AN INTERESTING GOLD RUSH LETTER FROM A CIVIL WAR VETERAN, CENTRAL CITY, DAKOTA TERRITORY – 1878
AN INTERESTING GOLD RUSH LETTER FROM A CIVIL WAR VETERAN, CENTRAL CITY, DAKOTA TERRITORY – 1878
William McEwen writed a four-page hertfelt, but reassuring letter (Oct. 17, 1878) to his sister, Margaret, and brother from Central City, Dakota Territory, one of the first settlements in the Deadwood Gulch after the gold discoveries in 1875.
(Letter in full and as written.)
Oct. 17, 1878
Central City
Dakota Territory
My Dear Sister and Brother.
Your kind Letter came to hand A few days ago I was glad to hear from you and that you was Both well your letter did Not find me very well I was hurt had my arm Broke and one of my feet smashed and the other hand cut. Same with one of My ribs hurt it was cracked not Broke I am Nearly Well Now I have gone to Work again I ____ and helping to run A Mill and Was throwned of By carelessness By Some of the others you ask Me What I am doing I am Mining Not for My self Working by the day am making $4 per day Sister as I general thing I Work for myself in the mines but there is no chance here Every thing is taken up and there is no chance So I will Werk till Spring then I Will Start for the Mine in other parts I do Not knew Just where I Will go. You See I am Traveling A great deal and not Making Much. I Will Soon have to Stop and Make something for I am getting old and Must Settle down. I think this Summer. Will let me out of the Mining Business if I had Stoped last Spring I could have Bought A good farm and payed fer it all down and had Money left So goes the World A man never knews when he has eneugh. Now you must not think that I am Sick as that I am suffering for Enything I am not. I am Well and Working fer good Wages if I had Not been hurt I was coming home this fall as it is I cannot I Want to Make Enough to fix me So I Will Not care to come back here. Still this is A Wild country to be in Lots of fun and Everything is lively but I am getting tired of Traveling I Wish I had Never the More I Want to Never Mind. I will Stop one of these days and have money to it does Not take Long to get $10,000 for A good mine and as soon as I find one I can get that for then I stop and No More Traveling for me Margaret Why do you think I Would care for you to ask Me what I am doing I like to have you I Will tell you Everything tell all My Brothers and Sisters I Send Love in this to them and Will Write as soon as I can I hope they are all Well it Seems an age Since I have heard from one of them Well I Must Say good By for this time hoping to hear from you Soon. I remain your Loving Brothers
William McEwen
Central City
Dakota Territory
Write Soon
good By
William McEwem (1845-1890) was a Civil War veteran of the Co. E., 144th Union Infantry (National Guard)