The Republican journal., 1892-04-21
Letter from California.

pleasure derived from week to week il
perusing the columns of your dear ole
paper, the Republican Journal, has in
duced me to contribute a few lines which
You may deem ekpedient to print among
other correspondence of public interest.
The writer is proud to claim that he il
a native of the grand old State of Maine
and was born and raised to manhood il
the town of Prospect, from which hi
emigrated to California Aug. 18th, 1851
Although a long resident of this coast
time has not lessened but rather strength
ened attachments to my native land
where cluster so many fond recollection'
of by-gone days.
We who reside abroad are not only
proud of Maine, but of her moral, hui
name and law-abiding people, whose in
dustry and enterprise has made the State
SO prosperous and happy.
l notice in the Journal that the
march of improvement is simply wonder
full. New and costly buildings are being
erected in desirable localities on the sea-
board and in the interior; cities anC
towns are gradually expanding, and bust
ness generally in a t1ourishing condition
all of which denotes a gratifying state OF
progression.
From the first discovery of gold in Cali
fornia, the State of Maine has been very
numerously represented here by her hardy.
industrious people. AS is generally the
case, some have become wealthy; Others
: are in comfortable circumstances, while
some remain poor. though continually at
work. The latter are OF that class of peo-
pie the world over who would never have
a dollar ahead, however plentiful or easy
it was to obtain
OF course, many OF the old pioneers
who helped to develop the State and
smooth the way for those who We're to
follow have passed away; yet many re-
main from the good old State, who are
prosperous and contenIed and who will
probably sojouln here the remainder of
their days. Although there is consider
able mining still carried on, it is no long
Ell the all absorbing and exciting occupa-
ton it was in former days. Placer or sur
fara r,inin@ hn'"e n1->>~-+ ~~-rl-.ls-
hausted, those without money, or with
limited MEANS find this favorite occupa-
ton too uncertain or Improbable to pur-
! and have tbarafnrn II rn,I their n
tention to farming or fruit growing,
which is a more reliable and profitable in
dustry
1t should not, however. be inferred
from the preceding remarks, that our
gold mines have been worked to such an
extent that nothing remains to fully com
pensate the investment of capital and la
Dor. Far from it. Slumberino in the
bosom of the mountains along the chain
of the Sierra Nevada there is hidden away
more gold than was ever extracted since
mining was discovered.
This fact was demonstrated by the by
draulic process before it was foolishly
suppressed by law. upon the ground that
the debris therefrom was working injury
to the farmers in the valleys, and to the
rivers and harbors. This was a terrible
blow to the mining regions, and in fact to
the entire State. By this process the
mountains were made to disgorge theil
treasures in vast quantities, yielding up
wards of SIG, 600, 600 of revenue to the
State from this source alone. In all prob
ability, with improved facilities, double
this amount would now be taken out had
this system of mining been allowed to
continue.
Every possible effort is being made in
Congress, and with encouraging prospects
of success, to have hydraulic mining re-
stored. Silver is becoming so deprecated
that the country at large, Uncle Sam
and the money kings will naturally look
to California for a greater supply of the
yellow metal. With the resumption OF
hydraulic mining the country will prosper
as never before. Then your vigorous
young men can come to California will
the assurance of finding steady employ
ment at remunerative wages. Until then
laboring men had better remain at home
for at the present time employment is diff
fcult to find, and when found the pay is
poor.
Our farmers are highly elated over the
prospects of unusually large crops this
season. We have had remarkably ope1
winter, and a warm copious fall of rail
this spring. The grain fields, orchards
and vineyards give assuring promise OF 6
bountiful yield in most all the counties
throughout the State.
The temperance people of Maine viii
rejoice to learn that an earnest, determln
ed effort is being made in many localities
to suppress the retail liquor traffic The
consequence is the saloon is bitterly an
tagonized, especially in the interior citie
and towns. Some towns have already
, closed the saloon and the people are glad
In this little town of Auburn. containing
, about 1000 inhabitants there are seven
: teen saloons 1t is estimated that all TIN
saloons in the county pay into the treas
ury the small sum of 50, 600 year, AM
it costs the county five times nine thous
and dollars, at the least calculation, t.
arrest, prosecute, feed, and clothe tn
saloon victims. The Board of Supervs
j ors, now in session, have been urgent
| petitioned by majority OF our best cltl