The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-09-26
MARsAALL's DISCOVERY.
An Account of the Finding of Gold In Cal
Mornia.


ifornia.
/ see a notice of the death Of James
w. Marshall, who discovered gold in
California became acquainted with
Marshall, at Coloma. California. ]
knew him intimately, and was associ-
ated with him in business at that place,
which is on the south fork Of the Amer
lean River Marshall was native OF
New Jersey. Gold was discovered in
February. 1913. by Marshall and an
other man named Wiener. have for
and Weimer built for Colonel Suffer a
saw mill at Coloma, and had finished it
in February. 184S. am a stakeholder
in company which now owns that
saw mill. The mill had been erected at
the head of bar where the river bends
around it in the form of the letter u.
The mill race had been cut through the
bar, and when the mill was started II
was found that the race was too shall
low, and for this reason the wheel OF
the mill was partially under water The
water was shut of. and Marshall and
Weimer went down into the race to
ascertain where it was to be dug Deep
er A point about fifty yards
below the mill, they concluded, was
the place which INSTRUCTED the flow OF
water. Here Marshall said to Weimer:
what is that which shines just at the
toe of your bootP" Weimer then picked
up the shining piece. and they both
thought it piece of brass. They began
to conjecture how it was possible for a
piece Of brass to get into the race.
From the fact that no brass had been
used in the construction of the mill. and
that the piece found had been worn
smooth. they concluded that it was not
brass, and might be gold. On that day
Mrs. Weimer was making soap. and for
this purpose had made 1ye by teaching
wood ashes. To test the metal found
Mrs. Weimer boiled it several hours in
this lye. and when she removed it from
the lye it was as black as ink. These
facts were stated to me by Marshall,
Weimer. and Mrs. Weimer. i went
with Marshall to Weimer's house to see
the first piece of gold found in Cal
ifornia, and then and there the whole
history of the discovery was talked over
by all three of the persons who partici-
pated in the discovery. Mrs. Weimer
then showed the piece of gold. Its
weight was 81, or, the value of the
ounce being S16, in other words, 81
pennyweights. The form of the piece
was that of long, irregular pumpkin
seed. II was still black as when taken
out of the I've. except at one end, where
the incrustation formed by the I've had
been removed.
This discovery was made in February,
1848. The day do not remember. As
soon as this I've test had been made
Marshall and Weimer went into the
mill race and with wooden bowls washed
out some two or three ounces of gold.
and Marshall carried it to Monterey to
ascertain If it were gold. This was the
nearest place where the means to make
the test could be had.
Colonel Suffer resided at his fort, near
what is now the city of Sacramento. He
was Swiss and classmate of Napoleon
Ill. One evening, when going down
the Sacramento River in q steamboat,
Colonel Suffer told me the story Of
Marshall's return from Monterey
Colonel Suffer said: 81 was in bed. and
it was about two o'clock at night. l
heard some one ride up to the fort, the
horse running at the top of his speed
Then banging at the gate; then
heard the clank of the spurs on the
brick floors of the fort; then pounding
at the door of my room, and when
opened the door in rushed Marshall,
shouting: Its gold! it's gold!"
At the time Marshall and Weimer
built the mill at Coloma the labor used
was Indian labor. There were no other
white men besides Marshall and Weimer.
Marshall was unmarried and had no
children. | think Weimer had, but do
not distinctly remember.
When Marshall returned from Mon
terey to Coloma he brought with him
about 800 Indians, and took to Weber
Creek, distant about six miles from Co
Iona. There with his Indians he washed
out large amount of gold His part
was sufficient to buy from Suffer the
saw mill at Coloma. In 1849 Marshall
and John Winter owned the mill to-
gether. and they also owned Winters
Hotel. They sold the lumber at $500 q
thousand, and the demand was greater
than the mill could supply. l paid at
the hotel 800 week board, without a
room. Marshall was then worth more
than 100000, but his generosity was
without limit. He gave to all who
asked of him. He had no business
qualifications. and when sharp business
men came in and built up the little town
of Coloma, Marshall was soon traded
out of all his property. His money he
had lent where it would never be re-
turned or had been given away.
Then Marshall became a prospector
for gold mines. Several times fitted
him out with mules, men and provisions
to go prospecting. He knew the coun-
try better than any other man at that
time. and led the way to many rich
placer mines; but he never found any
that were rich enough for him. Often
has he left mines where he could take
out six or seven ounces per day to each
man to seek an Ell Dorado where hun
dreds of thousands could be made in a
week.
Since 1852 I have known nothing of
but concur in the opinion
that it is disgrace to the State of Cali
fOrnia that she has suffered Marshall to
die in want To Suffer first and Mar
shall next is California most indebted
Henry c. Gardiner, in N. Y. San.