Manuscripts
John W. Barrett bill of sale for ship Walter Scott
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Agreement regarding the ship Walter Scott
Manuscripts
This document concerns ownership details of the ship Walter Scott, bound for California as of April 1849. With six signatures.
mssHM 4160
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Sidney W. Hardy journal
Manuscripts
This volume chronicles Hardy's voyage from New York City around Cape Horn to San Francisco. He includes details regarding the conditions on the ship and problems among the crew leading to the dismissal of the second mate while the ship was at port at Valparáiso, Chile. The journal also covers Hardy's attempt at mining as well as his experience in owning a store that sold supplies to miners. Hardy makes a specific reference to some Indians who came to his store regularly to trade gold for supplies; these Indians were probably the Yokuts who mined for gold along the Stanislaus River.
mssHM 62959
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Bethel College deed of sale of land to George W. Richardson
Manuscripts
This manuscript is a deed of sale for land in Bethel, Oregon to George W. Richardson from the Trustees of Bethel Institute. Printed form, filled in by hand. Signed by J. R. Harrison, Justice of the Peace.
mssHM 16538
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George W. Goethals letter to William R. Scott
Manuscripts
Typed letter signed on Isthmian Canal Commission letterhead and marked "Personal" from George W. Goethals, chief engineer of the Panama Canal to William R. Scott, author of the soon to be published, Americans in Panama. The letter discusses the time table for the first ship to pass through the canal and what must be accomplished such as the completion of lock gates and the state of the Culebra Cut (also known as the Gaillard Cut). He estimates the approximate date for first passage as late September, 1913. Goethals goes on to run through the construction, labor and associated costs. He is still uncertain as to how far under the $375,000,000 estimate the Canal will ultimately cost as certain costs were not figured into the original estimates. The letter concludes with cost figures and estimates on excavation for the Culebra Cut. According to Goethals, the original estimate of 196,000,000 cubic yards to be removed will probably increase by 25,000,000 cubic yards.
mssHM 16528
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John Hovey journal of a voyage from Newburyport, Mass. to San Francisco, Cal
Manuscripts
This journal follows the travels of John Hovey from Massachusetts to California. He departs from Newburyport aboard the vessel Charlott on January 23, 1849; a manifest of crew and passengers is included on pages one and two. Much of the seagoing details are concerned with the weather. The ship reached port on July 23, 1849. He journeyed along the Sacramento River and Mokelumne River with his companions, searching for gold. He was involved with separate disputes over claims with miners from Chile and France (see also HM 4384-4385 which are transcripts of these entries removed from this volume). Hovey departs California by ship on May 30, 1851. Bound volume, with many color illustrations.
mssHM 322
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Anonymous autograph diary written aboard the ship Herculean and in California
Manuscripts
The diary contains 122 pages, 109 of which have writing on them. Most of the entries are in blue ink but there are also some in pencil. The ship "Herculean" left Boston in November 1849 filled with gold-seekers for California, traveled around Cape Horn, and arrived in San Francisco in May 1850. The volume begins with a list of the names of the crew and passengers on board the Herculean and is filled with tales of the ocean journey and shipboard entertainment, including a description of a stop in Valparaiso, Chile. The entries between May 6 and June 18, 1850 describe the city of San Francisco and also the towns of Stockton and Benicia, discuss prices in California for labor and lumber, and contain an account of his tent being robbed
mssHM 59965