The Republican journal., 1892-03-10
An Old Letter from California

We have been handed an old letter written
by Capt. William o. Alden, in 1850, after he
arrived at Sacramento, III the bark bearing
his name. 1t will interest some to compare
the wages then received with what is paid
to-day for the same business:
SACRAMENTO CITY, JUNE %, 1850.
Frend-We have sold our cargo for $50
per thousand for boards, and S6per thousand
for shingles, in 80 and go days; The bricks
| have landed and shall sell as | have
opportunity The best offer l have had
is $25 per thousand. The vessel [ do not
know what | may do with, as | do not wish
to sacrifice her and [ suppose the outside
price | could get for her would be $1,000. [
am very sorry the China is ing here for
it Will cost (if her crew leaves at San Fran
CISCO 81 600 to get her here and as much
more to get her down aga n. and we shall al
most lose the vessel. | think you at home do
not hardly know the expense of discharging
and wages paid. 1t will cost me over 500 to
discharge the bark and it costs nearly half
get for the shingles to discharge and bunch
them. | pay laborers IS per day and their
board, which is about 81 per day more. Lunl-
her is arriving very freely at San Francisco
and considerable comes from New Zealand
and | think it cannot rise for the next two
or three months and it s unce tain then.
There have been cargoes sold in San
Francisco for 500, good planned lumber, and
we could not get so much for our cargo now
as when we sold some weeks ago. Capt.
Carlton sold his cargo Tor $50 in 30 90 and 80
days. If he wants cash he must discount ten
per cent. a month, which is about the mar
ket rate of interest here. Seamen's wages are
500 per month, mates $50 to 5000 cook 8
$50 and masters $500 Pilotage from sea to
San Francisco IS per foot, and from San
Francisco to Sacramento S25 per foot, and
the same back. Levy fees are twenty cents
per ton register. Large vessels in San Fran
cisco are very cheap, ships having sold as
low as $4,000. If l close up the bark 1 think
| shall buy ship and wait until fall, when l
great rush here now and no doubt many
will want to get away when the rainy season
begins. Ii you have not given Capt. + ost
power of attorney to sell the brig you had
better send me one by return mail Most of
our company are at the mines. George Palm
er returned yesterday. He cleared 1925 in
fifteen days, but has hurt himself lifting a
over it in short time. All our folks | have
heard from at the mines are doing we'll,
making $40 per day and will do much better
as soon as the river falls. 1t is rising now
owing to the hot weather melting the snow
in the mountains.
Light vessels are laying here in great num-
berS and occasionally are sold at auction at
great sacrifice. While men earn great wages
here, the expenses are in proportion.
Tell those interested in the bark not to
look for any money at present, for if we keep
on we shall want the money to work with,
After discharging [ may go to San Francis
co with the vessel and buy another cargo.
The Mary Read has not arrived at last ac-
counts. There is no telling when | shall re-
turn home, whether this fall OF next. This
is the place to make money at all kinds of
buSineSS