Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-04-09
WARNING To GOLD HUNTERs BOUND TO THE
NORTH

Correspondence Of the BuIIetiul
SAS FRANCISCO, February 2z-Havng just made a
quick business trip 20 points now obtaining much atreu-
ton among our easily excited population, and thinking
that q few words might be Of value, I take the liberty of
sending you a few Cd iotttngs down %
1 left San Francisco, February 9Th, upon the steamer
CoTtas, with q crowd Of enthusiastic Salmon river mining
Adventures Amid much eXcitems { and many cheers
we passed the thTOuged wtarves ard doubtless thousands
envied tiF lucky individuals whose passage was thus Sc
cured or the first stage Of their journey toward rapid for
tune. On the llth we entered the Columbia The faces
which had been gradually e~,0ugltng a. snowy -lpiue-
looking mountains had met our vision, assumed their
greatest length when we observed a foot Of newly fallen
snow at Astoria. This position Of the features was re-
tanned as some sixty passengers by the former trip of the
Cortss. some three weeks previous, came on board, bag
and baggage, ant informed US that no communication
mp the river had been had for four or five weeks, and
told Us Of their ~l1ngings waiings and fears.
We proceeded slowly up The river now lodging OLD
ice Il -lis, now crushing through them, at times almost
c-asiug our onward motion, and ever swapping newly
formed Ice As we proceeded, great anxiety was felt
that we should not be able % reach ST. Helena. This
finally accomplished, we found thefe the river boat Cow
hts. whose entsrprising captain told US that there was but
one OF two bad places between that point and Portland
Never have ! seen a number Of men, with whom the
sense of relief was so plainly discerniblei gloomy brood
ings gave place % noisy congratulations as we pressed
on. We duly arrived al the entcrprisiug town Of Port
land. where there was one and a half feet Of snow upon
the ground Five hundred persons thrown suddenly up
on a town, apparently uuprepareI tor their reception
caused quite a cOmmOtiOn in the way of huntiugup quar-
ters, and many persons had 10 content themselves with
.shakedowus." Board PAYABLE in advance " No beds
secured until paid for, caused those with little money
and great expectations 10 assume long faces as they
philosophicaIly reflected upon the congealiug property Of
water with the mercury below thirty TWO degrees.
Soon, however, they had companions in misery, for an
express arrived from the upper country, bringing ac
counts Of the suleriugs a a party who attempted the
Journey from John DAVIS river TO the DulIes. AS YOU are
probably aware. five If this party died from exposure,
among whom was one Of the most eutgTprsng ciizeas
Of Portland, J Z. Jaeger. This express confirmed what
had been told us-th E it was utterly OF no avail 10 az
tempt proceeding further, and would NOT be tor six
weeks or two months Upon observing that the Colum.
ba river was completely frozen at the mouth of the
Willamette, many bad supposed they could pack their
goods mp. This hope was now crushed out. The best
authority, parties concerned deeply in the internal traffic
Of the country, told me that il was useless 20 attempt 70
go into the mines for two months. They also stated that
Tor tbs hrst part Of the season, after The route Is open, a
great deal o. suffering must be experienced The unu.
sual winter has closed all routes for supplies 10 places
where heretofore there has seldom been laid up more than
enough for the three weeks. This combined with the
increased number Of persons all along the route, viii Do,
duee a state Of affairs bordering on starvation aud, said
they even now. men living in cabins along the line ci
travel are obliged to pack Oh their backs, formany miles,
food enough TO keep their immediate families from starry
ing. Still, contrary TO the old adage. that " distance
lends encbautment to the view" l found that many Of
the people OF Portland were, If possible, even more ex-
cited than those OF san Francisco.
We left Portland on the 18th, travelling acquaintance
charging me that, should we not again put in there. to
impress upon friends i'm San Francisco the folly Of
starting before six weeks OF even two months" Said
they, "such will be the iaehiest, for they will have the
start not alone lu leaving this place az the same time
with us, but also in purses not ighfeued by boarding in
p strange town al high rates for that period. Couutsa-
ancgs Frightened the day we left, for there were iuHic3-
tons Of raln-eZpeCt3t1uE alas sOreIy disappointed
AT Victoria 1 found much excitement relative 10 the
CariDoO COunry-bUt more interest n regard 10 the pro.
babis immigration o. that portion of the gold country
Evidently the Victoria people have eN-rted themselves
to attract immigration thitherward, and are fearful that
the salmon river country VIII eclipse the Carib1o in the
minds of miners aud Portland excel Victoria as an en-
rrepot host astonishing to me- 'rumors" were flying
abOat the streets IN reg I'd 10 the equal proportion Of pas
seugeTs by our steamer for Portland and for that pointl
Anything but q pleasant effect was produced bv assuring
parties that but ten per cent. Of those who embarked az
the Bay City came through 90 Victoria
J made 70 my business TO see parties whom most people
would coucece go be tEr best authority. Said they
% We are glad no more have come, and when YOU return
10 San Francisco Impress upO all, 20 far az in your
power, tlat the Let OF June is soon enough TO leave San
Francisco Ior the CarlDoO country, and say that parties
living here who now own claims there. will not leave
until that date From your exchanges you will have
received accounts Of the losses and suterirgs by cold IN
that region.
Upon returning 20 the Columbia river we proceeded
up, with but little obstruction from The floating ice. AZ
Portland the streets were snowy. slippery and icv-the
temperature lower than experienced during the tril-tha
weather. sti datressinsly unpleasant. The sidewalks
were somewhat unnu-d OF the crowd still tho greater
ppTncn OF JnOse VINO were moving about fu- streets were
recognized As steamer Acquaintance Said thew. "Sav-
eral nave LETT, BAT they are scattered about in the imme-
dlafe vicinity with tarmers, etc.; q few have left on snow
shoes and skates, carrying their own provisions, but we
are satisfied that the further they 20 the worse they will
be of, and already we have heard Of some turning back
70 this point"
SAID one TO nae most earnestly al Chargs YOU let the
fact be known IN San Francisco that six weeks or two
months Is soon enough to leave that place"
Said another: ID 10 all you can TO make the case
known If you cause but one person 10 postpone bis de-
pBrture, you will have done that one a lifelong favor
Actuated by tins idea, aud this alone, / have penned
these words Ri. Il.