CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH LETTERS
Lot of three good content California Gold Rush letters sent by two friends to their family members. Included is an A.L.S. from S. H. Thompson, 2pp. 4to., Sacramento, June 9, 1850, in part: "..We was 57 days on our voyage from the isthmus [of Panama] to San Francisco... stopped at the port of Acapulco... we ran out to sea about 800 miles... they then burnt up all their coal and then had to run by sails north east... we had to lay there 17 days... till they could send an express to San Francisco for coal... common laborers are getting from 5 to 7 dollars per day. Mechanics are getting from 10 to 12 dollars per day... I saw Isaac Staton... he had just run down from the mines. He says that Charles Huchison was drowned in crossing Feather River... we leave for the mines tomorrow morning... the old miners say we are soon enough for the river mines...". The attached integral leaf bears an A.L.S. from his friend Joshua R. Kimball, 2pp. 4to., also from Sacramento on the same day. In part: "...we was 57 days from Panama to San Francisco. We are plenty early enough for the mines... our ship run out of coal... & many of the passengers left the ship and went the over land route up the coast... I was offered $10.00 per day and board as long as I wanted to work but I had rather go to the mines and try it... thousands here who do not earn a living. They go to the mines and because they cannot pick gold up by the pounds they leave... and commence drinking and in less than two weeks they are dead..." He also sets forth the outrageous prices being charged for food, including pork at $40/barrel and butter at $4.00/pound. The last letter is written by Thompson, 2pp. 4to., Eureka, Sep. 15, 1860 (though the writer likely meant "1850"). In part: "...I am mining at this time, working for wages this fall... I did think of coming home... but am not satisfied with California yet... it has been a long time since I left old Vermont... If I don't come home pretty soon I will have my miniature [photograph] taken and sent home...". Phonetic spelling corrected by us. Letters bears ink spouts, browned spots, wrinkles and folds, yet remain entirely legible and overall good to very good.