Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-08-04
From the Ruthcrfordton Banner.
CALIFORNIA LETTER.

Mr. C. L. HARRIS.
DEAR SIR: In obedience to
your request and my promise, drop you these
few lines which will inform you first Of all,
that landed safe in San Francisco, CAL, on
the lst day of April, at o'clock p. H., in good
health. am sill quite well and have had
good health all the time since my arrival.
will now give you short account OF my
voyage. We left Charleston on the Sth Of
Feb, and in days landed in Havana, distance,
900 miles, In this city we were detained 6
day, 18th, we s&ied from this place and in 5
1900 miles This is very dangerous place to
land, 4 good many having been drowned here.
Since we passed however, some II or is miles
of the Railroad have been completed. and they
land now at Navy Bay, instead of Chagres,
which is much the best way. We left this
town at o'clock p. m. on the same day we
landed there, in small boats up the Chagres
river. one of the most lovely streams in the
world, feasting our eyes on the most splendid
scenery we ever saw. In ? days we arrived in
the town of Gorgona, distance 60 miles This
is the terminus of navigation on this river at
this season of the year. This evening we land
ed in this town. engaged Mule and early
the next morning | mounted him, and by 4
o'clock p. m, we were across the lSthmus, in
the city of Panama, distance 26 miles. This is
one of the most filthy cities ever saw, climate
very unpleasant, debilitatng and unhealthy
Here was detained - days, and had some
difficulty in getting passage on 4 Steamer ut
my price, but finally succeeded in getting on
board the Steamer Fremont, = propeller, and
sailed from this place on Sunday March 9TH, and
after being at sea 25 days, landed safe in San
Frop.;coo l;.tonco 220O ,piIos r,,linp in oil
from Charleston: to San Francisco $3.50 miles.
The reason why we were so long from Panama
70 San Francisco, was that we were in pro-
peller. A good side-wheel boat would make
the trip in ii days.
The whole trip from home to CAL, cost me
S46S,5O. The Storage or Deck passage
would cost about half that amount, but the
fare is wretcled. The reason why it cost me
so much, had no through ticket, and there
were so many at Panama when was there,
that tickets on Steamers could be sold at most
any price. Those who had through tickets
paid only $500 from New York to San Francis
co, for first cabin, which, by the way, is the
best way to come to this country.
81 will endcavor in the next place to give
you my principle objection to this country.
Nh @K first me- sa generally lasts about months
commencing about the lst Of May. During
this season, vegetation mostly dries up unless it
be watered, and great many of the smaller
streams fail, causing the whole country to pre-.
sent rather dreary appearance.
aMy 2nd objection is the great scarcity of
timber There are thousands Of acres, from
the coast, for q hundred and more miles in the
interior, that there is scarcely a tree, or bush
to be s,en. Up towards and at the mountains,
timber becomes more plentiful, and of better
quality. The Pine and Redwood grow to the
very finest state Of perfection. There are pine
trees said 10 be 800 feet high, and from to 10
feet in diameter, and Of the very finest quality
Though, there is not Il stick Of timber to be
found in all this country fit to make an axe
handle, q Plough-stock, or 4 wagon.
"My 3rd objection is the state Of society, the
destitution of Schools and Churches There
is certainly more profanity, drinking, Sabbath
breaking, obscene and gambling houses than
ever SAW, or knew anywhere else. But these
vices are rapidly declining, and society as rapid
ly improving.
My 4th and last objection is the multitude
Of Rats and Fleas that grow to the largest size,
andcf most gigantic strength, all through CAL,
that seem to be almost as great plague as the
Frogs of Egypt.
e. There are other slight objections have, but
"Iwill now inform you of some of what
deem to be the good qualities of Cal, first the
climate. 1t is the most regular, wholesome,
salubrious, and for purity think rot surpassed
in the world AS for health my judgment is
that it is decidedly the most healthy country
ever saw, and the judgment prcdicated on the
looks of the country, the people, and what
reliable men, who have been here longest have
told me, understand what write The water
is of the very finest quality, springs tolerably
plenty and the rivers supplied all the time from
the Mountains covered with snow, which keeps
them as cold and rs pure as the spring that you
use water out Of As for the soil, it is gener-
ally very productive, producing vegetables and
grain nearly Of all kinds, to very great advan-
tagc, except corn, it is said not to do well here
have no doubt but what the right sort of
man, could in five years make q very pretty for
tune here farming, which believe to be the
best business going on in this country.
And now for the gold mines. have now
travelled extensively in the gold regions. and
have found perhaps about one man in one thou
sand that has made the large fortunes we heard
so much of in the States. Yet there is an
abundance of mining land and gold all through
this country, and those men who are indus
triovs, steady, and perseverng, sticking close to
business and keeping away from those obscene
and gambling houses, grog-shops &C., are OBJ
hged to do well. Such men to my knowledge
are now averaging from SIS to SIS per day.
The price of labor Common laborers S5 per
day or 500 per month; Mechanics from $40
b, $40 per day or $500 per month. Horses
sell for from 500 to $500; Milk Cows, from
$3.50 to $500; Pork 35 cts. per h. Beef from
Otto 25 do, Butter 81, Chickens, 1886 per
dozen, Eggs S3 do. was at n little mining
. town two weeks ago where chickens would sell
from SIS to $40 per pair, and Eggs Sc per
dozen, and pigs three weeks old for SIC.
E. Flour cts. lb. Dry good sell about the same
prices they do in the States All articles made
Of leather, and books are much higher than
they are in the States. do not think the
Mercantile business profitable here because the
business is so much overdone:
"There are Schools now in the cities and
most of the mining towns, but good teachers
are very much wanted here.
" like this country better than any place
ever saw and believe it is the finest country in
the world, and have no doubt. but what you
could do well, and make 25 if not $50 here as
easy as: you can make one. where you are, and
that YOU can have as, good health, if not better
here than yon have there, though notwithstand- |
ing all this, it. were. in your place, situated us
you ares taking into consideration the distance;
difficulties, and dangers .eoripscted: with the trip
Of getting here: ]. should rensin' there at>pse-'l