282 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



in the few cases where the ten-day-improvement-clause 

 had been properly and wholly carried out. He immedi- 

 ately started to auction off all remaining and unim- 

 proved lots and sold a good number at a price of from 

 fifty to a hundred and fifty dollars a lot, according to lo- 

 cation. In a later auction, held at San Francisco, he 

 realized even more; and to-day,— about two years after- 

 one gladly pays him from a hundred and eighty to three 

 hundred dollars. This last quotation is about one-half 

 of what Chipman paid for the whole town-site. 



Friend Etonbleau, who invested in time and owns six- 

 teen acres in the very heart of the town has likewise 

 profited by this "boom," without even soiling his con- 

 science; he is now a wealthy man and contemplates re- 

 turning next year to "la belle France," to spend his re- 

 maining days in the peaceful enjoyment of home-life and 

 comfort. I personally am glad for their sake, for he and 

 his noble Hamburg wife are courageous, honest, amiable 

 and industrious people, whose good fortune has not 

 turned their heads. I sincerely wish them God-speed. 



If I only had been able to invest about a hundred dol- 

 lars at the time of my arrival, I should now be the gainer 

 of five or six hundred dollars. As it is, I can only dwell 

 in air-castles and be satisfied to congratulate others upon 

 their success. 



November 13th, 1853. 



Hurrah ! Another holiday for me ! I just received your 

 long-looked for letter, dated the fifth of August a. c. 

 Many thanks for all the welcome news it contains. 



Indeed it is no surprise to me that our American news- 

 papers give more political and local information and are 

 generally more informing than yours. This is particu- 

 larly true of the Koszta affair in Smyrna. Every one of 

 our papers is full of unlimited praise for Capt. Ingraham, 

 who, by his energetic action freed Koszta from the hands 

 of the Austrians and only express regret that Ingraham 

 did not make use of the language which our cannons are 

 so able to voice in order to teach those Austrians how 



