The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-02-22
For the Express.
F0t inc Express.
BESEcIA, CALIFORNIA, !
Dec. 9Th, 1853. !

|
HoN. WIN. Y. LOWELL, DEAR SIR:
Perhaps an apology for not writing sooner
according to promise before leaving Dubuque,
might be proper, but having until very recently
no permanent location, and not being sufficiently
acquainted with California to unite with any
but few letters since have been here, at present
myself and lady are located in Benecia the
present Capital of State. Our Legislature
meets on next Monday, IS in the lower and IS
in upper house. ll6 members at SIG per day,
81 s69. 90 and about 10 TO each house for Clerks,
&c $4,000 making $2,l76 per day; our resour
ces must be great 10 meet government dues, and
still the taxes are about the same as what they
are in Iowa. Our mineral wealth is inexhaus-
tible and our agricultural resources in short
time will be abundant for home consumption
it'll surplus for export.
Could you but enjoy our C Innate as have for
the presen, month Of Dec ember, you would
never spend another in Iowa. Farmers; have
been seeding the whole month when not inter-
| rupted by an occasional shower. Gardeners
HidkIux SdIOeu, anu 81 III Jul tuUic IL
daily with fresh Cabbage, Bee,s, Radish, Celery,
&c; with the exception of or mornings last
week we have had not even white frost.
Cattle and Horses are feeding by hundreds en-
our green hills, covered by young and fresh
wild oats, hence no frosting of ears and fingers
while feeding stock. Stock of all descriptions
demand high price rst quality of horses
from 8 hundred 10 one thousand dollars per
span, work Cattle from 2 to hundred, first
rate Cow from to 2 hundred, chickens from :,
to dol; the price Of labour has and is falling
mechanics from to 8 dollars, farming 50 TO IS
per month.
Every thing with few exceptions are sold by
the pound. Flour made at our city mill is
worth $l6 per Dbl. fresh beef 20 to 25 cts, pota
toes q to cts, cabbage do onions cts beet:
do salt Eastern hams Is to IL. Groceries il
the aggregate about what they are with you
Clothing and Furniture, many articles Of
which are cheaper than in the States. The
market however luctuates very much in almost
every thing We want Of which we had ample
proof last winter when flour sold for from 80 to
100 dol. per bbl potatoes 20 cts. &c.
Female labour for house work is high, from
so to 100 dol per month. Travelling per Stage
Steamboat, Carriage or Horseback, is in many
instances, perfect imposition and which Cal
only be removed by competition; at present it il
under the control Of blu. few men, consequent,
our Steam Boats charge about l24 cts. per mile
with the addition of $3.50 per meal and shoult
you want bed only $500. Stage fare in many
instances as high as 25 cts. Buggy Horse $lO,ut
Double Carriage from 20 to IS dol Saddle
: Horse dol.
Happy TO hear through the Express that you
Railroad is in progress, passing the mighty bay
Of little Fever river or Mud creek, toward Du
buque City, may she never stop until she reach
es the frontiers Of Nebraska Territory, and iron
thence by combined effort to Utah, and still on.
ward and onward until the War horse from tn,
! Atlantic shall greet and embrace his brothe
} from the Pacific, TO celebrate the time, the da,
and occasion already fondly anticipated b,
admirng millions. do hope that on this sub
; ject every heart in our great American fami
ly will beat in Unison and Harmony to promote
perpetuate and consolidate our happy Republic
not only by Sea but by Land. There are tire
routes advocated in this State, the Southern tn
: Northern and Central or Mobiles pass. The lai
; ter is thought to be the most feasible, passn
through the greatest portion of our State fror
East to West, and nearly through the centr
North and South. They have each their engi
!, neers and surveying companies, on duty; ,h
Central has two out; about year since ther
was company formed, and stock all taken I
n build Railroad from this place to MarysvilI
n but by reason of the unsettled state of our dc
d main, have taken no steps TO forward the worl
+ Next week, however, cali is noticed by publ
cation to meet at San Francisco on The I'd jar
e 1854, at which time something definite it is to
o hoped, will be done. ----s-~-