Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-09-07
Correspondence of the Chronicle.
FAIRvIEw, August 2sth. 1857

from business tour through the eastern
portion Of this county and the western of
Alpine, and am deeply impressed with the
air of dependency and desolation pervadns
the whole country. Our towns are depopu-
lated. our ranches deserted there are more
empty houses than full ones property OF
every description is abandoned; taxes are
increasing resources diminishing the GEN.
tres of population changing, and tie inhab-
itants wandering to more favored regions.
Reflection satisfied me there must be an
active, enduring cause-a reason for this,
which, once known, might (might. 1 don't
say piH.) be removed. J. S. Hittell. editor
of the alta, in his tour through the southern
mines, speaks of several causes of the decay
of the mining interests and the decrease of
population in the mountains. but, while
cordially agree with him in all his statements,
l think he has omitted very important ele-
ment in the calculation. Every one must
wander off to Pahranagat. Idaho, Montana,
and other newly discovered Ell Dorados, al
most invariably return. some time or other.
to their old homes in the mountains. while,
as invariably, men with families seldom or
never do. All this is radically wrong.
Deeply impressed with the conviction that
the reason for this must be found SO near the
surface as to be patent to all, the moment it
is stated IN plain and unmistakable language,
l canvassed the apparent causes, and came
to the conclusion, finally, that it was be-
cause young men were preferred to married
ones in all branches of business or employ
ment. The book-keepers, clerks and teach
become Benedicts during the term of their
engagement, and they seek other employment
as soon at that is closed. Young men fire.
quent the saloons and other public places
and are sure to get the first offer, or are the
first to hear of a vacancy and apply for it;
while men of family live more retired, and
are the last to hear of or be offered a chance
to labor. Hence they are obliged to aban-
don their wives, leave all that renders home
dear and life pleasant. and seek employment
from strangers, where among the struggling
herd, they can pass for men free from in
cumbrances, and stand upon footing of
equality with others.
If man wants carpenter to do job, he
perhaps never thinks of it until he meets a
young man in a saloon, and, his memory
thus refreshed, gives him the first chance.
If you want Jour" do you look around,
among the men living in your vicinity, to
find one able or willing to raise composing
stick for the support of his family. or do you
not wait for an opportunity to pick up the
first straggler that comes along. or perhaps
send to the city for some young and, may
hap, better man: The rule is a universal
one and applies to every kind of business and
employment in the mountains for 1 speak
from painful experience of years of hope
less and fruitless endeavor.
Let a married man become a candidate
for Office, and half dozen Youngsters
spring into the political arena to wrest the
prize for which he is struggling from his
grasp; and as the chances are two to one
against him if he has only one competitor
they must certainly increase in the ratio of
the number of his opponents. Men of fami-
ly, then, are compelled to seek more attrac-
tive and remunerative fields of labor-either
the lower valleys or the cities offer the
highest inducements-and then raise and
educate their children with some pretensons
to comfort and decency.. Either that, or
they must be content to endure both poverty
and ignorance, or else resort to very ques-
tionable courses to supply their wants. Look
around you and note the number of families
growing richer, year after year, and compare
them with the number growing poorer. day
by day, then tell me if exaggerote Gala
veras has lost, is losing, will lose multitudes
of her best, and what ought to be her most
permanent class of citizens under the pressure
of such injustice.
No. no. Mr.. Editor, better spirit may
prevail, society become teres ct ,,ota,dus,
mems eyes be opened, and something like
justice be done, before we inaugurute the
political or some other millennium, but have
lost all faith, and have no hope of it in my
time. Unless change takes place soon my
own immigration, with that of hundreds of
others, resolves itself into "a question of
time only. Yours, BEDROCK.
AMERICAN MANUFAcTUREs-THE ANER1-
CAN WATCH COMPANY OF WALTHAM, Mass
Our readers know that the best mechanism
of the best manufactures of this country is
unsurpassed anywhere in the world. The
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produced the cotton-gin, the mechanical
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best telegraphic instruments, and last, but