Mower County transcript., 1869-12-23
Letter from California.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, J
November Both, 1869. {

N november the 5r0, 1908, IOr CallIOrnla.
We started in wagons, intending to
take the cars, on the Iowa Division of
the Illinois Central r. r., at Usage,
and from there by rail to Sanfrancisco.
But on arriving at St. Anger, We found,
that though the road was completed for
three miles north of St. Anger, that on
account Of some difficulty between the
company and contractors, they were not
carrying freight or passengers north
of St. Charles.
We stopped at St. Anger over night,
and started at daylight next morning
for Mitchell expecting to take the stage
from there to St. Charles; light driz-
cling rain was falling, when we left
St. Anger, which increased to drench-
ing shower before we reached Mitchell.
After leaving St. Ansger for Mitchell
and when some one mile or more son
the way our better-half discovered
that her gold watch had been left under
her pillow, and Henry was dispatched
back on foot, to get the watch, and
come up with US at Mitchell. He sue.
ceeded in getting the watch and over.
took US before reaching that place.
Before he reached us another Of our
company found that her veil had been
left at the hotel also, but too late to be
recovered.
When We reached Mitchell we found
that we could not be accommodate ed
with stages till we reached Usage, 50
on we went for that place.
We took breakfast at Usage and
found that stage accommodations could
not be had for our company az in
number) and parties asked from 16 to
21 dollars to carry US to St. Charles; a
distance o. IL miles, which we declined
paying, and our friend E. A. Snow
carried US on to St. Charles, which
place we reached at 4p.M
But our mishaps were not over for
that day, for your humble servant leav'
ing the Hotel in hurry happened to
get another mans over coat instead 0;
his own, which mistake was not dis
covered till some two miles on the way
There was no help for it, back we had
to 20, but there chanced to be a man
just ahead Of US with a light two horse
wagon, also going to St. Charles, hail
ing him, and Informing him, that w
were in distress and travellers, he turned
his horses towards Osage-took us into
his buggy carried US back to Usage
where we exchanged over coats, and
overlook our company few miles be
fore reaching St. Charles, having pick
ed up by the road a walking stick
which one of our company had droped
Our company seemed to be doing finely
-four mishaps the second day from
home-but we were all getting on even
footing and one could not laugh al
another.
But these occurrences were Of ben eft
to US, for it taught US to look more
strictly after or baggage, and on ou'
whole trip nothing was lost or mis-
placed afterward.
St. Anger appears to be nice place
of considerable business. and the coun
try around it is very good, the prairie
from Otranto to st. Anger and from
St. Anger to Usage, is as fine and rich
! as one could wish to see but there ap'
pears to be scarcity of timber. St
Anger contains probably 500 inhabi
tants. Mitchell hardly met our expec
tations, it looks old and diiapidated
Whether the completion Of the Il. r
will infuse new life and energy into it
remains to be seen.
Osagc is quite a fine town contain
ing about two thousand inhabitants, ha
some good buildings, good stores, wei
stocked with goods, aud one good Hote
and perhaps moro. 1t any ratio the on'
whero we stopped was orderly, clean
and we'll kept.
At7P. NJ, of Thursday, we loft st
Charlcs,on the cars Of the Iowa division
of tho Illinois Central i. T., for Farley
which place we reached at 8 o'olocl
A. NJ. Of Friday,
The road from St. Charles to Farley
is very rough and unpleasant to rid
upon, and allowing us to be the judge
we would say badly of6ccred. Gu
conductor on tho first division fror
St. Charles, was man Of NC lium sizt