Gold Rush Era Collections

Marysville Sept [September] 25 1853

My Dear Sister

By the two last Mails I have I have reced [received] the Bucks County Inteligencer [Intelligencer] in which I found a great Deal to interest me. That Rail Road from Attleboro, Massachusetts will rather astonish Some of the old fogies in old Buck & by the last I see you are going to have a Steamboat on the Neshaminy [Neshaminy Creek]. I rather think that she will have to be pretty light Draft to go above the ford at low tide. I do not think that the Steamboat will do much. The Rail Road may amount to something it seems Singular to me to talk of Building Rail Roads and such things in that quiet old neighborhood it may be done but in my recollections it will be always the same old Place they may alter it as much as they will it will always seem the same to me.

I suppose ere this reaches you Will Ruan will have gone South again. I wrote him a letter by the last Mail in which I Strongly urged him to come to California provided he could either get a certainty or bring some two thousand as upwards of capital he could do better in five years here than in twenty five in Florida.

How I wish Murray would Sell Flushing

Marysville Oct [October] 26 1853

My Dear Sister

Since I wrote you I have recieved [received] two letters one by each of the last Mails. I had thought at one time that you were so much engaged that you found no time to write, it pleased me much to hear of the improvement of the old place it must be quite a garden now. It is very well for Will Ruan to be satisfied with his situation if he cannot do better but he will be a long time what he is in such a Slow growth place as Apalachicola a young man has no chance until the old ones make room for him. I wish I could offer him somthing [something] here but I have the Israell Boys to take care of first. They deserve so much credit for their exertions to take care of their family that I am in duty Bound to assist them at the first opportunity I have arranged it so that Henry will come out with Sara, Caroline & the children quite a little family party it will cost me about $800 for their Passage & expences [expenses] Since the reduced fares.

I am doing extremly [extremely] well. I shall make about $800 this month. I am not in partnership with Dr [Doctor] Bucknell my own affairs occuping [occupying] so

other Stock as two men with Sheppard [Shepherd] dogs can take care of ten thousand of them this is the finest country in the whole world for them. They can be driven across the plains without difficulty if they find they are too late they stop at Salt Lake during the Winter and come through in the Spring. Sheep worth one dollar in the States will bring from six to twelve immediately upon arrival. Unless I am doing Something that pays pretty well. I have a great notion of coming home and taking a drove over next Spring myself perhaps Murray would join me. We could get through with enough that by Selling part to make a handsum [handsome] proffit [profit] and out of the ballance [balance] a fortune could be made.

I wrote Will Ruan a letter by the last Mail. There is a man living in town that knows him his name is Gilligan a baker from Apalichicola Apalachicola I expect Susan probably knows him.

I was glad to See by your letter that Aunt Rachel had got better, how she would enjoy this climate no more coughs and colds it is the best for consumptives in the World an important matter where we all have a tendency that way. You must have recieved [received] my daguerotype [daguerreotype] by this time. I would like to have been there to hear the remarks although I do not know if my vanity would have been much flattered by them.

I have just returned from the Bay. I saw the Paxsons they were both well, their business was