The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1880-05-22
"JOsuISG" TEE EnIGRANTs.
How the Boys Fool CredaIous Folks
from East or the Big Mountains.

Ever since the "days of 49," emi-
grants have been considered legitimate
subjects for practical joking by those
who have become acclimated. In early
days, in the California mines, newly
arrived emigrants from the Western
States were made the victims of many
a hoax by those who had had their eye
teeth cut in a similar manner only q
year OF two before. The new arrival,
dressed in homespun, and worn out
with his six-months' tramp across the
plains with an OK team, was generally
unsophisticated and prepared to believe
anything that was told him by those
who had preceded him, and had to
learn by experience the ways of the
country. The emigrant of to-day, who
crosses the continent in a. comfortable
car in less days than it took months
twenty or thirty years ago, is not very
much different from those who crossed
with OK or mule teams, except that he
does not wear blue jeans or butternut.
He is ready to believe anything that is
told him, no matter how ridiculous or
preposterous it may seem to others.
This trait in the emigrant's character
subjects him to many hoax. At the
present time there is strong current
of emigration West, and as the trains
on which they travel remain here an
hour, the ''boys" have lots Of fun with
the travellers. Occasionally they pre-
tend to be fishing in Cross creek, which
crosses the railroad track near the
Depot, and to delude the emigrants,
have salmon or other fish brought from
California, which they make the emf
grants believe they catch in the stream.
OF course they instruct them how to
catch them, and get the credulous
"Tenderfeet" to take off their shoes
. and stockings and wade into the stream
to catch the fish, which they are told
lie ON the bottom, and as they are
spawning can be readily thrown out on
the bank by quick motion OF the
hands and arms. AS the water is riled
by the melting snow at the head Of the
stream i'll the mountains, they wade in,
expecting to find the bottom covered
with salmon yard long; and when the
train is about to leave, they reluctantly
get aboard, and attribute their i'll sue
cess to inexperience as fishermen. AT
other times, they are informed that the
country between here and California is
infested with hostile Indians, and they
leave with the impression that their
scalps are i'll danger. They are in
formed that Strawberries, which are
now getting to be quite plentiful, are
raised III the open air few miles from
town, and that roses are in bloom just
below the snow line in the mountains;
and nearly all OF them believe it. The
most absurd stories are told them about
the country and people, and although
many Of them are people of at least or
binary Intelligence, in the language Of
the "boys," they take it all in" They
have no idea whatever of mining, and
they think that bars of bdllion are cut
from solid veins of silver, as stones are
dug out of quarries. Their gullibility
is surprising, and their tormentors are
merciless, but i'll year or two after
their arrival they will play the
same jokes OF which they are now the
victims, upon those who come after
them. 1t has been so ever since gold
was dicovered in California, and it will
continue thus while there are immi-
,,.,ptS co,ninu IN the coast