The Empire County argus., 1855-03-03
Correspondence of the Argus.
Crow Bar DiscOurscs about the Legislature and
Rau

Correspondence of the Argus
Crow Bar DiscOurscs about the Legislature and
Banks.
Mile north of Johntown, Feb, 1855.
Mr.. ARGUS: acknowledge my short comings,
in not writing you for several weeks but will now
give you asummary of my observations. First and
foremost, quarreled with the proprietor of the
steam saw mill in Johntown, because he would pot
allow me to undermine his mill, in my mining op-
erations About this time, the Ell Dorado delega-
ton went down to Sacramento to help make law.
They and others went into the new capitol build
ing, which, like every thing else in California, was
built on credit The credit of the Legislature be-
ing fiat as a pancake, they concluded to provide
for their future salvation, and hired chaplain to
pray in the Senate, and reporter to take down
the prayer and their speeches. The Assembly
made an investment in Mormonsm, and all hands
being out of funds and having no credit at board
ing houses, whiskey counters and other places OF
refreshment, they passed law giving themselves
$1,000 apiece for nothing About this time the
Supreme Court of the State of all the CALIFORNIA;
discharged a thunderbolt at the Court of Sessions
in Ell Dorado county, and knocked it into single
barreled pop gun. At this the Ell Dorado Senators
rolled up their eyes like peeled onions The ener-
getic eight, of the Assembly, winked and lodged
like toads under goose-berry bush. squirting at a
flash of lightning
The next thing, was an attempt to elect u s.
Senator down to 72 cents the dollar. If
DR. Gwin could be elected, scrip would go up to
par. All hands, captain and cook included, put
side and shoulder to the Wheel but the ark of Lord
Gwin would not move an inch. The Times =
Transcript walled and gnashed its teeth; the
Statesman begged and cried; the Journal swore,
the Tribune laid on like McDuff; and the Union
cried g Pitch in boys, go it while you're young!"
But alas the convention adjourned, and oh hor-
ror--Gwin specifically dead. Duncan, Sher-
man & Co. heard the fate of the Doctor by spirit
ual telegraph, and they were very wroth, and
struck Page g. Bacon of st Louis in the pit of the
stomach, and almost killed them. Alvin Adams,
of Boston, sympathised with Watts Sherman, and
SO he sent j. V. Hines, the Mlerte, out, with in
structions to have the California house of Adams
& Co. prosecuted up; in order to prevent
the Vice President of the Emigrant Association,
and the House of Assembly, and all the women,
from going away on the Express to Great Salt
Lake, and joining the Mormon Church Just at
this time, the banks began to smash in good ear
nest the Devil was to pay, and no pitch hot.
The news flew up to Johntown like a streak Of
CREASED lightning. | went to Georgetown at the
rate of 240, but Adams & Co.'s Office had gone to
the kingdom of nonentity. The vault was empty
as contribution box | swore and all the miners
swore about our 100000 deposited in that shaving
mill. We told the agent we would take the top of
his head off, if he did not open; whereupon, seeing
our pistols and knives, he opened his iron box and
not a red was in it,
We then went over to Messrs Conness & Read,
agents for Wells, Fargo & Co.. and presented a
few certificates of deposit. They paid us our cash
in the shake of lambs tail; and paid every body
else their money, who wanted it, and as fast as
they wanted it, too. Yes, Sir they kept their
doors open all the time, and plenty of cash in the
iron box; and their doors are open yet and they
are buying gold dust, and act just if they in
tended to stay in the country. | wonder what
Page, Bacon & Co., Adams & Co., Wells, Fargo 4
Co., and every body else who got fat broke, will
think now. Ell Doiado county had one bank with
mine of gold in it, and its doors would not be
shut
went to Placerville. Every banking house
there was closed and all closed every where in
the county, except Conness Read at Georgetown
Over to Coloma | went. The banks had all
cry direction, and general row going on all over
town, about money. Deep and long drawn curses
were muttered on every side. l felt disheartened.
Several of my schemes had tumbled over. So |
wrote to my friend the Major, in the Senate, and
have just received his answer. He says he will
make report, in few days, on the state Of the
finances: and says the whole cause of the failure
of Adams & Co., is the failure to elect Doctor
Gwin U. S. Senator. He says Gwin was afraid that
l. C. Woods would hereafter be in the way, so he
got Duncan, Sherman & Co., Alvin Adams, and
Parson Hines the Millerite, to kill Woods off.
The Major will prove this, in his report on the
finances; and will also show how |. c. Woods was
about turning all the rivers out of their channels
for the miners to wash out gold for his bank and
how all the nice members of the Assembly had in
tended to go on visit to Salt Lake, with Elder
Pratt CROW BAR.
P. 81 will tell you next time abbut the Know
Nothings and Freedoms Phalanx.