Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1853-1853, 1853-04-29


GHrrKwooD, Cal. March 10Th, 1858.
Dear Brother:
You are posted up on the affairs Of this cOun.
try much better than eau inform you by letter,
IL you get the papers ! send you, for send
them often. But there is one thing they do
not speak of that is the prospects OF the mines.
They do speak of them, but not truthfully; for
they generally speak highly Of the prospects
ahead, of new diggingS being struck, Of certain
districts paying well, and Of ''miners doing
we'll" in others. Well, miners may be doing
we'll in many places, but there are many more
where they are not doing so well. Many in this
vicinity are "doing well" now, and have been all
winter; that is, they have been making from four
to seven and eight dollars per day; that, if re-
ported in the papers, would BE-, the miners
around Greenwood are doing very WELL" But
If they told the rest of the tale, they would say
there are many more that have made scarcely
board, aud still work on, because they cannot
find any better diggings. And this is the case
all over the whole country. You may think the
tone of my letters is pretty much the same on
this subject, and that stretch the case. But If
the truth were told BY everybody, you would
soon be convinced. Folks, when they get out
here and find this state CT affairs do not like TO
write home about ii. for fear their friends
would think they were discouraged, because
they did not find things to suit their highest an
ticipations. Such may be the case, too, and it is
because all is not told by those who 60 home
from here. If they go home with nothing, they
do not let it be known, because it would be said,
''they did not work." and if they 60 home with
some money they will not let il be known how
much they have, for other reasons. And the
reason so many come out here is, they argue
with themselves in this manner :-"If Mr..
Such-an-0 One has made his pile out there, may
too, and IL Mr.. So-and.So has not made much,
he never could make money. and did not work
rightly" then they will make up their minds
that the chances are much in their favor, Of max
ing fortune, and if they could NOT, they soon
could make enough to 60 home again. They
soon change their minds after they get here,
though. Many dOleful faces we see here, be-
longing to new Corners. Some work few days,
give it up and 90 home; others 60 without work
ing or trying the mines at all. There arc some,
however, successful, and work away, saving
money every week, but the majority do not
make much. Many old miners who came cut
in '4s and 40 are still here, and as poor as ever
they are either unsuccessful, or have spent their
money, and find it very hard to make mere; 9TH
ers have lost in buying claims and trying to make
more. What do they write home most of
them the truth, no doubt; but few receive it, and
that few do not believe. Man is contrary ami.
NAL, and will only be taught by experience.
How quickly he is taught out here!
You will no doubt like to know my idea of the
prospects of miners for the coming season, after
my writing the above. Well, l think the pros
poets are poor. The river mostly will be
fumed again this summer, both in the same
places that were homed last year, and those
that were not, because the miners have had more
experience in river mining, andwill work some
places where, few years ago, II wa, thought