New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-21
A CRAZE FOR GOLD.
CALIFORNIA; EXCITING RECORD.

Vol. XVIII. California Vol VI, 1s4e.1s59
Svo., PIP xi., 7s1. San Francisco Inc Iiis'o. - :
Company. NewYorh: Frank NJ Dof0'' Ina
Church.st.
The sixth volume of Mr. Bancrofts History Of
California is one of the most interesting OF the
work 1t treats OF the discovery OF gold. the
early placer mining PERIOD the nrst crude DC
einnings of Californian political ana sociai me-
The admission of the State to the Un'on' the cor
ruption which necessitated the two rlsings OF the
Vigilance Committee in San Francisco, the en-
citing political contests and intrigues growing
out of the attempt Of the chivalry wing OF the
Democratic party to control the State ana es-
peoially its representation at Washln2ton-an az
Ter pr which eliminated in the killing OF BrodericK
and the consequent wreck OF til" faction that had
plotted that th.nly yelled assassination No one
can complain that Californian history is dull or
monotouous No writer of fiction ever invented
story more crowded with exciting incidents,
dramatic groupings, unexpected tdrns gorgeous
scenery. magnificent cx'ravagances, blood-curdling
,illanics and absorbing narratives; and Mr.. Ban
croft has done full justice TO his material hold
ing the balance even telling the truth with charac
teristlc frankness. and supporting all his concu-
sions with a wonderful body Of authoritative
evidence
The first SC me in the great drama opens at the
pretty little valley called then Culuma. and since
known as Cooma. the South Fork OF the
American River. There. somewhere between the
] 9th and cath of January, ls4s. James W. Mar
SHALL who was putting up n sawmil under
partnership agreement with Sutter. found tn fist
gold while examining the partially constructed
tai-race a feeble effort was at first made 10
keen the secret hut it was impossible. Yet credit
was not Willingly given 10 the report. San Fran
cisco began by ridiculing it, One Of her principal
tod in
imposturc for weeks after the rush 10 the pacers
had been in progress. When the pioneer miners
came TO San Francisco and showed their gold, how
ever all hesitation was at an end and the town
went mad All business speedily suspended;
the ,aapers led publication; lbe churches, nay,
even the saloons and gambling-houses were dc-
serted scores, ard eventually hundreds. ol sh'lS
in the hnrbor were abandoned by their crews, ana
often also by their officers and captains; day Dy
dar the fever grew, and the migration to the
foothills continued. Mr. Bancroft corrcctS the
common impression that in 6iS there was much
rowlyism at the mines. lie shows that nearly
al the mining that year was done by people
ALREADY in the county. IL was not until 1919
that the crowds from without, from the last
ana the West began TO pour in, and il was with
this INN grafton that trouble bgan. We cannot
aqrc, with Mr. bancroft III his view 10 the effect
that California was under no obligation to provide
Tor James W Marshall. No doubt IL Is true that
his discovery was accidental, and that u ne had
nc: found the cold some enc else would nave
done 81. BIT the same argument would deprive
ms discoveries of the credit the world has always
agreed 10 yield them, and, moreover, there are
ve.l-known preccdcn's for the rcwardlng 81 these
who open up new gold-Ge'ds These considerations
aicnc arc sufficient to support N&rshals ciaim
Int tbcy are by no nsears all that can be adduced
81 nj rpl
why the State should have provided for the dis
covcre, The main one Is that Marshall was
ruined by the gold discovery, while the Immediate
arcrts Of his ruin were the people Of California
rhcT1solveS-thc miners 10 whose uses he had
opened tie great trcasurc-housc. Mr. bancr0it
appears to regard Marshall Eighty romancer,
whose statements as TO the wrongs he suffered
mus; he taken with large allowance. Perhaps
50 hrt II is deserving of consideration That the
biogsarhcr OF Marshall did not rely 10y any means
implicitly upon the latt RS narrative, but made
injuries among the survivors oi the pioneer
Zines. and from the lips of many old miners who
had worked side by side with Marshall IN le4s
and 1919 Obtained corroholatoD Of the discovercrS
assertions Il is therefore reaSODal il certain that
the old man told the truth. and that he was, as
he said prosecuted in a special manner because
OF his discovery.
lie was spicd upon wherever he went prospect
ing lie WAS repeatedly driven from claims he
had tal,en M lie was seized hulicd and threat
ened because he declared his inability to find fresh
diggngs II prospects were ruined, his temper
was sOured, and whatever eccentrclty ne possessed
originally was aggravated by this abuse; IN add-
lion TO which his small property was stolen from
him by the unscrupulous gold-sce'crs, who dld
not hesitate 10 tear the mill down for the lumber
and who killed and al" the stock belonging TO lh
Nobody prr.cnds that Marshall was "a great man,
but certainly he was the instrument of great
event and not less cortainly that event. while en-
riching Others impoverished him Th're appear
70 be reasons enough why California should have
PROVIDED at the least decent saiiciency for him.
and why also the refusal to do so must be consid-
cred ANYTHING but credtabe TO those who were
responsible for it. When, moreover, reflect
upon the extravaganza which for so many years
was the distinguish NJ Characteristic of Calltor-
MIA Legislatures the bog9ling over petty pen
son 70 James Marshall can only recall the script
ural figure of straining out gnat and swallowing
camel
The troubles of individuals however, found
no audience when the gold-rush was at its
height. Inc excitement over the discovery spread
RAPIDLY and in the spring of ! $40 great numbers
of adyonturcrs prepared 10 set out from the most
distant points for the new Eldorado. 1t was no
easy Journey either by land or sea, ana the VIC
tins of the gold-hunger have never been counted
Those who went by sea via the lsthnus OF
Panama were the prey of knavlsh Spectators
in New-York. who sold tickets for pa sage from
papama TO San Francisco far beyond the capacity
OF the steamers running between those ports
The cons. queEcc WAS that such CROWDS |
accumulated on the Isthmus as engendered fatal |
epjdemcs and hundreds. having been aeeccd OF
all their reserve funds by the exorbtant charges
died there and filed namcless graves. When
the California steamer arrived at Panama the few
bcrths available had TO be fought for, and so
rapacious was the steamship company that the
price of steerage passage to San Francisco was
fixed at $1,000 The whole way by water was
6l,ea with trans and pitfalls for the gold-scelers