G. Thinks of taking his family over to Washoe. How are the accommodations for women and children? And can servants be had?
Ans. Keep on thinking about that or something else, but don't attempt to carry your thoughts into effect. If you do, your wife must wear the—excuse me—she must wear male apparel. For accommodations, yourself and family might possibly be able to hire one bunk two feet by six; and you might seduce a Digger Indian to remain in your domestic employ by giving him $2 in cash and a gallon of whisky per day. Charge—nothing.
H. Has a house and lot worth about $10,000. Would like to trade it for some good mining claims. Can not sell the property for cash on account of a difficulty about the title; but this you need not mention, as it can probably be adjusted for a reasonable consideration.
Ans. Have traded your house and lot for 100 feet in the Pine Nut, 50 do. in the Ousel Owl, 50 do. in the Salmon Tail, 25 in the Roaring Jack, and 25 in the Amador. These are all good claims, and it will make no difference about the title to your house and lot, as each claim in the above-mentioned companies has also several titles to it. Charge, $500. Please remit.
I. Is in the stove business, and understands that cast-iron stoves bring a high price in Washoe. Has some notion of sending over a consignment. Please state expenses and prospect of success.
Ans. Stoves are very valuable in Washoe, especially cooking-stoves. It costs from 25 to 50 cents per pound to get them over on mule-back, at which prices they can be sold for claims, but not for money. If you have any very young stoves that can be planted, as the Schildbergers planted the salt, a good crop of them can be sold. Charge—nothing.
J. Is inventor of a process for extracting silver out of the crude ore without smelting. The machinery is simple, and would easily bear transportation. Could the patent right be sold in Washoe?
Ans. Nothing is more needed here than just such an invention as yours. Bring it over by all means. If you can extract silver out of the general average of the ore found here, either by smelting or otherwise, you will do a splendid business. Charge, $50. Please remit.
K. Understands that lumber is $300 a thousand in Virginia City. Can be delivered at the wharf in San Francisco from the Mendocino Mills for about $20 a thousand. Would it be practicable to get any quantity of it over, so as to make the speculation profitable?
Ans. You are correctly informed as to the value of lumber in Washoe. A balloon might be constructed to carry over a small lot; but, in case you found that mode of transportation too expensive, I know of no other way than to remove a portion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the rear of Placerville, or run a tunnel through underneath. It is possible that the price of labor might be an obstacle to the success of either of these plans, in which event, if you can contract to put one board on the back of each man leaving San Francisco, he may be able to earn his board, and you may be able to get your lumber over cheap. Charge, $25. Please remit.