Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-02-17


there mus, of necessity bs on the in.
crease. particularly as the weather, sin &c
our last adyices from that sect on, has
teen more inclement than during any
pre-, ous period Of the presen. season.
A letter from Downieville, in the CAL
ifornia Express, says:
Affairs are rapidly approaching cri-
sis. Provisions cannot be obtained for
any consideration. There is some little
flour left, which the lucky possessors re.
tam for their own use. The supply OF
beef is nearly exhausted. Nearly all the
hotels are closed. and those that remain
open use barley as substitute for flour,
and On ocr departure but little OF that
was left. A meeting was held the other
evening at Craycroff's to take into con.
sidera.ion the proprIety OF able-bodied
men quitting town. leaving what little
sull remained for the consumption of the
lntirm and female par, of the communi-
iy. Consequently an immense number
| LETT.
We copy the following from the same
paper:
| Mr.. Moodey states that no less than
700 mine. on Churn Creek, in the vi.
cini,y of his ranch, were compelled to
subsist six DAYS on acorns, being entirely
destitute of provisions, and unable TO pro-
cure them in consequence of The high
| water.
AT Downie's ranch on the north side
of Cow Creek, twelve persons were
cooped up in room seven by nine, for
eight days: during which time they were
obliged 70 subsis; on one scanty meal oil
beans per diem. One of the number
was Mrs. D, who was very ILL.,
Her husband sure .e,led ia fording Cow
Creek. aud reaching For, Reading, where
he endeavo.ed to buy such Injuries as
his wife needed, bu, the officers refused
TO cell him any. He however managed
loi obtain from some Of the soldiers their
extra ra,ions. and returned with III EN- to
the creek bu, was unable to cross owing
to the high water. Fortunately good
Samaritan happened along that way soon
after on horseback, who swan the river
and supplied his wife with tie necessary
articles provided for her by her husband.
We learn from Mr.. Hitchcock, who
lief. Goodyear's bar on Monday las,
tina. the snow in that region was four
feet deep. that three men had been found
on the hill this side, frozen to death, with
-four dashed to their backs who had been
car led by Mr.. H. and his party to the
bar and buried. Hitchcock came through
in three days on foot, bringing Sll,0OC
in treasure. He says he was on the
poin, of yielding to extreme exhaustion
several times. |, is the intention Of MIR
II. TO get the train through to the bar i
possible. Almost the only bread used
was made Of barley which sold at fifty
cents per pound.
! Sumo judgment my be formed of the
severity of The suffering among the min
ers from state ment which we notice il
one Of the papers that flour was selling
at two dollars pound-nearly foul
hundred dollars Darrell Fifty TO sew
enty five cents appears to be about TIT
ordinary price per pound throughout ths
mining regions.
The Sacramento Transcript of the Is
inst, remarks:
a report is prevalent in Stockton tina
some miners recently attacked a train o
wagons in Mariposa comfy, and rihet
,hem of all the provisions they contain
ed. This. says The Journal. must no
be wondered at, nor too strongly con
cemned. rs it is the spur of starvation
that drives men to such crimes. Thei
lives depended on the stake ard men vii
resort 10 any extreme 10 satisfy the de
mands of nature
From other quarters the record j.
equally discouraging, but more pariicu
larly from Calaveras county, where III.
deprivation is most heart rending.
gentleman of our acquaintance informs
rs that riding OUT shor, distance from
town few days since, he me, man uI
to hts arnpiss in water. wad.ng and swim
ming into town as best as he could, with
BAT one determination, 10 have .'some
thing to eat"