Iowa Old Press

Burlington Hawk Eye
Burlington, Des Moines co. Iowa
January 3, 1850

From California.
The following letter was written by our late fellow-citizen, Presley Dunlap, Esq., to Mr. Wm Garrett, of this place.  It is one of the most interesting letters we have seen from California, and it must be peculiarly so to our readers in this part of Iowa, on account of so many who formerly resided in this vicinity.  the announcement of the melancholy news of the deaths of
Joshua Holland, who was well known as a valuable Representative in the Iowa Legislature from this County, and of Lieut Beckett, who distinguished himself in the Mexican War, has thrown quite a gloom over the circles of their former associates. Through another channel we have learned that young Kilbourn is also dead.  We tender our warmest sympathies to his bereaved parents in view of their great loss.  In connection with the above, we would announce that Wm. L. May Esq., of Peoria, and formerly a Representative to Congress from the Sangamon District in Illinois, also died at San Francisco,
shortly after his arrival.

Sacramento City, (Alta Cal.)
Oct. 15th 1849
Dear Garrett:
Your kind letter of July 1st, was received by me a few days ago, and you may be assured that it was a source of much satisfaction, although it contained intelligence that to me was indeed melancholy, but still a satisfaction to
know what was transpiring among my old acquaintances.  You have doubtless heard through other channels than by me of the safe arrival of all the  Burlington emigration in this valley; therefore I shall not give you any of the particulars of our journey across the plains.  The Des Moines boys were all quite well, the last I heard from them, but they are scattered over the
gold diggings for a space of three or four hundred miles.  Creegan, Charley Miller, Jake Leffler, Sturgis and Seydel, are about 60 miles north east of here, on Yuba river doing well.  Henry Anderson has gone up Sacramento river and I have not heard from him.  Jonathan Donald and his brother, (whom he found here,) are trading to the mines.  Henry Wile is driving a team; and his father, (Capt. Wile) and T. Hutchinson, Moore, Arrich, Burkholder, Gordon, Hughes and Jim Taylor, have gone on the Mocalany, about 70 miles to the south east of this.

The Lindemuths have spent most of their time here trading in cattle and mules, and have done well. Ira G. Smith and family got here a week ago, all well.  Oliver Cottle and party are on the Mocosma, 80 miles from this.  John S. David and Royal Cottle came down here last week and have bought a lot and are building a house.  The Col. (as every body does here,) works like a
horse.  D. Redding and Charley Denmark have gone about 250 miles south to the mines on the Maraposa, a tributary of the San Joachin river (pronounced San Wakeen.)

I got here on the 17th August, and the next day obtained a situation in a store, one of the best establishments in Upper California, at $300 per month and boarded, where I continued until five days ago, when I was appointed Sheriff of Sacramento City and district, in which, if it pays, I will continue for the winter; if not I will quit and go at something.  The fees
are fair -- we are allowed an ounce for serving a summons, $10 for a subpoena, $2 per mile for travel, and 10 per cent on all collections.  Ask Carpenter what he thinks of that fee bill.

This place is situated two miles from Sutter's Fort, and was laid off in February, and on yesterday, at a Charter election, there were 1574 votes cast.  I believe that at this time there are at least 6000 persons located in and about the city.  This certainly is one of the prodigies of the nineteenth century; it has grown more than half since I arrived here.  We for the most part live like the good people of old, "dwellers and sojourners in tents" a majority of the houses are a light temporary frame, covered with
duck, and in this mild climate it answers a good purpose; but the chief reason for building cloth houses is the scarcity and dearness of lumber. Good lumber is now, and has been all the season, $650 per 1000 feet!  Don't mistake the price -- six hundred and fifty dollars per 1000 -- chiefly brought from Oregon.

Real estate -- that is, lots in the business part of town -- is enormously high, varying from $500 to $20,000.  A bowling saloon, with one room 18 by 25 feet, rents at $1500 per month, and only a shell at that, being weather boarded and lined with domestic.  I will cite you an instance of the facilities there have been of making money.  the firm I have been doing
business for commenced here in February last, with a capital of $15000, and now they are worth at least $500,000.  Their monthly rents are about $8,600 per month, or $30,000 per year.  They are closing up business and going to leave the country as soon as they sell their property.  The Parker House, in San Francisco, rents for $140,000 per year, and all other rents are in  proportion.  Common laborers receive from $5 to $16 per day, but the ordinary wages at this place is about $10 per day.

Since my arrival I have had a good opportunity of judging of the richness of the mines, and I find that all that glitters is not gold; or in other words, the best digging is by trade.  But of the richness and extent of the mines there is no question; but digging for gold is like mining in the lead region -- a lottery.  Some are making their 6 and 8 ounces, while the great
mass of operators do not make over their half ounce to their ounce per day. (every thing is here counted by ounces).  it is certainly as hard work as can easily be scared up, but any one that is hardy and can stand camping out the year around, and living on coarse fare and will work hard, can rely on making from $2,000 to $3,000 clear -- that is, if he keeps clear the Monte Bank.  There are many miners who deposit their whole wages in these anks.  --- Gaming is carried to a great extent in this place;  thousands upon thousands of dollars change hands every day.  I have seen as high as 150 ounces bet on a single card.  The gamblers are the only gaily dressed me n in the country, but they lead a wretched life; they may have several
thousand dollars to-day, and to-morrow not one cent.  One man in the course of less than an hour and a half at a game of Poker lost $13,000, all he had won since he had been in the country.  Such is a gambler's life in California.  I had like to have forgot our friend Jordan.  Moses has been working the mines, and I believe has done pretty well.  He came to town
yesterday, and is very homesick.  He and Charley are well, as is John Farmer.  I have not seen Arthur Sullivan since he came in, but hear he is well and doing well.  The Kisar boys are well; John is in town at this time.

Berryman Jennings, Simp White and McCarver, are all here; they are all doing well and are rich.  Hanna, Jennings & Co., own two schooners and eight or ten houses; that rent for large sums. -- Hanna, is Adolphus Hanna, who used to be a boy around Augusta.  Old Jeffers went to Oregon since I came here with $12,000 in dust.  Lamson has been here and has made money, but I cannot learn whether he has returned to Oregon or is some where in the mines.  He has done well, or had last spring, when I last heard of him.  John Holland lives at Sutter's Mills, has done well and has made two or three fortunes.

Our friend Beckett, poor fellow, got here some time in September, weak and worn down by fatigue and his old disease; after lingering about ten days on the 22d of Sept., at about 11 o'clock P.M. he expired without a struggle. On the next day he was buried by his friends here and the transient members of I.O.O.F. and Masons.  There being no lodges of either order in this place of couse they could only attend and show their respects for their deceased brother and fellow citizen.  Each order formed separately, but did not go through any of the ceremonials, having no authority to do so.  It was the first and only funeral in this place when there has been any public demonstration of either orders and it has had a sallutary effect.  The I.O.O.F. cannot work, but they have formed an association which association relieves the sick that come to their knowledge.  About a week ago our friend Joshua Holland also died at the hospital, in this city, of the diarrhoea, after a sickness of about ten days.

Jim. Hobbs got here about two weeks ago, and has gone with Capt. Wile.  He left George Hight at the head of Mary's river, and came in a foot, a distance of about 500 miles.  He says the Hights were near given hout and will have a hard time to get through without some assistance.  Since that time Jennings and myself have made every inquiry as to what road they may have taken from the Sink (there being three roads from that place to this), but as yet we have not been able to learn; and as soon as we do we will send some assistance in the way of horses and provisions, for they must be in a very destitute situation.  They have not fallen in with the assistance sent out by Gen. Smith, he having sent out to the relief of the emigrants over 500 pack horses and mules, with provisions.  The suffering of the emigrants in the latter end of the emigration has been very great.  Henry Kilbourn, of Fort Madison is at Weaverville, about 50 miles from this place, very bad with the scurvy, as also is Mr. Hawxhurst.

Frank Brooks and his boys are on Bear river, 90 miles from here, all well.  I heard from him yesterday; he is gone to winter there.  He sent down for me to send him up his winter provisions.  Kensils and Russell are still with him.  Blair and Arch Rankin are in the dry diggings, 60 miles from here.  I have only seen Milton Blair when he was down; they were doing well.

Presley Dunlap

*****
Submitted by Sharyl