The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-12-20
SKETCHES OF '49.
A Mad Rush to the Land of Gold.

A Mad Rush to the Land of Gold
Probaly no more romantic davs
ever existed in the annals of mod
ern history than those that marked
the epoch of the eventful years O.
'49-'5O, in the Golden State. Cali
fornia-the new Eldorado! A land
teeming with riches of glitterine
gold. The red-shirted miner, 8
true knight Of the nineteenth cen.
tury, was the most conspicuous in,
dividualin the field where a vigorous
strife for wealth was enacted. The
camp fire on the streams, the rude
cabins, tents, springing into villages
in day marked the spot where in
after years cities have made their
foundation. The rush to the field
of gold was like an irresistible tor.
rent Of water roaring down the
mountain side. With the accumu-
lating population floated a very
undesirable class of citizens, who
INDUCED chiefly in gambling, and
did not stop even at that, for many
a miner who had made his stake
and was on the trail to the States,
was found dead in some lonely gulch
where naught but a higher power
could explain the mystery, but if
the perpetrator of the deed was
found, Judge Lynch was prompt in
executing vengeance. The flight of
time has changed the state of things
considerably. While to a great ex-
tent, the golden hills yield up their
treasures, other pursuits have large
ly attracted attention. The old
'49er is almost a character Of the
past, many of the mining camps
are silent and it may be truly said
that the gold dust days are as tale
that is told.
CROSSING THE PLAINS.
Many of the old citizens of the
Pacific slope can look back at the
time when a trip to this section of
the West meant many days of toll
and hardship. Particularly is this
true of those who crossed the great
plains. Nowadays q few days
journey places us in the Eastern
States. In those days months and
months were required to put the
plains between them and the East.
Where large herds of bufaloes
roamed and hostile Indians lived.
they pitched their tents and kin
died their fires. Owing to the great
peril attending a trip across the
wide expanse of wild country it be-
came necessary for emigrants to
band together, with rifles in readi-
ness for any foe that might modest
them. At night sharp watch was
kept, for any moment the remorse-
less enemy might march down upon
them. 1t took grit and persever-
ance to cross the plains in those
days, and the old pioneer has won
the respect of all by his courage
and enterprise in hewing the path
way.
CULTUs GOLD.
In the early days when the hills
were swarming with tenderfoot min
ers, many funny mistakes were
made by the amateur prospectors.
Skookum Jack, who was among the
early miners in the Ceur d'Alene
region, while camping at Roaring
Forks, was startled almost out of
his wits by a report that bushels of
gold nuggets were scattered around
loose near Dead Mans gulch. The
information was carried to him by
old White Wings a cunning Indian
chief, who declared he had no use
for the stuff and would sell it to him
for forty blankets and a keg of rum.
1t did not strike Skookum that the
Indian was foolish for not taking
the gold to the settlement and cash
ing it in, as he was on his first pros
pecting tour. Jack gave White
Wings all the blankets he could buy
and started with his guide for the
treasure. The shrewd savage and
Skookum reached the locality on
the fifth day at dusk. Bright and
early the next morning the pick
was at work, a bag made of deer
hide was easily filled with the pre-
cious looking metal and the young
miner had all he could do to carry
his valuable treasure. The chief
directed Skookum toward the camp
and for ten days he struggled on.
Haggard and foot sore he reached
camp and showed samples of his
find to an expert who Immediately
pronounced it worthless. Indeed
Skookum's collection consisted OF
but heavy load OF iron
pyrites, mineral possessing many
external characteristics of gold but
utterly worthless.