In the spring of 1849, thousands of gold seekers traveled by overland trails and by ship to the gold fields. The forty niners traveled by three main routes.
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Dear Family,
I know you've been thinking about going to California through the Panama Route but I heard that going around Cape Horn is a lot safer. There are activities so you won't get bored and there are exotic ports and good sights to see. There are a few bad things. They are: bread-eating worms, windstorms, bad water, not enough Vitamin C, terrible weather at Cape Horn, and it takes a long time. But if you choose your ship carefully you might have a variety of food and luxuries.
Sincerely,
Adam
Dear Family,
I think the Panama shortcut is the best route because its the shortest route. It's not all good though, because the Panamanians charge large amounts of money for them to take us to California. There's' dead animals like mules and horses along the way, but if we stay away from them the we probably won’t catch the sicknesses that they carry. Even though this route is dangerous I still think this is the best and shortest route to take to California.
From,
Alex
Dear Family,
Let's go to the Gold Rush. I think we should leave in March. We are in Nevada so let's take the California Trail to Sutter’s Fort. If we go we can open a store and gold mine so we can get very rich.
Love,
Chris
Dear Family,
I hear you are deciding which route to take when you set out, well I think you should take the Panama Short route, it is the shortest route. It is about 7,000 miles and it would take two to three months. There might be dead animals that have diseases but if you stay away you'll probably stay safe. You really have to bring water because when you cross the Equator it could get really hot! Stop at town to get provisions and other supplies. I hope you go and set off. I miss you.
Love,
Derek
Dear Family,
I don't think we can still make a living in Arizona. I'm nineteen and old enough to make my own decisions. I'm going to take the Panama Short Cut. It cuts off 7,000 miles and is only two to three months. There will be lots of places to stop for food. If you guys go try to come on the Panama Shortcut. At one point we'll get out of a boat and enter rain forests and jungles. They're dangerous but exciting. Most people make it out, there are very interesting animals like monkeys and parrots. The dead animals may cause diseases but we'll stay away. The route may be expensive but I have enough money to pay. We'll cross the equator for a while and it might get hot. We may even eat iguanas and monkeys.
If you can't travel on the Panama shortcut, go on the Oregon Trail. Eventually you will get to Beckworth Pass. People have already made the trails so you are not likely to get lost. You'll also stop at the forts. You might get stuck in rivers, there will be thunderstorms. You will probably won't get attacked by Indians. You might get cholera, malaria, pneumonia or diphtheria. Some animals might die of thirst.
Don't go around Cape Horn, it's very long. they say it's the safest route. There are nice sights and exotic ports but worms eat all the bread. You wouldn't want worms all over the place! If you don't get enough vitamin C your teeth will fall out, there will be terrible weather and it won't be much fun. I beg you to take the Panama Shortcut.
From your daughter,
Ella (Elisabeth)
Dear Dad,
I think we should go to California and go gold mining. We should take the Panama Route. It's the shortest route. It's only 7,000 miles and takes 2 to 3 months. There is a pretty landscape and places to stop off for food. But lots of dead animals can cause diseases. It's also very hot. You have to cross a jungle. There are lots of bugs and you might have tow at for a ship to pick you up.
But I still think we should take this route.
Love,
Jimmy
Dear Billy,
I know we have kids to take care of but I need a new life. Mine is boring so I decided that I would like to go to California. I think we should go by way of the Panama Route. We should go this way because there are cool looking animals in their jungle for our daughters (Peggy and Jordan) to see. I also think we should go to California because there are sparkling nuggets of gold in the American River. In the jungle there are cool animals but they can also spread scurvy, yellow fever and cholera. But if we stay away we will be fine.
Your wife,
Elizabeth (Jordan)
P.S. I miss you!
Dear Family,
I think we should go to California. I think we should go by the Panama Route. It is very short and won't be long trip. There are some disadvantages like diseases, animals, insects, heat and a jungle to cross through. IT will be a nice journey because we can stop for food. There is a pretty landscape and there are interesting animals. We may get to try new food. There are some pros and cons but I think the pros outweigh the cons. If we take it soon we will be able to get there in two to three months and strike it rich in California.
From,
Josh
Dear Carmen,
I want to go to California and even though it will cost all our savings, we will be rich when we get to the fields. There will be sights to see. We should take Cape Horn even though the worms might eat our bread and there will be windstorms. There will be more disadvantages than advantages. It has ports to stop at and we can get medicines and food. They also have varieties of food on the clipper ships to keep us alive. It is 8,000 longer than the Panama Route which is 15,000 miles but it has been rated the safest route.
From,
Robert (Kaveh)
Dear Family,
I hope you see that we would have a better life in California. We would be richer. Our life in Boston is okay, but we could do much better in California. The trail we should take is called the Panama Shortcut. There are little disadvantages on it and the trail is very short. Please see what I see. California is great and everything is pretty. There are beautiful hills and the air is clean. When we're up there we might even strike it rich.
So make your mind up soon,
Kay (Kaylin)
Dear Family,
I have made a decision to go to California because we are getting poor and we could get gold there. We live here in Boston and it is really close to the Atlantic Ocean. It is best to go around Cape Horn because it is the safest route, even though it is 15,000 miles.
If we take one of the good ships there are activities and church. This ship has good food while the other one has no activities and no good food.
I really don't know how to get my kids, Ella and Sarah, to go. They said they're scared, so please, help me figure out how to get all of you guys to go.
The worst part of this trip is once you go around Cape Horn, the weather is terrible. We need vitamin C because our gums could bleed and teeth might fall out. I really don't want that to happen to anyone.
There is very good parts, like there are good sights to see and we could stop at exotic places. Please agree with me, family. I will be very happy if you do.
Sincerely,
Kerry
Dear Family,
I know that we are losing our money very fast. I think we should go to California for gold. We could settle there and make a new and happy life. I think we should take the Cape Horn route because we are a very religious family and on the ship they have churches and lectures. Even though it is 15,000 miles it will be something new and exciting. There is a good variety of food and there are nice sights to see. Please consider this thought.
Love,
Mother (Maddie)
P.S. If you can consider it, please tell me soon.
Dear Family,
I really think we should go to California. If we go I think we should go around Cape Horn because there are activities like church and lectures. And it is usually the safest route. The bad things are the storms. Sometimes there is a lack of vitamin C that can cause problems for teeth and gums (but that only happens when there is no fruit). This is the longest route. It might take eight months. We would go on the most expensive trip because there will be varieties of food and the water won't taste that bad. I hope we can go because we would get a lot of gold. We might get sick or sea sick but this is the safest trip (sorry that is the second time I said that).
Love,
Alexia (Rosie)
Dear Family,
I really think we should go to California to seek gold. I also think that we should go around Cape Horn. I hear it is the safer way. some advantages are we could have activities like Sunday church. Some disadvantages are worms eat through the bread, windstorms, the water does not taste very good. I hope you really think it over. Send me a letter concerning your answer.
From,
Steven
Dear Family,
I think we should go to California because there is gold. I think we should
go on the trip around Cape Horn. We are already in New York. Even though it is
the longest but it is the safest. There are activities, church and lectures but there are bad things, too. There might be windstorms or other bad storm but don't worry about those. I think of the good things instead of the bad things. Besides there are a lot more good things. That's why I think we should go to California.
Sincerely,
Weston