Iowa Old Press

The Gazette
Davenport, Scott, Iowa


Sep 12, 1850
Died
In this county, on Saturday last, 7th inst., of Dropsy, Mr. Thomas Hayward,
aged about 36 years.

Married
On the 4th inst, by Elder James Brownlie, Mr. William H. Pearce to Miss
Martha Jane Vanduzer, both of LeClaire, Scott county.

Sep 19, 1850
Married
On Thursday, last, 12th inst., by Rev. Dr. L. Carpenter, Mr. John Brown to
Elizabeth Ann, only daughter of Asa and Cora E. Foster, all of Blue Grass,
Scott County.

On the 15th inst., by Elder N.A. McConnell, Dr. S. Derrick Golder to Miss
Emily Drake, both of DeWitt, Clinton co., Iowa.

Sep 26, 1850
Married
On the evening of the 16th inst, by the Rev. J.D. Mason, Mr. Frederick Boyd,
of Cannelton, Ind. to Miss Elizabeth Dalzell, of the vicinity of Davenport.

In this place on Saturday, the 21st, by John Rouser, Esq., Mr. Wolf Henrich
Leet to Mrs. Maria Ehrick.

By the same, on the 24th, Mr. Maurice Baker of Buffalo, to Mrs. Elizabeth
Mounts, of Blue Grass.

LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA
     A friend has furnished us with a letter from Dr. C.C. Parry, of this
place, dated in July at San Diego, California, from which we make the
following extract:-
     My dear Friend: - A quiet Saturday evening, how could I spend it better
than writing to you? You see according to my last I have brought up again in
the old place, the same dry brown hills I saw when first landed; the same
delightful climate; the same dull society. By the way San Diego has got
antiquated since I left, two "new San Diegos" have sprung up within 3 miles
of "old San Diego," as it is now called. Speculation has been here with her
transforming wand and found out that the town has been put in the wrong
place. But all towns old and new in this region are pretty much alike to me
who care more for the weeds that grow about their streets, than town lots!!
Finding on my return every thing in the vegetable line done brown, and
longing to see something green besides human verdancy, I persuaded Maj.
Emory to send me on a trip to the mountains, from which I returned some
weeks since having had a most interesting time-being boss of the expedition
which numbered two persons, armed only with the necessaries of bed and
board. I struck directly into the heart of the mountains, two days brought
me to the divide, here I stumbled upon the ranch of an old deserted sailor,
well acquainted with the mountain passes, and under his guidance I searched
many an old nook and vale, culling unnamed flowers, eating strange fruits,
and sleeping with strange bedfellows. The Indians were quite friendly, and
even hospitable, they fed us with pounded acorn bread and grass seed mush.
We cracked pine nuts around their social hearths, and puffed the true
Virginia under their bush wigwams. I found many strange trees, the pines
were the most interesting.; imagine a stately tree with burrs more than a
foot long hanging like overgrown caterpillars from the extremities of their
spreading branches; or others with fruit like a large pineapple stock on
their upper trunks; others covered with sparkling yellow lichen and all
waiving their broad arms to the deep surges of the western breeze. One of
the most singular things I noticed was to see trunks of trees stuck full of
fresh acorns the work of industrious woodpeckers. They are driven in so
tight that they are picked out with difficulty with the point of a
knife-this looks like a new instinct of birds, but a wise provision where
snows cover the ground-the Indians frequently avail themselves of the work
of these little creatures to replenish their own larder.
     Having pretty well explored the ridge, we descended on its eastern
slope to the edge of the desert, here I was fortunate enough to fall in with
several vegetable curiosities- one a new Cactus, with deliciously flavored
fruit. A species of the Century plant grows about the desert hills, at this
time in full flower, its root furnishes a staple article of diet to the
Indians of that inhospitable region, by a process of cooking, under the name
of Mezcal, it affords quite a dainty dish. I can compare it to nothing but
molasses candy without its stickiness. Some of the lone canons present a
scene of strange desolation. I should not know how to picture them,
bristling with huge Cacti and scattered with dislocated rocks, run over by
dusty lizards, they present a scene that belongs more properly to the pencil
than to the pen, so I forbear.
     We washed for gold in the dried up stream beds, and scraped over the
gravel for precious gems, but without finding enough of either to make a
finger ring or a nose jewel, and so forbore; content to say that the country
ought to afford both gems and gold, for what else can it?
     Returning home  I explored a new and more direct route than I have yet
travelled, leading in two days short journey to the vicinity of San Diego.
We here found a ranch (as the Californian farms are termed) enlivened by the
presence of some ladies and were easily persuaded to partake of their
hospitality for a day. Our Spanish was called into serious request and
before the flashing eyes of the Senoritas we had to extemporize some strange
sounding compliments no doubt.
     A description of an old fashioned ranch in California might interest
you, so here goes. A mud house with a rush roof must be your dwelling in
this a few rooms partitioned off with muslin or calico, the corners occupied
with stick bed steads, and rude benches make up the furniture. The kitchen
part is distinct, and under the auspices of Indian women, black as their own
pots. You see conspicuous the stone corn grinder and tortilla baker-earthen
pots and in strange contrast genuine China ware deck the rough table and you
sit down to 5 or 6 courses in which you will find assistance to your
appetite in a liberal allowance of red pepper seasoning.
     But in the out door operations- you see ragged and nearly naked Indians
under the true title of peons performing all the menial work about the
premises. The overseer superintends on horseback. Is there a field of grain
to be cut, some 40 Indians armed with knife and basket cut a wide swath
proceeding onward to the music of a grunting chant; the grain is deposited
in ox hid carts and conveyed to the threshing ground, this is a circular
enclosure, the ground cleanly swept and when strewed with the grained ears a
drove of wild mares are driven in and by shout and hallos, a great scamper
is kept up till the grain is pretty well beat out, it is then winnowed in
baskets by hand, and this is harvesting in California. A very important part
of farming is in  the distribution of the irrigating water and occupies many
hands-then the cattle must be seen to and this is generally entrusted to a
distinct class called vaqueros, you see them galloping over the fields
trailing their long lassos, their monstrous spurs and streaming blankets
making quite a figure-but I am using up my paper and must speak of other
things.

MORTALITY IN CHICAGO
According to an official report, the deaths by cholera in Chicago, from the
23d of June, when the epidemic first commenced, to the 1st of September,
amounted to 441. The total mortality for the same period was 625, a fraction
over 9 a day.


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