Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-02-18

"40ERS."
1--WE Californlans never tire OF talk.
ing about the eyentful days OF 40. when
the great gold fever spread over tbe
state, said an old business man. one
OF the original Argonauts, to San
Francisco correspondent the other dav
There was something about that Life
that man taking part in il never for
gets. | was one who had the gold
fever 1T that time and roughed n
with hundreds of others in the excitjno
hunt for the glittering metal. As re-
suit everything about 40 becomes Of
particular interest to us. The speak.
er had in his hand the account of Wis
it Just made to the locality where cold
was first discovered in the state. The
region is the "divide" between the
north and middle forks of the Amer.
can river. 1t is an area OF not more
than ten miles square, yet in it is met
with every form of collaborating depos-
it found in the state, and within its
limits have occurred some of the most
romantic incidents and tragic events
connected with the mining history Of
California's pioneer days. One Of the
most interesting spots is Todd's val
ley, which belongs to the portion Of
the divide known as Forest hill The
writer was one of the gold-seokers who
visited the locality in 49, and had
personal acquaintance with the char
acters he speaks of. He says:
Long will the packer and Others,
who in 40 travelled up and down this
divide, have reason toremember Todds
valley, not for the reason that any
special good luck or dire calamity there
happened to them, but because this was
the only place where a white woman
and frolicking children, and dogs, and
cats, and COWS could be seen, and q
square meal obtained at that day
These were comforts all made possible,
and so brought within the reach of the
'49er, by jim Williams, who, in the
summer of 4S leaving Santa Cruz aud
taking with him his family and domes-
tic ANIMALS, repaired to this valley and
there put up u Stockade cabin, Whereat
man and beast were afterward enter
tanned in royal style. jim Williams
was Missourian by birth, but, having
killed 4 man in his native state, found
it expedient to emigrate. This he did,
first going to Indian Territory aud
later coming to California. In this
killing he was not altogether to blame,
but enough to blame to render further
residence in his own home uncomt0rta-
BILE; hence his removal. But in COM
ing away Williams was not the man to
leave his family behind. He gathered
them up, even to his mother-in-law and
his wife's two sisters, very comely
maidens, and brought them out into
the wilderness with him. His ca0ln
being the only place in the whole coun-
try where a Christian meal could be
had, few going up or down the ridge
ever passed without calling. The re-
suit was that Williams made moneyso
much so that the next year he sold out
the place to one DR.. Todd.
The writer paid visit to several oil
the historic spots in the vicinity. Re
ferring to them, he says; Located on
the middle fork near its junction with
the main river is Murderers bar. On
this six young men from Oregon were
killed by the Indians 10 May, lS4@
Further up on the south fork, near hel-
sey's diggings, one of Kelsey's brothers
was in like manner killed the same
year. BY reason of these and olher
murders committed by the Indians d
party went out from Suffers mil, ana
having corraled lot of the saYages
brought them in to the mill, where, al
ter Il sort OF trial. some dozen or more
were shot. Near here, little further
south, is the scene OF the famous oiu
mill where gold was first discovered IL
California. There is also the town Oh
Greenwood, in Greenwood valley
botn named after Old Jim Greenwood
about the best specimen Of mountain
Ger and trapper that ever wore oucH-
skin hunting-shirt and moccasin. A
the spring OF 80 Greenwood vas iHius
with his family, which consisted nam
ly OF numerous horses, retnle g
dogs, and several boys, at the oia MAJ
where Bio was noted character oo.N
because OF his striking pcrsona ploAi'
auce and the LARGE quantities Of wh'se!
he was capable Of consuming "i."oe,
any visible effect He had lciy ms h' ~
in Missouri " sen 2 youth and speh' ~. ~
whole after lie ia the service O. ~
various fur companies, hunting au'
trapping il the Rocky Mountains nay
ING also served as q guide to some y
the expeditions sent out by the genei.'t,
government to explore the regions y u
the great northwest. Though over -
years of age when living at the mn, ~
got about with the agility Of youth an
could still handle his rifle with unel,
ring precision. His boys by his lnuIan