Editor Sentinel: - There seems to be nothing
doing for the celebration of Dominion and Independence days. Probably the
dull times have dulled the appetite for recreation and as the two days come
so closely together the prospect for two calls for subscriptions may increase
the apathy. I would suggest, therefore, that all should unite and celebrate
both days at once. By so doing a good list of sports might be arranged which
would attract miners from the outside creeks and the people on the road.
Let us drive dull care away by laughing still.
JUNE 11, 1870
BARKERVILLE, FEB. 16
The Editor: - I wish to contradict, through
your paper, a report circulated that I have on hand a large quantity of
coal oil, and am holding it with a view to monopolize the trade in that
article. Such a report having tendency to injure my trade, I flatly contradict
it, and say that I have not sufficient for my own use.
C. STROUSS
"LO! THE POOR NEGRO"
Editor Sentinel: - In your issue of the
12th February there is an article headed "Lo! the poor negro."
taken from the Mobile Times. Seemingly, there are two sides to the article;
will you have the kindness to publish the brighter side:
General Howard has published a letter contradicting
the prevailing statements about the decrease of the coloured people. He
shows by the statistics that not only has there been no decrease since the
Emancipation Proclamation was issued, but that the negroes are more thrifty
and prosperous than before, and are making rapid advances in education,
agreeing in substance with President Grant, "That wherever the freed
men receive a fair compensation for their labour they are thriving and prosperous.
"And there are almost no births.
A medical gentleman of high repute informs
us that where one negro is born now, there were a dozen ushered into the
world before the fiat of war made them freemen." The statistics of
miscegenation given in the United States prior to the proclamation, shows
the whole number of malattoes, free and slaves, to be 588,352 of whom 69,969
belonged to the free States and 518,383 to the slave States -- number greater
than the combined white population of Arkansas, Delaware and Florida; greater
than the white population of Maryland; almost twice that of South Carolina,
and twice as great as the combined population of Delaware and Florida. The
miscegenated population of Virginia alone exceeds the number of whites in
Delaware and Florida.
If the "gentleman of high repute"
considers before, "the fiat of war made them freemen" that the
slaves, to a very great extent, were not allowed to marry, he cannot fail
to see that the miscegenated population of the South were considerably beyond
the legitimate proportion. They are now freemen. They can read God's holy
word and learn therefrom that marriage is honorable, and one of the noblest
and greatest gifts of God to man. White they themselves may obey the divine
command, may they not stay that wrong which has been inflicted on them for
nearly a hundred years; and in staying that wrong, would it not be consistent
to think that there would be a falling off of births, rather than charge
it to the god-giving rights of freedom.--[San Antonio Express]
There are journalists who are ever ready
to scrape up everything that is detrimental to the progress of the black
man, and only that, and would rather dabble in politics that would bind
him hand and feet and cast him again into the outer darkness of slavery.
JOHN ANDERSON
MARCH 12, 1870 To de Editer ob de 'CARIBOO SENTAL'
It gibs me much pleasure indee to see genelman
ob your cloth on Wiliams Crek dis air season, an' hope, sar, de indefatable
entarprice an' de talen I sees 'splayed in de columbs ob yer valable jernal
will meet wid its juss rewad, dat is, dat de paper will pay big; for 'low
me to tell yer, mister editer, its de dimes we's all arter in dis counry,
de boys dey says "its ebery man for hisself an' de debil for us all"
in dis air counry, but I hope, sar, de debil wont get you or de paper eider;
but take de culed fren's adwice 'bout looking arter No. 1.
I bleave, sar, I wont be dispointed in hopin
yer a goin to stick up for wats rite an' on de squarr, an' gib eberyting
an' eberybody a rap on de knuckles dats wrong an' not on de squarr; dont
be scared, mister editer, to talk up to de boys, dey like it all de better
for dat, juss like wat I sees in de 'Spatch' bout a young genelman dat walops
him wife till she sing 'murder' an' runs 'way, nex day write him lobing
'pistle, 'claring she neber will be happy agin till 'longside ob her own
dear Charley.
I dont dout, sar, de paper will 'tain heap
dat's headfying and instructin to de miners ob dis counry, but dont flatter
yerself, mister editer, dat de teeching will be all on your side ob de kitchin,
an' emneting from yer own valable resaucers 'tirely, coss if yer does yer
slip up on dat air 'rangment, you get darn sight to larn from de poplation
ob dis garden ob 'Lestials, Injuns, white men and culed genelmen, an' darn
sight to see dat'll sprise an' muse yer. Dere's de breed ob dogs dat nabits
dese regons, dey's a curosity dey is demselves; nobody in dis worl eber
seed sich a lot ob carnines togeder, or eber heerd sich a noise as dey makes;
dey's de bery 'centrated ensense ob bliss dey is, 'specially when dere's
a muss 'mong dem, dey seems to lib on musses, yet dey propgates offal fas.
Arter de dogs dere's de udder animal dat puzzles me 'markable, de genelman
dat goes round all de day wid de pocket an' puts on de frills; dont know
how him lib, yet 'peers to get all de fat bones to pick, so some folks say
him lib on BOOKS, on DECK, if dats de case him offul vegtarian, an' grate
charity of Capin Cox to change him diet, an' sen him below.
Dere's de style of pugilistickism in dis
counry, bery headfyin an' 'musin; if eber you get in a muss, mister editer,
neber tink to get out ob it on de squarr, if yer do yer gon in shure, pick
up trifle like de axe, crowbar, or anyting ob dat sort dat's not too hard,
dat's de style, if deare's noting ob dat kine round de boot berry good substute,
or shub de tum into de corner ob his eye, and be sure de eye cums out 'fore
de tum den when its out kick it in 'gain wid de boot, dat de style Maria.
Dere's de new 'scobery in de surgical 'fession dat oughter gain worl wide
'nown for de 'scoberer an also de leder medal ob de inhumane sciety, de
genelman dat vented de "gum boot gout," sar, is wastin de valable
time in Cariboo, 'fessin what, he oughter be larnin in some counery more
'dapted for de study ob de biz; de 'spectable youth oughter "trow fisick
to de dogs." or quit for sum place where he cud larn someting ob de
'fession.
Dere's de Dush gals, dey's purty smart
gals, mister editer, to hold dere own in dis counry, poor gals, I hope dey
may continy to do so; de stokeepers is offul down on 'em, coss dey krell
all de dimes, bully for de gals, deys's on it, you bet, on de make I means,
sar; de sloon keepers, dere offul down on de gals too, coss dey draw de
boys, and draw de dollars; but de sloon keepers oughter know dat de dance
gals aluss took better dan anyting else in Californey, de meenus man will
spen a dollar for a dance, coss "him dearly lubs de lasses, O."
I hear de boys say dere's to be a 'lection at de Mouth soon, I hope, sar,
yer goin to put de best man in, de culed genelman de best, but as de 'jority
ob de boys is not culed genelman, best for de counry's good to put in de
white man, assiss de subjecs, mister editer, ob dis loyal counry to get
good resprentives. Hopin dese few 'marks will fine yer well, an' rum for
'sertion in yer valable columbs,
I am, yours in brudderly 'fliction,
DIXIE
P.S. - I'd most forgot to add, on behaf
ob de 'tilligent culed poplation on dis crek, deys 'pointed me de litary
cracker to sen 'butions to yer valable jernel.
[Our correspondent's contributions will always be most acceptable.-Ed.]
JULY, 1865
SIR,-Can you tell me why gold decreases in value? Last year either of the
banks at Williams creek paid me $16.75, and as high as $16.87 1/2 per ounce
for dust from this vicinity and now, after the tax of .50 cents is abolished,
they still stick to the old price of $16.75. Perhaps the great quantities
of gold obtained from here overstocks the market. I have been here since
'62 and this gold has never been worth less than $17.00 per oz.
Yours Truly,
H. SHORLING
Van Winkle, May 16, 1866.
[We have made enquiry with regard to the above, and find that the reason
the Banks have made so little difference in the price of gold dust since
the gold tax was abolished, is that they were losing money by giving the
price of last year. Lightning dust is worth $16.50 , Davis Creek $17.00,
Burnes and Nelson $16.75.-Ed, C.S.] TO THE W.C.F.B.
As a tribute of our gratitude and sincere thanks for their heroic and persistent
efforts in subduing the fire in the forest immediately adjacent to our Slaughter
house and corrals, thereby saving our property, valued at $5,000 from imminent
destruction."
June 4, 1869
The week following the insertion of this card a reader in Richfield disagreed
with the opinion that the W.C.F.B. was either 'heroic or persistent', and
said "the hand of Providence was with us, not the Barkerville Fire
Brigade."
Dominic Sampson of Slum Gulch in turn responded
"Sir, my leisure hours are devoted principally to the study of matters
theological, and I should like to be made acquainted with your correspondent,
as I believe I can convince him that since the time when our Saviour was
on earth, Providence has not vouchsafed to work any miracles at all, not
even for endangered cities of far more importance than Richfield."
