The Sierra citizen., 1855-01-20
RAILROAD HILL, YUBA Co.
JAN. l6. 1855.

Jan. ~, ACoO.
Ed. Citi=en.-This week came to me
most impertinent epistie from thy worthy
fellow-laborer John G. Of /" fast memory,
and Herewith also came draft upon the
firm of Langton i Bro, with request
that the amount thereof-twenty-fv
cents lawful money of the 9. S.-might
be expended in the purchase Of "gin
cocktail; )" bat alas it come too late, for
l had become sonny" and the light of
81 gin cocktails had vanished forever
And then commenced in my miad a great
struggle, for be it known unto thee. that
I was indebted unto certain firm in the
amount of one hundred and eighty-four
drinks for sundry imbibings, and | was
pledged to pay for no whiskey. How
then, should l proceed ? Interest said
don't pay it. Honor said pay, and for
once in my life honor had the deal, and (
settled. Now, Mr.. Editor, tell thy friend
John, to tempt me DO more.
can scarce imagine that same John,
as a dignifed publisher of paper, for
fitting before me he will come like the
headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow, who
always rode as if the devil was after him,
and when John, was on the road, if the
devil was on earth he must have been af-
ter him. John, never allowed anything to
be ahead. How does he content himself ?
has he saddle and spurs in the sanctum,
or does he quietly subside into cushion
ed chair and study the books with which
the sanctum abounds?
Here l sit to-day for the last time in
many months, for must away to the val
ley. The snow and ice lose their charms fox
me when the jorum Of hot whiskey is not
there to help the fancy out. But ere
go, | must draw on your truly miners pa
per, for column or two upon the future
prospects of the dry diggings.
l have been resident of this section OF
the country since the first hill diggings
were struck. / have seen improvement
after improvement introduced for the pur-
pose Of working thenR The side hill so
steep that the foot of man could scarce
find a resting place, has been traversed by
the surveyor, and the bubbling brook,
whose waters had no use save to dance
and gurgle merrily in the clear sunshine,
has been turned from its course and
brought into the hand of the miner. Then
came the crowds of gold hunters from the
valleys where the cattle were roaming
from the river bars where their last dol.
lar had gone down with some expensive
lume-and from the cities where they
found no labor. They came, and prospect
ed, and for miles around they sought and
found gold. Then sprang up the village
of rough hewn logs, or of rougher shingles
aptly called "shakes," and first among the
public buildings came the saloon, that
fashionable name for theivins gambling
room. Soon money became plenty, and
some was sent to the old folks at home. y
Some went into the till of the grog seller,
and much. very much into the hands Of the
gambler Then came q change, water
dried up, money became scarce, aud
loa6ng." societies boasted many menf
bers.- Store keepers began to shut down,
and all this because there was no water.
Then came another revulsion. The news
spread that company was forming to
bring in the Yuba, and water would be
plenty. That from listless and apathetic
management soon was forgotten, and to-
day, while am writing, the country for
twenty miles, which might be as busy as
the hive of the bee, is lost in Incidence
for the want of water, and the result is.
that where there should be money and
smiling countenances, there is want and
sober looks. All the available water;
mean. that which is available with the
miners limited capital is brought in, and
there is not enough to develope one fiftieth
of the resources of the country. 1t is not
alone felt here, but the city merchant
knows it the San Francisco capitalist
knows it; and among them oil, there is not
one who will step forward and help to en-
rich themselves. Two hundred thousand
dollars from. the cities, and one hundred
thousand from the Miners, and in six
months from this time the township of
Slate Range alone, will be giving out five
hundred thousand dollars per month to be
circulated throughout the country. This
water must bs'brought here. A careful