Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1859-04-21
3tljJrg.i0neQuG.
The First Mnsonic EEnerss sss
California.


| how many thrilling "reminiscences Of tie pat
! crowd upon tie memory? Sun,e Of item
arc Of a pleasing, and Others are ui a pc,r-
| liarly painful diameter. The year lSIi " i'll
ever be a memorable epoch ia tho history o.
! California. Tic cpmmer.ih and "pll-t.cf-
| ing advPi turcra met on the lcr,I in those
d,vs. There were 10 granite buildings {,
trade in. such as low ado-n tie sUrrrur... Ing
hills of Sar francisco. Thousands ol pcu-
pie, long accustomed u all the rcGnciurnts
and put on the red shirt Of tie hardy ui a..
Pride was unknown for time GcriIe..nu
had 10 stoop from their own dignity, aad
awkwardIy wash their own clothing. ihrv
had to kin,'le tLeir own tilcs. ana do the worl;
Of cusiatcr. Some reposed ~ night in n
canvass tent, while others closed their eyes
IN sleep among the sand hills, with no other
covering but the canopy Of Heaven
"ncspanaed with those isles of light,
So wildly, spiritually bright"
Exposure and disease rapidly pcoplcd the
kingdom Of tlcdcal The 1pHtmjsai, Lad
not yet set apart any grorn for burial pur
poses. Tho consequence WAS that rlauy We're
IudcIy Lulicd in tie suburJ,s, and were alter
wards removed to Ycrha Buena Cemetery,
Were tie ren aius Of eight hundred IIr bud
died togctl cr II one immense dismal grave.
There is hot even common loard To- h.ark
ut the remarkable pit, in which sleep 50
many Of the unfortunate pioneers # Upper
California.
In those eventual times men were found
dead, and Ia one could tell from whcuc. tL,y
came. They passed away to their grIvcs
uuhouoTed aud unknown. The fraternity
Of ''the mystic tic had not yet organized.
There was not lodge in the State They
only knew cach other by the 'cgm mtn'ata-
lion, which craftsmen only know aud prop
cr,y understand. y wonderful instance ut
Masonic identity occurred in the month OF
August, 1919. Amurh respected citizen and
Mason who was quietly vending his way
to Happy Valley very early in the morning.,
when lie be..eld tlecor},-c If Il man stretched
upon the beach. All was soft and still Tile
strangely mingled population Of tie tented
city was wrapped II deep rep sc. The msta
still fingered on the hills, aud tie morning
star sluLe clearly in tie sky. The waters Of
the laywcrc very smooth aud calm, and Gently
aycA the feet Of the dead stranger ''WLo
s,cpt tie sleep that knew no WakinG.' Tie
Great Dispenser Of human events. IN lii. in
scrut1I.e providence, seemingly lad deter
mined that tie tide Should tear H., lilclcss
body to the lhorc where. di.rUYcrcl hy a
passing brothci it would assiredly he carried
to the .ravc in becoming so!cnnity, and dc
posted therein with all the honors and cerc-
munal rites OF the ancient fraternity Of
Free and Accepted Masons:
There's Divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough-Lcw them rs we will.
Some OF tie inmates Of Il c ncighboring
tents were reused from their aIumhcrs, and
proceeded speedily t. the spot. Tie Alcade
was immediately sent for. He promptly at
tended and acted as Coroner. The body was
removed to tent, where it was carefully
scratinzed. No indications OF violence were
visible. Tie man had eviea.!y been dro~l.-
ed. His face was manly aud Intellectual,
and his hair was long aud curly, and Of u
dark auburn hue lie was neatly dressed,
ard had superior look Of rcspectablity.
The jacket and pautalouns or his peNJn were
Blue pilot-cl1th, and a black silk haudkcr-
chiet was tied in a sailors knot around his
neck. There was nothing found in his poct.
cts that could possibly lead to his identity.
However. in removing Tie flannel from lis
bosom, silver Mark Master was discovered,
upon which were engraved tie initials OF his
name. y little iurthcr investigation revealed
to the beholders the most 0,arc exhibition Of
Masonic embIcms that was ever drawn by
the ingenuity OF man upon the human skin.
There is nothing in the'iistory Of Free Ma
sonry equal to it. Beautifully dotted Oh lis
left arm, in red and blue ink, which time
could not efiace, appeared all tie cmbelns
of the Entered Apprentice There were the
Holy Bible, the Square Compass, the
twenty-lour inch guage, and the common
Level. There were also tie Mosaic pavement
representing the grougd floor ol King Solo
mons Temples ( the INDEBTED Fesscl which
surrounds it. and the Blazing Star III the
center. On the tight arm, and artis,ically
executed in the same indelihle liquids, were
the enablems pertaining to the Fellow Craft
degree, viz: the Plumb, the Square, and the
Level There wero also five columns, repre-