Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-31
TWO WEEKS LATER FROM CALI
FORNIA.


1he steamship Star OF the West, from San
Juan del Norte on the 18th instant, and Key
West on the 23d, arrived at New York on
Tuesday morning. She connected at the 18th
mus with the steamship Uncle Sam, from San
on the 18th, bringing from both ports in gold
and silver for New York, New Orleans and
Nicaragua, $723,OO0 and $50 passengers.
From the Isthmus.
Capt Scott, the Accessory Company's gene
raj agent at the Isthmus, has completed the
great wharf at Virgin Bay. 1t is six hundred
yards in length by five in BREADTH and reaches
to the verge of deep water, enabling at all
times the lake steamers to land and receive
passengers and freight in the greatest safety
and comfort. The old launches have been
necessarily withdrawn altogether. Last week
he laid down at Punta Arenas another steamer
for the river, Of far greater capacity and power
than any hitherto. She will be fitted up in
good style with sleeping berths, and will be
ready for launching in two months.
| Everything Quiet I'm Nicaragua.
| General Walker has now $50 Americans
under arms, and :" the cry is, still they GOMEZ
! All was quiet.
| The suburbs of the city of Grenada have
| been laid out in building lots, and already
sold; pier is being constructed into the lake,
and is to be ready for use early in the month
| of March Schooners to Virgin Bay and San
| Carlos, conveying passengers and freight, are
| advertised to sail with promptitude three times
| a week between those ports and the city; and
more than all, the rich absentees have returned
to Grenada and the resumption of business is
firmly established.
Among the cabin passengers arrived at San
Juan by the last steamer from New York were
number Of persons intending to settle in
Grenada.
From CALIFORNIA;.
We make up the following summary from
| the San Francisco Chronicle of the 5th inst
| The year just closed has been one of the
most prosperous to the State at large than has
been experienced since this country became an
integral part of the Union. In fact, it will be
generally admitted that, considering all in
| terests, the material growth of California has
| been more healthful and vigorous in 1855 than
in any preceding year. The mines, which are
still our chief reliance for national prosperity
have yielded steady and bountifu returns to
judicious and persevering search, and con-
sequently, the miners, as class, are now en-
| joyng greater degree of pecuniary indepen-
dance than any other body of laborers upon the
! face Of the globe
/ uC IHeIo DIT llc ldSJ harvest patDeTeu
crops which, if not as bountfal altogether as
what the wonderful prolific soil has in some
other seasons repaid the tller for his toll, have
still been remunerative, owing to the fortunate
| circumstance that breadstuffs in some other
parts of the world have borne so high a value
| as even to induce expectations of moment from
here-a land, as it were settled but yesterday,
and only yesterday dependent for the barest
necesssries OF life upon supplies from the other
side of the continent
Gold mining and farming thus far the only
important productive interests of the State,
having thrlven during the past year, 1T natur-
| ally has followed that the trader and mechanic
have shared in the general prosperity by exer-
cising TO profit their respective callings. The
cities, towns, and the country generally have
been exempt from any heavy disaster from fire
and Hood such as has often daunted the enter
prising pioneer in former years. Thus, all in
terests have advanced alike with steady strides.
The weather during the fortnight has been
very favorable for miners and farmers The
Sierra Citizen estimated the value of one rain
TO that country at the rate Of $50, 1000 per hour.
The estimate may possibly be correct one; at
least there are many small ravines which are
dry except during heavy rains, and which yield
great returns when water is plenty, but will not
pay for working when stream of water can
not be obtained on the spot.
The branch Mint at San Francisco, after an
annual settlement, was re-opened on the I'd
instant.
One of the principal features of news during
the last week has been the publication in the
large dailies OF this city and in the Sacramento
Union, of vast number Of statistical tables
for the past year.
The loss by fires in the State during the wear
is estimated at $2,O62,50O
The total number of lynch law executions in
the States during the year was AZ, of which 10
we're on charge Of murder, 25 on charge of
theft, for rape, for arson, and Indians
charged with being spies.
There were executions, all for murder. ac-
cording to statute law.
There were 538 homicides, of which 1873 were
Indians, 80 Cinnamon, 3 negroes, 81 Spaniards.
and 276 other whites. Some addition, amount.
ing to about Is or 20-must be made to this
calendar after the receipt Of news from all parts
of the State to the end of the year
The gold exported during the year. as shown
by the Custom House books was S45.lS2.63l.
During the year there vase 267 marriages
in San Fancisco; u applications for divorce.
and Al divorces granted.
"A difficulty occurred few days since at Bid
wells Ranch, resulting in the death of five In
dams and one white man. The Indians came
INTO store hept Ny IhI. JOsepn Scbae6e, and
asked for some -four, and demanded il without
payment. Upon being refused they imme-
diately shot him down and killed him. The
white residents in the neighborhood gathered
together and pursued the murderers and sue.
ceeded in killing five of them.
man named John Item was killed in Stock
ton by the explosion Of Touring mill
The Legislature is tomeet at Sacramento on
the 9TH instant, when the new Governor will be
On the goth of December, the u. s. land
commissioner confrmedthe claim of the Catho
lie Church to the Mission Buildings, the
the orchards, and vineyards at.
tached TO them, in the twenty.one old Missions
of California. Since then the claim made by
Bishop Allemany, for one league of land in
each mission on behalf of the Christian Indians.
has been rejected.
1t is understood that suit will soon be
instituted for the possession of the celebrated
Leidesdroff estate for which the late Canto;n