of people going
from place to place seeking work, but finding
none-and if they get to the mines thy will
! find it sill worse. 1t il distressing 20 see the
poor devils with their blankets on their bucks,
and a tin, pan and shovel in ihtir hands, going
from pace to place, digging here and there for
gold and Disappointed all the vine. This is a
true picture-nnd it is no use in Disgusting the
I truth.
All who come to California in 50 are too late
Every man whom have seen (rXcepting one,
and his time will Gomez rues the day he came
to this country.
have employment, in brick yard, and th,rc
are thousands who envy me my situation. am
! in hopes to clear two dollars day. Now am
here shall endeavor TO make the best of it, but
| shall bless the Cay that will witness my depart
ure for home.
! Yours truly,
GEOPCE