The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1888-03-22
FROM THE PACIFIC.
Letter From Miss Jessie Bum.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, !
February 20, 1888.

4 ToUIudIy 20, 1000.
My DEAR PARENTS y our most wei
come letter received just moment ago
How l hoped you would write to me
soon. / tell you have been sightseeing
these last few days. Monday morning
went to the "Mint." Arrived just in
time to make party of fifteen, waiting
to go through. This is said to be the
largest Mint in the U. S. has the capacity
for coming two million dollars day
when working eight hours. The guide
was very kindly disposed and seemed
anxious to satisfy the eager curiosity of
the sight seers. The first room we entered
contained the furnace for melting the
gold dust and nuggets fresh from the
mines from Alaska, Mexico, Arizonia,
Colorado and some from California. Then
to the press room, where the rough ores
are heated with the copper alloy, and
pressed into blocks the size and shape of
an ordinary brick bat, each worth $15,-
600 This you understand has the copper
alloy, and is now the rough material for
| coinage. / understood the Guide to say
| that there were no charges made on
| coinage for individual parties. They
simply get the same weight in coin that
they had in pure gold. The alloy paying
all expenses The bars are then rolled
in sheets and cut into widths large
enough for $500, $1,000 and $4,000 pieces.
The $4,000 strip being worth $1.500. at
one time held up $500 worth. The next
room man is seated near machine and
one might imagine that he was cutting
plug tobacco, but was cutting $4,000
pieces the proper size for stamping,
another standing near with small pair
of scales was ready to test their weight
first and if it be faulty, throw the bar
aside to be taken back to the press. They
were making no silver, no orders in.
Gold is universally used in this State. At
the Banks you must specify that you want
greenbacks, or gold they will invariably
hand you. To-day we took in China
town, no little trip when you think of
10000 Chinese to have homes, stores, and
everything that makes a town. The
streets present quite a gay appearance,
no white paper for posters or advertise
ments everything printed on green, red
and blue backgrounds. Then instead
of gas or electric lights, these immense
Chinese lanterns are used. some the size
of a Jackson beer keg. l purchased some
little souvenirs very cheap. How I
jewed John down, he said. "Me likee you
lady, me offer them to you already cheaper
than to anybody else" 1 replied me likee
you too John. But me zikee you heap
more if you throw off a nickel, poor John
come under and L after felt sorry that I
had asked it of him, mayhap that nickel
would have bought him two rats for his
dinner. Some of them seem to have
grown quite wealthy, for their stores are
filled with very costly vases, embroideries.
china, and exquisite bricabrac. We next
visited the d oss House" and of all places
ever saw, this is the most curious. The
Chinese Gods, Devils and Hobgoblins all
collected in one room. Before the Gods,
were large urns filled with soil and in
this were stuck burning sticks of incense,
the fumes Of which were not unpleasant,
leaning near the wall was great monu-
ment composed of hundreds of the most
hideous and distorted faces. Peafowl
feathers seemed to take a great part in
decorations. / never tire of studying
these Chinese men, women and children,
in their native costume. About dozen
came to visit the Panorama of the Battle
of Vicksburg while / was there. They
did not speak English and of course knew
nothing of the history in connection with
the great picture, but they seemed
delighted with it, and stood looking at
Grant with evident admiration as if they
understood he was the Hero. Having
| done Chinatown we started for the
| wharf to see the shipping, and go aboard
some of the largest sail boats. We were
| fortunate to find sailor of thirteen years
experience to show US over the ship. I
remarked to him that envied him his
| his knowledge of the seaports, and the
| thrilling experiences that a sailor must
have. He says: Lady, once thought
| that when / had crossed the Ocean and
| had travelled the world over that would
| be the mecca of my desires. There is not
seaport town on the globe that I have
not visited and now I am an unhppy
man. What pleasure is it all TO me- I
| have no home ties, no one to love me- /
thought after all it was the associations,
the friends and home ties that make your
life pleasant. 1 tonight would rather
meet dog from Jackson Co., than the
owner of the Palace Hotel Especially if
! L owned the latter bilD. You remember
I wrote you that intended going down
by Monterey on steamer and return by
rail Well the day before the steamer was
to leave the port, took the ferry for the
city to purchase ticket. 1t began to
storm, but was so determined tog go that
route to the city, / went anyway. Oh
but the Bay was rough, the wind blew
the rain beat down, and the waves lashe6
themselves into fury. The boat rocked
like tub, and last of all l became sea
sick, and no one knows what that means
until they have passed through tht
terrible ordeal. 1t surely is the mos
sickly sickness that exists in the sickness
line. 1 was not able to get around unit
the third day, not even able to take th'
train for the big trees" just laid arount
in my room in Oakland sick enough t,
die.
Saturday morning I concluded to star
anyway. Raining yet, and the doors ant
windows of the room still rocking wit
me. Don't you know that / believe if
had gone down to Monterey on tn
steamer in the storm, should have die
3 before / could have reached there, an
5 even if I had stood the trip would nc
i have been able to stand on my feet for
3 week. Ma, you will never get me on th
Ocean, 1t makes me sick to even writ
: about it. Well Saturday 1 started fc
g Santa Cruz, and I must say it was one {
e the finest rides of 12O miles that 1 hay