The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-03-16

y sA~ 6Snei0iuuu WIN ICVCiVCu IL. Al
though not intended for publication, yet
containing truthful picture of the bust
ness interests of California, we present it to
our readers, because we hear that some of
our citizens who are too impatient to wait
and labor" are preparing to emigrate thith-
er for the purpoee Of mending their for
tunes"
1t will be seen that there is profitable
employment for but that class who are phys
ically able and willing to /" dig and delve in
the mines." The farmers, the professional
and business men have far better chance
to make money in Minnesota than in Cali.
fornia, as is clearly shown by the letter,
which is candid and truthful reply to in
quiries on the several points replied to, and
is written by gentleman who has accumu.
lated large fortune, and who was one of
the earliest settlers of California:
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. s, 1860.
Ny DEAR SIR Your letter of Novem-
Der 20, was received by me on the 4th inst.
You have requested me to write you can
didly and at once with regard to the judi
ciousness of your removing to California.
therefore lose no time in complying with
your wish.
California presents a strange anomaly.
She has higher grade and rate of wages
for labor than any other part of the world
furnishes, and yet she has, in proportion to
her male adult population, quite as large a
number of men out OF employment as can
be found in any American State. Of course
her growing population continually reduces
the price of labor, but it comes down with
struggle. Still, labor is yet at that high
price that be who does find employment and
sticks to it, living economically, can acquire
competency sooner than be can upon
wages elsewhere. will illustrate this to
you. have had in my employment, on
| wages, great many men since l have been
in California (; some at the Quartz mill and
mine which formerly owned, and some on
my farm. Of these men, some dozen or more
were in my employ solely during their en-
tire stay in this State, and have now re-
turned to their former homes in Scotland
Ireland and various parts of the United
States. And l can recall the names of
some of them who have carried with them
their accumulated savings from wages in
the following sums. One took $500,
another $4,000, another $500, another
So, 200, another $500, another 1900, and
several Others sums varying from a few
hundreds to thousand dollars. 1t would
naturally be supposed that l must have made
large amount of money out of the labor OF
these men. 1t was not so. In no instance
have l ever made any thing out of the pro
duct of hired labor. l have invested the
capital, used all my skill in management,
taken all the risks incident to enterprise and
have been very glad to keep from loss. You
might wonder why l continued for any,
length of time such fruitless enterprises
But it is easier to get in than to get out, and
when ones capital is invested, you must keep
going.
My quartz mill and mine l finally was
glad to sell at a sacrifice, and my farming
pursuits, reduced to the operations of one
mans labor instead of ten. The soil here
produces, as you remark, wonderful crops,
but we have no market except ouI own
cities, and every expense attending the pro-
ductiOn and sale of crops is so great that
nothing is left to the producer-labor, trans
portation, commissions, and incidentals con-
sumo the crop. At present there is not a
branch OF industry or enterprise in the en-
tire State, with the exception of pursuits
connected with mining, that is not overdone,
In the professions it is the same; the coun-
try is full OF lawyers and doctors. So with
the mechanic arts, although the rapid growth
OF our cities keep busy vast number Of
house mechanics, yet even these complain of
the difficulty of finding work, so many are
the applicants.
man Of enterprise. You might reason
from this that the employee must find this
country fortunate spot, where wages are
so high, and where labor consumes all the
profit of capital. 1t would be so if the
supply was not in excess of the demand, or
| if that excess would turn to the mines and
become producers of gold and consumers of
produce and merchandise. But the mass of
California immagiuation expect to find on
their arrival here, ready employment at their
accustomed pursuits, and instead of going
| at once to the mines IA hard alternative it
is true) they hang about in the vain search
for one of those places with high rate Of
wages of which they have heard, and which,
when found has forty standing ready to get it.
Capital alone here is king. One and
half to two and half per cent. per month
for the use of money, and that with good
collateral in hand, makes this the paradise
of money lenders. The man, therefore, who
has capital, that is cash, tangible gold, can
here find his Ell Dorado. The hard listed
laborer who has strength, health and a
liking for the hard labor of mining can also
get better wages than he can elsewhere, and
good chance of steady employment.
.zsT0 all Others who seek fortune, Califor-
mia offers no temptation. To man, how
ever, who would live farmer, and do his
| own work, or at least work by the side of
his laborers, and who would be satisfied
with fine climate, prolific soil, and sea-
sons that make work pleasure, with fruits
that grow beyond precedent for beauty, de-
lieiousness and variety, and who would be
contented to enjoy comfort on his farm, with
less care and less trouble and less sickness,
land possibly less, and by chance more
prOfit) than he WOuld he liable IN elsewhere