John R. Tice

“ We have fifteen mules now and are making good wages. Clear about twenty-five dollars on a mule. It is a little over one hundred miles from here to Crescent City. We make the trip in from two weeks to three weeks. Crescent City is about two days run for steamers north of San Francisco. We have a good deal of wheat sowed on the shares in this valley which looks well and will pay us good interest on our money. The Indians are all quiet and I expect them to be all summer. ”

“ Old Man Lawson is here in the room at present. He thinks of going to California as soon as the Indian difficulty is settled. He is well and looks hearty. We are doing as well as we can expect. Business is picking up a little and we think we will get good profit on what provisions we have got, and our mules are in good order and will sell well so I think we will be home this winter. ”

“ He doesn't know nor any one else, not even myself. But it has always been in my mind to come and is still and always will be till I do come. But I won't promise to come till I am ready to start. When I promised to come before I expected to come or I would not have said so. Father says in his lines that my last letter was short. . .. I may have written several short letters, but I have never been fixed to write until the present. I will try to explain all my business now. Last fall when I thought I was coming back to the states we had a train of mules and wheat sowed on the shares. ”

“ We can't do much at packing till this Indian affair is settled for it is dangerous to be on the road in small companies. Tell Ann I will bring her a guitar with the greatest of pleasure when I come home and also Fred and Lizzy some presents. Tell Fred he must wait till I come and I will get him a gun and he must learn all he can till I come home. ”

“ Don't let the dollars keep you from writing for the next will only cost me fifty cts. ...
Home, how sweet the word but God only knows when I will be there, but I hope some day may bring me back to see you all again. We have opened a Claim this week. I think it will pay us a 1⁄2 ounce a day for some little time. There have been rich diggings struck in town this week and the whole town is laid off in claims—streets and houses. If they prove rich the whole town will be dug up. I should think Covington was very dull at present all the men and boys leaving for California. ”

“ It is very pretty work in the summer time and no danger if we keep it well timbered which we do. ... I think old Covington must be pretty well deserted by this time, all the boys coming to Oregon and California. Well, I should advise all young men that will work to come, for good hands can get one hundred per month and board, and if they will be satis- fied at that, they can make money, but those that have families .... had better stay at home or at least leave their families there. ... Oregon is a very good country but it . .. won't hold the States. ”

“ The steamship Sea Gull puts in there every trip but I do not think there is an office there yet. ....
The boys are fools for living in Covington all their life-time and see nothing. I am going to see China if I live and have luck. No one knows what he can stand till he crosses the plains. When we came to Salmon Falls we traded for some fish with the Indians which were the best fish I ever ate. The flesh is of a reddish color. ...
Give my Respects to all my friends.
Your affectionate Son⁠
John Tice did not remain at Port Orford long. ”

“ Drifting I suppose is work which you never saw much of. The Bank we are working in is twelve feet to the bed rock. We commence on the bed rock and drift out three feet and leave the other nine feet over our heads. ”

“ After a dull winter things have opened brisk here this Spring. Miners are doing better here than ever before. There are some three Grist Mills in progress and two will be ready to run by harvest and a great many are speculating on the price of wheat. Some put it as low as three dollars and some as high as six do [llars] , but I think wheat will be worth five Dollars pr Bu.... Flour is worth in Crescent City from 6 to 9 cts just owing to the market, and it can't be packed here (for) less than six cts pr Pd., which will bring it from 12 to 15 cts. ”

“ It has taken all the ready cash to get the wheat, but we have debts standing out to the amount of two hundred dollars, and we owe no debts to any one. It is a time of year that we can get freight and we need not stop our train any longer than we want to. If we stay till next fall with our train we can make one hundred and twenty-five Dollars pr month apiece.... Wheat is worth here at present from ten to twelve Dollars pr Bu. ”

“ He sold a wagon at The Dalles and brought it down to Portland and sold it again which will do him a great injury here....
I called on Mr. T'Vault but he was not at home. He has a very fine wife. ...I am going up tomorrow to see Mr. T'Vault. I heard that he had come home....
There are not many women in this country yet. Women can do better here than men. People who are holding claims want to get married. 'Tis the candid fact that if a man has a Family of girls he can get any accommodation he wants. ”

“ And, to Tice, prosperity meant an opportunity to return home.
Jacksonville, Oregon, Aug. 7/53 Dear Father and Mother,
I received Mother's and Fred's letters last week which pleased me very much. I write this in great haste. Everything and everybody is in great excitement about Indian war. The Indians of this Valley have turned against the whites. They have killed two men and have wounded five or six since last Friday evening. The whites turned out yesterday and killed some six or seven Indians besides hanging three here in town. ”

“ The nights are cool, not like the summer nights in the States warm and sultry. ...
They are sinking deep shafts here for gold. If they prove to be rich this will be one of the greatest cities in California. If they turn out rich I think we will sink one. ...
As soon as I get a few hundred dollars ahead, I will send you some money to school the Children. ...
Direct to Shasta City, Cal.
Your Son⁠
John R. Tice The next letter brings to our attention the high postage rates then prevailing, as well as the fact that the receiver, not the sender, was responsible for the cost of transmittal. ”