History of Placer county, California, Part 13

Author: Angel, Myron; Thompson & West, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West
Number of Pages: 558

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"Mr. Humphrey had not been at work more than three or four days before a Frenchman, called Bap- tiste, who had been a gold-miner in Mexico for many years, came to the mill, and he agreed with Hum- phrey that California was very rich in gold. He. too, went to work, and being an excellent prospector. he was of great service in teaching the new-comers the principles of prospecting and mining for gold. principles not abstruse, yet not likely to suggest themselves, at first thought, to men entirely igno- rant of the business. Baptiste had been employed by Captain Sutter to saw timber with a whip-saw. and had been at work for two years at a place, since called Weber, about ten miles eastward from Coloma. When he saw the diggings at the latter place, he at once said there were rich mines where he had been sawing, and he expressed surprise that it had never occurred to him before, so experienced in gold-min- ing as he was; but afterwards he said it had been so ordered by Providence, that the gold might not be discovered until California should be in the bands of the Americans.

"About the middle of March. P. B. Reading, an American, now a prominent and wealthy citizen of the State, then the owner of a large ranch on the western bank of the Sacramento river. near where it issues from the mountains, came to Coloma, and after looking about at the diggings, said that if simi- larity in the appearance of the country could be taken as a guide, there must be gold in the hills

HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY CALIFORNIA.

near bis ranch; and he went off, declaring his in- tention to go back and make an examination of them. John Bidwell, another American, now a wealthy and influential citizen, then residing on his ranch on the bank of Feather river, came to Coloma about a week later, and he said there must be gold near his ranch, and he went off with expressions similar to those used by Reading. In a few weeks news came that Reading had found diggings near Clear creek, at the head of the Sacramento valley, and was at work there with his Indians; and not long after, it was reported that Bidwell was at work with his Indians on a rich bar of Feather river, since called Bidwell's Bar."

Although there were two newspapers, the Cali- fornian and Star, published in San Francisco, they do not seem to have been either very credulous or very enterprising. They did not hear of the dis- sovery till some weeks after the great event; or, if they did hear of it, they did not credit the report. The first published notice of the gold discovery ap. peared in the Californian on the fifteenth of March, nearly two months after the event, and was as fol- lows :-

"GOLD MINE FOUND .- In the newly-made race- way of the saw-mill recently erected by Captain Sutter, on the American fork, gold has been found m considerable quantities. One person brought thirty dollars' worth to New Helvetia, gathered there in a short time. California, no doubt, is rich in mineral wealth; great chances here for scientific rapitalists. Gold has been found in almost every part of the country."

Three days afterwards the Star made the follow- ing brief allusion to the subject :-

" We were informed a few days since that a very valuable silver mine was situated in the vicinity of this place, and again, that its locality was known. Mines of quicksilver are being found all over the country. Gold has been discovered in the northern Sacramento district, about forty miles above Sutter's Fort. Rich mines of copper are said to exist north of these bays."

The Star of March 25th says: "So great is the quantity of gold taken from the new mines recently found at New Helvetia, that it has become an article of traffic in that vicinity."

It was three months after Marshall's discovery, before the San Francisco papers announced that gold-mining had become a regular and profitable business. The Californian of April 26th says :-

" GOLD MINES OF THE SACRAMENTO .- From a gen- tleman just from the gold region, we learn that many new discoveries have very recently been made, and it is fully ascertained that a large extent of country abounds with that precious mineral. Seven men, with picks and spades, gathered nine thousand six hun- dred dollars within fifteen days. Many persons are settling on the lands with the view of holding pre- emptions, but as yet every person takes the right to gather all he can, without any regard to claims. The largest piece yet found is worth six dollars."

The Star of April 1, 1848, contained an elaborate article on the resources of California, giving due credence and importance to the great event which

was so soon to vitalize the sluggish province, in which the writer said :-

" It would be utterly impossible at present to make a correct estimate of the mineral wealth of Cali- fornia. Popular attention has been but lately directed to it. But the discoveries that have already been made will warrant us in the assertion that California is one of the richest mineral countries in the world. Gold, silver, quicksilver, iron, copper, lead, sulphur, saltpetre, and other mines of great value have already been found. We saw, a few days ago, a beautiful specimen of gold from the mine newly discovered on the American fork. From all accounts the mine is immensely rich, and already we learn the gold from it, collected at random and without any trouble, has become an article of trade at the upper settlements. This precious metal abounds in this country. We have heard of several other newly-discovered mines of gold. but as these reports are not yet authenticated we shall pass over them. However, it is well known that there is a placer of gold a few miles from the ciudad de Los Angeles, and another on the San Joaquin."

The Californian of August 14, 1848, contained an article descriptive of the process and implements of gold-mining at that time, and having related the particulars of the discovery at Sntter's mill, the writer continues :-

"It soon began to attract attention, and some persons discovered gold in the river below, and for some distance above the mill, in large quantities; so much so that persons who only gave credit to one-third of what was said about it left their homes and went to work in the mines. It was the work of but a few weeks to bring almost the entire popu- lation of the Territory together, to pick up the precious metal. The result has been that in less than four months, a total revolution has been effected in the prospects and fate of Alta California. Then, the capital was in the hands of a few individuals engaged in trade and speculation; now, labor has got the upper hand of capital, and the Jaboring men hold the great mass of the wealth of the country -.- the gold.

"There are now about four thousand white per- sons, besides a number of Indians, engaged in the mines; and from the fact that no capital is required, they are working in companies, on equal shares, or alone, with their baskets. In one part of the mine, called the dry-diggings, no other implement is nec- essary than an ordinary sheath-knife, to pick the gold from the rocks. In other parts, where the gold is washed out, the machinery is very simple, being an ordinary trough made of plank, round on the bottom, about ten feet long, and two feet wide at the top, with a riddle, or sieve, at one end, to catch the larger gravel, and three or four small bars across the bottom, about half an inch high, to keep the gold from going out with the dirt and water at the lower end. This machine is set upon rockers, which give a half-rotary motion to the water and dirt inside. But far the largest number use nothing but a large tin-pan, or an Indian basket, into which they place the dirt, and shake it about until the gold gets to the bottom, and the dirt is carried over the side in the shape of muddy water. It is necessary, in some cases, to have a crowbar, pick, or shovel; but a great deal is taken up with large horns, shaped spoon-fashion at the large end.

THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD.

" From the fact that no capital is necessary, a fair competition in labor, without the influence of capital, men who were only able to procure one month's provisions have now thousands of dollars of the precious metal. The laboring class have now become the capitalists of the country.

" As to the richness of the mines, were we to set down half the truth, it would be looked upon in other countries as a Sinbad story, or the history of Aladdin's lamp. Many persons have collected in one day, of the finest grade of gold, from three to eight hundred dollars, and for many days together averaged from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty dollars. Although this is not universal, yet the general average is so well settled, that when a man with his pan or basket does not easily gather from thir- ty to forty dollars in a day, he moves to another place; so that taking the general average, including the time spent in moving from place to place and in looking for better diggings, we are of the opinion that we may safely set down an ounce of pure gold, or sixteen dollars per day, to the man. Suppose there are four thousand persons at work, they will add to the aggregate wealth of the Territory about four thousand ounces, or sixty-four thousand dollars a day.

. " Four months ago, flour was sold in this market (San Francisco) for four dollars per hundred; now it is sixteen. Beef cattle were then six; now they are thirty. Ready-made clothing, groceries, and other goods, have not risen in the same proportion, but are at least double their former cost. If we make bread and meat the standard by which to determine the valne of gold, then it is worth only one-fourth of what it is elsewhere. But if gold and silver be the standard, then the bread and meat is worth four times what it was. But, the relative valne of the grain-gold, compared with gold and silver coin, can only be changed by the action of Government; for, however abundant the gold may be, it must produce its relative value in coin; and, while a five-dollar gold-piece will be received at the Treasury as five dollars, so long must an ounce of gold be worth sixteen dollars.

"As to the future hopes of California, her course is onward, with a rapidity that will astonish the world. Her unparalleled gold mines, silver mines, iron ore, and lead, with the best climate in the world, and the richest soil, will make it the garden-spot of creation.'

The Californian, of September 23, 1848, gives the following graphic account of the grand rush to the gold mines :--

" It would seem that but little doubt was enter- tained ofits being the Simon-pure stuff; for operations immediately ceased at the mill, and all hands com- menced searching for gold. It was soon found that gold abounded all along the American fork, for a distance of thirty miles. But little credit however was given the report, though occasionally a solitary gold-hunter might be seen stealing down to the launch, with a pick and shovel. more that half- ashamed of his credulity. Sometime during the month of May a number of credible persons arrived in town from the scene of operations, bringing spec- imens of the ore, and stating that those engaged in collecting the precious metal were making from three to ten dollars per day. Then commenced the grand rush. The inhabitants throughout the Territory were in a commotion. Large companies of men, women, and children could be seen on every road

leading to the mines; their wagons loaded down with tools for digging, provisions, etc. Launch after launch left the wharves of our city (San Francisco) crowded with passengers and freight, for the Sacra- mento. Mechanical operations of every kind ceased. Whole streets, that were but a week before alive with a busy population, were entirely deserted, and the place wore the appearance of a city that had been suddenly visited by a devastating plague. To cap the climax, the newspapers were obliged to stop printing, for want of readers.

" Meantime, our mercantile friends were doing an unwonted stroke of business. Every arrival from the mining district brought more or less gold-dust. the major part of which immediately passed into the hands of the merchants, for goods. Immense quan- tities of merchandise were conveyed to the mines, until it became a matter of astonishment where so much could be disposed of. During the first eight weeks of the golden times, the receipts at this place (San Francisco) in gold-dust amounted to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For the eight weeks ending at this date (Sept. 23, 1848), they were six hundred thousand dollars. The number of persons now engaged in gold-hunting will probably exceed six thousand, including Indians, and one ounce per day is the lowest average we can put for each person, while many collect their hundreds of dollars for a number of days in succession, and instances have been known where one individual has collected from fifteen hundred to eighteen hundred dollars worth of pure gold in one day. Explorations have been progressing, and it is now fully ascertained that gold exists on both sides of the Sierra Nevada. from latitude forty-one degrees north, as far south as the head-waters of the San Joaquin river, a dis- tance of four hundred miles in length and one hundred in breadth. Farther than this has not been explored; but from the nature of the country beyond the sources of the San Joaquin, we doubt not gold will also be found there in egnal abundance. The gold region already known is sufficiently extensive to give profitable employment to one hundred thousand persons for generations to come. The ore is in a virgin state, disseminated in small doses, and is found in three distinct deposits-in sand and gravel beds, in decomposed granite, and intermingled with a kind of slate."

In April, 1848. Mr. Jonas Spect, an enterprising pioneer, gave the following interesting account of gold discoveries :-

" Up to this time there had been little excite- ment about the gold diggings; but at Knight's Landing we were overtaken by Spaniards, who were on their way to Sutter's mill to dig gold. and they reported stories of fabulously rich diggings. After discussing the matter, we changed our course to the gold mines and hurried on, arriving at the mill on the thirtieth day of April. It was true that several rich strikes had been made, but the miners then at work did not average two and a half dollar- per day. Marshall and Sutter claimed the land and rented the mines. Every one supposed gold was confined to that particular locality. We did not engage in mining, and concluded to resume our journey across the plains. On our return trip we learned that gold had been found on Mormon Island. But we took no further notice of gold, and on the 12th of May arrived at Johnson's ranch. We found one man there waiting our arrival, but we expected many others in a short time. We waited

HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

until about the 25th, when we learned that there was another rush to the mines, and then vanished all prospect of any company crossing the mountains that Summer. My partner left for the American river, and I proposed to Johnson that we should prospect for gold on Bear river. We went some distance up the stream and spent three days in the search without any satisfactory result. 1 then suggested to Johnson that he should send his Indian with me, and I would prospect the Yuba river, as that stream was about the size of the South Fork of the American river. We prepared the outfit. and on the 1st of Inne; we struck the Yuba near Long Bar. After a good deal of prospecting. I succeeded in raising ' color.' That night I camped in Timbuc- loo ravine, a little above where we first found the gold. The next day, June 2d. I continued pros- pecting up the stream, finding a little gold, but not enough to pay. The Indian was well acquainted, and he piloted me up to the location of Rose's Bar, where we met a large number of Indians. all entirely nude and eating clover. I prospected on the bar, and found some gold, but not sufficient to be remu- nerative. Greatly discouraged. I started on my return home. When I arrived at a point on the Yuba river, a little above Timbuetoo ravine, I washed some of the dirt and found three lumps of gold worth about seven dollars. I pitched my tent here on the night of June 2d, and sent the Indian home for supplies. In about a week I moved down on the preek, and remained there until November 20th, when I left the mines forever. June 3d, the next day after the location of my camp, Michael C. Nye and William Foster came up the creek prospecting for gold.'

The discovery of gold on the American river led Mr. Nye and party to start ont on a prospecting trip. In the Summer-the exact date is not known- they found paying diggings on Dry creek, near its junction with the Yuba, and commenced working on an extensive scale. The discoveries by Mr. Spect and Mr. Nye's company were nearly contempora- neous, and as the parties started from different local- ities, and without any knowledge of the acts of the other, due credit should be given to each.

GENERAL SUTTER'S ACCOUNT OF THE GOLD DISCOVERY.

The following extracts are from an article com- municated, in his own handwriting, by General Sutter to Hutchings' California Magazine for Novem- ber. 1857. As a part of the history of the great event referred to, and as the personal narrative of one of the chief actors in the golden drama. it is one of the most interesting records of the time. General Sutter says :-

" It was in the first of January, 1848. when the gold was discovered at Coloma, where I was build ing a saw-mill. The contractor and builder of this mill was James W. Marshall, from New Jersey. In the Fall of 1847, after the mill-site had been located. I sent up to this place Mr. P. L. Wimmer, with his family, and a number of laborers from the disbanded Mormon Battalion; and a little Jater I engaged Mr. Bennett, from Oregon, to assist Mr. Marshall in the mechanical labors of the mill. Mr. Wimmer had the team in charge, assisted by his young sons to do the teaming. and Mrs. Wimmer did the cooking for all bands.

"I was very much in need of a saw-mill to get lumber to finish my flouring-mill, of four run of stones, at. Brighton, which was commenced at the same time, and was rapidly progressing; likewise, for other buildings, fences, ete., for the small village of Yerba Buena, now San Francisco. In the City Hotel ( the only one) this enterprise was unkindly called 'another folly of Sutter's;' as my first settle- ment at the old fort, near Sacramento City, was called by a good many 'a folly of his,' and they were about right in that, because I had the best chances to get some of the finest locations near the settlements; and even well-stocked ranches had been offered me on the most reasonable conditions. But I refused all these good offers, and preferred to explore the wilderness, and select a territory on the banks of the Sacramento.

"It was a ramy afternoon when Mr. Marshall arrived at my office, in the fort, very wet. I was somewhat surprised to see him, as he was down a few days previous, when I sent up to Coloma a num . ber of teams with provisions, mill irons, etc. He told me then that he had some important and inter- esting news which he wished to communicate secretly to me, and wished me to go with him to a place where we should not be disturbed, and where no listeners could come and hear what we had to say. I went with him to my private rooms; he requested me to lock the door; I complied, but told him at the same time that nobody was in the house except the clerk. who was in his office in a different part of the house

" After requesting of me something which he wanted, which my servants brought and then left the room, I forgot to lock the door, and it happened that the door was opened by the clerk just at the moment when Marshall took a rag from his pocket, showing me the yellow metal. He had about two ounces of it; but how quick Mr. Marshall put the yellow metal in his pocket again, can hardly be described. The clerk came to see me on business, and excused himself for interrupting me; and as soon as he had left. I was told, ' Now, lock the door. Didn't I tell you that we might have listeners?' I told him he need fear nothing about that, as it was not the habit of this gentleman; but I could hardly convince him that he need not be suspicions.

" Then Mr. Marshall began to show me this metal, which consisted of small pieces and specimens, some of them worth a few dollars. Ile told me that he had expressed his opinion to the laborers at the mill that this might be gold; but some of them laughed at him and called him a crazy man, and could not believe such a thing.

" After having proved the metal with aqua fortis, which I found in my apothecary shop, likewise with other experiments, and read the long article . Gold,' in the Encyclopedia Americana, I declared this to be gold of the finest quality, of at least twenty-three carats. After this Mr. Marshall had no more rest or patience, and wanted me to start with him imme- diately for Coloma; but I told him I could not leave, as it was late in the evening, and nearly supper-time, and that it would be better for him to remain with me till the next morning, and i would then travel with him. But this would not do; he asked me only. . Will you come to-morrow ?' 1

told him yes, and off he started for Coloma, in the heaviest rain, although already very wet, taking nothing to eat. I took this news very easy, like all other occurrences, good or bad. but thonght a great deal during the night about the consequences

CENTRAL HOTEL

CENTRAL HOTEL, W. REA, PROPRIETOR, FOREST HILL, PLACER CO. CAL.

THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD).

which might follow such a discovery. I gave all the necessary orders to my numerous laborers, and left the next morning at seven o'clock, accompanied by an Indian soldier and a vaquero, in a heavy rain, for Coloma. Abont half-way on the road, I saw at a distance a human being crawling out from the brushwood. I asked the Indian who it was. He told me, 'the same man who was with you last evening.' When I came nearer I found it was Mar- shall, very wet. I told him he would have done better to remain with me at the fort, than to pass such an ugly night here; but he told me that he went to Coloma, fifty-four miles, took his other horse and came half-way to meet me. Then we rode up to the new El Dorado.

" In the afternoon, the weather was clearing up, and we made a prospecting promenade. The next morning. we went to the tail-race of the mill, through which the water was running during the night, to clear ont the gravel which had been made loose for the purpose of widening the race; and after the water was out of the race, we went in to search for gold. This was done every morning. Small pieces of gold could be seen remaining on the surface of the clean-washed bed-rock. I went into the race and picked up several pieces of this gold; several of the laborers gave me some which they had picked up, and from Marshall I received a part. I told them I would get a ring made of this gold as soon as it could be done in California; and I have had a heavy ring made, with my family's coat-of-arms engraved on the ontside, and on the inside of the ring is engraved: 'the first gold discovered in January, 1848.' Now if Mrs. Wimmer possesses a piece which had been found earlier than mine, Mr. Marshall can tell. as it was probably received trom him. I think Mr. Marshall could have hardly known himself which was exactly the first little piece, among the whole.

"The next day I went with Mr. Marshall on a prospecting tour in the vicimty of Coloma, and the following morning I left for Sacramento. Before my departure, I had a conversation with all hands; I told them I would consider it a great favor if they would keep this discovery secret only for six weeks, so that I could finish my large flour-mill at Brighton, which had cost me already about twenty-four or twenty-five thousand dollars. The people up there promised to keep it secret so long. On my way home, instead of feeling happy and contented, I was very unhappy, and could not see that it would benefit me much; and I was perfectly right in thinking so, as it came just precisely as I expected. I thought, at the same time that it could hardly be kept secret for six weeks ; and in that I was not mistaken, for, about two weeks later, after my return, I sent up several teams, in charge of a white man, as the teamsters were Indian boys. This man was acquainted with all hands up there, and Mrs. Wimmer told him the whole secret ; likewise the young sons of Mrs. Wimmer told him that they had gold, and that they would let him have some, too; and so he obtained a few dollars' worth of it, as a present. As soon as this man arrived at the fort, he went to a small store in one of my outside buildings, kept by Mr. Smith, a partner of Samuel Brannan, and asked for a bottle of brandy, for which he would pay the cash. After having the bottle he paid with these small pieces of gold. Smith was astonished, and asked if he meant to insult him. The teamster told him to go and ask me about it. Smith came in, in great haste to see me, and I told him at once the truth-what could I do? I had to tell him 8

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History of Placer county, California, Part 13

Author: Angel, Myron; Thompson & West, pub Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West Number of Pages: 558

Author: Angel, Myron; Thompson & West, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West
Number of Pages: 558