Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-01-03
CROSSING TIE PLAINS.
"REMINISCENCES OF THOSE EVENT
Full JOURNEYS.
Typographical Sketch and Early
Mining Life on the Yuba-
Shifting Tides of Life.


Yuba river, ten miles above Smartsville,
and on the Nevada county side, a huge
bowlder still lifts its sand-polished crest
above the muddy water. There is nothing
to distinguish it from thousand other
powders near it, but nearly submerged as
il is, it has a history. In the later SOS 1t
received the name of Muller's Rock, and so
unto this day those who know the begin
ming of its history speak of ii as Muller's
Rock. About three hundred yards east Of
it. at the foot of little fiat, there still re-
main the crumbling stonewalls of an old
forge, and by it lies Muller's anvil, square
block of iron, with a rough uneven surface
on which Joe Muller sharpened picks in the
:" DAYS of old" when the Yuba river was
robbed of its treasures by the early gold
seekers. 1t has q square projection on the
, bottom. to be fitted into socket and thus
held. \ few hundred yards northeast, in
the same fat, is a small mound and a de-
preston, which marks the last work Joe
Muller did upon the Yuha. Mr.. Muller is
one of our Oldest pioneers, having crossed
the plains and entered California in the
fall of 40 He was born in Switzerland,
and is now about 6S years of age. The
greater part of his youth was spent in Hi
nois, where he eventually married and set
led down. with the intention of mastering
the blaclsmith's trade, and some day re-
| turning to his native home. But old Joe
never returned, and never will. When the
gold fever reached his home in Illinois he
was urged TO join train and seek his for
tune in an unknown part, but he refused
| for a long time, till report came that 500
| per day was being taken from the river
beds, and then he sold his shop, deserving
onI . a few necessary tools, which he after
wards had to carry on his back, and in
vested a large sum in an outfit. 1t is only
THE OLD STORY.
On the eve of departure the train" of
prairie schooners was drawn up in circle,
guards set supper cooked by camp fire and
! the whole business of camp life on the
plains was gone through with for the
| delectation of those who were to remain
behind. There was dancing in the town,
and the revelry ran far into the night
But with the first grey streak of dawn
oxen were voked, stores examined TO see
that nothing was forgotten, good-byes said,
and at sunrise the long train wound away
and the great trip that promised so much,
only to become a miserable adventure, was
commenced. Slowly they stretched away
till the town was far behind. And what
a town it was From it had gone the
strong and brave, the very pulse and life,
and with it had gone Joe Muller leaving
his wife and children, never TO see them
again. A month few by and then the
first trouble fell upon the camp. One
night their horses became frightened, broke
their tethers and ran away. Two only
were ever recovered though long search
was made, and then some of the wagons
were left behind The Indians afterward
molested them, and finally, as the summer
DAYS grew hotter, vegetation withered and
died and water became scarce The men
were compelled to walk and finally it be-
came necessary to make division of the
provisions, and guard was placed over
the Professionalism, and threat was
made to coniscate the share Of any man
who might be caught purloining from
another. And now Joe's tools were
thrown out and he was compelled to pacl,
them. Day by day their misery grew, and
day by day their oxen dropped down and
died. Then
STARVATION SEEMED At HAND.
Wrecks of other trains were passed, and
finally an earlier train was overtaken, a
few despairing men and women who were
only waiting for the last sleep that would
close their eyes forever. Little or no as
sistance could be given them, and their
feeble cheers were silenced again by the
deeper woe Of disappointment. The train
passed by them by moonlight, and Joe,
who was in the rear, was filled with sor-
row. Behind him was the last agonizing
wreck Of train that had started as full of
hope and confidence as he, and before him
was a dark uncertainty more dreadful
than the mind has since conceived. Far
ther on woman was passed, who
begged for one cup of water and one slice
of bread, not for herself but her starving
| babe But silently and sullenly all passed
her by but Joe One cut of water. Was
there no one to give it? After an hour
had passed Joe crept into the provision
wagon, took out his share of -four and
water and divided them, and hurried back.
| One or two drouehts were given to the
child, and then it sank into sleep, and
died. Leaving the mother with a heavier
heart Joe pressed on after his train And
at last the weary, miserable. trip was
ended The land of gold was beneath
their feet. And behind them, upon the
deadly track, lay many OF their friends
and comrades.
EXPERIENCE IN MINING.
At this point we must leave Joe and
skip his adventures previous to his mining
on the Yuha river where it forms the
boundary line Of Yuba and Nevada coun-
ties. When such mining was commenced
he never told me, but the river was then
mined by company, who had a "store +"
and Joe was hired at IS per day by this
company. A great deal Of gold was taken
out, and then the creyice was exhausted.
Then the company concluded to cease
work and leave, and one day when Joe
returned from a trip to another camp
Rough and Ready, | believe-he found
only the storekeeper, who told him he
could take his wages out of the deserted
stock of tools. This he did, and moving
farther up the river with his rocker, he
went to work, one of the saddest and most
discouraged of men. The first days work
amounted to s., exactly what he had been
earning at the forge in his old Illinois
home. The second day Sl5 were rocked
out. Day by day he obtained more and
finally concluded to send 81 800 by the
newly-established express to his wife.
While in the Office of the express company
at Rough and Ready he met two or three
friends, and they Joined him and formed a
| 70,
were admitted till the company numbered
eight men and boy.
IMPRISONED UNDER 4 ROCK.
And now we come to that part of ,Joe's
history where his name was given to the
old bowlder. This bowlder was then stand
ing nearly upright, with one side followed
ont, saucer-like, and Joe's men worked out
| thn o.rn,.al hencath II TIL Ii tnnnled nrnr