Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-10
DEATH vAEiLRY.
readable Letter Frem q
5 shaatly Place

~
fTbc follosing printed letter from
Mf. Barney Coleman. formerly Of this
sitvswin Be- read With interest, al
though not intepded for publication,
he has evidently found the place
Ahefe Anosbing Is wanting but water
and society. ED. LEDoER
n,.ra VAlLgY FunSAcr CRKKK, INYo
co.R MoHark DEsERr, C~NLIFonsIA.
December 18th, ISL
w. NJ. COLEMAN, Lucy, Tenn.:-l
irft the city Of San Francisco on the
iglh Of November for this place.
I wrote you a few lines from Calico
Station. think this valley is prop
erly named. A great many poor souls
nerished 10 il. There we're trains OF
smigrants that persisted in l849 or 1850
sbont twenty miles from this place.
AZ that time they missed their way
and couldn't find anything bat salt
water The oxen all died and so did
the people and the Indians burnt their
outfits. The valley is about 100 miles
in length and about forty miles in
width. The climate Is splendid dur
ing winter season. Inever wear a coat
durine the day. Ii gets cold at nights
and | sleep under Tour and a half pair
~ blankets. have box houses we
live In here. In summer it is very
warm (hot) here The thermou etoT
registered I'D degrees in the shade,
and stood ia the COS during the night.
They couldn't do any work The men
dipped their blankets iR water and
wrapped themselves up in them, and
then couldn't keep cool, some laid
down in the st cam OF running water
and tried TO sleep The Indians skip
ont of the valley during the summer
and ctme back during the winter
They say "Ibjun' dies it be stays here
during summer. There weret two men
died here last summer, out OF I'VE,
butit was from exposure. When hot
weather comes on | don't intend
10 90 anything III 60 up on the
N, uutain and stop. l can look on
shout six,y mites and see snow on
Telessore peak. Ihat is the only one
thst carries su0w. am inthe employ
OfWm. I. Coleman Of San Francisco.
He has several places in this country.
He has one superintendent, two tore
men besides myself and one took
keeper, sud they are all Southern
boys except The superintendent. Tbs
hands are a mixed class. cant tel
how long III remain here, as long a:
eveFythinEi Is tReeable. Death Val
lsy came very near elaiminE me a
one oil It's victims on the 9tb. On
Thursasr u-nrning hooked m !
eeuple ofspinted horses 70 the bnek.
board sud three OF us got in, and thI
horses started Of rather fast. l va
oae Of The back party. We had a 10
of stskss on, aud IN going over tn
boulders one Of the sticks heE up anI
caught 10 the wheel. l went TO eatcl
it,. and, while | was in the act, tn
other wheel struck alarge boulder OF
the opposite side and tilted me over.
fell over between the wheels an
caught with my heels up and my hea
down. They were unable to stop th
horses when | FIRST cried out; my cos
was wrapped into the hind wheel. NJ
back was bruised, but no bones brokel
1t was a very narrow escape. N
health issplendid at present, l alwaI
have a good appetite. | saw coup
of Jack Rabbits" yesterday. II
first that | have seen since | can
on the desert. SEQ CROW
occasionally. We have a few blscl
birds and fell larks that come aroun
the stable. We hear coyotes ooci
sionallyat night; they come around an
give US serenades; the dogs chase the
away. We have, | suppose, about
or Is Indians camped about 100 yart
from the house. They come up reg
lar every meal time and stand at Il
door aud windows and watch eve
mouthful we take. They remind u
of hungry dog, Watching one viii
he is eating. They get all the scrap
They eat anything they q get. Tn,
catch kangaroo, rats and lizards, al
eat mesquite beans, a wild bean tn.
grows out here. They will eat det
horse or anything they can get. Tb,
are a happy set. An Indian boy ca
RES the mail for US, 80 miles to Il
postotice, about l75 miles to the raj
read. We will get our mail abol
every ten days. We expect to get
postofice at the other place, and tbl
get weekly mails. 1t is about so mil
from here, and I'll be as bad of tn,
as | am now, and probably worse. 1
not get my mail more than once
twice per month. | havn't heard fro
home since | left Oakland. | wrote
Oakland to forward my mail. | e.
pect to have a quiet Christmas. "
have plenty Of provisions Of all kinj
such as can beans, peaches, blackbe
ries, aprioots, tomatoes, peas and q
kinds OF %jellies. We will have a nj
garden and can raise all kinds
vegetables. We have beats, oniol
aud carrots growing now, left oy,
from last summer. We have no fros
here. Flies are very numerous he
at present.
We have an OK yoke that came fro
the train Of immigrants that perish,
in l849, and it Hasn't decayed an
the wood is just as sound as the day
vas made, and the iron hasn't rust
any to hurt. The man that wrO
that article has lied about the ire
which has all rusted and fallen
pisoes.
We never have any rain 10 this v
ley only 10 the shape Of water spOu
but when they do come they sWC
everythiugin front Of them.
wish you all a merry christmas a
happy New year. Address me @
Of VIM. I. Coleman & Co., San FRI
cisco, California, and they will {
ward with their mail. Write so
AS ever, BARNEY
The January Skies.
Providence Journal.
January has little planetary exc
ment to create a stir upon its recO,