New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-01-12

Der is perhaps nearest the mark. The
first arrivals were as early as July. The
main body came in from the 10th to the
25th Of August. They all headed for
Suffers fort (Sacramento). But dur
ing the winter and spring preceding
their coming the discoveries in Ell Do
RADIO County had extended from Colo
mo along the American, Weber Creek,
Mathenas Creek and Hangtown Creek,
as far eastward as Weavertown (now
as much lost place as Babylon or MIN
eveh) and Hangtown, now known as
Placerville. These towns or camps are
directly on the line of route. from Car
son Valley to Sacramento, and thou
sands of the grand army stopped and
tried their fortunes there. In the
spring of 1850 the County of Ell Dorado
contained a greater population than
San Francisco or Sacramento, nine
tenths of il being engaged at placer
mining.
There was no organized civil Govern
ment on the American plan till the 18th
of November, 1S49, when Peter Fl.
Burnett was elected Governor and John
McDOugal Lieutenant-Gover
Among the Argonauts chivalrous re-
spect for woman was carried to the ut
most extremity, and often to the ludi-
crous; as a single instance will explain.
In the spring and summer of 1850 some
two hundred miners, nearly all Ameri-
cans, were working on one of the many
''dry creeks in the foothills, forty
five to fifty miles to the eastward of the
Sacramento valley. They were edo
ing WE'LL" that is, those who worked
faithfully ten or eleven hours day
were making from SIG to 500. out of
which they had to pay expenses-say
three to four dollars day-for wear
and tear of tools, clothes, board, medi-
cines, etc.; every miner in those times
washing his own shirts and undercloth-
ing, which were of gray, blue or red
flannel. They lived in cabins by groups
of twos, threes, tours and fves. One
day cart, to which single old COW
was harnessed, drove up to the trading
post in the neighborhood. A slouchy-
looking pike was the driver. In the
curious craft sat a very plain-looking
and sadly-dejected woman, holding in
her lap an infant child. In less than
fifteen minutes crowd of fifty or sixty
young men collected about the cart.
Most of them had not seen woman
for six months. Eager inquiries were
s4owered upon the strangers. '.What
you ffrom?' 9Will you not stop here?
If you Will we will build you house,
furnish it, set you up with a supply
of grub, and all come and board
at your house." The offer was
gladly accepted, with such rude
thanks as honest ignorance can master.
In less than six m nths after this event
"Pike,' his wife and baby departed
from that camp on a stage and six, and
in fine style,, with a purse of $4,000.
They returned to the Western States,
and were never again heard Of by their
benetactors. The slightest insult to a
woman was resented on the spot with
out regard to her character, education
or condition. The man who cheated a
woman in his board or wash bill was
treated as a thief and driven out of
camp as a pariah. There are unrecord-
ed deeds of mercy and charity done in
those early days, the simple truth of
which would shame all dramatic effort.
Mr.. and Mrs. -- were among Che
early arrivals by the Panama route.
The y had opportunities of doing well at
San Francisco and Stockton; but the
husband had started for ''the mines,n
and, like thousands of others. he could
not be satisfied short of seeing them.
He possessed the instincts, education
and manners of a gentleman. The
wife, a delicate, warnl-hearted, lntelli-
gent and very motherly little New En-
gland woman, was in all respects fit to
be the friend and companion of such a
man: They brought their only child
a girl of five or six years, as beautiful
as fawn, and the life of the family
circle, which was soon enlarged by
boarders. Mr.. - was physically I'M
able to work in the mines. Mrs. -
cheerfully supported him in his illness
panama fever), hoping for his ulti-
mate recovery, which never came.
Within a month or six weeks after his
arrival he died, and the Argonauts
kindly and tenderly laid him away
in his eternal rest. The brave
hearted wife attended to her
duties as usual, until one morning lit
tie Elias flushed cheek and languid ex-
preston indicated that she, too, was
wanted on the other side of the river.
Night and day the mother hung over
the fading form OFF her darling, alter
nately hoping, fearing, despairing.
And night and day the Argonauts
gathered about to cheer, comfort, assist
and encourage. At last the supreme
hour came, and the sweet little flower
that had deli GIFTED and humanized the
rough natures Of so many homeless,
childless and wifeless men closed it's
leaves and faded away into memory.
With little Elias death the light OF
life persisted from the eyes and heart of
the mother. Her utter loneliness and
melancholy was sadder than death itself.
She was left in destitute circumstances.
The miners OWNED as much, and in less
than a fortnight after the burial Of the
child the widowed mother was started
on her way back to her New
England home with $1,000 and a
through ticket in her purse. This is
but one instance of thousands. The
demands upon benevolence were fire.
quent and always pressing, but the Ar
gonauts, though their avarice must be
conceded, albeit among the meanesJ of
passions, brought hearts with them
which on occasion could glow with all
the warmth of California summer
sun.
1t has gone abroad with the brand of
popular Endorsement that there is for
literature in the annals and traditions
OF early life in this State nothing worth
contributing but humor of the broadcast
and lowest type. This is a grave mis-
Judgment of the case; and no man ia
miliar with the inner life of those times
will assent to it. There was, to be
sure, humorous and ridiculous,
hooking side to it; but by comparison
with the serious, earnest, dramatic side,
it is as the laughing rill to the mighty
river. Every camn bar ravina which