Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-01-02
FROM CALIFORNIA.

The following extract of a letter from DR.. Jo-
siah Simpson, of the United States Army, written
to his brother in this city, containing it does,
some singular facts in relation to the climate of
Upper California, will be read with much interest
by our readers:
FoRr HUMBOLDT, CAL, Nov. 1st, 1854.
ssI am much pleased with this part of Califor-
mia; prefer it much to San Francisco and the
country Immediately about it. When left San
Francisco last June, everything was parched and
dried up; whilst here found everything green
and luxuriant. The Oat is the actual grass of
the country about San Francisco, Benicia, &c.
As soon as it ripens it turns yellow. This with
the absence Of timber gives the whole of that part
of the country dry and sterile look.
&C Here the wild Oat does not grow, and the
grass with which the country is covered is green
nearly all the year. Our driest time is during
the month of September, when the grass is some
what parched for the want of rain. From my ar
rival here up to the 5th of last month, we had,
you may say, no rain. There were one or two
showers, a few days after we reached here but
with that exception we have had none.
"The country noU looks as green and as fresh
as it does at the East in the opening of Spring
The grass is all springng up afresh there is no
finer country for stock than this the grazing is
good with the exception Of about one month in
the year.
"The variations of temperature are less than
in any place have yet been in. The mean for
the month of June was SO. As for July. 81. 88;
August, So. 50; September, So. Al ; October, 3d.
81.
'' The quantity of rain fallen in June was SO of
aninch in July, August and September, none in
October, 8. GO.
"The lowest range Of the thermometer in June
was 40, highest 7S; in July, lowest AZ, highest
7S; in August, lowest 40, highest 73 in Sep
tember, lowest IS, highest 10 in October, lowest
36, highest 81.
I" The country is remarkably healthy. All the
cases have had here, with one or two exceptions,
have been injuries from accidents in the saw
mills. have but two men on the sick report and
l only report two as taken sick during the past
month. Although there are great many chill
drcn on the bay, and quite number at the post,
have never been called but once to attend to
case Of sickness among them. The co!dncss of
the climate is, suppose, one great cause of the
healthyness of children here. We have very
heavy fogs during the summer season, which sup
ply the place Of rain.
s'Thc time for making money out here has
gone by. Everything at San Francisco has de-
prccated. and within the last few weeks in consc-
quence of the villanies of by the name Of
---, who had stood very high with the COM
munity, there have been great many failures
among the business men. N-T-, is, am
sorry to say, one among the number. He wrote
me that in consequence OFFS rascality, his
firm was a loser to the amount of 100000 That
he had instituted suit against the California
LAUNDERING Company Of which, was President
and was in hopes of recovering something. He
had however placed everything in the hands of
his creditors, and they had made an arrangement
by which he was enabled to carry on his business
and hoped to save something out of the general
wreck. ...r .--. ...,. .t .sr....
l feel sorry for him. He is an cnterprising
fellow, and have very little doubt, will be on
his feet again."
Fort Humboldt Humboldt Bay, about 230 North
from San Francisco. s..