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CALIFORNIA ILLUSTRATED. 
is all that is ilecessary for the accommodation of passengers 
The town at the time was submerged in mud, the streets almost 
impassable. Flour, pork, bread, &c., were piled up along the 
sides of the streets without protection. There were many sur¬ 
mises as to the probability of the city being flooded in case of 
freshet. It was said by the “ oldest inhabitant ” that the sur¬ 
rounding country, including the site of the town, had been 
flooded, so that canoes had been navigated as far as Sutter’s 
Fort. Indications went to confirm his statement. There are 
gullies running through the town that have undoubtedly been 
caused by floods, and in the sequel, proved channels too small 
to relieve the city from inundation. 
Many kinds of goods had become extremely scarce, and were 
selling at exorbitant prices. This was the case with woollen 
clothing, boots, and provisions. Common flannel shirts were 
selling at from $5 to $8 each; blankets at from $12 to $20 per 
pair; and ordinary boots from $20 to $32. Long boots of 
grained leather were held at, and selling for 6 ozs. ($96.) The 
interior, or mining regions, were entirely destitute, and mer¬ 
chants were in town from every point, trying to contract for 
the transportation of goods. Teamsters knew the country to 
be impassable, and although, as high as $50, and even $100 per 
100 lbs. was offered for a distance of fifty miles, no one would 
make the attempt. The consequence was, that miners were 
driven into town in many cases, to prevent starvation. Trade, 
during the latter part of the summer, and for the first one or 
two weeks of the rainy season, had been remarkably brisk in 
Sacramento City. The advance in prices of all the staple 
articles had enabled merchants to reap immense profits, and 
many, within a few weeks, had made fortunes. 
The impetus to trade had come upon them, unawares; some 
had leased their stores for short terms ; others merely kept pos¬ 
session from day to day; but when this season of prosperity 
burst upon them, all were anxious to secure leases for the longest 
possible period. Thousands were eager to embark in trade, 
offering unparalleled rents—in many cases as high as $100 per 
day for a store. Long leases were granted at these exorbitant 
rents, and in consequence of the scarcity of tenements, lots were 
purchased—the prices predicated upon the above—buildings 
