The Placer herald., 1869-11-27
"GET A PIECE OF LAND"

Almost twenty.one years ago, when max
ing preparations to leave for California, a
land that seemed SO far away rs Timbuc,oo
or Ssmarcand, We met for moment only,
An old friend, a platter. "Wbat ia the
word :" says bs. Il am going to Califor-
MA" we replied. "Well, | have but one
piece Of advice to give you-get piece Of
land;" and, shaking hands. aud looking us
10 the face. be repeated, "Get a piece Of
land-good hy." We have not seen or
heard from him since. But a thousand times
since then we have remembered his parting
injunction, Get piece Of land" express
ing, as it did, the whole science which has
made the fortune Of so many Of our people,
as we'll as Of the millionaires Of the East,
science which lies at the hearth Of so many
happy homes, which makes and keeps the
best portion Of our States inhabitants hon.
est, prosperous and independent. When,
after years had passed and the soil and eli
mate of California had been proved about
the best in the world for the production of
the cereals, and our earlier ideas that the
country was fit only for miners in the noun.
tans and coyotes in the valleys, had been
.,
saw that intelligent men bad got possession
Of the best lands, and farmers we're becom-
ing rich, often would come up 10 mind the
injunction Of our planter friend, "Gst piece
OF land" and nobody could abuse our want
of forelhougbt more than We did. 1t would
have pleased the bilterest enemy TO have
beard the abuse we heaped 10 silence upon
our own lapdlesss stupidity. Seventeen
years ago friend advised us to 60 and Sc.
cure some lots along Mission street, which
had been just been opened as Plank Road
by Colonel Wilson; and, 10y the way. he
was the man that advised US. lie had
somewhat appreciative sense Of what the
future would produce. We bad gold enough
10 have purchased half dozen hundred
vara lots. We went out one day, waded
for hours over the sand hills from Second
street 10 Yerba Buena Cemetery, aud came
back bot, swesIy, dusty, Thirsty, tired. dis
gusted, and with such a total incapaci,y TO
imagine that such dvsolats region could
within few years become busy mart for
business, and homes for tens of thou
sands of people, and filled with such
contempt Tor The whole section, that We
Nou'u NV uo'0 k''Cb uVo du nClo
for quarter section Of it. few years
later, travelling through the weIi'bullt-up
streets Of that once despised section, ike the
voice of ghost from the past, almost like
grazing accusations Of reinorse, came along
the wires OF memory, our planter friends
injunction, Get piece Of land" Many OF
US may 60 into the country few miles from
this city. and see farms in splendid condi
,ion in their season, waving with crops Of
heavy headed grain, fine herds Of fat cattle
chewing their cuds while standing ,p to
their kuses in clover aud rich grasses, deli
cious butter and cheese in the daires, fat
pigs grunting in happy ignorance Of ap-
proaching Christmas, and hens cackling
over their last contribution to the farmers
wealth, and we remember when we could
have bought the land Of that farm for a song
But We thought it was adobe, aud did no.
think it wise TO get piece of land"
There we're exceptions 10 this short sighted
policy. There were men who, like Astor
and others 10 New York, aud wise meu
elsewhere, believed in and acted upon our
friends tbeory-"Get piece Of laud.' They
are to-day rich. Land has made them so.
IL VIII Wdhe OtucIs eO ~ 10 UOI tOU ldto
yet in this State; perhaps not in this city.
There is plenty Of land that can be pur.
chased for one fifth what it will be worth
ten J ears hence. Wherefote we would say
TO young men and olber., do not hang
about the city looking for clerkships and
book keepers births, ireadmills that wear
down The bodies aud souls OF men, but go
into the country aud get piece Of land"
There will be an exhibition Of manhood, Of
honorable pride, oI independence that will
be crsdilabIe, and will insure eventual sue.
cess. No matter if you have TO live in
shanty FIVE or even en- years. You will be
independent, free man-under the dicta
ton of nobody in the direct line of honest
labor and bonest triumph. No other clI-
mate offers such opportunities. Ooe can be
healthy happy in hut with tight
root Think OF it-your own master, on
your own land, in your own home, indepen
dent as prince, right to be as proud AS a
king, 8 ire TO be rewarded with wealth if in
tus,rious, ceraia to les degree of msnli-
ness and to exercise it,, which DO man can
feel or exercise while acting 10 a subordln-
ate condition, whatever the salary, whomso
ever the superior. Do not bang about the
city laborIess, unemployed, moneyless. Go,
it necessary, to the red woods "sbingle-
weaver" earn little money, save it-"get
a piece of land" if only on lease, il only on
credit. Plant ii; it will reply To you gsneri
ously. Act upon The planters advice-"Gst
piece Of land. IS. +. Call.
PATRICK saw bull paving in field aud