Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-01
Ell DORADO.

No county in the State, possibly no sec
ton of equal size in the Union. has his
tory so full of thrilling interest as that of
Ell Dorado. 1t was here that gold was dis
covered, the news of which spread with
rapidity throughout the civilized world
and caused the Argonaut to wend his way
across the trackless prairies, over the
rugged mountains, to the golden shores of
the Pacific. With an area in extent almost
equal to that of Rhode Island land as
arabic as that along the Nile, scenery which
in point of grandeur eXcels that of sunny
Italy, and crystal streams with beds of gold,
it is no wonder that the pioneer thought he
had entered the Elysian Fields of the
Utopian country, and in the exuberance of
his joy named the newly-found paradise
Ell Dorado" The history of El Dorado
county, from the discovery of gold by the
lamented Marshall at Coloma, while en-
ployed as laborer at Suffers mill, would
fill an immense volume, so rich in point of
interest so diversified as to characteristics
of her cosmopolitan people,; SO thrilling
with episodes of pioneer life so apparently
fabulous as to her yield of golden treasures,
that the greatest work of fiction would
scarcely equal or compare in interest. In
less than one year after Marshall's discov-
cry over 10000 gold-seekers were within
the borders of Ell Dorado county, and for
several years that followed it was the ban
ner county Of the State. The placer mines,
owing to the great number engaged in that
industry, were worked out at an earlier
date than those OF adjoining counties, but
her deep gravel deposits and rich quartz
lodes continue to yield golden treasures,
and from present appearances promise to
do SO for ages to come. The western boun-
dairy of this county, few miles east of the
town of Folsom. is ITO miles northeast of
San Francisco and 80 miles east of the Cap
ital City. 1t is bounded on the north by
Placer county, from which it is divided by
the Middle Fork of the American river. Its
eastern boundary is the State of Nevada
and Alpine. county. On the south it is
bounded by Amador county, and on the
west by Sacramento.
ITS COUNTY SEAT.
The first county seat was the historic
town of Coloma. In after years Hangtown,
or, as ii since has been named, Placerville,
became the county seat, and has since so
remained. Placerville has an altitude of
1000 feet. is one of the most prosperous,
populous and wealthiest towns of the inte-
rior of the State. At one time in the pio-
neer days of California, Hangtown was the
metropolis of the State-the home of the
most eminent jurists on the coast, and was
considered the Athens of California The
euphonious sobriquet of Hangtown" was
given, as the name would indicate, by a
neck-tie party " which took place at its
| first settlement. In those days life and
property were held more sacred than at
present, and he who dared to violate the
| great unwritten law" was disposed of
after hearing by jury of his peers, and
no Jail was required to take care of the in
dividual who was convicted by such tri-
bunal. A miners meeting as all such
Courts were called, was conducted in a
manner which exhibited spirit of fairness
and disposition of justice that, in compa-
rison. our present Courts, and the laws de-
lay, seem burlesque on the blind god
dess. Early In l649 such Court assembled