The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-01-11
New Publications.

OeJJlerS. Dy CnarleS NOrOnOH. new
York: Harper & Brothers. 8vo., PIP.
255. From A. Roman & Co.
This work is, without doubt, the most re-
liable, instructive, and entertaining account
of California. " for health, pleasure, and res
idence," that has yet been published. 1t
opens with pleasant account of the journey
out here from the East, giving general es-
innate of the expenses incurred, where a
party came for sight seeing, desiring to
make the tour of the State. There is
chapter on Salt Lake City and its inhabit-
ants, and very interesting account of the
formation, struggles, and final success of the
Central Pacific Railroad Company. The
tour of the Yosemite, Big Trees, etc., is
made, "John" is discussed, and there is
capital chapter on Gold Mining. Speaking
of Sonora, he says:
Almost every body / met in the little
town owned quartz-claim. | asked what
business was followed by the head of col
ored family whose pleasant little home / no.
ticed, and was told he was working quartz
lead, and having very hard time. If he
had only little capital he would get through"
but unluckily the little capital would swal-
| low up all his gains. What would So-and-
so make, if their claim turned out fairly?
asked; and was answered that it would
take two or three years for the three men to
work out their claim-to take out all the
gold in the vein, that is-and during that
time they would probably make days wages
no more. Even the steward of the hotel
where we staid brought me out specimens
of pocket-claim" he owned, and into the
working of which suspect the poor fellow
puts all he can save from his wages. "Does
every body in this town own quartz-claim?"
| asked a citizen, and he laughngly replied ::
Oh no, don't, for instance (" adding, after
pause, " that is to say, do, but it is not
worth any thing"
Before we came to the town, merchant,
unable to get the price he wished for his
store, pulled it down. and we saw, in the
very main street of Sonora, the singular
method of placer-mning for gold. The soil
of his lot was taken out to the depth of fif-
teen or eighteen feet, and thrown into a
sluice, where it was washed, and the gold
in little nuggets taken out. He had taken
out in few weeks over four thousand dol
lars worth, and was still busy. The whole
operation was conducted by four or five men
very inexpensively, and believe his clerks
and book-keeper were among the diggers..
The approach of a circus and menagerie
excited the boys of the town while we were
there, and l saw little nrchins going out to
the fields beyond the town with their moth
ers' tin kitchen pans. They were going to
pan out enough to pay their entrance-fee to
the circus. "What is the use of worrying"
said stalwart fellow to me !; ." a man can
always make four bits day with his pan,
and living is cheap"
Thus the gold is still curse a clog; if it
were all gone, men, women, and boys would
cease to think of it, and the four bits and
the circus money would be earned by some
industry useful to the general public.
Invalids who are longing for some favor
ed cline, where they may live without con-
best and most reliable advice. In the ap-
pendix, letter is given from one who had
tried the climates of Italy, Switzerland, Flor
ida, and other places, and who had come to
Southern California in an utterly helpless
condition, expecting at the most to add but
few months to his life. The experiment
resulted in the almost complete restoration
of his health, and in firm conviction on
the part Of the writer that Southern Cali
fornia has not its equal as a climate for con-
sumptives in the world Those who think
of coming to this state to buy farms, to raise
fruit or cotton, to cultivate the slk-worm,
or to make beet sugar, will find in this book
the fullest information. the result of person.
al observation on the part of the author.
Also, where a number Of families contem-
plate planting colony in Southern Calfor-
mia, they can not do better than to accept
the excellent advice given in regard to choice
of land, number of acres desirable, irrigation
and other important points. Speaking of
of Mr. Miller, the possessor of half million
acres and 100000 cattle in this State, he
says, 1.-TWO men in San Francisco. saw him
sitting somewhere, lost in thought, and one
asked, / wonder what Miller is planning
now?' The other replied, He is making
little plan to buy the rest of the State. D"