Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-08
WORK FOR THE PIONEERS.

not pleasant thing to have to say, but it
is the simple truth, and it is time it was
pointed out 1t cannot be admitted that
the only object of Pioneer associations is
to give dinners and social reunions,
and to provide halls where the members
may lounge and exchange ancient stories.
The same feelings which have prompted
the organization of these societies ought
long ago to have melted them to take upon
themselves the duty of preserving the
many interesting relics of early days which
are now SO rapidly vanishing from the earth.
Take for example the discovery of gold.
So little is known of the facts of that
momentous event that in two-thirds of the
so-called histories which are put IN the
hands of our children, the story is inaccu-
rately told. A great many people believe
that Suffer was the discoverer, and We
have seen the location of the discovering
gravely printed as the neighborhocd of
Suffers Fort. Whoever has found that
Coloma was the actual birthplace of the
great gold rush, however, and seeks there
disappointed. We doubt whether there
are score of people living who can point
out with any approach to exactness the
spot where the old mill stood. There is
not mark of any kind to guide the in
curing traveller to the place. The oldest
nhabitant of Coloma is in doubt about IT,
And yet there are wealthy Pioneer Socie-
ties all over the State. Take for another
example the decay of Suffers Fort. That
historic building should be preserved
with the greatest care, and be defended
from the weather, but it is rap
idly disappearing under the influence
of time and the changing seasons, and
the indications are that in few years it
also will have gone the way of all our
relics At Monterey the same carelessness
and indifference are manifest everywhere.
No steps have been taken to preserve any
of the venerable memorials of former age.
Nothing more disgraceful than the condi-
ton of the old Mission Church of San
Carlos, in the Carmelo valley, can be i'm
agined. Yet very few hundred dollars
would put this and many other interesting
though the Church of San Carlos belongs
to the Catholic Church, it is not to be sup
posed that its preservation is altogether
matter of Indifference to its owners. The
fact that no less than fifteen Governors OF
California are buried there should suffice to
secure the most energetic measures for its
restoration and safekeeping, and we know
of no enterprise more completely appropri-
ate to the supposed functions of the Pi.
oneers.
Another most interesting relic is the
camping ground of the Bonner party, at
Bonner Lake. Here again nothing has
been done to preserve the memory of the
spot, but travellers are left to find out for
themselves the site of the tragedy they
have heard so much Of. In fact there are
great many places in the State possess
ing some association which ought to be
cherished, but in nearly every instance
these places and things are neglected.
Nor is this the most reprehensible of the
sins of omission chargeable upon the Pio-
neers. For many years thoughtful men
have been urging the establishment of an
Historical Society, in order that the rec
ords OF the early times might be collected
and utilized. This work properly belongs
to the Pioneers, but they have not done it.
Mr.. Hubert H. Bancroft has single
handed achieved the only really i'm
portant collection of early historical
documents, records and narratives,
but an immense amount of avail
able material still lies scattered all over
the State, and very much of it is of
character requiring prompt attention, or it
will perish. There are now living here
and there old men who have never put
their recollections in writing, but who
possess funds of deeply interesting rem
iniscenses which ought to be taken down
and preserved. This is kind OF labor
which only society formed for the express
purpose could be expected to accomplish
The Pioneers possess within themselves
much, if not most, of the material, and
they could if they chose save it from OBJ
livion. 1t is fact which every observing
man knows that the history of the founda-
tion of this State romans to be written.
1t is history Astounding in interest, and
full of valuable lessons and suggestions,
but it has up to this time been merely
skinned over by those who have at
tempted it. One reason of this has been
the difficulty of obtaining the data, and
that difficulty must become greater instead
OF less as time passes, unless more atten-
tion is paid to the subject hereafter. We
believe that what is most needed is an
initiative. We have plenty OF wealthy,
liberal and intelligent men among our
Pioneers, and probably all they require to
set them to work in the right way is some
stimulus and some definite plan of action.
1t is certainly their interest, and may well
be thought their duty also, to take steps
for the perpetuation alike of the material
monuments which survive from the past,
and the historical variations which belong
to the period in which they affect to take
SO much pride. We should like to see some
OF these Societies showing more sensitive
ness in regard to the decay of the ancient
relics and the disappearance of the ancient
traditions, and we think they ought to
make it apparent that they recognize the
obligations laid upon them by their con-
nection with the rapidly-vanishing early
days of California.
HANCOCK AND 1876.