Not being able to work mines in rainy season “exploded as a fallacy.” Most miners depend on working during rainy season to make up for losses during dry months. Ditches are cut in mountain streams when rain is scarce to supply running water; we’ve been doing that for six months. Our water will supply well over 20 miles of mines. Now chief surveyor for the Company, working on alterations with new steam-driven saw mill, and has supervised design and building of 15-mile road, using ox teams and wagons. All 150 workers toil without pay for future shares of company, expecting big payoff at completion. None of us were aware of the great magnitude of project at beginning; it “will be one of the greatest works yet attempted in this country.”

In answer to questions, there are a few animals here not found in England: Grizley [sic] bear, Elk, polecat, wildcat, racoons, coyotes, and the “Cougar or Lion of California.” They mostly prowl about at night; not dangerous if left alone. With their arrows, local Indians kill birds, squirrels, and deer, which they chase to exhaustion on foot. After wounding one, they drive it toward their camp, so as to finish off the animal as near home as possible, eliminating need to carry it there. Great variety of wild fowl; insects in abundance, also scorpions and tarantulas. Also lizards, rattlesnakes (only dangerous one), and bizarre lizard, the “horned toad”, which can harmlessly spray blood out of its eyes. Could help ARW succeed here as either an insect hunter or gold miner/surveyor. “Times [have] changed surprisingly and rapidly; necessities and luxuries all now obtained at moderate charge.” Water works now returns 500 dollars a day to the Company; will soon be finished; has revealed new gold deposits; “no place in the world for a hard working man equal to California.

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.