Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-02-01
A California Yarn.

[Bodis Free Press.
The winter Of 1923 was the first
severe winter the earlier immigrants ex.
perienced in California. They were lily
prepared to meet any thing like rigor-
Gus winter. Many miners simply
camped in tents conveniently pitched on
the bank VI stream where the rnanzan.
tia bushes and low chapparrel would
break the force OF the wind. The towns
or mining camps" usually consisted Of
single, short, narrow street with
squatty, one-story buildings on both
sides OF 1t, and generally located on the
steep side Of some deep canyon. On
the Yuba. high up in the mountains,
there was built up in the fall of 1852 q
little mining camp OF about twenty
cabins and perhaps double rs many
souls. This was known by half dozen
different names, but retained neither Of
them, as, after its placers were worked
out in SO, the place passed into silent
oblivion. For the present purpose let
us call the place Hardscrabble.
In the fall of 1852 the town con-
sisted Of twenty small buildings. Six Of
these were occupied as saloons and
gambling houses lthree on each side Of
the street two as trading posts, and one
as butcher shop and express Office com
bined The others were used by miners
10 cook, eat and sleep in. In those days
none knew the importance of laying in a
supply for the Winter. The traders re.
newed their stocks every month from
Marysville, or bought from passing
traders. The storms Of the Winter set
in early and continued necessarily. The
snow fell to an enormous depth, and
the town Of Hardscrabble was buried
very deep beneath its surface. In the
month Of February some one in Mays
vile reflected that Hardscrabble had
not been heard from during the Winter.
"Snowshoe" Thompson was there at the
time, but unknown to the fame which
he afterwards acquired. However, he
lashed light knapsack of supplies to
his back and struck out for the camp on
snowshoes. He reached there at noon
of the second day. Thompson saw no
signs Of either camp or life. He did,
however, discover very faint smoke is
suing from. the snow.
Taking off his snowshoes he com
menced probing about with his pole
when he suddenly broke through the
snow and landed at the front door Of a
large room in which were six haggard
miners crouched around slow fire. The
street was literally honeyoombed with
tunnels through the snow leading to
every door in camp. Everything that
could be possibly eaten had been used
up. Thirty-four shallow graves had
been dug between two cabins, and the
corpses OF that many starved men had
been wrapped in blankets and buried il
them. Thompson made tho best dispo
sition he could of his little supply o
food and st once sought the nearest set
tlemnet, sixteen miles away. Here h,
procured more supplies and little sled
with which no returned to the sufferers
The surface OF the snow was crusted
and it was easy travelling. Thompson
tore up some flooring, with which ht
built ladder and managed to get siA
emaciated men ON the sleigh. The little
food he dared give them did not do them
much good, but he got them to the
nearest house alive. Five died, and the
only survivor of that Inflated camp
James p. Smith, now lives at Sweet
water, Mono county.