Transcription
Cerro Gordo
27th Aug. 1870
Dear Frances,
Your kind favor of 25th June is just received and contents noted. I am very glad to hear from you, and that you are all well and enjoying yourselves at Frenchtown.
I am more than glad to find that Madam Smith is so well and happy about that very long face she is pleased to favor me with having at the present time (almost as long as the hard bedrock tunnel I have been running since I came back from White Pine). Madam Smith must certainly be right as regards its length, but I am not really sure what the cause it. I will explain a little and perhaps you can enlighten me and tell me the remedy for it.
When I wrote you last, I had just got back from a trip from Coso. I went with a friend from San Francisco to examine some gold mines at that place. He was to furnish a mill if we found the mines anything near what they were represented to be. Of course we did not find things as represented, and could not operate on the prospects we found there. But I didn’t feel disappointed in the least, so it could not be that.
A party at this place, shortly after I came back from White Pine, wanted to know why I did not start smelting works at this place. I told them that to do that would require a great deal more cash than I could furnish, and that I never would start anything of the kind without having cash enough to carry it through successfully. They offered to furnish to the amount of $7,000.00 besides the building and most of the machinery necessary, if I would take hold of it. But I knew they gave me credit for having more means than I really had, so declined the offer (do you think that is the cause).
A few days previous to my last letter, the parties above referred to, having concluded to construct smelting works at this place, wanted to know what I would work for them for until the works was completed, and what I would run them (Superintend) after completed. I would attend to it until the furnace was ready to run for $150.00 a month and would run it for a little while for $200.00 a month, provided I had full charge of everything. But without having full charge, I would have nothing to do with it. And from the date of my last letter, I have been an employee of that company and in full charge of constructing the works. Do you suppose that is the cause?
One week before I wrote that dull letter to you, I was called on to accept the appointment of Justice of this place, on the division of the Lone Pine District. And also to run for Recorder of the Mining District. And could have been Notary Public as well. All of which I would have been sure to get if I had accepted (for I have a good many friends here), but I declined. Perhaps it is that. For instead of J.L.P. it might as well have been Judge J.L.P. That would be and look much better, and is really an office of considerable profit.
At present, my partners that have been at work on that long tunnel, above referred to, have gone fishing on the head of Kern River. They have promised to bring me some trout when they come back. Before they left they had fair prospects of finding a good mine in a short time. Our credit is good for anything that we require, either at this place in any of the stores or in the valley, and no danger of our being sued by any party for anything that we may owe. So that is probably not the cause.
You say that one having no encumbrances like me ought to feel gay. Well the fact is I have great encumbrances. The greatest that I am aware of is too many feet. Mon ami, my feet here can be counted by the thousand, also on the Snake Mountains on the line of Utah and Nevada, then down at Ely District near Meadow Valley where the celebrated Rock Mine is have feet that are really good if I had attended to them. Just think of having so many feet, when two is all I want or really ought to have in addition to the two I have always had (is that the cause).
Here I have been scratching nonsense until the mail is nearly closed and all done to try and tire you out reading it. There is nothing of interest to write about at this [place]. Please give my regards to the Doctor and all my friends, not forgetting the young ladies referred to. And the more cartes de visite you send, provided you append the name to each, the better.
A friend of mine saw Mr. Drinkwater at the City a few weeks ago, and I was told a good thing about him. Mr. Drinkwater requested him not to tell Porter, for I might be writing up there and tell on him.
Hoping this will find you well and to hear from you soon. And that you will enlighten me about that long phisog.
Truly your friend in haste,
J. L. Porter