The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-07-05
CHAPTER v.

ON THE MOVE AGAIN
The report made by Parsons and
Richie of the advantages and resource,
of the country which they had visited
was quite as favorable as any one had
expected.
1t was q wild country. of course.
There was no land for presumption suit
| able for their purposes without going
back from Sacramento some distance,
and they must expect hard life for a
number of years: but it was beautiful
country. and would one day be thickly
settled. Already few families had
started fruit ranches, and had obtained
the most gratifying results
Grapes, peaches, pears. apples, april
cots, nectarines, pomegranates and
many other fruits were grown of a quail
ity that the men had never seen equaled
anywhere I'm the States.' and that
which under the circumstances was of
| equal importance to these people was
the rapidity with which all fruit-bearing
trees and vines began producing.
Grapes at three years from the cut
ting, and peaches at three years from
the pit, would bear no inconsiderable
burdens of fruit; while most other vari-
cites were equally rapid in reaching
maturity.
Melons. and indeed all kinds of vines
and vegetables, We're wonderfully pro
life, and Irish potatoes, turnips, ear.
rots, beets and other root crops could
be raised in abundance. and by tn.
simplest methods of cultivation.
For the present il was probable tina
the mines in the vicinity would con
sumo, mt large prices. any surplus tina
the sqnatters might produce; and if il
time this market should fail, a littl.
work would enable them to transpor
everything they produced to the river
where it could be shipped to Sacramen
to, or down to the river.
Those whose duty it had been to As
certain regarding the title to the lane
in the locality under considera
ton reported it free from tain
of any kind. In point of fac
the claim OF these men to the Ian,
upon which they settled in the foot hill
. above Sacramento City was never dis
puted.
A motion that they locate upon tn
lands described was put to vote ant
carried unanimously, and preparation
for the journey at once began.
The team which had brought JOIN
Parsons family across the plains wa
again hitchcd to the canvas-coveret
wagon, their little store OF goods wa
packed therein, including as much 0
the products of the garden as could b
added without overlooking the team
leaving all, even Mrs. Parsons and tn,
children, to walk, and thus they agar
took up their journey, dozen families
all told.
Some in the little company were en-
tirely without money. All, not except
ing John Parsons. were nearly so. AM
Martha knew we'll that worse hardship
than walking for few days, or cycl
weeks, beside the team, awaited he
, and her children before they could cree
! shelter or procure the whcrewithal /
provide comfortable home.
True, the men might 60 back to mir
| ing. There would be mines in the v
. cinity of the claims they expected to Il
} cate, but these men had lost all faith i
their luck with the pick. They ha
worked at it, more or less, all Of them
> but none had ever '.struck it rich" Is,
| sides, they were of that class Of me
, who prefer steady gains. even if slo,
1 and small, to the excitement of speculs
, ton or searching with a pick and shove
+ for fortune which may possibly com
, at any moment, but in all probabilit
will never come at all.
, Mining partakcs very much of tn
l character of gambling. 1t constant
, holds out the promise of large gains
, of a fortune to be secured in day, j
, an hour, perhaps. The next deal, tn
ncxt shovclful, the next blow with tn
| pick, may disclose pocket filled wit
gold, and convert the finder into
Crnsus; and so he works on for day
( and months and years with but one OF
, ject, one thought-to find that whic
men have decreed should be of NOR
value than home, or friends, or honor
than the means of sustaining life; tina
/ life itself-nay, more; that failing t
: procure this one thing, they shall b
t denied all others.