Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-16
THE GOLD DIGGERS.
A Reunion of the FOrty-Niners in
Pittsburg and Vicinity.
VERY FEW OF THEM NOW SURVIVE.
They Do Not Believe Late Reports About
New BonanZas.
MEMORIES OF THE GREAT FEVER

Something Of zest was added to the festivi-
ties of q reunion of ''Forty-niners" last
night by the reported discovery of great
gold streaks in Lower California. These
men were gathered at the residence of f. G.
Negley. No. 623 Fifth avenue. There were
16 of them. These are the survivors Of the
"Argonauts," band of 400 men, who left
Pittsburg on the 18th of March, 1S49, for
the gold fields in California. Nothing
better could have happened to spice up the
fortieth anniversary of this expedition
than the recent discovery of more gold in
California.
When roll was called last night just 65 of
the original 400 were accounted for. The
Others are all believed to be dead. The roll
was called by messes. The survivor of each
mess would invariably answer in tones of
sadness:
''I'm the only one left in that mess"
THE SURVIVORS.
Many were killed in California or in the
West by Indians; others died on the way to
or from the Golden Gate, while others have
passed away since then. Two who were
present at last years reunion have died since
then. They were John Wilcox and David
Darndollar.
The 16 assembled last evening were :
Messrs. f. C. Negley, j. K. Darlington, J..
Aiken, Jacob Cupps, j. G. Anderson, J..
Hugus, W. H. Wilson. W. Schaefer, J.
Kerns, W. c. Reed, b. II. Dixon, W. j.
Bender, John Glenn, II. Wilson. D. P. Es-
tep and c. F. Kirkland. In addition to
that three guests were present from Craw-
ford county. They were: W. 81. Herring
ton, W. h. Davenport and j. h. Moreley.
These gentlemen are also "Forty-niners. +"
but they were not in the Argonaut's expe-
dition.
Three toasts were proposed during the an
niversary, as follows: ''0ur Country" re-
sponded to by f. c. Negley; California, "
responded to by John Hughes; sour Alb
sent Comrades" responded to by c. f.
Kirkland. They were all extemporaneous
responses, but each contained some little
gem of thought or jewel OF recollection.
THE STORIES RECALLED.
The evening was whiled away in story
telling. One gentleman recalled the fact
that the Pittsburg expedition arrived in
california Wne0 Jnat part oil bne country was
convulsed politically. The question whether
California should be free or slave State
was being agitated and was to be decided at
the polls in the following November. The
Pittsburgers turned in and electioneered
against slavery, and with their votes helped
to save the State in November.
Not q few romances of 'the diggings"
were related. Girls were scarce out there
then, but the romances Powered around the
letters the boys got from their Pittsburg
sweethearts And some tall anecdotes were
developed of the amount of ''stuf" taken
out of claims. Naturally enough there was
considerable gossip about the reports of a
new Ell Dorado in Lower California. These
reports were not generally believed by the
old gentlemen. Even if they are true it
seemed to be the unanimous feeling that
while California is a glorious country,
Western Pennsylvania is a little more
glorious; and that for gold diggers of their
age, there is no place like home.
The committee appointed to receive rates
from the railroads for passage to San Fran
cisco, Cal, to attend the next annual re-
union of the California Association on
September 9, to which an invitation was
received, reported the best offer as $50 for
the round trip. The committee was con-
tinued to investigate further and report.
The old officers were reelected for 1889:
President, Major F. c. Negley; Secretary,
W. j. Bender; Treasurer, Henry Dickson.
A vote of thanks was extended to Major
Negley for the interest he displayed in the
welfare of the association.