To
William H. Clagett
18 April 1862 • Aurora, Calif./Nev. Terr.
(MS, damage emended: ViU, UCCL 00044)
‸P.S.‸
‸Don’t let my opinion of this place get abroad.‸
‸Do as I am doing now, Billy—keep out of leads unless you know them to be good.‸
Esmeralda, April 18, 1862.
Dear Billy:
Yours of the 2d just received. As far as I can see, there are not more than half a dozen leads here that will do to bet on—only [two,] in fact, that a man would like to risk his whole pile on. Still, money will be made here as soon as $25-rock [ will can] be crushed for $10 [ or $15. ] a ton. I discover that top-rock which assays $40 is considered “bully.” [ N ] But the large majority of the ledges wouldn’t assay $5 on top—the large majority, I think. I know, also, that I own in several such. Now I wouldn’t give a d—n for any such claims. When I went and looked at my best purchase, I didn’t say anything, but I just thought, “Now, about how many empty ginger-pop bottles would that fellow sell for in Buena Vista?”1 [Billy], if I hadn’t started in here, I would clear out for Humboldt immediately. But since I have got interests here, I will hold on a little, and see if I can make anything out of them. ’Ratio Phillips says that if we fail with a lead we are going down on now, he will go to Buena Vista with me—so I am not very particular whether that lead succeeds or not—for I tell you, he would be no bad acquisition to our crowd. He thinks the “Horatio & Derby” is bully—but I told him what I thought was the truth, that so far from such a claim being considered rich up our way, I didn’t even [ though ] think our boys would have taken the trouble to record it. Billy, I told you I would get you some claims here, and I could do it, without any trouble; but it strikes me that the fewer feet you own here, the richer you will be. You see, if you fail to do 2 days’ work on each claim every month in the year, your property is jumpable at the first instance of neglect. Claims have been pointed out to me as re-locatable, and supposed to be good—but I didn’t want them, and I thought you didn’t,—so, they are re-locatable yet. I have been offered numerous feet for nothing, but I haven’t accepted. Last summer, Orion paid $50 for 15 feet in a claim here. Yesterday one of the owners came and offered me 25 feet more for $50, with 30 days’ time on half the amount. He said he hated to part with it, but then he wanted me to have a good “stake.” I told him I appreciated his kindness to me, but that I was “on the sell” [ ‸myself‸—that] I would like to sell him my 15 feet at $100 a foot—$200 down, and the balance in thirteen annual instalments. Now, do you imagine that he took me up? Not by a d—d sight, my love. Oh, Shighte! (see Webster,) Tom and I can take a deck of cards, and my old black horse, and win feet enough from Sam in an hour to buy all Esmeralda.2 There are 5 or 6 good leads here, but I am lucky enough not to own in them.
(Private). But Phillips and I have a project on foot that may amount to something. Mr. Clayton, who uses a “process” of his own, unknown to any one else, saves $300 a ton out of rock from the “Esmeralda” lode—about four times as much as any other mill in the camp can get out of it. He saves silver within 4 per cent., and gold within 20 per cent. of the fire assay.3 This he guarantees. He has promised to teach his secret to Phillips (allowing him to teach it to me,) free of charge—and if we use it we are to pay him one-fourth of our profits. And, since you will share with me in this thing, I advise you before-hand not to sell out. Now, Billy, you understand why I want to stay here until I get some money out of one of these d—d leads, if the thing be [possible]. Because, you see, we want to attach this process to one of your Humboldt mills, and [ it machinery], &c., will cost us $1,000 to do it with. Keep this entirely to yourself, you know. Clayton will assist us by experimenting with our infernal rock at half-price until we get some that will pay.4 We haven’t taken out any yet that will even do to experiment with. My love to Dad5 and the boys—and tell Dad not to be discouraged, but “come out strong,” like Mark Tapley.6
Yr. old friend
Sam L. C.
Wm. H. Clagett, Esq. | Unionville | Humboldt [Co. ] | N. T. [partly boxed, lower left:] Via Carson [postmaster’s hand:] Esmeralda Cal, | April 21st 1862 [brace] [three-cent U.S. postage stamp, canceled with a pen]
Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary
Source text(s):Previous publication:
L1, 192–194.
Provenance:deposited at ViU on 23 Apr 1960.
Emendations and textual notes:
two, • two[,] [torn]
will can • [‘can’ over ‘will’]
or $15. • [‘15’ doubtful]
N But • [‘B’ over partly formed ‘N’]
Billy • Biflly [‘l’ over ‘f’]
though think • th‸ink‸ough [‘ink’ over ‘ugh’; deletion of ‘o’ implied]
‸myself‸—that • ‸myself—‸ —that
possible. • possible[.] [torn]
it machinery • [‘m’ over ‘it’]
Co. •
C[o
]
[torn]
