Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-09-08
UAYwARps, Cal. July 2lst, 1865.

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DEAR SIR " on inform me that you
would like to receive an occasional letter
from me, stating facts in regard to agri-
culture, mining, numbering, &c. rs l
live in farming community, | will first
give you some information in regard to
agriculture.
Last season was very dry one, and
our crops were very light, consequently,
grain and -four, went up to a very high
price Bat a few days ago, -four was
selling for fifteen dollars per barrcl wheat
I've cents per pound, and barley, three
and onc-half per pound. Last winter we
had a good quantity cf rain, which caused
plentiful harvest. The busy hum Of
lie reaper ani thresher are heard at all
hours of the day. Flour has fallen to
about seven dollars per barrel, wheat
to > cts. per pound or less. anl barley
one-half cts. per pound. have no doubt
but what we shall have a large surplus to
export. Hay is also very plentiful and
cheap. Fruit. as Il general thing, such as
apples, pears, peaches, cherries and plums,
are abundant,
There is not much mining done within
one hundred miles Of this place, except
ing coal, which is taken out near Mount
Diablo, in great quantities, about thirty
five miles from this place. have never
been in any of the mines, have been en-
raecd in the mercantile business since
1851.
The plentiful rains Of last winter wer,
favorable to the miner generally. | SCI
by statistics, that gold and silver is com
ing into San Francisco more plentiful tha,
in 1864. This part Of the country is st
much settled up, that stock, such as cat
tie, horses and sheep, arc mostly raise
in small herds. There is but little lum
bering done in this vicinity. but there arc
a great many saw mills on the coast be
tween San Francisco and Oregon. 1t Is
estimated that there is lumber Tor timber
enough near the coast to last u great
many years. The unsettled Mexican land
titles has been a great hindrancc to Cali.
fornia, But we are improving in many
ways. A fine two story schoolhousc Is
being built in this place. We have preach
ing every Sunday, aud a Sabbath schoo
also. We shalt probably have a railroad
completed and cars running from this
place to point of land on the Peninsula
of Amcda, within about eight miles ,oi
San Francisco, which connects with u fer.
~ boat.
Probably before you receive this you
will have heard Of the sad affair that oc'
CURED in San Francisco, the 1th inst.
which resulted in the death of the noto.
r;ous Billy Mulligan, who was expelled
from this State i'll 1886 by the vigilance
committee. He (Mulligan) was shot dead
with a muskot by policeman Hopkins, on
the afternoon Of the 9TH inst, at the St
Francis hotel. Mulligan, in lit Of de,
lirium tremcns, fred pistol shot from
his room into a Chinese wash house.
When the officers wen. to arrest him he
became furious, and with seven shooter
fired at those seeking to arrest him, and
also into the crowd Of spectators. killing
fellow Of his ilk, named McNabb, and
very worthy man named Hart after
several attempts to arrest him he was
shot dead as above stated.
As it regards our nationa! ail,airs, quite
change has taken place since | wrote
you last. Our President has been as.
sassinated, that none can deny. l think
wo hayo sufficient proof that our Union
prisoners We're starved to death, and many
other outrageous acts perpetrated by the
southern chivalry.
The pirate Shenandoah has turned up
in the Arctic ocean, and has beeu making