The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1886-02-19


The iirst three great gold discoveries
made on the Pacific Coaak we're aeci.
dsntally made. Tue Grst was made
near Los Angeles in ls42 by Francisco
Lopez, while huL.ing horses. he dis.
mounted 10 rest and, while resling, he
dug some wild oniena that were near
By, and when digging the oniona he
noticed the gold dust In The dirt around
the racta Of the onions. The second
discovery was made 10 ls45 by a COM
pany Of immigrants who were sn route
to Oregon. The third discovery was
made in lsls BY James w. Marshall
while engaged in building mill FOR
Capt. John A, Sutter, in Colonia coun.
ty, Cal. The frat and third discoveries
arc facts that have found place on the
pages Of historys bat The secsnd is yet
misty 10 the mind Of the average rsader
In the rear ls4b, juat about 40 years
ago last August . company Of emigranta
lsft the main smigraat road At Fort
Boise, plotted by 9. Meek, who claimed
that be could bring the smigrants into
the Willamette Valley on nearer and
better route. Il appears, that, after
leaving Fort Boise, they moved about
l5 miles west and struck the Malhsu.
river about 20 miles above the old EN-.
igrant ford on that river, and at tbs
place where they came to the Malheul
rivsr they crossed it and snsamFed. Al
THE place the company was thoroughly
organized, and Meek placed In charge
to act as guide. They moved from thia
frst camp on the Malheur in = southsr-
ly direction, and finally became confused
and lost. Daring their travels whils
lost some Of them picked up metal and,
not knowing what IL was, they brought
il into camp snd on 10 this valley. II
has been said the company in question
never found any gold or any other
metal. Nov the faes 10 they did 6ad
metal and that metal was gold, a. ]
viii prove. II 10 in order here TO state
that will make no statement Of doubt
fol import about the matter, or nons
that do not believe to be facts. The
irst objection made is that the company
did not end the gold, for none Of them
have attempted TO 20 back 10 the place
where the gold was found. Those Who
make this objection are not well posted
ia the past history Of Oregon, and the
attempts made to discover gold within
her bOidsrs. While I may not have
a. retOntivo . menOry as many, never
thsIsss ! do have the faculty Of recall
ing many things that have occurred In
the past. The frat attempt made 10
fad the Blue Backst mines wGs made
in 1855 by . party Of men from Salem,
or near that place. headed by Mr. Her.
ron, whose drst name / am not now
able to give. This party went up John
Days River, and on arriving at OF
near the head Of he South fork Of thai
stream the party was attacked by ths
Snake Indians, vbo drove them back
enc man being badly wcondsd and the
party barely escaped with their lives
/ might name several other parties thai
went iroaa this valley in search Of thes'
mines, but the last and most imporlanl
was organized in Linn county, ia 1876:
by Henry Martin. Mr.. II arlin wal
in the lsst company Of emigrants also
While sncamped at Silvies river, hil
party was taken by surprise BY the Ia
lqiians who got of with the bsst Of th'
6eht, leaving most Of the party on foo
and the wounded TO csIs for, Mr.
Martin at once gave up the hunt ant
returned to this valley. Would Mr
Heron, Me- Martir, or any ssnsibl
man, 20 TO the expense and trouble 0
organizing companies TO hunt for ihes
mines II they bad not been sasisfis
that gold had been discovered in tha
region by the lost smisrants Woul
they hays been willing TO face the saw
Sge tribes Of the forest in search Of
Wild visionary mining region ? But
should be kept 10 mind that every at
tempt made to discover the spot wher
the lost emrgrant found the gold hs
been attended BY attacks from Indians
and 80 far these attempts, for That res
son, have proven .fruitlsss. Quite
| number Of msn have lost their lives
these attempts. Il has been objects
that no rnsption ofths finding Of thl
gold had been made prior to the dii