Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-06-17
CALIFORNIA.
The Golden State a Bonanza Fraud of
the Worst Characteristic Fate Of
the Poor Immigrant.
Ten Thousand Persons Per Month Ar
irving at San FraaclscO-MOnOpOIies
Municipal Frauds and Taxes.

EDITORS APPEAL-I have noticed for
several weeks past the papers out here,
especially the San Francisco dailies,
have been raking the Memphis APPEAL
and st. Paul paper over the Goals
about soHae articles they have published
dlsc0uraging emigration to California.
AS L have not seen the article in the
APPEAL, l judge by the tone of the pa
pers that you hit them hard-told too
much truth to suit the spectators here,
for the fact is the present emigration is
big bonanza to "FriscO," and Girls
co" is California. Being a mechanic,
or, in other words, poor devil, myself,
feel interested in that class, and take
the liberty Of writing you few facts in
relation t. this highly Over-rated cOun-
try for the benefit of the workingman,
for which l shall feel amply repaid if it
saves few hundred OF the hard-earned
savings of some man. Entrants are
coming out at the rate of from
six to ten thousand per month.
Most all Of them are working Leo-
pie OF small means; young men of a
class il pays any State to have as citi-
zens. That is point the papers make
much OF, claiming most all have more
or less money, which 1 think, is true,
but it's question how much they'll
have after being here a while, doing
nothing, discOunting greenbacks at If
teen to twenty per cent. to pay expen-
ses, as many are obliged to do. Frisco
(fOr short is, comparatively speaking,
the only place on the coast where any
amount Of work is done, hence all come
here, but it is impossible for this city to
supply work for the thousands arriving
monthly. Many linger around in hopes
till their money is gone, then tramp and
beg their way through the country. Nu-
merOus cases Of that kind are reported
in the country papers; and not more
than two months ago the police of San
Francisco picked up man lying in the
street, supposed to be dead drunk, but
upon examination proved to be nearly
dead with starvation-sn emigrant dy-
ing of starvation in the richest city in
the United States for its size, right in
the heart Of the milk and honey land.
Laborers fare worse than mechanics, for
the reason that their places can be filled
with Chinese st less cost. For instance,
the Central Pacific railroad land that
means nearly all roads, employs Chinese
labOTeTs exclusively. The Cornell watch
factory are putting in the heather, as
do most other large shops, more or less.
Wherever unskilled labor is required,
Johnny can be found pushing out the
white man, yes, and women too, for it
would be difficult to tell the number of
seWing-machiDes run by John; and, as
a hOuse-servant, he has already taken
root and is growing fast. Already the
Chinese control the manufacture of
cigars, slippers, common clothing, the
peddling Of vegetables, the washin, gand
numerous other light businesses. Now q
word about farmers, etc. Having heard
so much about the salubriOus
climate, land Of milk and honey,
and all that, the writer, with
several friends (who have gone back,
came expressly to get a nice little farm
ranch they call it here-but, after four
months inquiry from many different
sources, have come to the conclusion to
take no stock in California farms. for
this rsasOn mainly, that land, worth
having, sells from seventy-five dollars
to three hundred dollars per acre, and
land that can be had cheap, is dear at
any price, the water for irrigation cost
ing far more than the land. The ques-
ton who sends out those big stories |
about California is answered. The |
Union Pacific and Central Pacific rail-
roads, and those men owning upward |
OF hundred thousand acres send out /
agents Zone of them, Mr.. w. II. Mar /
tin, starts east this month June to
visit all the eastern cities to tell the milk
and honey story to persuade people to
come buy or rent their lands. Some |
will not sell, but prefer to rem. to small
farmers on the English landlord and
tenant style. Not long since one OF the
morning papers called attention to the |
growing tendency oflarge land owners to
lease instead of sell, denOun ling it as
not calculated to advance the best inter- |
ests af the State. They say there is /
plenty of government land. True, but |
it Is on'a hillside or mountain-top; all |
the valleys were long since taken up by |
these speculatOrs. Since water don't |
run up hill, and rain is scarce, the hill. !
sidss don't amount to much, even if |
they are fortunate enough to have a lit |
tie soil sprinkled over the top; the grass,
if any, is perfectly brown by midsum-
mer. 1t is well known that to raise any
thing irrigation is necessary. 1t is no
ticeable that whenever nature fails in |
any department San Francisco specula-
tors can fill the bill; hence the hume |
rous irrigation schemes, proposing to tax |
each acre two, three or five dollars per /
year. Rings Of all kinds are abundant; |
the most prominent at present Is one to |
swindle the city out Of twelve or fifteen