History of Placer county, California, Part 16

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

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The terrible sufferings of the Donner party have already been portrayed. The groans of the starv- ing, and the wails of the dying, crazed with hunger, will ever haunt the shores of Donner Lake, and the winds as they moan among the drooping branches of the pines, will whisper tales of suffering such as few have seen, and the most vivid imagination fails to realize. The two cabins built by the Donner party near that of Schallenberger, and which formed the camp of the Breens, Graves, and Murphys, were the second monuments of civilization in Nevada County. About two weeks before the Donner party found the way across the summit barred by snow, another emigrant train passed in safety. Among these emigrants were Claude Chana, who now lives at Wheatland, Yuba County, and Charles Covillaud, one of the original proprietors of Marysville, and who married Mary Murphy, a member of the Don- nor party, from whom the name Marysville was derived. The widely different experiences of these two parties in erossing the mountains, but illustrate the changes that can there be wrought by a few days of snow. This party also followed down Bear River to Johnson's Ranch, from which point the relief parties were sent to Donner Lake. The years 1846, 1847 and 1848 saw many trains of emigrants on their way to Oregon and California, those for this State crossing the mountains hy several routes, though most of them came by way of Truckee River.

CHAPTER XVI.

EARLY MINING HISTORY.

Pre-American Goldl Discoveries-Spread of the Gold Discovery- Beale's Expedition to Washington-Great Excitement in New York-First Mining in Placer County-Claude Chana in Auburn Ravine-Rich Dry Diggings, Auburn-Progress of the Excitement-Exploring the Rivers-Mines in the Winter of 1849-50-Adventures of Pioneers-Murderer's Bar-Buckner's Bar-Pioneer Mining Experiences-The "Glorious Days" of 1849-Mining in 1850-A Mining Claim-Grand Fluming Enterprise-A Model Saw-mill- Doctors, Lawyers, and Divines Mining -The Grand Finale- Marshall Prospecting in Placer-Ohio Prospectors-A Ghastly Discovery-In Memory-" Yankee Jim"-A Primal Forest Scene-Occupants of the Canons-Finding Yankee Jim-Journal of a Pioneer-Soldiers and Prospectors in 1849-Prices of 1849 -Prices in Auburn in 1849.

A WORK was published in London, England, in the year 1818 by Mr. Philipps, entitled " Lectures on Mineralogy," where it is stated that " (fold is found in large lumps deposited in the soil, a few inches from the surface, in California. This is found throughont an extensive district bordering on the sea in that country." Among American documents the most entitled to consideration in this matter is a publication at Boston, in 1822, which states that Mr. Ellis, a merchant in that city, had obtained from California a mass of gold and quartz of considerable amount. Again, in the year 1830, Alfred Robinson, also a merchant of Boston, received $10,000 worth of gold in lumps. Prior to this latter date, and in the year 1832, Capt. John Bradshaw took home some $18.000 from this coast, to his employer, Capt. Joseph Peabody, of Salem, Massachusetts, for whom he had been engaged in trading in the Pacific during many years. Ilis present residence is in the town of Beverly, Massachusetts. Captain Bradshaw is well known to the older residents of the southern portion of California, and the buildings erected by him for curing of hides and furs are still standing on the Island of Catalina, and known as Bradshaw's Fort.

These discoveries and shipments of gold from Cali- fornia, of which there were many in fact and many in fable, prior to the acquisition of the country by the United States, were from the southern part of the State, from the placers of the San Gabriel, Santa Clara and San Francisquito Rivers, near Los Angeles, and from the Cuyamaca and other mountains of San Diego, where mines still exist. But the discov- ery which set the world ablaze was made by Mar- shall in 1848.

SPREAD OF THE GOLD DISCOVERY.

The discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada as has been related in the preceding pages, was made known throughout the world as rapidly as the means of intercommunication of those days permitted. First it was carried to the Sandwich Islands by ves- sels going for vegetables and other classes of mer- chandise; thence to Oregon and to the coast of Cen- tral and South America. Natives of Mexico soon

HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

carried the news, and much gold with it, across the Colorado and into Sonora.

BEALE'S EXPEDITION TO WASHINGTON.

Lient. Edward F. Beale, of the Navy-now Gen- eral Beale of Tejon-who had been executive offi- cer of Commodore Stockton in the conquest of Califor- nia, and distinguished for his courage and energy, was dispatched by Colonel Mason, then Military Governor, with the news of the discovery to Washington. He was directed to proceed to Mazatlan, thence to cross Mexico, and hasten to his destination with all the speed possible. Lieutenant Beale arrived in Wash- ington early in June, 1848, and made his report to President Polk, who, when receiving the enthusiastie young officer, was engaged in a game of chess with Secretary Bancroft. The story of the gold was received with a smile of incredulity, and the messenger was bantered by the august officials with the remark that the officers were probably speculat- ing in city lots and wanted to induce an immigration; or were unduly excited over an unimportant discov- ery, and he was sent back with dispatches to Gov- ernor Mason. In the meantime he had visited New York, and conferred with Wm. H. Aspinwall, the head of the new steamship company to California, told him of the discovery, and gave him advice to prepare his steamers, then building, for carrying passengers, which adviee was fortunately followed. Aspinwall appeared to be the only one who credited the report of Lieutenant Beale. The story was told, however, in the newspapers, but so little attention was paid to it that no excitement was then created. Beale returned to California, arriving in August, and then found the country wild over the results from the mines.

GREAT EXCITEMENT IN NEW YORK.

Governor Mason had visited, in the meantime, the place of discovery, and was prepared to announce the facts in an indisputable official report. He had also procured from a young volunteer of the Stev- enson Regiment, a lump of pure gold of the size of a large potato, and Beale was again ordered to the East with these dispatches and bright and weighty proof of the story. The messenger arrived on his second journey in September, made his report and exhibited his lump of gold. Governor Mason, Cap- tain Folsom and Lieutenant, now General, Sherman had visited the mines, and sent reports. These with the gold were proofs that could not be ridiculed. The report was first published in the Baltimore Sun, of September 20, 1848. Lieutenant Beale took his lump of gold to New York, and sought his old friend, Aspinwall. With him he went to Wall Street, and from the steps of the Stock Exchange the gold was exhibited to the populace. The crowd became a jam, the news spread from mouth to mouth, and soon the street was impassably blocked for a long distance by the intensely excited people. This was the first excitement on the Atlantic Coast regarding the gold

discovery in California. The excitement was conta- gious, and was communicated through letters and newspapers to all people susceptible of enthusiasm throughout the country.

The precious lump of gold was afterwards taken to Barnum's Museum, a steel band put around it and suspended by a chain, where it became the attraction for thousands of visitors. Subsequently it was sold to the mercantile firm of Cross, Hobson & Co., by whom it was sent to Great Britain, and there again exhibited as tangible evidenee of the wealth of California.

The great discovery was by this made known to all the great centers of population and commerce of the world, and all looked and wondered.

FIRST MINING IN PLACER COUNTY.

Placer County has no history prior to 1848. From Johnson's Ranch on Bear River, a road led to Sin- clair's on the American, and thence to Sutter's Fort, and travelers give accounts of encamping en route between the two places, but no settlements were made, nor discoveries, nor developments that could give a name to a locality. South of Johnson's Ranch were some small water-holes, or ponds, which some writers have mentioned as lagoons, which is the nearest to a Spanish name of anything of olden time in the county.

Gold had been discovered on the south fork of the American, on the 19th of January, 1848, and in two or three months thereafter, the fact was made known throughout California, and the rush to the placers began. As the miners spread rapidly over the conn- try it is presumed that some reached to the north fork of the American early in the season.

CLAUDE CHANA IN AUBURN RAVINE.

The discovery of gold in Auburn Ravine is due to Mr. Claude Chana, now a resident of Wheatland, Yuba County, who first turned the precious metal to light in the Dry Diggings of Placer County on the 16th of May, 1848. The movements which led to the discovery are as follows: In the spring of 1847 Clande Chana, having arrived in the country with the overland immigration of the preceding year, and then stopping at Sigard's Ranch, on Bear River, went to Sutter's Fort and there engaged to work as a cooper, continuing thereat for seven months, when he returned to the ranch of his countryman, both being natives of France. While thus engaged at the fort James W. Marshall was at work across the room on the opposite side of Chana's bench as a wagon- maker, and the two became well acquainted.

During the winter that followed his return to Sigard's Ranch, that place had become quite a ren- dezvous for persons of French extraction-mostly old trappers-and communication with Sutter's Fort, via Sinclair's Ranch, on the American, was not in- frequent. Therefore it was not strange that but a short time elapsed after Marshall picked up the first piece of gold at Coloma that the news thereof

EARLY MINING HISTORY.

should reach Sigard's Ranch, and the confirmation thereof coming not many weeks after, Chana determined to have ocular proof by visiting the locality of Sutter's Mill. The first week in May, 1848, found him en route for the his- toric spot. The region across the country from Bear River to the south fork of the American then being to him a terra incognita, his route was chosen via Sinelair's Ranch to Sutter's Fort, and thence up the south bank of the American. At Sutter's Fort he found Samuel Brannan and another man bound for the same destination that he was, and the three journeyed together, going by the way of Mormon Island, where at that time but one man had located. It was upon this trip that Brannan determined to establish himself at Mormon Island, and importuned Chana to hire out to him and aid in constructing ; a house. But Chana's mission was to see his friend Marshall, at Coloma, and learn about the gold discovery. Arriving at Sut- ter's Mill, he found the people there surely dig- ging for gold, and among the crowd were several of his countrymen, from whom he soon acquired the art of collecting it-then mostly done in tin and wooden pans. After looking about for several days, Chana returned, over the same route he bad come, to Sigard's, for an outfit, intending to go immedi- ately back to the south fork of the American and dig for gold near the place of original discovery.

At the ranch, upon his arrival there, he found Francois Gendron, an old voyageur who had been west of the Rocky Mountains since 1832; Philibert Courteau, who had come into California with Fre- mont in 1843-44, and another Frenchman named Eu- gene. These men, with himself, formed a party who were to proceed to Coloma and dig for gold. Chana eut down a tree near the banks of Bear River, out of which the party made bateas-wooden pans for washing the dirt. The party also persuaded about twenty-five Indians to aecompany them, six of whom were from Oregon and the remainder were Califor- nia Indians, and with their entire outfit mustered thirty-five horses. Francois Gendron, being the oldest mountaineer, was listened to when he in- formed the party that he could lead them across the country directly to the vicinity of Coloma, instead of traveling the circuitous route via Sinelair's and the Fort, and they determined to follow him. Under bis leadership they camped the first night after leav- ing Sigard's upon the place afterwards known as Cox's Ranch, and the second night not far from where Ophir now is on Auburn Ravine. This was during the third week of May, 1848. Here Chana thought he would try for gold before the party were ready to move on upon the following morning. Taking his batea he proceeded up the ravine to a point he now describes as located about half-way between Judge Myers' house and the old " Dead- fall," and there washed out the virgin pan of the district. He was rewarded by the sight of

three considerable sized pieces of yellow metal.

There was, then, no necessity for them to proceed further ; gold was in the ravine upon which they camped-how much or how rich no one knew. They set at work in the main ravine at once. About the same time Sinclair had begun to work Indians upon the American River. He, through the Indians, learned that Chana and party had discovered gold in the foot-hill ravines, and came up to see them, but came to the conclusion that though the gold on the Ameriean was very fine, while the ravine gold was coarse, that he could get a larger amount by remaining where he was, and so told Chana's party, and wanted them to go to the American River with him. But they remained at work in the main ravine for two weeks, and then begun in what is now called Baltimore Ravine, and there dug one week longer, finding some quite large pieces. The ground, however, was not rich; the party were inexperienced, and had crude appliances for mining; the result of their three weeks' labor, all told, was but three pounds of gold, while from Sigard's eame rumors of enormous strikes upon the Yuba, and to that stream did Chana and his companions go. The next digging done upon Auburn Ravine was by Indians in the employ of Nicholas Algier, who went there soon after Chana's party left, and who, it is said, took out a large amount of gold. One of the California Indians who first dug gold with Chana is still living in the vicinity of Lincoln, and in Janu- ary, 1882, called at Wheatland to see his old em- ployer.

Claude Chana went upon the Yuba River and there was successful to that degree that in October, 1849, he again returned to the Sigard Ranch the possessor of $25,000 in gold.

RICH DRY DIGGINGS-AUBURN.

The mines, or diggings, opened in Auburn Ravine by Claude Chana, in May, were not likely to remain neglected. Mr. Samuel Seabough, in his sketches of the " Beginning of Placer Mining in California," says: " In the ' Dry Diggings,' near Auburn, during the mouth of August, 1848, one man got $16,000 out of five cart-loads of dirt. In the same diggings a good many were collecting from $800 to $1,500 a day." The region soon acquired the name of " The North Fork Dry Diggings," and in the summer or fall of 1849, when the settlement became more con- centrated and stores were established, was given the appellation it now bears-Auburn.

PROGRESS OF THE EXCITEMENT.

The statement of Mr. Speet shows the first stages of the gold excitement. lle left Yerba Buena- San Francisco-on the 6th of April, with two eom- panions, expecting to meet others at Johnson's Raneh, to make the journey overland to Missouri. Little could have been known of the mines at that time, or an emigration party would not have been thought of. The fact, however, was known that gold was

HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

mined at Sutter's MiHl, because the Star, of San Fran- cisco, on the 25th of March, had stated that gold-dust had become an article of traffic at New Helvetia- Sutter's Fort, or now, Sacramento. Early in April, Mr. E. C. Kemble, the editor of that journal, made a visit to the mines, and, returning, declared them a " sham !" IIe had scarcely printed his paper con- taiuing the condemnation before half a pound of the dust was offered for sale. More came, and before the end of April so many had left San Francisco for Coloma that the population was perceptibly reduced. On the 30th of April, Mr. Spect says there was no excitement, and that he paid very little attention to the gold mines. Still there evidently was excite- ment among some classes before that, as, he relates, some rich strikes had been made, and the Spaniards reported fabulously rich diggings. This gentleman had kept a diary, from which his account is written.

Such records, together with the reports, corre- spondence, opinions and advertisements in the papers, of which there were two-the Star and the Califor- nian-furnish indisputable facts of the spread of the news of the gold discovery, and of the rise of the excitement in California. In January the discovery is made and communicated to Captain Sutter at New Helvetia. Marshall appears to be the only man excited, or much interested about it. In March it is first told in San Francisco; in April gold- dust becomes an article of traffic, and in the latter part of this month and in May the rush begins, and the excitement is intense. In June, Lieut. E. F. Beale reports the discovery in the East, but it is re- garded as nothing extraordinary, and little attention is paid to it; but in September he comes again with the confirmation of his first report, and bearing the gold as a proof, and from that date the news was known to the world.

EXPLORING THE RIVERS.

" In the summer of 1848," says the " Placer County Directory " of 1861, " the principal tributaries of the American River were explored by a company of Ore- gonians, and rich prospects obtained upon almost every bar, as far up the Middle and North Forks as they proceeded. At this time the bars were gener- ally explored as high up the Middle Fork as Rector's Bar, which, proving as rich as any diggings the ex- plorers expected to find, and it being difficult to travel further up the river with horses, they ceased traveling, and worked the mines until the winter season set in. or their provisions gave out, when they returned to the settlements in the valley or to their homes in Oregon.

" Early in 1849, the system of washing the aurif- erous dirt with the common rocker was introduced upon the middle fork of the American River, and was regarded as a great improvement in gold min- ing. During this year miners flocked to the bars on the rivers in large numbers from the " Old Dry Dig- gings " ( Placerville), Sutter's Mill (Coloma), the set- tlemeuts in the valleys, and elsewhere ; wheresoever

the news of the rich discoveries had reached con- tributed laborers for the gold-fields, and, during the summer, settlements were formed in many parts of Placer County, including Auburn and Ophir in the foot-hills; Rector's Bar, Stony Bar, Oregon Bar, and Poverty Bar, on the middle fork; and Barnes' Bar on the north fork of the American. The popula- tion upon the rivers was quite sparse, and depreda- tions were frequently committed by the untamed savages upon the stock and camps of the whites."

MINERS IN THE WINTER OF 1849-50.

The region northeast of Auburn was included in Yuba County. Some miners had ascended the north and middle forks of the American River in 1849, and many of the overland immigrants of that year had settled on the ridge as far up as Illinoistown. A few people had settled upon the divide between the North and Middle Forks.

The " Historical Sketch of Placer County," pub- lished in the Directory of 1861, says :-

During the winter of 1849-50, the population of the now rich and populous Townships five and six, consisted of Dr. Todd and three or four companions, at Todd's Ranch; Yankee Jim and his companions, six in number, at Yankee Jim's Dry Diggings, near where Forest Hill is situated: six young men, one of whom was named Lewis, near the head of Mad Cañon; two men at Birds' store, and about thirty persons at Stony and Rector's Bars. The whole white population amounted to not more than fifty persons.

The hardships endured by the few individuals who remained upon the river at Stony and Rector's Bars during the memorable winter of 1849-50, can never be half told. The writer of this sketch, being one of the unfortunate individuals whose reduced fort- unes forced him to remain upon the river at Stony Bar, in order that he might eke out a scanty sub- sistence by working in the banks and on the high bars, when a temporary cessation of falling rain and snow permitted him to venture forth from the can- vas tent, which served him and his companions as a winter dwelling, cannot, at this day, after a lapse of more than ten years, repress a shudder, when revolving in his mind the many incidents attending his residence during the winter upon the Middle Fork.

The rains, which had set in towards the last of December, continued to fall almost constantly until the second week in February, covering the mount- ains on either side of the stream to the depth of four feet with snow, blocking up the trails, and so com- pletely destroying every trace of them, that none, except in the last extremity, could be prevailed upon to venture to break a trail to Georgetown or Coloma, the nearest points at which supplies could be ob- tained. To add to the hardships of the little settle- ment of pioneer river miners, they not only had not comfortable houses in which to live, but ere the winter was half gone, their supplies of pork, flour, coffee, sugar, salt, beans, etc, were totally exhausted, and they were reduced to the necessity of living upon fresh venison, without salt or bread. But stary- ation was not the foe most to be dreaded by the unprotected settlement. The temporary shanties, or huts of the men, were scattered along the river for a distance of two miles; in each of which lived

EARLY MINING HISTORY.

from two to five persons. No guard was kept at night, and in case of an attack by the Indians, the men scattered and poorly armed, as they were, could have offered but a feeble resistance.

The heavy snows, higher up in the mountains, had forced a band of Indians to venture down the cañony to the vicinity of the camp of the whites, in search of horses, mules, cattle, or anything else which could serve as food for their starving squaws and children. They were discovered by the whites, and a meeting was called of all white men known to be npon the river, in reach, for the purpose of ascertaining the number and condition of the guns, and the amount of ammunition in the hands of the miners. The number of guns on hand amounted to one to every three men, and among the whole number there were not more than three pounds of powder. An organ- ization was immediately effected and men were started out with directions to proceed down the middle fork of the American River until they had reached a point where supplies could be purchased, and to procure all the arms and ammunition they could obtain and bring into the camp. The relief party, after scrambling over the rocks for two days, reached the Big Bar, in El Dorado County, where they purchased some powder, lead, caps, salt, and tea, and one rifle gun, and returned to their com- panions.

With these additions to the stock of arms and ammunition on hand, after making a show of strength by sending small parties out in search of the Indians, one of which came up with a party of the red skins, and attacked and killed some of their number, the whites felt quite secure from an attack and remained quiet the balance of the winter.

Toward the last of February, 1850, the weather turning warm and the news of rich discoveries having been made the fall previous, between the head-waters of the middle and north forks of the American, having spread among the miners of Hang- town (Placerville), Weaverville, Coloma, George- town, Kelsy's, and other thiekly settled places in El Dorado, a general stampede took place, and the men came in hundreds, making Bird's store ( Bird's Valley) their place of rendezvous, until the nn nber ot men gathered there amounted to two or three thousand. Here they were compelled to remain until the snow settled sufficiently for them to pene- trate the mountains and canons higher up on the slope of the Sierra. Early in the spring good prospects were obtained in El Dorado Canon, and companies were soon engaged in mining in the bed and banks of the creek from its junction with the North Fork to its head.

ADVENTURES OF PIONEERS.

Among the pioneers of Placer County in 1848 was Thomas M. Buckner, now a resident of Spanish Dry Diggings, in El Dorado County, who emigrated to Oregon from Kentucky in 1843. When the news of the gold discovery in California reached Oregon, several parties immediately fitted out and left the latter Territory for the gold-fields; and one of these-a company under the leadership of Captain Martin, numbering sixty-two men, nearly all of whom were young-Buckner joined, and, after vari- ons adventures en route overland, arrived at Sutter's Fort on the 2d day of August, 1848. Stopping at the fort a few days, a party of sailors arrived from the mines with a considerable quantity of gold-

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History of Placer county, California, Part 16

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