The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1883-11-03
A SpIcy and Sensible Letter From
California
DowNEY, Los Angeles Co,
CALIEoRNIA, Oct, 18th 1883.

CALIFORNIA.
DowNEY, Los Angeles Co,
CALfToRNIA, Oct, 18th 1883.
Ed. SENTINEL:
A few momentsago tap at my doof
called me to a something to eat, please
man," spoken in half whisper, as IL
ashamed, by a youth not more than.
twenty, bloated and "blei-eyed" from
drink. He thanked me, and trembling
like an old man passed Quite what Il
A night on the road side or q straw pile.
Strapped: Yes, strapped, and kicked
out OF the saloon because his "shinets"
We're all gone. Harvest is over, and this
youth has made tramp OF himself by
drink. -Four months Of harvest work,
woeld have given him $1D, which
would have taken care Of him in this,
mild climate until Spring. The rule is
work and drink; then tramp and beg un-
til harvest comes in the spring and sum
mer. This is too often the fate Of good
boys who leave their Eastern (all places
eastof the Rocky Mountains, IS ea.iud
Eastern here homes, high with hope of
soon making a fortune in California.
The paying places are all filed. Occ.t-
sionally a young man does well. These
rare exceptions are written UP by experts
and published in every paper IN the
State and copied by papers llastthus
inducing thousands of young men to land
here yearly, hoping to meet with the
some good luck. Alas what luck. Into
the hands OF the sharpers nntil not a
cent is left then bound by q union OF
laborers (tramps) not to work for less
than so much per day. Hundreds OF
these men could get comfortable homes
on the small farms the year round, if
they would work for reasonable wages.
They belong to the union and thus
tramp from California TO Arizona and
back-many Gof them never writing
home, and their parents and friends
grieve for them as dead--no, not dead
but lost. Icould tell you more than one
sad history that has come directly under
my eye. Ii thought it would keep one
Mississippi boy close by his fathers roof
tree, would ill pages with incidents
from the shady side of life in California.
/ had very gentlemanly peddler to
call at the door one noon after resting
a few moments, he began to talk. |
soon observed he was recently here, and
by his very polite address concluded he
was from the South. | remarked as
much. "Yes madam, just to the coun-
try!n "From the south ?" "Yes
madam, sold goods for Menken Bros, in
Memphis. Tenn" We of course had a
most entertaining talk asked why he
was pedding. Could get no work,
places all filled, q clerks wages lower
than 4 farm hand. invited him to
call again said no, was going to 4risona
yes, the same star of hope leading him
on 70, vortex ofruin in@lexico-there
is where many end their hope and des-
pair, if not by their own hand, by the
quick knife Of the Spaniard orth friend
ly tomahawk OF the Apache. Perhaps
he WAS fortunate and las returned home
full handed. Hope SO.
I am glad you advise young men Of
the South to stand firmly by their own
native soil. Build it mp: Plant, and
make it to blossom and to bloom fairer
than ever California can. Keep by your
Sunny South young men; work to build
homes as men work here, and soon the
tide Of emigration will take "a turn, and
men will seek homes in land where
and land grabbers will mot
haunt their midnight dreams. Warn
your large land holders against selling
to land monopolists- see what Texas is
doing what California has done, has
become Il matter af history written in
blood And it is not finished. There
you can get Il title to your lands-here