(Sutter) Vernon Cal, Nov 24/49. Manuscript postmark and "40" manuscript rate marking on stampless cover to Reynoldsburg, Ohio, cover with some wear, Fine. Estimate  $200 - 300. The Vernon Post Office at the original town site operated from 1849 to 1853 only. The Vernon Post Office was one of seven offices established by the Postmaster General's second Special Postal Agent in California, R. T. P. Allen, beginning in June of 1849. California had only nine Post Offices at the end of 1849.Illustrated in Coburn's "Letters of Gold" (page 49), with original six-page letter from a recently-arrived miner who, under the influence of gold fever, describes the diggings such as "I arrived at the gold diggins on the 26 of last month at a place called deep or steep hollow on bear river, 100 miles above Sacramento City which is one mile and a half below Sutter's fort on the Sacramento river.", "…five of us took out one hundred + twelve dollars yesterday", "One hundred yards above our diggins, eleven men have taken out ten pounds in a day. No gold story you have ever heard can give you any account of the amount of gold in this country. Pieces weighing a pound have been taken out since I have been here, but the largest piece we have found was worth only $187."Letter quotes prices current, recalls the journey across the plains with the best anecdote being "I had both pairs of my boots stolen before I got 300 miles from Missouri at new Ft. Kearny.", recommends to his "friends in the states who have any notion of coming to this country" to "leave your families at home + do not come across the plains but rather come by the Isthmus which can now be done in 30 or 40 days" versus "4 to 6 months by land", and concludes by opining that "No man pretends to work here for less than $10 per day + a man may come and make a fortune before the others get here.". $0 (Image)