Woods Crick November 11th 1849
Dear Farther
I am over Two Hundred miles from San
Francisco now in the mines, but have not had good luck here. Three of us
that work in company only got Three and a half oz in Two weeks. But we
expect to do btter when we go to work in the dry digings. The rainy season
has commenced and we have to leave the Rivers, the Cricks, and work in the Dry
Reveans threw the winter. We have been building a log House to live in
this winter. My self and sum of my mess mates took a contract to hew the
plates, Rafters and Three Cross Beams, and to frame them and Rais them for
$600.00 I don't think it will take us more than a weak todo it. You could
get all we have to do dun in the States for Thirty Dollars. when we mad an
estimate on the number of days it would take us to do the work, we calculated
our time at Twenty Dollars a day to a man and then added One Hundred Dollars for
extrys. If we do well with this job I think we shall take a contract to
bild a store for a nother man. I have not heard frum you sins I got the
letters that Col Hoocker brought me. If you wrote to me your Letters were
detained on the Isthmas for Four or Five mails was left their til a fiew days a
go, but a steamer left Sanfrancisco for Panama to get the mail, about the time I
left for the mines, and I suppos my Letters are in San francisco now and they
will have to stay there till spring for their is not any Chance to get them till
then, and then I shall go back their to live while I stay in the cuntry. I
have wished myself at Home maney time sins I have been here. When Joseph
wants to come here ask him how he would like to sleep on the ground with nothing
but a blanket over you him. I have slop maney a time
under a tree with my Blanket and one night in the Mountains I stood in a hollow
tree to keep out of the rain, with my Rifle and a pair of Pistoles ready for
use. Expecting to be attacked by a grisily bear evry moment. I have
not known what it is to sleep in a bed sins I left New York George Rogers
Got into San Francisco the day before I left and is in good health, and I expect
to see him up here every day now. he told me hw would come on where I was
as soon as he got money to pay his Eexpences. I should like to have you
write to me and tell all the news and evry thing tat has happened sinse I left I
would like a news paper to. Yuo must not Expect a long letter from me for
I cut my Finger and lost the use of the joint and I cant hold my pen. Mr.
Wood of Peakskil NY one of our party leaves here to morrow for home and will
take this with ;him and mail it in the States. I think if I was at home
now with the experience I have now got. I should be contented and stick to
Bisnes. I am about ten years Older than I was when I left Home and Sober
now for I have stoped drinking entirely (underscoring
was crossed out of originals by his mother, Ed.) I have often wished you
could se us out here in the mines at night setting aroubnd a fire with a piece
of venison on a stick over the fire cooking for our supper, loock at sum of th
cuts in the papers they show us up pretty good, but it is not of any use to get
dow harted or discuraged here, it wont do, you must be up and moving, this is no
place for a lasy man I have not seen Cohen or heard of him yet, but if I can
find him and can get him to acknolage the det or give me a note he will soon
have to pay it her for you can poot him to work and make him work out the det.
I got here Four months to late to make money diging in themines the best has
been dug out, but you will find sum left one of our party found a piece that
waid Thirteen oz wen next to the hole that I am at work in. I
will poot a little in this letter in the sealing wax you can see what fine stuf
it is. I wis you would send me a pair blankets if you can. blankets
and all woolen blankets clothing is verry high here now I did
not fetch a nough woollen Close with me. I want you to rite to me as often
as you can. give my love to all you must not expect me to rite to all of you all
but you can all read what I do rite
To Mr. J Kimball
From your Affectionate
Son G.W. Kimball
NB you can see sum of the gold and sum of the black sand that is mixed with it
Notations of back of letter dated 11/11/1849
This letter was received the 15th of January 1850 and answered the 23th of the same Month -- Also wrote again by the Messrs Adams the 31th of Jany and sent five dollars by him to purchas a pair of Blankets and two flanel shirts an a pair of pantloons and they agreed to take to George an to leave at San francisco with Henry Gladwin to be sent to him at the mines