WCP1637

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11. Letter from Columbia²

January 10th, 1853

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The community in this place is decidedly a mining community, every one is more or less a miner, and all are dependent on the mines for support, the miners make their own laws regulating the mines, and carry them out in many cases in opposition to the general laws of the state, Thus a law was passed by the legislature allowing all foreigners to mine by paying a certain monthly tax, and in many of the mining districts, Chinese and Mexicans are not allowed by the miners to work at all, tax or no tax, and they carry out their ideas of liberty and equqlity[sic] by driving them out, and the government dare not say nay to the sovereign will of the miners. All classes of men are engaged in mining, and are of course all equal. The Americans are great for titles, and nearly every other has a title of some sort, Captains are innumerable, and they are always addressed as such. You might see a man dirty and ragged returning from his work, and will be told that he is Judge so and so, or General such and such, if you ask about a certain Major, you will be told that he is a miner, and so on through the chapter of Judges[,] lawyers, doctors, colonels, generals and a host of others, all claiming their titles and boasting of being practical miners.

There was once that the sovereign miners did not have it exacty their way. When we first introduced our water, and when we had only a small supply, we placed the price rather high, but still we had plenty of applications for it, but some of the miners thought the price was[ ]too high and there was a great deal of talk about it. A public meeting was called to discuss the matter, speechhes[sic] were made and threats if we did not come to their terms and reduce the price. A deputation was appointed to call on the company. I being at that time President, had to receive them, after they had fully stated their case, I simply told them that as far as threats went, it was entirely the wrong way to go[ ]about it, as it would only make the company more determined, might cause bad feelings, that if any gentlemen could not afford to pay the price he was not compelled to use it, that there were plenty others who would, and that it was a new feature in mercantile transactions for the buyer to fix the price. I finally told them that the company would reduce the price as soon as they had a sufficiently copious supply to warrant them in so doing. They afterwards had another meeting to hear the report of this committee, some speeches were made but they were much calmer and without threats. A few of the more rabid ones were marked, and for some time we refused to sell them water at any price, that took the shine out of them, and deterred others from acting in a similar manner.

The town of Columbia is a large place considering the short time it has been in existance[sic]. It has about fifteen thousand inhabitants in the town[ ]and immediately around it, and in fine weather business is very lively. About a year and a half ago when we started our work, there were only two log cabins, and two or three tents to be seen, the diggings around here having been deserted on account of the lack of water. As soon as our company was organized and commenced work, the town beban[sic] to grow and has been increasing ever since entirely on the credit og[sic] out[sic] company, as it was well known that the locality was rich and only wanted water for its development. The whole country for miles around Columbia is exceedingly rich, and will afford work for several years. The present weather is very unfavo[u]rable, the rain continues to pour down in torrents. The roads are so bad that waggons cannot get through with provisions, every thing is very dear, and we are not reaping anything from our works, and we are at a constant expense to keep in order. A good many miners are leaving for the larger town[s] of Stockton and San Francisco, where they can live much cheaper than here.

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Columbia,¹

January 10th. 1853

My dear Mother, Alfred, Fanny², and Thomas³,.

As you will be now altogether, I have addressed this letter to all of you, My last letter was in rather a doleful strain, as I had not heard for such a length of time, but a few days after I had posted that, I received one from my Mother enclosing a note from Thomas, and two or three words from Fanny, although my moth [sic] Mother mentions Fanny as then writing a note, which I suppose was not put in. I was, however very glad to have the letters, although I was much surprised and grieved to hear of the great loss that Alfred has suffered, and the hardships he has had to undergo. I. consider that I have (what is commonly called) "seen the Elephant" in California, but Alfred's Elephant must have been very like a whale, and if he isaas Fanny says, still jolly, I think even Mark Tapley⁴would have give him credit for it. Unfortunately fires and shipwrecks are so common that much cannot be made of them even in a book of travels, which I suppose Alfred will still be able to write from memory. I know it must be very hardt [sic] to lose at one fell swoop what has taken years to collect, and what no money can replace but still, if he should be able to go abroad again, he may collect what he has lost in less time than it cost him at first. Recollect the great and similar loss that Sir Stamford Raffles⁵ sustained, and yet he went to work again if I forget not, under similar exactly similar circumstances, yet he went to work again and collected all that he had before lost. Of course having the means is a great thing as well as the will, but there is yet time, and the name of Sir Alfred Wallace may yet shine forth[.]

I hope before this reaches you to have a long letter from Alfred, with full particulars of this past misfortunes and future projects. By the by, I am extremely sorry that at the present time I cannot send Alfred any money, as we are all in a very tight place fix for that commodity, as we all get paid now in script, which we find great difficulty in getting rid of for the common necessaries of life, but if we can only get dry weather for a month or two, I have not doubt that I shall be able to spare some and will take the earliest opportunity of sending it.

T The death of Roberts⁶ must be a great affliction to his Mother and sister, but I believe he was always rather delicate. I was more surprised to learn of the death of Jerrard Haggan as when I saw him last he was a remarkably stout and healthy looking lad. Mrs. Haggan must be now very lonely. I suppose Mory is doing very well in his newcountry [sic] as he has now money to go on with. I suppose his occupation is farming and raising stock as I believe it is a fine country for that. There are several Texas men in Cal*ifornia but they are generally a very rough set of fellows and have always that character.

I am glad to hear that George Webster is gone to the mines. He is just the chap to do well there, strong and hearty and don't mind work. He will always find his business useful to him as a miner, and in case mining should not turn out profitable, he will always find his trade useful in the mines, and plenty of work to do, but I hope he may be lucky at mining for after all there is a great deal in luck.

The community of this place is decidedly a mining comunity[sic][.] Every one is more or less a miner, and all are dependent on the miner for support. The miners make their own laws regulating the mines, and carry them out in many cases in opposition to the general law of the state. Thus a law was passes [sic] by the legislature allowing all foreigners to mine by paying a certain monthly tax, iin many of the mining districts, Chinese and Mexicans are not allowed by the miners to work at all, tax or no tax, and they carry out their ideas of liberty and equality by driving them out, and the government dare not say nay to the sovereign will of the miners. All class of men are engaged in mining, and are of course all equal.. The Americans are great upon titles, and nearly every other man has a title of some sort or other. Captains are

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innumerable, but then they are always addressed as such. You might see a man dirty and ragged returning from his work, and will be told that he is Judge So and So, or General What's his name; if you ask anything concerning a certain major, you will be told that he is a miner, and so on through the chapter of Judges, lawyers, doctors, physicians, colonels, generals, and a whole host of others all claiming their titles and boasting of being practical miners.

There was once that the sovereign miners did not have it exactly their own way, When we first introduced our water, and when we had only a small supply, we placed the price rather high, but still we had plenty of applications for it and for a great deal more if we had it, but some of the miners thought the price was too high and there was a great deal of talk about, and a public meeting called to discuss the matter whereat sundry speeches were delivered, and threats made use of, if we did not come to their terms and reduce the price of water to what they should dictate, and finally a deputation was appointed to wait upon the company, and to express the sense of the meeting (if there was any sense in it). I being at that time president, had to receive the grand d [sic] deputation, and to express the determination of the company. After they had fully stated their case, I simply told them that as far as the threats went, it was entirely the wrong way of going to work, as it would only make the company more determined, and might cause bad feelings, but that if any gentleman could not afford to pay the price we set upon it, he, of course was not compelled to use it, and there was plenty more that would, and that it was entirely a new feature in mercantile transactions for the buyers to fix the price of the article he wished to purchase, and finally that the company would reduce the price when they had a sufficiently copious supply thath [sic] would warrent[sic] them in so doing. They afterwards had another meeting to hear the report of the committee, which did not seem to give much satisfaction. A few speeches were made but of much calmer and more subdued tone than the former ones and the meetings separated, and since then there has been no more indignation water meetings. A few of the principal characters in the meeting were marked, and we did not for a length of time we did not let them have the water at any price, so that it took the shine out of them, and deterred others from acting in a similar manner.

The town of Columbia is a large place considering the short time it has been in existance[sic]. It contains about fifteen thousand inhabitants in the town and immediately around it, and in fine weather, is a place of great business. About one year and a half ago when we commenced our work, there was only two log houses, and two or three tents to be seen, the diggings around here having been deserted on account of the scarcity of water. As soon as our company was organised and commenced work, the town began to grow and has been increasing ever since, entirely on the credit of our company, as it was well known that the locality was rich and only required the presence of water to develope[sic] its riches. In fact, the whole extent of country for miles around Columbia is exceedingly rich, and will afford work for several years. The present weather is very unfavorable, the rain continues to pour down in torrents. The roads are in such a bad state that wagons cannot arrive with provisions. Every thing is very dear, and we are not reaping anything from our works, as we are at a constant expense to keep it in repair, and working order, and a good many miners are leaving for the larger towns of Stockton and San Francisco, where they can live much cheaper than here.

I must now close or I shall be too late for the post. I shall send two or three papers so that you can see the state of the country etc. Give my kind regards to all friends, and believe me, to remain,

Yours affectionately, | John Wallace. [signature]