[California Gold Rush]. Pine, Moses "Old Mose"

[Letter Written by a Miner from the California Gold Fields]

Coyoteville: September 12, 1855. [2]pp., plus integral blank. Original mailing folds, moderate toning, staining, and ink spotting, but still easily readable. Bottom fourth of integral blank excised. Very good. Item #3206

An informative Gold Rush letter about mining in the long-vanished ghost town of Coyoteville, which was an extraordinarily rich gold area for a couple of years in the early 1850s. A noted tunneling method, nicknamed "coyoteing" was developed in the town, and subsequently inspired the name of the town. In the present letter, Moses Pine writes to "Catherine" in Branch County, Michigan, and signs his name simply as "Mose Esq" at the conclusion. The author informs Catherine, presumably his wife or sister, of his activities, some of the economic realities, and some of the practical details of prospecting for gold in California. Presuming that "it would be impossible for the whole of Branch County to raise $10 unless they sell a horse," Pine comments that he had ginger bread on the Fourth of July after working all day and yielding a "half Ounce Gold Dust." He then provides a detailed description of his mining: "I am now tunneling in a hill. We are 150 feet under the ground. Day before yesterday we got small respect 25 cents to the pan for the first and the bed rock pitching. I think we will find good pay in the going 100 feet further the expense is heavy as we have to blast and timber the tunnel." Pine also talks of his health and that "I work hard every day do my cooking and baking." He then expresses his hope to get back to Michigan to "rest a few months," but knows nothing of other Michigan folks in California: "Have not seen nor heard anything of them in a year. I guess they have all gone home with a fortune in a horn. Well good luck to the lucky. Old Mose will come home after a while with a pretty hat on." A nicely-detailed letter from an unusual and obscure Gold Rush location.

Price: $1,750.00