Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-05-05

letter from California. We must
apologize for delaying it's qualifications several
days:
GErrxwOoD, CAL, March 10th. 1853.
Dear Brother:
You are posted up on the Affairs Of this cOun-
try much better than can 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 dygings being struck, Of certain
districts paying well, and Of "miner' doing
welr' in others. Well, miners may be doing
well in many places, but there are many more
where they are not doing so well. Many in this
vicinity are "dOing welr' now, and have been all
winter; that is, they have been making from four
to sever. me 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, and 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 OF,
this subject, and that stretch the case. But il
the truth were told by eterybOdyi you would
soon be convinced. Folks wheti they get out
here and find this state cf affairs; do not like to
write home about it, for fear their friends
wOtild think they were discouraged, because
they did not find things to suit theif highest an!
ticipatiOns. Such may be the case, too; and il Is
because all Is not told BY those who 60 home
from here. If they 60 home with nothing, they
do not let it be known; because il would be said
"they did not work." and il they 60 home with
some moAey they will not let il be knswn how
much they have, for other reasons. And the
feason so many come out here is, they argue
with themselves In this manner :-"L Mr..
Such-an-O One has made his pile out there, may
too, and il Mr.. So-and:So has not made muchi
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 IL they could not. they soon
} could make enough to 20 home again. They
soon change their minds after they get here
though. Many doleful faces we see here, be-
:. longing to new comers. Some work few days,
! give it up and 20 homsi Othsti 60 without work:
ing or trying the miheI At all There are some
however, successful; and work away, saving
money every week, but the majority de moi
make Huch. Many old miners whs came sut
in %S and 'A9 ere still here and ~ poor ss ever
1 they are either unsueesSifuli DR. have spent their
money, and End it very hard 10 Ashs mere; 9th.
ere have lOst in buying claims and trying to make
more. What do thy write home ? thost Ol
them the truth, no doubt; but few rsesive it. and
: thGt few do not believe. Man is contrary ami.
nal, and will only b taught BY experience
How quickly he is taught cut hsrsi
r You will No doubt like to know my idea Of th'
ptospect0 Of ninsvs fer the coming season, aftel
my writing the sbsvs. Well, l think the pros
poets are poor. The river mostly will b
lumed again this sumner, both in the SAINT
0 places that were Aumed last year, and thos'
!. that were not, because the miners have had more
I experience in river mining, and will work some
= places where, few years ago, it was thought
they could not. But their working them does
+ not argue that they will pay. because an average
Of claims on the Middle Fork Of the ABerican
! last year. would show lOssi YET this does no
! prevent them from working the river ssaih fol
= every time they try it they think that ii will ser
n tsinly pay the next sAsoh, because labor an,
lumber and proviSiOn1 viii be cheap besides
. they did not work 10 an advantage, sOthey viii
j, keep trying. The Dry Season will som b
i lA.,s a.,;n .od ne, NJ m the Wet SeASon ,fd u