San Francisco, March 15, 1853
MINERS' MEETING ON THE PLAZA.— A large number of miners, nearly three hundred, met on the Plaza yesterday to take into consideration the most feasible means to be adopted by them to reach the Atlantic States. It appeared that these men had come in from the mines anxious to return to their homes and families after a long absence, in consequence of an advertised reduction in prices by the different steamship companies in this city.
They had incurred a considerable expense in getting here, and on their arrival found that the different lines, instead of taking them for $100 each, as advertised a short time since, had put their prices up to $325 for the first class cabin passage, and the steerage passages $110, in the P.M. Steamship Company's ships, and $200 on the Vanderbilt line.
It was resolved amongst them, that rather than submit to pay their prices taking into consideration the fact that no pains had been taken by means of advertising or otherwise, to inform the mining public regarding the subsequent raising of the price — that such raising was inconsistent with the principles of common justice and fairness — and that it would be better for them to associate together and either charter a clipper ship or go home across the Plains. Over two hundred men signed their names to these resolutions.
Without a wish to censure the different steamship companies, we must remark that there is certainly much truth in the complaints of injustice, unburthened at this meetings of miners. Not two weeks ago the rates of passage were published throughout the country, at such reductions from regular prices as encouraged men of small means, desirous to return to their old homes, to make the arrangements for their departure. They accordingly relinquish their mining interests, and come forthwith to this city, prepared to take passage, when lo! the steamers on both lines are announced to have gone back to their old rates of fares; and thus many a poor man is disappointed, and his situation made truly perplexing.
It shows the necessity for a fixed and (as near as can be) standard rate of passage, from which there shall be no deviating; and as California owes its prosperity to the immigration that has occurred and is still occurring, it is a matter of vital importance to have some criterion by which such immigration shall know how to guide its movement.
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