Will answer some of your questions. ‘I’ve quite given up on making a fortune in California;” but am financially comfortable, will not return to live in England. Was just elected Superintendent and Chief Engineer of our water company, can have the job as long as I want it. Company has provided a horse, “frequently have to ride 25 or 50 miles per day on rough mountain roads” to maintain water system. Doing good business, will soon be out of debt and into profits. Gives specifications of five mile long water flume, and asks family to check his estimates of daily flow. . Will be able to pay back loans soon.

Discusses promising new technology of the Erickkson [sic] (Ericsson) Caloric Engine, an innovative heat transfer machine, fueled by wood or coal. His job as head of the Water project includes “laying out branch ditches, building dams and bridges, fluming across valleys, etc.” Must be on call at any hour “when anything happens to the ditch”; must immediately assemble a crew of laborers to repair damage. He supervises every detail of the whole system, 40 miles long “over roughest country and steepest hillsides.”

No summary available.

John’s instructions to ARW on paying back debts of 180 lbs borrowed in 1849 to their mother and others. Will also send some beetles he has collected to find out if they may be valuable.

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.