Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-09-17
KelloggsvilIe. Sept. 10, rs.
OUR CALIFORNIA LETTER.

Friend Reed-In reading letter from,
or hearing about an absent friend, the
first questions arising are, Where is he
and what is he doing2" By the date of
this, you see 1 am at Fisherman's Bay,
Cal. How this place received that name
is a mystery even to the Oldest lnhabi
tant. Quite bay juts in here from the
ocean, and a variety of fish are taken
from its depths, and an ancient appear
ing fisherman lives secluded on its shore.
These circumstances combined may be
sufficient reason for our scaly name. We
also recognize the appellation, stewards
Point" This name is derived from our
first white settler, and to my mind much
more appropriate; but by some "hocus
pocus" we haye adopted the first and our
post Office and express Office bear the Of
fetal titles of Fisherman's Bay.
Our location is on the coast, 80 miles
north of the entrance to San Francisco
Bay. Our harbor is formed by nature
making an opening IN this rock-bound
coast, which developes into deep and
secure bay, where vessels are compare
lively safe from outside wind and waves.
The exports of this place are lumber,
laih, an-bark, wood and other articles
found in timbered country. Our farm
ing productions are considerable. but our
own demand for them gives ready
sale. Some 10 or ~ regular schooners
running here have failed 10 clear our
landing aud our productions are cumu-
lating on our hands. These vessels aver
age about three round trips to the city
each month, carrying from 80 to 1I0 m. #.
of lumber each. Freights at this time of
year are So 90 per thousand for lumber,
and 81 90 per cord for wood and bark.
The expense of running these crafts is
light. they carrying from to men
each, with wages little better than on
your lake. Their risk seems not to be
very great, as seldom is one lost, and it
is generally conceded that there is no
more money making business on this
coast, than to be owner of q snug coast
ing craft.
Al this place are three chutes-two for
the shipping of lumber and the third for
other articles. The bank is about 100 #.
above low water mark. and as each
board goes down. the incline it receives
quite an impetus. which is checked BY q
brakeman at the lower end, and thus re-
ceived on deck in good condition. In
this manner vessels OF fifty thousand ca
pacity are loaded each day. Two mills
supply the lumber. One is situated with
in a quarter Of a mile of the landing (;
the other is two miles back on wood
en- railway, on cars drawn by horses, the
lumber is conveyed to the landing. These
mills are supplied with necessary i'm
provements to turn out material ready
for the builders use. LAUNDERING here is
not as easy as in the level tracts of tim
bsr in the States. The trees are on steep
mountain sides, and in canyons roads
have to be graded up their sides the logs
are fastened together, then drawn down
and out on skidded roads. by oxen. To
run we'll regulated saw-mill requires q
large force OF men, and when the whistle
blows for nighttime they pour in from
ell directions to eat, smoke and rest until
the morning blast drives them forth
again. Their wages vary with their.
grades of labor, ranging from $85 to 800
per month and board-19 hours being a
working day. The more menial work is
performed by Chinamen, though some Of
them occupy the most responsible posi-
tions.
This GLASS of people are very clannish-
living. eating and amusing themselves
among themselves. They are very
shrewd in their bargains-the possession
of money being their only ambition. To
obtain 1t they rob their bodies of neoessa-
ry clothing, and I'LL their stomachs with
the cheapest and filthiest food. Any
thing given them is thankfully received
Two weeks since, 1 found hog just ex-
piring by disease calling a Chinaman, l
presented him with it, and received ma.
ny thanks for my present, Calling g com.
panion, the sick pig was soon astride a
pole, between two slcker looking Orien-
entails, who ieetered of with 1t to their
cabin. A few days later, duty compelled
me to act as executioner on an old cat
and her two children. With my victims
in SACK and while on my way to the
ocean to carry out the death penalty, l
was met by John Chinaman, who i'm