The Democratic pioneer. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1845-1853, 1849-07-06
From the Hastfood Daily Times.
A CALF ORNIA FACT,

Truth, it is sometimes said, it stranger
than fiction. A fact connected with the
California etnigration--though not direct
ly with its gold mining--has come to our
knowledge, which, while it wears all the
features o. an invention Of romance, i.
nevertheless strictly true 10 all its parts
Ii is the more interesting to our readers
from the circumsiance that the hero u
the story went from thi. vicinity.
About year ago, young man in a
neighboring town failed in his businefs,
and after assigning his property. his asse,.
fell short of his debts by about ninei,
thousand dollars This was pret,i
heavy load TO carry; but he was not alt.
gether discouraged: and said the tia;
would come when he should be able -
pay of his debts to the last cent. Pc
pie; OF course, were inored llous, bu
strange to say the probability now is th.t
his promise will be fulfilled at a vcry
early day.
lie sailed for California to earn bis li,s
ing by labor, before any news had react.
ed here Of the wonderful gold discoveries
Of that region. He took out with him !
small invoice Of goods, and the machiner,
for one or two saw mills. This cargo wes
wrecked be fore he reached his destipa.
tion; he lost all his goods and barely e..
capped his life. He sailed from tho Sand
wlch Islands, where he lad been carried
after the shipwreck, and found himself si
San Francisco with ten dollars only Ief
OF oil his property. He immediatei,
opened negotiation with an old settle.
Tor fne tract of twentysfour squsra
miles of the best timber land in that u,
cn''y, with several saw mills upon it,
lie finally bought it for $50, 600, ON cred,t
OF one and two years. tie was able 10
OBTAIN this credit by producing the in.
voices OF lha goods be had shipped, thoue i
he withheld the fact of their being wreck
ed. AT the same time he secured the set.
tier by mor'gaging back the property %
him Tor security. Soon aftsr .hs phrA
chase, the gold fever began--emigranS
poured in from all quarters; and houses
and shanlies could not be supplied as fast
as they were wanted by the new comers.
The consequence was that lumbe ros5
to an enormous price-several handrei
per cent, in fact, beyond its ordinary
value, and the saw mills of our pennilesi
but enserprsing adventurer soon began
to coin gold for BIN much faster than taa
most favored of the gold diggsrs coui
Ind II. In three months time be has
cleared in solid cash S42, 900 towards sps,
ing Oft his purchase of 100000. Win
part of his earnings he bought the sbiq
Huntress, and resold hera week aftetS
wards at clear profit of SIS 900. Win
another portion Of it he added to the mum.
ber of his saw mills and -four mllls--tLs
latter paying nearly as round profit az
The former. Lumber stll Maintains iii
sx'ravagant prics--emigrants are fiockE
ng IN thicker and faster than sver--ev
cry thing in the shape of board or !
hingls commands almost its Weight ii
copper il not in gold--and our Yank,s
rend at the last advices, was coniiden,
hat the profits of his business will largels
Increase Tor many months to come,
Nothing but some unforeseen continei
'ncy can prevent him from speedily be.
coming the richest man 10 Califcrnia.-.
lie anticipates, with pleasure, returniuS
nome at an early day. paying of bis ere
1l'ors, principal and interest, aud hayina
prlncely fortune TO spare. Altogether,
II constitutes very rare and remnrkabia
casa Of energy and enterprise, combined
with good fortune. The foregoing facts
ire fully coH6rmed BY intelligent med
who have been on the spot, as we'll a. bl
etters from various aud Respectable
ources. This man went out 10 work and
larry on regular business without thinfS
ng or knowing anything about gold dig,
ing; but of all the mines which have
'een thus far opened in California, il an
'ears that he stumbled on, by far the most
Productive.