, 1889-10-24
DISCOVERY OF GOLD.
1t Was Not Made by Marshall,
but Charles Bennett of
Oregon.
Testimony of Man Who Was
an Eyewitness Of the
Event.

From facts of the writer's Is, s. in the
West Sidc) personal knowledge Marshall
was not the first discoverer of the pre-
cious metal on the American fork of tho
Sacramento river, California, Marshall
having been the contractor for the erec-
ton of mill on the American river, and
the gold having been discovered while
that mill was in course of construction,
Marshall has been given credit for that
discovery, whereas one Charles Bennett,
a resident of Salem, was in fact the first
and original discoyerer. Bennett came
to oregon In 1si4 and rnaue his home on
the present site of Salem, and remained
there until early in the spring OF lS47.
He was well known and is still rcmom-
bcred in Salem being at one time pro-
prietor of the "Rennett house" after his
return from California.
The writer of this article in an address
before the Pioneer association OF Oregon,
in 1887, made the declaration and claimed
that II any, all credit was due TO Ben
nett, a citizen of Salem, for the first dis
covery of gold in that auriterous region,
the American fork OF the Sacramento
river.
Early in the spring of 1si7 the writer.
in company with Bennett and quite a
number of Others left the Willamette
valley and went to California. \ short
time after our arrival in California Cap
tain Sutter made Il contract with James
W. Marshall for the erection of Il mill.
Bennett was employed by Marshall TO
assist in its construction, and on the mill
nearing its completion water was turned
through the race to clear II of all OBJ
structions. 1t was then the shining par.
ticles first glistened TO the sight of man
Bennett, whose ever eager eye was cast
In all directions, first beheld the shining
dust. He 1t was who first reached forth
his hand and grasped the glit;ering mass
to ascertain its composition. All was eS-
element Bennett and Marshall rushed
to Suffers fort to counsel with Sutter.
After a day or two's consultation Ben
nett started for Monterey with about an
ounce of the metal to have IL tested. He
returned to the fork with the full assur-
anCe that it was gold. That ounce Of
gold we held in the palm ol our hand be-
tore and after it was tested.
Marshall has always been credited
with being the first discoverer OF gold in
California; but had 1t not been for Ben
net, in all probability that auriferous
region would never have yielded up It's
golden revenues TO the entcrprising
Yankee Bcnnett's searching eye was
the first to behold the dust glistening in
the mother earth, where 1t had been EN-
bedded tor centuries. He it was who
exhibited the first ounce of gold to the
wondering gaze of the Caliiornians. We
claim for Beunett, u citizen of Oregon,
the credit of being the first discoverer OF
gold in California. Well do We remem-
Der the time when, with sparkling eye
and enthusiastic hopes, he exhibited the
shining gold to our astonished gaze.
Bennett has gone the way of all of earth.
He met his death with that true bravery
| for which he was noted, while fighting
to protect the settlers on the frontier. II
a monument is to be erected, let 1t be in
Salem to the memory of Bennett.
The first gold from California was
brought to Portland in 1S4S by the brig
Sabine, Captain Crosby, the gold being
| in possession of the passengers We
were among them, and we can never for
get the excitement and curiosity mani
Tested by the people on its first presenta-
ton to their sight. We well knew Cap
tain Sutter in 1887. lie was then prac-
ticing ply sician in Westport, Mo.