The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-06-08
THRILLING TALES OF 40.
Stories Told at a Recent Reunion
of California Pioneers.
PIONEER B.'s STORY.

PIONEER b. STORY.
81 went to the mines early in '48. l
purchased in San Francisco washing
machine, weighing sixty pounds, which
packed on my back over the hot and
arid plain lying between Stockton and
the MOnkelumme river. When | got
there dug my first hole and planted
my wishing machine by it. 1t wouldn't
work. Pretty soon the oldest man i'll
the mines came along, and says he:
stranger, how much dye charge for
washing shirtsp l told him | was not
there to wash shirts, but to wash out
gold. He busted into a guffaW, which
was heard as far as Murphy's camp.
Why says he, that is cOntriyance for
washing clothes, you've got there
They've taken ye in and done for ye.' 1t
was true. had been cruelty imposed
upon. But made a small fortune out
of that washing machine. 1 gave up
gold mining, turned washerwOman for
the whole camp at CuthrOat Bar, and in
six months made $4,000 by washing
shirts at SO apiece. Gentlemen, the ser
vices performed in building and max
ing history for the great State of Cali
fOrnla are among the prOudest reflection
of my life"
JUDGE BIS STORY.
"When l arrived in San Francisco
there was any amount of hanging going
on by the Vigilance Committee. There
was great scarcity of rope for halters.
| happened to have with me bale of
choice hemp. Law business was then
very dull. l had opened a law Office and
hung out my shingle. My expenses were
$50 per day. An inspiration seized me.
l occupied my spare time (Which was all
my time) in making halters and selling
them to the Vigilance Committees at
500 each. Some days | made $500. A
single boiled potato then cost 81. This
was the commencement of my fortune.
regard with shame the humble part |
had In building up the State Of CalifOr-
MIA"
COLONEL DIS STORY.
"On the first night of nv arrival limit
up at the Occidental Hotel, then kept by
Lewis and Jerome Leland. | slept on
the top floor. During the night Iheard
a scratching, paving and smiling at the
door. Thinking it to be a cat, / opened
1t to drive the animal away. 1t was not
the cat. An enormous grizzly stood be-
fore me. The door opened, and with a
single bound he overthrow me and was
in the room. With one stroke of his
paw he demolished my spectacles, tore
out my set of false teeth and upset my
cologne bottle. l had three revOlvers
and four bOWie-kniVes in my Yalise, but
alas! had neglected to take any of them
out before retiring. The monster seemed
to divine the contents of my pOrtman-
teau, for he grabbed it with one of his
human-like claws and threw it out of
the window. Shall l tell you how /
fought with my bottle of smelling salts ?
Every time he made for me | gave him
sniff of it. He would roar terribly
and temporarily back down. Then he
would rush for me again. The fight
was kept up for the remainder of the
night until my supply of smelling salts
was exhausted. called out to Lewis
Leland to send me up some more. He
replied that there was but a single
pound in the city. L said: Buy it at
any price. He sent out a waiter, who
returned with the reply that it would
cost 81 600. Il here the speakers
words will be drowned by the band, at
the close of which there will be heard a
slight murmur of proud recOrd-my
bodybuilding up the glorious State of
California"
GENERAL E.'S STORY.
81 landed on the shores of the Golden
State in 184S. Although my stay was
but fifteen minutes, | assisted as a spec
tatOr i'll hanging two men without Judge
or jury. There was no delay in Justice
in those days. believe that one of these
men was afterwards found innocent.
But he was an awful example to the
guilty party, who ever he was and who
was neVer-nO, never discovered. Our
vessel sailed then Immediately to China.
Although have never seen the shores
OF the glorious State L assisted to find
and make history for, still the humble
part in which it was my glorious privi-
lege to take in eIevating her to her
present position Is one of the prOudest," {"
&c.
MAJOR F.'s STORY.
During the spring of 40 the Wallopo-
WOggs tribe of Indians used often to at
tack our camp at Dirty Blanket Bar. We
expected an attack from them nightly,
and were in the habit of sleeping on
our arms. had no arms then but a
pocket-pistOl 1 had brought out from
the States. used to sleep on that. So
did my brother. These pOeket-pistols
were fully charged every night. They
were generally empty in the morning
In consequence of the repeated and
furious attacks from these Indians
and snakes. 1t kept one man busy get
ting them charged next day-at the
nearest grocery. They were loaded from
barrel Those were wild old times, |
can tell you. One day two wild Indians
chased my brother three miles. We saw
bin being pursued 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
1t Is q singular fact that no one ever
saw the snakes save the parties pursued.
People of the East can never realize the
hardships and perils endured by us
brave, daring California pioneers. 1t
was very dangerous country where we
mined. Nearly all of our party event
ually met their death at the hands of
these Indians and snakes. Whisky then
was $50 per gallon. 1t cost US nearly
all our earnings for ammunition. But,
gentleman, 1 am proud that l, too, had
hand in making California the great