Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-01-03
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1874.
STONY BAR STORE, AND IT'S Gus
TONER'S.
BY PRENTICE MULFeRD.

Between Stony Bar Store and the river
were many acres of gray rocks and bowl.
ders, wearing the smooth polish of centu-
ries by the strong and sometimes unruly
hand of the Tuolumne. There had been
many rich "pot-hole" in that ledge
and they were there now, in rock as hard
as adamant, shaped as roundly as though
cut by gigantic drill, and too deep to
be bottomed by the longest arm but the
bright ounces in flakes and nuggets,
which once lay nestled in them, had long
since been sna!ched away by the eager
crevicers" of "'49." Fronting the
store lay Stony Bar, reaching to Red
Mountain, half mile distant-a grand,
irregular mass Of red crags, which on the
Rhine would have been topped by cas-
tie. AT its base, the Tuolumne turns al
sharp angle, and disappears up Split
rock Canon. Nearest the store was the
ancient cabin Of Old Jones. The Others
struggled along in succession thus -
Bloody Bill's, Black Harry's, Joshs,
and Old Grizzly's. All these lived alone,
each snail in its own shell, save Black
Harry, who always had II varying num-
Der Of kanakas or Sandwich Islanders,
about him, among whom he ranked as Il
Sort of king. George Packard lived
on the hill above, about one mile and a
half away. But George was married,
and hardly counted as regular resident.
A married man in those days was regard
ed as a mystery.
These composed the permanent or win
ter population of the Bar. In summer,
during the river season, fancy miners "
came along from sup country" But
they left when fall rains came and the
bed-claims were drowned out. They re-
quired more excitement than the Bar
could furnish in the winter. Pauly was
king of the fancy miners. He ranked as
the hardest and longest hitter from the
shoulder in the southern mines, and
could play a very neat and extraordinary
game of poker. But he was a gentleman
fancy. He never became uproarious or
abusive, worked hard, paid his debts,
and always warned his opponents in n
game that he "did mt hold himself bound
by Hoyle or any other man." If an
antagonist proved troublesome, Pauly
intmated that he should feel called up
on to give him one." Gone" from his
cataputic fist was enough. No one ever
called for two.
Such was Stony Bar in 1860. 1t was
then on its last legs. SO was the Bar
Store. So were we all. The Bar had
been "cleaned out" that season. We
were all in debt. We were not so hope
ful then as in the earlier and nusher days.
In 1850, miners were known to buy n
barrel of brandy and keep it or free tap
in their tents. In 1860, many with diff
Guilty could buy sack of -four, and it was
on free tap for no one. In the fall OF
1859, the river rose in September. 1t
should not have risen until December
After sweeping the labor of months
down to the San Joaquin, it subsided,
and remained as quiet and gentle as the
brooks of Paradise, until Christmas. The
owners of the Mariners Claim, compris-
ing the entire population Of our Bar, had
been waiting for three years to turn that
'piece of river )" being previously pre-
vented by back-water from the Willow
Claim below. After this freshet, the
Mariners" on certain fine days during
the early fall, before they had recovered
from the shock and commenced work on
their bank-diggings, would unitedly and
solemnly visit the submerged claim, sit
on certain log, and systematically swear
by the hour. 1t was not q spasmodic
anathematization. 1t was slow, meas
ured, deliberate, and with a purpose.
FRS, they broke out against the claim
then, in succession, they treated the Tuol-
umne, the county, the State, the United
States, the world, lastly themselves. Az
ter this the pipes would be relit, and the
silence of the mild afternoon would be
broken only by the monotonous roar of
the muddy river, as it swept and plunged
over and through their broken dam.
Old Jones reported one day, as the
Mariners" had finished one of their
anathematic choruses on the log, that a
San Francisco man was going to take
the Hawkins Bar Store, next season.
If he gives credit, we can clean him
out in one SUMNER" indiferently remark
ed Josh.
1t was Josh's amusement TO walk up to
some innocent Chinaman, whose knowl-
edge of English was extremely limited,
and earnestly ask him if 90 II was not his
opinion that mans inhumanity to man had
caused countless thousands to mourn?"
and when the puzzled Mongolian grinned
and replied, :" No shabbee," he would
hold him by the arm, and gravely and
argumentatively repeat to him half the
Declaration of Independence.
Josh came once very near being hung
for merely utilizing" mule. 1t was
one of the hottest days in summer, and
! Josh and two other boys were travelling