In response to family requests for his picture as a rough, full-bearded miner, has had a Deguerreotype [sic] of himself made “in a medium state...passing from the rough barbarian state of early Californian life to the more peaceful and mild state of civilization.” Emphasizes that he is not a miner, but chief Engineer to the Toulumne County Water Company which supplies great quantities of necessary water in to hundreds of mines. Happy to report that his Company is a success. Requests picture of them in turn. Brother helped him (by letter) calculate the amount of water discharged to be 11 ½ million gallons every 24 hours. Describes system of reservoir and delivery system, which frequently is disrupted, sometimes flooding the town. Expresses interest in fad for mind over matter experiment, later known as telekinsesis.

One of a set of letters providing in-depth descriptions John Wallace's life in the gold mining town of Columbia, California, building a system to bring water to gold mining operations in the town.