Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-03-06
IN DAYS OF OLD.
"Reminiscences of Suffers Fort by One of
the Argonauts.

BosToN February "a, 1880.
EDS. RECORD UNION: Your issue of the
9Th INST, containing an article upon the
sale of Suffers Fort, admonishing its
friends to step in ere it is too late and save
that precious old landmark from total ami
hilation, came duly to hand few days
since. This is the first newspaper of any
description that has ever been received by
NE since / left the country, thirty-six years
ago. 1t was sent to me by much-respected
friend of mine natiye-born citizen ofyour
State and resident of Oakland, the Athens
of California. In looking overits contents,
sheet by sheet, found several well-written
articles inclosed in lines of recognition,
which evidently were put there to attract
nv attention, that l may note the wonder
full growth of the State since / left it, its
marvellous productions and the newly in
vented machinery now in use to expel the
snow from the roadbeds in the Sierra Ne
vada.
But the article above alluded to, and
which was of vastly more consequence to
me, was not marked at all, leaving one to
assume that the subject matter of your
article was of insufficient interest, and that
the deeds of this grand old outpost, as well
as the name of its founder, had become but
the fiction of day. Had his father died
in Suffers Fort, as mine died there forty
two years ago, the articles IN question
would have been reversed, and the Chris
tan burial his remains received could not
but inspire in him a sacred love for that
prince of pioneers, who done so much good
in the early pioneer days OF that wonderful
land.
There was a cry of touching tenderness
in your article that affected me deeply. |
read it over and over again, and laid it
aside with feelings of infinite pity and
shame. When it falls to the lot of indIvid-
uals to preserve the hallowed spots of
State or nation it reveals legislative, if
not moral, defect that words can never
express. To my mind this country never
did greater wrong than when it allowed
Mount Vernon to be sold, as it were, under
the hammer. That was spectacle quite
as bumiliating as it was shameful. If it
has fallen to the lot of the surviving pio-
neers to accomplish for the founders of the
Golden State what Edward Everett accom-
plished for the people Of this republic, then,
say, God speed the cause. We cannot
begin moment too quickly; we cannot
finish our work minute too soon.
shall never forget the scene that pre-
sented itself to my boyish gaze as stood
upon the walls of Suffers Fort IN the early
dawn of summers day in '49. We had
stopped there on our way to the mines to
complete our outfits and prepare ourselves
for the Journey before US, and while the
boys were cooking breakfast climbed up
the old rickety stairway and mounted the
walls of the fort. The day was dawning.
The wolves were still bowling from the
underbrush that skirted the banks of the
river, the screech owl still hooting from
the neiehboring trees, while the buzzard.
dropping down from the darkened sky,
swept along over the rolling uplands. The
Coast range, dark and forbidding stretched
along the western horizon. The Sierra
Nevada, covered with everlasting snow,
loomed up grandly in the glimmering light
of the new born day. When the sun came
up it came up smiling through the notches
in the mountains, purpling the sky for
miles away. As the light increased so did
the scene unfold, opening up magnificent
valley, with noble rivers fringed with shell
tering trees.
1t was not till the sun had risen above
| the loftiest peaks that the slumbering soli-
tude burst forth in all the glory of land
of dreams, and / seemed to be standing in
the center of vast landscape of SURPRISING
Dcduty. away do ldl DC thC CyC SOuto
reach stretched vast plain, dotted here
and there with herds of browsing cattle.
| The twin sentinels, Mount Shasta in the
north and Mount Diablo in the south
| guarding, as it were their luxuriant valley
| from intrusion, reared their shaggy heads
| far up into the deep blue sky. In all that
great waste there was not habitation in
sight, nor human being to be seen, except
| the drowsy Indian sleeping in the shadow
of the fort, dreaming his life away.
can never recall the genial hospitality
| of Captain Sutter and his subsequent hui
initiation without pang of the deepest sor'
row. From titled landowner in '49 o.
an estate representing fortune too colossal
| for computation that prince of pioneers
became few years later pauper upon
| the State be had done so much to found
God spare Suffers Fort, which has given
| shelter to so many weary emigrants from
| sll parts of the civilized world.
| Personally, have strong regard for thi;
| old landmark. 1t was from its walls that
Captain Suffer pointed out to myself and
companions the route to the mines. 1t was
| from this Temporary hospital that my
| fathers remains were carried out to their
last resting-place under the shadow of its
walls. They are still there, resting side by
side with others that formed the group o
unknown graves" in the winter of 40
| These graves ought not to be disturbed
now, but allowed to remain forever pari
and parcel of that sacred mausoleum.
/ As We are entitled to the various societies