hubert howe bancroft - Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History ...

696 POPULATION AND SOCIETY.
proved larger than before. 1 After a relapse in 1851
it reached the climax in 1852, assisted by the sudden
expansion of the Chinese immigration to 20,000 out
of the total arrivals by sea of 67,000. The declining
attractions of the gold fields now became marked, although
partly offset by the prevailing high wages and
the unfolding agricultural resources. The crisis of
1854-5, the popular uprising of 1856, and the Fraser
river excitement of 1858, had all a depressing effect;
but the Union war of 1861-5 brought an increased
immigration, particularly from the western border
states, while checking the usual large reflux. After
1865 both of these currents were reversed awhile, until
the construction of the overland railway, which
greatly raised the prospects of California in eastern
estimation, partly by reducing distance, and by offering
an easier means of access. Henceforth, after
April 1869, a fairly correct estimate can be made of
the migration, which by 1875 attained the so far unequalled
number of 107,000 arrivals, against 43,000
1 The climax was reached in 1852, with an arrival of 67,000 by sea, against
36,000 for 1850, and 27,000 for 1851. The overland current can be only
vaguely estimated, owing to the number of routes followed, from Oregon and
Mexico, and by the central and southern highways from the U. S., which
again branched into several roads to cross the Sierra Nevada. At Laramie
alone a certain record was kept. See 8oc Transe., Sept. 30, Oct. 14, 1850;
8. F. Picayune, Sept. 6, Oct. 10, 1850; 8. F. Herald, July 27, 1850; 2T. Y.
Herald, Apr. 15, 1850; Pac News, Aug. 21, Sept. 7, Oct. 29, Nov. 22, 1850.
Probably not over 40,000 came by the central route in 1850, leaving 15,000
to enter through Arizona and from Mexico, the former bringing the most
animals. The Mexican influx declined under the maltreatment in CaL
The marked general decline in 1851 was due to a lack of vessels, under their
discouraging desertion at 8. F., to reports of dread hardships during the trip
and at the mines, and to conflicting accounts of the gold-field, sustained by
the natural reaction upon the excitement, and by disastrous commercial
speculations, duly magnified by an interested foreign press. In 1852 came
the rebound, and then the second reaction, which reduced the arrivals to
more even proportions. Between 1853-67 the number coming by sea ranged
between 23,000 and 41,000, except in 1854, when it stands at 48,000. In
1852 and 1854 the Chinese form a large proportion of the figures 20,000 and
16,000, respectively, after which they range between 2,000 and 8,000, till
1868, when they rise with white totals. Col. Popul Scraps; AUaCal, Dec.
9, 1851; Aug. 17, 1852; Nov. 2, 26, 1853; Dec. 10, 19, 1854; Oct. 4, 1856, et
seq.; Jour. Com., quarterly and annual reports; Chinese Immig., 171; U. 8.
Com. Bel, Flagg's, I. 532; U. 8. Oov. Doc., cong. 31, sess. 2, H. Ex. Doc. 16*
iv. 4&-6; Col Oov. Message, 1855; 8. F. Herald, Oct. 26-9, 1852, Dec. 4,
1854, June 7, 1858, etc.; 8. F. Bull, Oct. 6-8, 29, 1856; Hunt's Mag., xxxiL
449; hheys Jour., MS., iii. 58; Hayes' Notes, S. Dkgo, i. 35, etc,