Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-20
THIRTY YEARS ago.
THE MISSOURI EMIGRANTs LAMENT
BY THE YUBA RIVER.
An Eyewitness Story of the Shocking
Massacre of Pit River Indians
in September, 1859.

cotton walls were the sole protection from
outside air, while sheets and other luxu-
ries of bed were scarcely thought of. The
''great unwashed" from all parts of the
earth mixed promiscuously, and the depre-
dations of horss-thieves left many we'll
mounted man to pursue his toilsome jour-
ney on foot. A Sacranentan re-
lated to a UNION reporter his ex-
perience on the banks of the Yuba in the
spring of 80, where he stopped to rest and
Craze weary mule. He said that while
sitting on the grass he was approached by
q substantial. farmer-looking man, whom
he invited to seat beside him. After con-
versing awhile on the hardships of Califor-
MIA life, and ascertsining from whence the
Sacramentan had come, the guest said 81
came from old Missouri; thar / was well
off; had a good wife and two children,
and nice farm with orchards and every
thing, and two as fat, sleek niggers as you
ever seed and they loved me like father;
and last night had thirteen mules stolen
from me, and here l be, afoot and broke
And that amt all, sir-Fm lousy, sir p
And the tears rolled down his cheeks as he
convulsively confessed his shame "Yes
(sob), ac(sob) too al(sob) -ly lousyw At
this point his feelings evercame him, and
he could say no more. He probably got
back to Mis- souri, as soon as he could.
1.-THE Plumas Argus published the fol.
lowing account Of the killing Of Indians
on Pit river by company of whites "Our
informant, Henry Landt, acting as guide to
General Kibbe, was on the ground soon
after the foul massacre was concluded and
estimates the number killed al ninety, only
ten or whom were warriors, the rest being
women and children. He depicts the scene
as most horrible. Bodies, mutilated and
half burned, were strewn over the ground,
fifty of the victims lying in sight from one
standpoint. General Kibbe, as we gather
from Landt's report, on reaching the scene
of action, made but little improvement on
the acts of the bloodthirsty wretches who
preceded him. Having captured two in
fants, he ordered them taken out in
view of the Indians, and, through prom
Uses of protection and kind usage and
the anxiety of the Indians to secure the
children, persuaded two warriors to come
into his camp. Fair promises were made
these men, and through them an invitation
was extended to the tribe to meet him the
next day for big talk and feast. On
the next day the same men, accompanied
by one of the Chiefs of the tribe, visited the
camp Of the Americans, and falling to come
to any terms were detained when they
attempted to leave, contrary to express
stipulations, and when, on discovering the
bad faith of the whites. they attempted to
make their escape, two of them were shot
down, the Chief being retaken. The next
day the recaptured Chief veryTeadily came
to terms"
......On the 18th of October, 1852 the
residents of Dutch Flat and vicinity had
grand celebration in honor of the compile
tion of the Placer county canal. The town
was handsomely decorated, and the ami
mated groups of miners, with q sprinkling
a. inoline on the balconies, company
of small boys decorated with bright rib
bons and drawing the hese carriage adorned
with flags, evergreens, etc.-this, with the
incessant roar of artillery on the anvil
principle, together with music by the local
BIZ IS band, constituted very lively and
pleasing contrast to the silent ravines, tun-
nels and canyons from which the sturdy
miners had come. At noon the procession
was formed opposite the old Blue Cut
Hotel, and marched through the town.
The chief feature of the procession was the
mining companies, which were largely
represented, each delegation bearing ban
ner with a motto. These were as fol-
lows: Yankee Company" Take courage
there's a good time coming" Badger
Comparative and let live Gooselin
Company-"That which works long, works
well at the last" Franklin Company
t'Strike while the iron is hot" American
Company-"Long may the American river
rum Hol everyone that thirsteth come
and drink" st. Nicholas Company-"By
industry we thrive" Hog-Eye Company
'Root, hog, or die" There were many
others. J. w. tombstone was Marshal of
II nd
Judge Slade delivered the Grafton. Re-
marks were also made by E. L. Bradley,
the contractor who did the work; Captain
Pollard, Colonel Fellows, Charles Seffen
and others.
......A gang of rowdies, consisting of Tom
Rooney, William MCGEE, James Sears,
John Wooley, and q few others of like
character, virtually "owned the town" for
a while on the night of October 18th. They
were all more or less drunk, and made the
round of downtown saloons, breaking and
smashing things as they went. At Joe
Harris saloon, corner of Third and K
streets, they not only threw glasses at ran
dom but broke up pool game, by Selling
the balls and driving the players out of the
place. They also knocked down and beat
q man on the sidewalk; broke in the win
dows of a house on Second street; visited q
masquerade ball and broke it up, scatter
ing the dancers in all directions. They
were finally arrested at Joe Virgo's saloon
by officers Burke and Cody, where they had
been about to inaugurate their riotous
proceedings, but were warned that the first
man who attempted anything of the kind
would be shot as it was, they had done
lots of mischief down town, the people
through fear, having allowed them full
sway. The officers landed them safely in
the lookup.
Thirty years ago this month Edwin
Booth was playing at the Arch-streei
Theater, Philadelphia; Anderson, the TRACE.
dian, was in St. Louis following on the
heels of Barry Sullivan; Kate Denim Ryan
Old Tom Kembie and daughter, Drew. Faw
cett and others were playing at Pittsburg
Pa; Laura Keene was playing to crowded
houses in New York; at the Winter Garder
were Agnes Robertson, Mrs. John Wood
A. A. Davenport, Jefferson, Pearson ant
others-all playing in The Cricket on thu
Hearth Matilda Heron was playing thu
heroine in Geraldine" at the Boston
Atheneum; Mr.. and Mrs. Chanfrsu wer'
in Hartford, Conn, and Adelaide and joey
Gougenheim in Cincinnati.
Madame Biscaccianti, a noted singer
arrived in San Francisco in October, 1859
For q time she was bright star at thu
IQeAlcIS, anu uIcM EIthl CIOMuS, Uul cOA1'
wears later she had fallen so low that only
melodeons (now known as diyes) woulC
employ her, such as the Bella Union
Olympic, and others
General Winfield Scott, having jus
arrived in San Francisco, was rendered |
grand reception. Speeches were made b.
Colonel E. D. Baker and others, and larg
PROCESSION paraded the streets. Quarter
were secured for the General at the Orienta
Hotel. then the best in the city.
The Sacramento Library Association
elected the following officers: Jacob Shew
President: DR.. G. L. Simmons, Vice Presi
dent; q. o. Mills, John H. Mckune, Johi
Gillig, n. A. II. Ball and James l.. Eng
lish, Trustees; J. f. H. Forbes, Treasurer
and William Blauvelt. Recording Score
tary. !,
There were Dashsways even in tn
old mining town Of Georgetown, Ell DO
RADIO county, and DR.. Spencer was Presl
dent of the society; Vice-President, =. ID
Watson: Secretary, W. S. Thomas; Treas
urer. ]. j. Williams.
....A P Catlin was elected President o
the Natoms Water and Mining Company
on the 18th of October. The other Direct
ors were H. A. Thompson. A. h. Grim
Francis Clark, James s. Craig, G. P. Mich
OILS and 7. Arrowsmith.
49,. Red Bluff was in sad need of
preacher and offered hattering induce
ments for some one to go there and ex
mound the gospel.