Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-06-12
NUMBER "a.
EARLY CALIFORNIA.
Yerba BuenR Before the Discovery
of Coli.

OF Gold.
We extract the following from General
Sherman's volume of Personal Remins-
cences. 1t relates to his first residence in
California, which commenced in 1878:
AT that time that which is now called
San Francisco, was called Yerba Buena.
"A naval officer, Lieutenant Washington
"A. Bartlett, its first alcalde, had caused it
to be surveyed and laid ont into blocks
and lots which were being sold at SIG u
lot of fifty varas square the understand
ing being that no person could purchase
OF the alcaIde more than one in o; of fifty
varas and one out-lot of one hundred VA
ras. Folsom, however, had got his or
derlies, clerks, etc, to buy lots, and they
for small consideration conveyed them
to him, SO that he was aominnlly tho
owner of II good many lots. Lieutenant
lIalleck had bought one of each kind and
so hid Warner. Many naval officers had
also invested and Captain Folsome advis-
ed me to buy some, but | felt actually
insultcd that he should think me such
fool MS to pay my money for property in
such horrid place as Yerba Bueno, es-
pecially his quarter of tho city, then call
cd Happy Valley. AT that day. Mont
gomery street was, as now, the business
street, extending from jackson to Sacra-
mento, the water Of the bay leaving Just
room enough for few houses on its east
side, and the public warehouses were onn
sandy beach, about where the Bank OF
California now stands, viz: near the in
tersection Of Sansomc and California SITS.
Along Montgomery street were the stores
of Howard II Mellus, Frank Ward, She,-
man IL Ruckol, Ross IL Co.,, and it may
be, one or two others. Around tho Plaza
were few houses, among them the City
Hotel and the Custom House, singlestory
adobes with tiled roofs, and they were by
far the most substantial and best houses
OF the place. The population was esti-
mated ut four hundred of whom Kanakas
natives of the Sandwich lslands) formed
the bulk.
The time passed rapidly away until tho
Spring of 1913, when the great discovery
was made which produced ut once social
and financial revolution in California
The event is simply recorded by the au-
thor, without the preliminary flourish of
trumpets, which man of less common
sense would not have failed to sound ON
L. Al
two mon, Americans, came into the office
and inquired for the Governor. asked
their business and one answered that they
were from Captain Suttor on special bus-
mess, aud they wanted to SEQ Governor
Mason in person. After some time, tho
Colonel came TO his door, and called 10
me. | went in and my attention was di-
rccted to series of papers uniolded on
the table, in which lay about half an
ounce Of placer gold. Mason said to me,
What is that?' touched it and ex-
amined one or two Of the largo pieces and
asked, Is this gold ?" Mason asked me
il had ever seen native gold. replied
that in 1874 was in Upper Georgia, and
there saw some native gold, but it was
much Finer than this and was in phinis or
IN transparent quilts but / said if this
were gold, il could be easily tested, first,
by its malleabiity, next by acids. took
piece in my teeth and the metallic lustcr
was perfect. | then called to the clerk,
Baden, to bring an axe and II Ratchet from
the buck yard. When these were brought
| took the largest piece and beat it out
fiat and beyond doubt it was metal and
pure metal. Still, we attached little I'm
portancc TO the fact, for gold was known
to exist Mt San Fernando ut the south and
yet was not considered of much value"
1.-THE Winter Of 1913 40 was period
OF intense activity in California. The wet
season was unlayorable to the operation
Of gold mining, and was very hard upon
the thousands Of houseless men and wo-
men who dwelt in the mountains aud even
in the towns. Most Of the natives and old
inhabitants had returned To their ranche1
and houses yet there were not roofs suf-
fcient in tho country 10 shelter the thous-
ands who had arrived by land and by sea.
The news had gone forth to the whole
civilized world that gold IN fabulous guam
titles was to be had for the mere digging.
Adventures came pouring blindly in to
seek their fortunes without thought Of
house or food. Yerba Buena had been
converted into San Francisco. Sacra-
mento City had been laid out, lots were
being rapidly sold, and the town was be-
ing built up AS an entrepot to the mines.
Stockton had also been chosen as con-
venient point foT trading with the lower
or southern mines. Captain Suffer WAS
the sole proprietor OF the former. and
Captain Charles Weber was the owner Of
the site Of Stockton, which was yet known
us French Camp"
A CONDUCTOR on the Union Pacific
Railroad nut "A ''dead beato off his train