Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-24

her except with offering Of gold / made tb,
common mistake, and have paid the penalty therefor
When got to California--this land Of gold-thi.
land OF wretched hopes, suicides ard drunkards
graves, could not think of waiting to build up 9
fortune by the slow process Of professional life
Every day away from the side of nv angelic wife
seemed a year. must make money quick, and get
back to her. therefore went into the mines-the
accursed mines
When left my wife told her that I should be
satisfied to return with ten thousand dollars, If
could get no more in three years, but she need not
expect me until had at least that amount. On the
steamer coming out had fallen in with one Tom
Allen, regular old '49 miner, who had made some
money and was returning from visit to his friends in
the States" He told me about what big time
he had, and how he spent or gave away bis money,
because, he said, know just where to go and dig
plenty more.'
When told him who was and where was from,
he familiarly called me Kentuck," and said would
find that all the boys had nicknames up in the
mines
III fell in" he said, " with lot Of Missourians,
and because was from Massachusetts they called
me Yank,' although am not one Of those blue
bellied chaps you find up in Connecticut"
Before we left the steamer the mining firm OF
Yank & Kentuck was formed, and the exact spot
marked out where were to take out our everlast-
ing pile.
Poor Yank, better heart never beat in the breast
of man, but he came to California too SOON
We purchased our mining outfit at Marysyille,
and perched on top of Concord coach we struck
out for the mountains. Up the hill side we went,
past mining camps and up among the tall pines
When at the summit, Yank announced that our
stage-ride was at an end, and we must take it on
foot. We had couple Of sacks OF -four, four pairs
OF blankets, side of bacon, ham, pick, two show
els couple of rifles, pistols. nails, ak, hammer,
saw and some fifty pounds of etceteras such as salt
salaratus, etc.
"Now." said Yank, 1--WE will just take them lit
tie traps our backs and strike off toward the
Feather. 1t is only about five miles down there.
We can make it before night"
Just about dark we reached the river, tired and
out, for the descent had been fearfully Steep
"Ths is the spot" said Yank, "where we are to
make our pile. Prospected here before l went
the winter don't set in toe soon you can go back to
that little wife Of yourn by Christmas"
Having confidence in my companions words /
slept soundy on this my first night in the Mines
and dreamed OF happy "old Kentucky home I"
Next morning, as l was good hand with an AK.
set to work getting out material for shanty while
Yank went prospecting for the best place to begin
mining operations. By night ne had collected in all
about an ounce Of dust, the result Ct his pannipg
around in different places "with long ton,' said
he, we can take out at least two hundred dollars
day. Only hundred days to get your ten thou
sand, my boy.'
was overjoyed, and felt full confidence in being
the luckiest OF men. "My good angel and Inez'
good angel" l thought, "sent this treasure Of a
partner across my track"
In five days We had our cabin built and everything
ready for mining in good earnest. On Sunday l
wrote to lnez letter, giving an exact account Of
the situation, and walked up the hill to the stage
road to send 1t out In fortnight 80 prospectors
began to call on us, and soon shanties began TO
spring up around US. Mining laws were made, and
restricted as to our claims In a couple Of
months we had taken out about ten thousand dol.
lars, and sent two thousand dollars to Inez.
There" said proudly, as | saw the stage leav-
ing with the check, "my wife need not be beggar
any more. She can live on that until get home -
Would to God that had followed it, But did not.
Our claim did not pay so well. We dropped down
to about thirty dollars day, and we both became
dissatisfied But still we had taken out great deal
Of money. One day, along in September, Yank
came irto the cabin, as was placing dinner on the
table, and said " Look here Kentuck, l have been
prospecting little and making some figures. If we
could turn the river little with wing dam just
below our claim, we could take out bushel of gold
1t will cost some money to do it, but we have now
about twelve thousand dollars, aud turn
her nicely for that sum. We will say no.hiDg abou,
that small sent to the little wife, but what Is
there belongs to both Of u.s.
After dirner we went to the river and figured out
just how we could turn it. We hired all the men
we could and put them to work. Yanl was almost
as large in stature as myself had been br- ught up
to work, and we worked, too.
No two men ever did more work in the same time
than we did, and we wet all over from morning
till night In about six weeks all our money was
gone, but we had the river turned. The first day
regular jollifcation in the cabin that night. The
miners all locked in to congratulate US, and they
all true and sincere in what they did and said
l do not believe there one in that camp that en-
We'd u.s. But while the congratulations were going
on it began to cloud up, and by morning it was
pouring down rain but worked in it all day, and
several Of friends volunteered to help that
we cleaned out about two thousand dollars that day.
The next day we went to the site of our works, only
to find them all gone
"Never mind, said my jolly partner, "the gold
year. 1t knocks your going home for Christmas,
though, pard ~
We found we could not work our claim on account
of the water, and finally concluded that we would
go out to Marysville to spend the winter. When we
got there found letter announcing the birth of o
daughter.
That daughter is perhaps i'll living. She is a
young lady, yet for ten years have not dared to
seek to know word of her. Ii she is living, she
thinks her father dead as he should be. have not
dared to think of her; but oh God what yearnine
sezes me to see that child. For the last few days
have imagined she was me. Sometimes have
SIarteu anu turntu, eAptctinS W see Het-uut
never will never will
"Look here, Kentuck," said Yank, on Christ
mas day, "you had better take them four sugs Csc
peces) l am no good banker any more In try
ing to make expenses off the monte bank last night
l sank all the balance"
was disappointed and somewhat provoked, bu,
OF course said nothing. Our claim up in the mount
aims was worth great deal of money, and we would
work it in the spring. But why had not taken
that same money when first came down, and gone
to see the baby? l saw that there was great open
ing for me in my profession at Aarysville, and when
mentioned it to Yank, be urged it very strongly
"Send for the wife," he said. " She came come on
what you sent her before, and will go up to the
claim in the spring and take out half million OF
so in no time"
The secret Of my not doing this was that I wanted
to take out that half million So and go back to
nv old home and show what had made, under Judge
Underhilrs nose. This was wrong feeling, and
some orer-ruling Providence may be Furnishing me
for 1t now.
The early spring found us upon our mining claim
making ready for our wing dam. We had not a cent
Of money, and had TO work placer claims to
nav expe, ses and do most Of our preparations for
our wing dam ourselves. We had offers Of partner.
ship by men who had money, but we preferred to
carry it ourselves By the middle OF August we
had the river turned and commenced to take out the
gold We took out easily from one to two thousand
dollars day.