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Sacramento City, Oct 15th 1850 

My Dearest Sister

I have just learned that Mr. Howerton of Knox Co, becoming duly disgusted with California, intends to leave for home tomorrow, and I accept the opportunity this offered to write you. Do not think that because I have chosen to write to others first, that you have been forgotten meanwhile, for that would be charging me with a crime of which I hope I never have been, and trust that I never shall be, guilty. I have merely been waiting for a good opportunity to send you such a letter as I conceive would be interesting, for I know that you are expecting to hear a great deal from me about this new world which nobody else ever thought of writing. But | have been disappointed and I fear that you will be.   Not in the "new world" am I disappointed, but in my opportunity of giving you a good account of "hit" and its wonders. I must write in a very short time, (and you know I write but slowly) enough to fill out a respectable sheet and I fear when you shall have finished you will have lost all longing to hear further of the scenes of California. But remember that whenever I send you a letter I also send with it my warmest affections & so long as you prize these I care but little for the fate of the paper that conveys them.

My little "six by ten" box, dignified with the name of "office", is up stairs over the wholesale establishment of Baker, Farr & Co. on the south side of J Street between 4th & 5th in the city of Sacramento. You know exactly now where to look for me. A "shingle" somewhat conspicuous to the passers by on the pavement bears in gilt the following characters, "Glover & Winchell, Law office", and indicates the door at which you enter. Ascend a short flight of stairs, turn round once or twice and you stand at the entrance of the "inner temple". The same hieroglyphics again inform you that you are right & so you walk in. A table & three wooden chairs constitute the inanimate furniture of the room and at the aforesaid, sitting on one of the trio is a personage writing, who constitutes the animate furniture of the apartment. As he does not appear very communicative just now, we won’t trouble him, but amuse ourselves by looking out of the window at the bustling scenes going on in the street & on the sidewalks below. They very much resemble those presented by the busiest streets in St Louis. An endless tide of vehicles of every description with teams of every character sweeps each way bearing along every article of merchandise and country produce that the older states can produce. With these then are numerous features 


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in the picture that the traveler cannot find in any other part of the earth in such strange and singular combinations. Let us watch a moment. Men and drays, - a familiar sight in fatherland - laden with flour, destined for the mines in the mountains from 50 to 250 miles off. Ox teams loaded with ready made houses from the Kennebec & Penobscot, going to help build up new villages at the foot of the Sierra Nevada. Pine lumber from every hill in Maine, to be scattered broadcast over the land from the source to the mouth of all the Rivers. Waggon loads of merchandise of every nation and description going to swell the gains of Sacramento war chests. A strong looking vehicle resembling a cart more than anything else, loaded with rough handy, hairy, dirty looking men going to dig their fortunes out of the gulleys. Their sharp picks, shovels, gold-cradles, wash-pans & dippers, and a supply of provisions for a short time are with them. Next are huge loads of hay which have been crossing the river and coursing through J street for the last three months for the support of the cattle of the new emigrations. A foppish group of gamblers mounted on splendid horses and galloping through the streets like lightening, on an afternoon's riding, excursions for their delicate health. "Ranchers" or herdsmen from the valley trotting along at a leisurely gait with buckskin dress, slouched hats, and faces covered and almost hidden with superabundant hair, moustaches & whiskers. Newsboys with papers from every state in the Union yelling like wild-cats, "at a quarter of a doll—ar!” Occasionally an exquisitely built carriage drawn by beautiful horses containing the family of some millionaire and dashing at a terrific rate through the crowded streets. A group of short, slightly-built, boyish-looking characters with swarthy complexions jet black hair twisted in a cue behind, caps without any front piece, cloth shoes with thick wooden soles, roundabouts & large loose pantaloons which indicate their Chinese birth. Taller, stouter and blacker individuals from the Sandwich Islands. A shuttered waggon with torn & dirty cover, drawn by half-starved cattle, containing a sickly, travel-worn, despairing emigrant family, "just off from the plains." Indian boys of the "Root Digger" tribe, wrapped in their blankets, stepping about with infinite dignity and taciturnity & gazing with apparent indifference upon the strange works of the white man. Lawyers by the score, also dressed in black, and aping the dignity of the Indian. Half a dozen Spanish-Mexicans, mounted on fine horses fantastically accoutered with monstrous saddles covered with wild-ox skin, huge spurs long enough to make a single wheelbarrow, broad brimmed "sombreros", fancy blankets, pink silk sashes bound round their waists 



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and supporting the "revolver" or deadly "bowie knife". At the saddle bow frequently hangs the lasso which they use every day of their lives. Besides this array of motley characters, are innumerable others which it would tire us both to look at or describe. Suffice it to say that in this same J street can be seen almost the whole world in miniature. And daylight reveals but one half its characteristics. The gambling saloons, theatre/concerts, dances & exhibitions of all kinds furnish material enough to occupy whole sheets in their description. I will not attempt it now but will leave the subject for some future letter.
 
The next door to that which enters our office opens into the medical room of a Dr Ellis of St Louis. He has probably been known to you by reputation as the husband of Miss Rosa Goodrich. He is very much of a gentleman and is also very intelligent & sociable. Just back of the Dr's room is an apartment of comfortable size which belongs to ourselves & which we use as a bedroom & kitchen : for be it known to you, that being impressed with the importance of being as strictly economical as possible we have undertaken to board ourselves. In this way we can live very comfortably upon light-bread, cheese, butter, molasses/ sausage etc for 75 cents each per diem; while at the cheapest, respectable boarding house in town we must pay from 12 to 20 dollars per week. There is a large amount of business down in the city courts every time but as we [hole in paper] but lately announced ourselves upon the boards, we deem it proper to move cautiously at first. The other day I bought some domestic and sewing it together in the form of a bed tick stuffed it with hay to answer the purposes of a bed, which it does very well. While engaged upon it, I often thought of a highly esteemed relative of mine whose history, if I mistake not, contains something of a similar character. He may judge that I am more able to appreciate his situation when first venturing upon the uncertain waters of legal practice; and if a similar outset prognosticates similar success, I shall, in moments of discouragement, turn to this incident with triumph and renewed hope, recognizing it as one of the first footprints in a career leading to a high and enviable position.

Mr. Glover has been quite unwell for 8 or 10 days with diarrhea - the epidemic and at present the scourge of California, - but I think his symptoms are now more favorable and that he will in a short time be able to attend to business. He has had constant attention and the advice of two physicians, Dr. Jno S Taylor and Prof Jas Blake of St Louis. The latter is a tall, awkward English gentleman of considerable professional ability. I understand he was employed some time



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since by the U.S. government to make a geological survey of the territory of the U.S. from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It was to complete this work which he had finished as far as St Louis, that he undertook the journey to California. Whether he is any "great shakes" I don’t know, but I saw an article written by him in this morning's paper, on the necessity of keeping our streets from filth and impurity, which might very well have been written by "Willie".

Mrs. Hoyt and Henry & Mr. Dexter are living about 2 1/2 miles from town on the American Fork of the Sacramento, keeping a ferry for a wealthy landholder of the name of Norris, and keeping a boarding house & tavern for themselves. They are very industrious and have worked hard ever since they got here but you have probably heard that they have met with some losses by robbery. The first time about 1500 dollars was taken the second about 4 or 5000, if I recollect aright, and a few days ago two valuable horses, lately bought, were taken from the hay yard close by the house and have since never been heard of. Such disappointments would crush the spirits and destroy the energies of many men, but they are not disheartened in the least, -- they are determined to persevere till they accumulate sufficient to repay them for all their trouble. Being but little more than a mile distant from Mr. Muldrow's ferry a spirit of rivalry has sprung up between the two houses & "Uncle Billy" in the hour of his wrath, for some reason known but to himself send out an injunction to have their boat stopped. Having a heavy case in process of arbitration however in which Mr. Norris aforesaid was his adversary, he graciously permitted Mr. Hoyt to continue running the boat until the matter in dispute should be settled - the question of Mr. Hoyt's right to run the ferry being somehow secondary to that. "Uncle Billy" claims of Mr. Norris the modest little sum of $146,000 and should fortune smile so sunnily upon his frosty head as to permit him to gain it, he will be able to go back to the States and make a larger figure than ever he before dreamed of.

I have now rambled over four tiresome foolscap pages leading you perforce with me, but gathering for you only a scanty & meager supply of fruits or flowers. My conscience will not permit me to continue such an imposition much longer and I will try to get up a finish in "quick time".



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Oct 16th

Perhaps however you might be interested in knowing something of a Quixotic expedition in which Mr Glover & myself found ourselves engaged and I will tell you a thing or two about it. About the 15th of last August a bloody affray took place in this city between two parties of citizens claiming certain lands in the city under different titles, and styled respectively "Squatters" & "Speculators". Men were killed on both sides but the "Speculators" outnumbering the others dispersed them and took a number prisoner. These were afterwards examined and three of them committed to prison on a charge of murder in the first degree. They were men of intelligence and respectability but had been unfortunately drawn into the affair by their enthusiastic feelings in behalf of their injured neighbors and fellow citizens. But they were poor, unable to employ counsel to defend them & the citizens of Sacramento being principally "Speculators", and of course decidedly unfriendly to the prisoners, the legal profession was rather backward in making any tender of their services. At length two of the brightest ornaments of the bar came forward and offered to undertake the defense of all the prisoners for the sum of $4000. The prisoners could raise but a small portion of this amount but proposed to their counsel Messrs Tweed & Aldrich to make application to their friends in the mines for assistance. As it was well known that the miners deeply sympathized with the "Squatters" party, this plan was deemed altogether feasible and it was resolved to carry it into execution.   It was proposed to Mr. Glover & myself to act as agents and collectors for the prisoners. This we agreed to do upon the understanding that we were to be admitted into the case and to receive one half of the amount collected, whatever that should be. This being settled we took our letter from Mr. Robinson, the most distinguished of the prisoners (who by the way is a perfect gentleman and now engaged to a daughter of the President of the Massachusetts Senate), procured a half starved mule and a lazy Canadian pony and having put a change of clothing into our saddle bags & strapped our blankets upon our animals, we set off at sundown one warm day for the mountains and the mining region. Ten miles brought us to the hotel of a strong friend of the squatters party, and having a letter of introduction to him & thinking he might give us valuable assistance, we stopped, took supper, wrapped ourselves in our blankets & slept by the side of his haystack till morning. (No one sleeps in a house in the summer season if he can help it.) After breakfast we told our errand & hinted that something was expected from the Squatter landlord. Oh! Yes he was deeply interested, would take great pleasure in circulating a subscription paper, but was really too much pressed to give anything himself. During all that day we were busily occupied in travelling 30 miles and soliciting contributions but we lay down at night on the hay stack without an additional cent. Little discouraging we thought but knew we could succeed when we got to the villages and could address the miners en masse. Early that morning we entered the flourishing town of Hangtown and learning that a political meeting was to be holden [sic] there the next day we determined to avail ourselves of the opportunity which that would afford us to meet the citizens in a body. But a heavy rain washed away all traces of a meeting and our castles built upon it. Next morning finding that our funds were melting away at the rate of $10.00 per diem, we determined on a desperate effort. To beg individuals was useless. Each had some excuse for not giving, though all professed the liveliest sympathy for the prisoners and declared themselves ready to lay Sacramento in ashes & ruins if they were injured. We put up written notices, requesting "friends of humanity" to assemble at 3 o'clock P.M. at the El Dorado Hotel on Main Street. To make assurance doubly sure, we employed a Negro to be ready with a bell & act as crier to give notice of the meeting. He was instructed to tell the people to come down to the Eldorado & hear public speaking. After some hesitation, thinking that we intended to play some mad prank upon him he agreed to do so. Mr. Glover told him to go up & down the streets about ten minutes & that would be sufficient. At the appointed hour he took the bell and started ringing it with tremendous energy, and yelling at the same time in a stentorian voice, Oh! Yes Oh! Yes, Every body come down to the el Dorado House, for ten minutes! The effect was electrical; the cry rang through the whole town and startled hundreds of quiet citizens to their feet. Some came rushing to the Hotel to find out the cause of the unusual demonstration and others increased the tumult by loud inquiries, "What's the matter, what's on hand at the El Dorado"? In the the [sic] midst of the confusion, the "Son of thunder" kept on his way yelling at every step "Every body come down to the El Dorado for ten minutes" and rattling his bell most furiously. "What's the matter, what do they want with us down there." "Lord knows. I don’t! but just come down to the el Dorado for ten minutes"! This was all that they could get out of him. He kept on his way answering no questions and stopping for no one, but eternally rattling his bell and repeating that deafening cry. The most experienced crier in N.Y. city could not have done better. In less than five minutes, every building shed and shanty poured forth its inmates and the street was soon crowded with human beings moving in a dark compact body toward the El Dorado. It was soon evident that the Hotel would not hold one fifth part of the number and a table was set out in the street for a stand. Still they came from each direction and soon nearly a thousand were collected



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by the skill of the negro crier, were gathered around the stand waiting to hear for what purpose they were called together. Mr. Glover took off his hat, mounted the stand and revealed the secret. They listened attentively being evidently deeply interest in the history of the fate of the unhappy prisoners, and numbers openly expressed themselves ready to arm themselves and fight to the last in their [?].
Had a committee been appointed to take up contributions at that time, they would undoubtedly have been very successful, but in a few moments Mr. Glover came down telling them that his colleague Mr. Winchell would address them at greater length. Mr. Winchell got up and told them that Mr. Glover's eloquence had rendered it unnecessary to address them at greater length and that he had no doubt they were all willing to assist the prisoners etc to the extent of their ability and so forth, and made some other remarks which the reporters, having fallen asleep, did not taken down, and then pronounced those awful words to the ear of an audience, "contributions will now be taken up & it is hoped that none will refuse to assist" etc. This operated as words of magic & seeing the crowd gradually losing some of its number, I stepped down to aid in "attending to" those who remained. This was the signal for dispersing and in ten minutes more, no trace of the recent communication was visible. Mr. Glover with bare head holding his hat in his hands was the only individual left standing where a few minutes before were a thousand men apparently deeply interested in the fate of the prisoners. So much for
profession [compared?] with practice thought we as we counted our scanty sum. Ten dollars of it remained after paying our tavern bill! But nothing daunted we saddled up, bade farewell to Hangtown and soon entered Weberville three miles distant. Next morning gave notice that we would hold forth at two & walked over to Ringgold a mile distant to wake up the natives there. Got the town crier to announce our arrival and after getting a crowd together Mr. Glover milked while I kept the cow from running away. Did much better than at Hangtown. Walked back to Weberville, found no crowd had yet gathered and could get no one to act as crier. Had to give up the meeting there, and calling for our animals we started about five o'clock for Coloma or Sutter's Mill 12 miles off. At half past six or seven commenced raining violently and we stopped at a village called Cold Spring for shelter. The only tavern was made of cotton cloth, and the roof, of the same material was full of large gaps through which the water poured most merrily. A crowd was in ahead of us and had not only taken all the rude bunks around the room but had occupied every dry place on the floor. We finally espied a dry corner on the ground under a bunk and we crawled in there, wrapped ourselves in our wet blankets and slept soundly. Next morning my lazy Canadian was gone - probably hooked - but after a while we found him with his head half buried in a bag of flour in a waggon, to which he had got an introduction. We made no demonstration here but hurried on to the County Seat, Colloma, to make an effort that should retrieve our wasting purses from threatened bankruptcy. Arrived at breakfast, found Kemp Anderson of Knox & Charley Radcliff Esq of Shelbyville. They promised to assist, and we gave notice that a meeting would be held at night for the benefit of the prisoners. Night came but no crowd came with it and nothing could be done to get up an excitement. Next morning therefore we paid the landlord ten or twelve dollars for our accommodations one day, and set out for a point on the Middle Fork of the American River of considerable importance. Funds were getting scarce and we were 50 or 60 miles from home. Must make a raise somehow. Within three miles of the place met a number of miners who said the rains hand raised the river so as to wash away the dams and sluices of the operators, breaking a great many men entirely up and throwing the rest out of employment. Bad news; and it seemed doubtful about making anything there. But we rode on and found the sons of Major Willis with a number of old acquaintances so that we were quite at home again. Everything was stopped in the way of business and we knew it would be



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useless to make any attempt to collect funds for the prisoners. We remained until after dinner speculating upon the propriety of giving up Law and buying a claim on the River and going to mining; but finding that it would require 1000 dolls to start with we gave up that idea, relinquished our office of agent for the "Squatters prisoners" and started homewards. About fourteen miles on the way night overlook us. We stopped at a hotel, got our suppers, fed our animals, and spreading our blankets on the ground under a tree consigned ourselves to slumber. On waking next morning and preparing to start found that all that had been collected on the trip was exhausted & that our private funds united amounted to two dolls fifty cents. We rode ten miles, fed our mules with hay at 15 cents per pound - took a dollar's worth. For breakfast we had a quart of milk, 75c, Mr. Glover a small pie, 37 1/2 cents - myself three biscuits which the landlord said would weigh a pound. I doubted it & he weighed them proving the correctness of his statement. Said he, "a great many persons think that three of my biscuits wont weight a pound but they are good and solid, - weigh well." And in truth they were solid - about as much so as the pound weight itself. Finishing this delightful repast we emptied our purses - turned them wrong side out - saddled our animals and started for the city. Twenty five miles to ride without getting hungry, we pushed ahead at the best gait of our chargers and about 4 P.M. hove in sight of the bright red flannel awning which forms the piazza of "Uncle Billy's" residence.

Efforts will probably now be made among the "Squatters" in the city to raise funds for the relief of the prisoners. The trial will probably come off in January and will excite a great deal of interest. Their counsel, Messrs Tweed and Aldrich are able men, who stood in high stations in their native state, Florida, but they are not equal to Mr. Anderson.

Edward Murphy came down from the mines a week or two ago and is now clerking in the city at $100.00 per month & boarded. He has worked very industriously since he came out but has been unfortunate and has made nothing. Reports have gone back that he has been dissipating considerably since he came out but from what I can learn, these are entirely false. The letters that were written about his conduct towards the Tatlow boys I believe were grossly incorrect. If the truth was known they would probably be found to have been most in fault. Stanton Buckner & his party are at Nevada City, 80 miles off, mining. They have all been sick but are recovering. I saw Thos Dudley a day or two since. He is as fat as a porker & in fine spirits. I have nothing of P.M. Jarvis & family since he came in. Mr. Fon and son arrived about two weeks since in tolerable heath. Team in fine order. Mr. Fon is going to the mines this winter & his son down the river to attend to a garden in the vicinity of Benicia. His father will join him in the spring and they will carry on the business together. Will probably make a good deal of money.

I understand the last emigrant has crossed the mountains. What scenes of suffering have been witnessed on that awful route this season will probably now be made known to the world. I hope no relation of mine will even attempt that route, unless I am with him. I could cross the next time, comfortably, I think, and give some valuable suggestions to the uninitiated perhaps.

A good deal of sickness now prevails in the city, but it is confined I think principally to the careless and unthinking part of the new emigration. Coming in half starved, they fall with ravenous and unrestrained appetites upon the multitude of "good things" which the city affords and as a consequence find themselves prostrated by dysentery, diarrhea, and other such diseases. The climate I think is as fine as any in the world. I am in excellent health and fleshy as a grizzly bear. I have been looking for letters by every mail, but have rcvd but two from Rens. This is too bad. At Paris I would readily have given dollars for a letter. How much more, think you, would I prize one here. Do not fail to write immediately if you can possibly spare they time. Give me every item of importance. Tell mother I expect something from her soon; and "the boys" that I have an action for breach of promise in store for them if they don’t write. Give my love to all my friends and take a large supply unto thyself. When the railroad across central America is finished, I am coming home to see you. Farewell Dearest Sister. May Heaven's choicest blessings ever strew your pathway. Your brother Elisha.



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P.S.  Mr. Glover says I must not breathe a word about his sickness for fear of alarming his parents. His
mother is filled with anxiety on his account & this news would [?] injuriously upon her. ECW

[Dated:] Oct. 21st 1850

[Addressed:] Mrs. Fanny M. Anderson
Care of Thos. L. Anderson Esquire
Palmyra
Missouri

Per kindness of Mr. Hourston