The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26

The professor has transmitted them to
Colonel A S. Hubbard, secretary of the
California Historical Society, for preser-
yatlon in the archives of that organization.
"These letters" said the secretary,
"whie not possessing any literary merit,
are an index of the hardships, trials and
customs of the people of the early days of
this State, and as such are valuable"
The first in chronological order of these
letters written to James NJ. Holmes, his
son, resident then of Waterbury, Conn.,,
is dated at st. Joseph, Mo-, April II, 1852,
and tells of the explosion on the steamer
S. B Saluda on the passage from st. Louis,
by which a number were killed and many
wounded. In this he wrote: 81 escaped.
and then went to the telegraph Office
and telegraphed to st. Louis to send
another bill of goods on by the next
boat. / then returned to the wreck and
found the survivors of the cabin pas
sengers in Sc arch of the old man who was
going to California and their heartfelt
Joy was fully proved when they took me
by the hand and the tears ran down their
cheeks. l found my company here in
good health. 1 am not determined, but
think we shall go first to Fort Larimie."
The next letter, dated from Yreka, shows
that his train was the first to reach that
p lace, and it was received in true Califor-
nian style and with that hospitality and
welcome that was characteristic of the old
settlers. The writer, from the way in
which he wrote of Yreka and Shasta the
day after his ARRIVAL shows that he had
not become familiar with California
nomenclature. The letter is reproduced
as written:
WYREKA a 1870
Mr. James NJ HONESTLY DEAR Son: 1t is
with unspeakable pleasure that announce to
you my safe arrival at this city. We got in
here yesterday and were the first train of emf
grants that ever entered the place direct from
the States. Wyreka is situated in the extreme
northern mines of California, 1S miles north
west from Chasta Butte, whose everlasting
snow-capped top we travelled in sight of feleyen
days before reaching it, We took different
home. We travelled about one hundred and
fifty miles over rocks, trees and mountains
| where wagon wheels never rolled before,
and explored our route as we went:
Were once surrounded by about 200 OF
the most hostile Indians on the whole route
and no possible way OF getting out only on the
fore entering and halted and prepared for
action and then marched in. They, seeing
our strength and determination, did not ven-
ture to attack us as we marched through them.
Finding q lake right ahead we were compelled
to back out and return the same way Two
days after that they robbed a company of all
their provisions and four horses. They fed for
their lives and travelled almost constantly
night and day until they overlook us. Luck
lily for them, we lost an OK that strayed in the
brush and we could not find him (Which, by
the way, is the only one we have lost on the
route, and but one horse), and they found him,
and killed him, and eat him, but they were
hungry set when they overlook US. We hay
ing Llenty, fed them to this place.
The citizens of this place, being notified by
our advance guard of our approach, immedi-
ately called meeting and appointed COM
mttee, sent them out to us to arrange with us for
our accommodations, gave usa public dinner
| every kindness to US that could possibly be
| prompted by the warmest feeling of friend
Ship, and you may be assured that we, did
| travelled about 2400 miles by land, and some
thing more than that, 1 think. and 100 by
when thirty out of fifty were killed; have been
1 surrounded twice by more than three times
our number of hostile savages: have walked
| more than half OF the land distance, carrying
| most of the time heavy rifle and a large re-
| volving pistol and sheath knife, or laying my
rifle aside and driving team, sleeping on the
| ground many times in wet clothes, some
! times awaking in the night and having four
| inches of water under and on me; have stood
| my watch nights in all kinds of weather, and
| exposed myself alone among the Indians hun
| dreds of times, as all the rest of our company
| have and with two exceptions we are all well
| and safe here on good mining ground.
| One OF our company died and one left US,
| or rather we hired another man to take him
| through and they quarreled and he stopped
|
While other trains have been robbed by the
| Indians and some killed, we have neither given
| nor received shot, although appearances
| frequently threatened it, and 1 firmly believe
| that nothing but our frmness and vigilance
preserved us from attack several times, and
! finally can safely say that have not suffered
! as many hardships as l expected, still the
sinking and alkily water and the hardships
of the journey, together with the care and
| anxiety of the journey have made terrible in
roads on this old frame of mine.
do not know my weight, but do not girt
as much around the waist by five inches as
| did when / left home, and my strength has
| failed in proportion TO the waste OF flesh, but
am now here safe aid in health, and /. trust
that the few days rest that shall be comp PEELED
to take in settling and disposing OF, our
stock and wagons and SO forth will re-
store my strength and l shall dive into
dust with as much ambition as the
| younger ones. Our men, most of them, gathered
some gold last night here afterwe camped, say
| fore breakfast this morning, and Cartwright,
| Torrey and Charles Hebard are now sinking a
prospecting hole within sight of me. Cart
| wright got down to drink at the creek yester-
/ day and when he arose he found small piece
| of gold in his mouth, about half dime in
value. One of our company is at work within
/ sight of me and $5 day and board.
| Flour is selling at 70 cents, bacon at 90 cents,
| sugar 35 cents, coffee rs cents, salt 30 cents
We are half crazy to get to work, as the dust is
so tempting we can hardly get enough to-
| gether TO get up meal of victuals.
l shall not be able to get your letter from Sac
ramento that suppose is in waiting for me
under three or four weeks, but shall try to have
| patience. Affectionately, your father,
| The next letter was written from the
creek on which Holmes had located q
claim, and this shows the condition of af-
! fairs in northern mines eight months after
the previous letter was written. 1t also
shows that he was one of the men in that
section of the country who took steps to
organize the first Odd Fellows lodge
there:
| GREENHoRN CREEK March II, 1858.
! I intended to send you draft when next
/ wrote, and shall get one and inclose 1t in this
letter. The express has been so irregular and
| the Indians ON the route to Shasta so trouble
some that did not think it best to send draft
until things were little more settled. shall
get draft on Adams & Co., New York. Their
drafts hard to negotiate in Milwaukee, so
you will not send the draft to your mother, but
send her check on one of the banks or bank
notes. Mining does not agree with my health
or comfort, but must follow tup until work
out my claim.
/ 1 did intend to fill up my store again this
| spring and hire q man TO work my claim, but
| there are three stores that want to open on the
creek and there is not business enough for