Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-11
The Days Of "'49.~


Stories VIII ich New York Ora, HE Alleges were told
alta Recent Reunion of the Foneeys:l
Pioneer C.'s story: IL went to the mines
early in As purchased in San Francisco "A
washngmachine.' weighing 60 pounds. which
packed on my back over the hot and arid plain ly-
ing between stockton and the Mokelunne
river. When | got there I dug my first hole
and planted my washing machine 10y it. Ii
wouldn't work. Pretty soon the oldest man in
the mines came along. and says he. stranger.
now much dye charge for washing shirts: |
told him was not there To wash shirts Out In
wash out gold. He burst into Il guiiaw which
was heard IA far as Murphy's camp Way
says he. that's continuance for washing clothes
you've got thar They We taken ye in and done
for !e. Ii was true. ] had been cruelty inn
posed upon. But made small fortune cut of
that wasfinG-machiae. 1 gave UP gold mining.
turned WaSherWoman for the whole camp al
Cut-thrcat Bar and in six months made $4,000
10y washing shirts at 80 apiece. Gentlemen.
the services performed in building and max
ing history for the great state of California are
among the proudest reflections of my life"
Judge BIS story: When | arrived in San
Francisco there was any amount of hanging
going on by the vigilance committee. There
was great scarcity Of rope for haters. hap
pened to have with me n bale of choice hemp.
Law business was Just then very duh. Il had
opened law office and hung out my shiagle.)
Al
seized ME. I occupied my spare time (Which
was all my time) in making haiters and selling
them to the vigilance committee al 800 each.
Some days made $500. A single boiled potato
cost then dollar. This was the commence
ment of my fortune. regard with shame the
humble part had in building up the state of
California"
Pioneer DIS story: my 40 house in .Happy
Valley was hocshead. Al night laid if hor-
zonlally on the ground and slept much of
myself as could in it. by day | stood The
hogshead on end. top up. and lived i'm it, /
started my bar in this hogshead. | cut hole
in the side, tackled little shelf outside. and
when customer appeared, put out my bottle.
The bottle held my entire stock i'm trade.
sold whisky at 30 cents per drink. | have
known men to travel quarter OF mile after
being struck with that whisky before they fell.
Those were great times. As things prospercd
with me bought more hogsheads and rented
them out at 500 per week. California il a great
country for bringing out mans full strength
and character i should never have been half
the man l am but for my Californian eXper-
ience. 1t was my good fortune to have had
Some share in building up that great and
glorious state i am proud of it,
Col. DIS story: lon the first night of my
arrival put up at the Occidental hotel then
kept by Lewis and Jerome Leland. I slept on
the top floor. During the night | heard
scratching. paving and shifting at the door.
Thinking it to be the eat I opened if to drive
the animal away. 1t was not the cat. An en-
ormouS grizzly stood before me. The door
opened. and with single bound he overthrew
me and was in the rcOm. With one stroke Of
his paw he demolished my spectacles. tore out
my set of false teeth and upset nay cologne
bottle. had three reviewers and four bowie
knives in my valise. but alasi had he elected to
take any of them out before retiring. The
monster seemed TO divine the contents of ms
portinanteau. for he grabbed it with one of his
human-like claws and threw il ont of the
window. Shall tell you how fought him and
saved my life: VIII you believe il: | fought
him with my bottle OF smelling salts. Every
time lie made for me gave him sniff of ii.
He wo:l!d roar terribly and temporarily back
down Then lie would rush for ne again. The
fight was kept up for the remainder of the
night until my supply of smelling salts was eX-
hausted. called out to Lewis Leland to send
me up some more. He replied that there was
but single pound in the entire city. | said
Buy it AT any price He sent oar a waiter
who returned with the reply that if would cost
$1,000. | (here the speakers words will be
drowned by the band)-at the close of which
there will be heard slight murInur Of proud
record-my part-hulding up the glorious
state-nia."
Gen. Els story: Il landed on the shores Of
the Golden state in IS Although my stay Was
hut 10 minutes. assisted as a spectator in
hanging two men without judge or jury. There
was no delay in justice in those DAYS. ! believe
that one OF these lien was afterwards found
innocent. But ne was ;itl awful example TO the
guilty party, whoever he was, and who was
neyer-ne, peyer-dscovered Our vessel
sailed then immediately to China. Although 1
have never seen the shores of the glorious
state assisted to find and make history for
still the humble part in which it was my glor-
iOus privilege TO take in eleyating her to her
present proportions is one of the proudcst
etc"
Maj. F.s story: During the spring of 30
the Nallop-o-Wog%a tribe of Indians used often
to attack our camp at Dirty Blanket bar. We
expected attacks from them nightly and were
in the habit of sleeping or our arms had no
arms then bat p0cket-pistolI had brought out
from the states l used to sleep on that So
did my brother. These eocket-pistols were
fully charged every night. They were ~ener-
ally empty in the morning i'm consequence of
the repeated and furious attacks from these
lndianS-and snakes. 1t kept one man busy
getting them charged next day-at the
nearest grocery. They were loaded from a
barrel Those We're wild old times. L can tell
you. One day two wild Indians chased my
brother three miles. We saw him being pur-
sued by them. That is we saw him but never
saw the Indians. 1t was the same with
snakes. Numbers OF our party were pursued
by snakes. but it is singular fact that no one
ever saw the snakes save the parties pursued
People at the East can never realize the hard
ships and perls endured by US brave, daring
California pioneers. 1t was a very dangerous
country where We mined. Nearly all of our
party eventually met their death at the hands
of these Indians and snakes. Whisky then was
$50 per gallon. It. cost US nearly all our earn
ings FOR ammunition. But, gentlemen, / am
proud that /, toO had a hand in making Cali
fOrnia the great state she is"