Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-01-25
How Gold Was First Discovered in
California,

OuiliOl uAot
We have received from Henry w.
Bigler, one of the men working at
Suffers mill, in 1913, when gold was
discovered there, the following inter
csting letter, headed as below, which
is full of character and bears internal
evidence of perfect truth:
LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF JAMES W.
MARSHALL.
FARMINGroN, DAVIS COUNTY, UTAn,
December, 2sth, ls70.-To the Editor
of the San Francisco Weekly Bulletin;
DEAR SIN: The above notice | saw
about three months since in the 23d
No. and 10th volume Of your paper,
and as am there referred to as being
one of the mill hands, who, if alive,
could substantiato the accuracy of the
narrative, | cheermlly give my testi-
mony, although it is at very late
hour, because ! feel it is q duty owe
to Mr.. Marshall, and perhaps to the
public. | have not seen the work re.
ferrcd to, neither have | seen any per.
son who said they had
was one of the men at work at
Coloma at the time the gold was found
by Mr.. Marshall. | we'll remember
when he sent n young Indian for
James Brown to send him n plate
Brown was on the top Off saw pit
he jumped down saying; al wonder
what Marshall wants with u Tin plate?"
After we had quit our days work,
Mr. Marshall came into our shanty
and told us he believed he had found
gold, and directed Brown and myself
TO shut down the head-gate early iD
the morning, end throw in dirt and
leaves 50 as to completely shut of the
water, which we did, while Marshall
went alone down in the tail race. In
a few minutes he came back with q
most pleasing smile on his face carry.
ing his old white hat in his arms, say.
ing; "Boys, ! believe have found a
gold mine" At this he sat bis hat on
the work bench, that stood in the mill.
yard, and the mill hands all gathered
around in an instant; and there, sure
enough in the top of his hat crown
(the top knocked in little) was the
pure metal; how much do not know;
perhaps an ounce. One Of our com.
pany by the name of Azariah Smith,
pulled out five dollar gold piece and
compared the coin with the praticlcs.
There was a difference in the looks,
but this we accounted for on account
of the alloy in the coin. Any of us
would have been willing TO have sworn
and testified that what James w.
Marshall had lying on the top of his
old hat crown was gold although none
of us had ever seen gold dust before.
Some three or four days after this
Marshall went down to Suffers Fort
10 see about grub and to have the
mineral tested. lie was gone four
days. When he returned, and was
asked what he made out Of the metal,
his reply was, "Oh, boys, it is the pure
staff / and the old captain locked
ourselves up and was half day try
ing il; and the outsiders wondered
what in h-ll was up, and surmised
that | had found quicksilver mine,
for you see there is quicksilver mine
found by woman down towards
Monterey; but we let them sweat
We found it agreed with the encly.
copedia, and We applied aquafortis,
and it has nothing to do with it. We.
then weighed it in water by balanc
ing the dust against silver on a pair
Of scales, in the air, having basin Of
water. We let the scales down, and
when il came in contact with the
water the gold went down and the
silver mp (motioned if out with his
hands, and that told the story that it
was clear stuff" lie then said Sutter
would be up in few days to look
and examine the race, &c. In o few
evenings afterward Marshall came
into our shanty and told us that Sut.
ter had come; that he was up at the |
other house "and now, boys" said |
he, 1--WE have all got little gold dust.
| motion that we all give Henry
Cmyself) some, and in the morning.
when you shut Off the water, let him
(Henry) take il down and sprinkle il
all over the base rock Not let on to
the old gentleman (Sutter,) and it will
30 excite him that he will set out his
bottle and treat, for he always carries
his bottle with him. SO next morn
ing early, before the old gentleman
came down, VIC did as Marshall pro
posed just as the mill hands were
breakfast, We saw the old
gentleman coming stubbing along
with his cane in mis- hand "a well |
dressed old gentleman, too Mr. Mar
shall or one side and NJ. Werner on
the other, Sutier in Che middle. As
they neared our shanty we went out
and met him. After shaking hands
md passing the common salutations.
we were all invited by Sutter and
TO 90 along and have a gen.
oral time prospecting in the race
Just at this time one of Mr.. Werners
little boys, not knowing what was up,
AN on ahead and picked up nearly
very particle and came running back.
nearly out Of breath, meeting us and
"Sec here. how much I