The record-union., 1891-08-29
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
Old Gold Diggers Who Pursue Phan-
toms of the Past,
Explosion of the Steamer McClelland
at Knights Landing-Sacramen-
tans Rushing to Arms.

cerville Democrat. Like the ''tributer,"
these men would not accept a steady job
at three dollars day unless in dire need.
They are their own bosses, and through
their veins course the speculative blood
OF the early Californian. In imagination
they see the bonanza ''pocket" which
they first dreamt Of two-score years ago,
and the picture is no less bright because
of the small 'finds' made from time to
time and dissipated. Had these men
worked steadily and saved their money,
they would long years ago have possessed
tho fortune which they to-day pursue,
but the riches they seek are to come in
one big pocket" and minor finds are
as nothing. Pocket" hunters usually
work in couples. They will start at the
foot Of a small water-course, washing a
few pans of dirt from the bed of the
stream.
If "the color'' is found few pans of
earth from the hillside, a few feet higher
up and TO the right and the left, will be
prospected. "COlOrs' are still found,
and following the same system the men
Will gradually work up the water-course
and the hillside. Perhaps half way up
the hillside the prospect fails. Then they
know that they have passed the deposit
from which the "colors'' found were
washed by the waters of the stream, and
go back. If the ''colors" from the various
prospects warrant, almost every foot Of
ground will be tried, until at last the
pocket is discovered. With feverish
excitement the find is developed. 1t
may yield q few ounces, or It may be that
gold worth several hundred-at rare in
tervals worth several thousand-dOllars
will be unearthed. If but small find
hl1j a
outfit Of Overalls purchased, and the bal
ance OF the money spent with the boys"
y few weeks later and the partners are
again ut work, destined probably to labor
for year or more before another such
find is made, in the meantime barely
managing to keep body and soul together
by the sale of an ounce slowly accumu-
lated now and then.
.........On the 25th of August, 1861, the
steamer j. a. McClelland, which left this
city for Red Bluff, exploded at Knights
Landing. a large number Of persons
We're killed and still more wounded. The
full list OF killed was as follows:
Il. Gardner, lumber dealer, Sacrament
10; Joseph Arcega, wood dealer, Sacra-
mentO; J. Webster, mate; G. ). Howell Of
Sacramento, clerk; John Tenny, bar
keeper; Noel Hubert, knights Landing:
Aaron Leland, Knights Landing; two
Isaac Keal, knights Landing; James
Morrow, Sacramento; one passenger,
name unknown.
Joseph Arcega had been resident of
Sacramento from its first settlement Ee
was a Mexican, and was interpreter for
General Taylor during the Mexican war.
He had with him about s., 900 at the time
of the accident.
Clerk Charles T. Howell was also an
old resident of this city, and had formerly
been a farmer in Franklin Township.
lie was also a member OF the Legislature
OF 1888 The trip was his first in the ca
pacity of clerk Of the boat
4. Gardner had been an extensive
lumber dealer at Front and Q streets, but
was on his way up the valley with con-
siderable money to buy wheat.
THE Washington Rifles, COM
manded by Captain T. L. Roberts, left
Sacramento on the 10Th of August for
San Francisco, there to be mustered into
the Government service by General Sum
ner. The company was nifty strong, and
wholly recruited in this city.
The next evening a meeting Of ladies'
was called by Mrs. Z. B. Crocker, Mrs.
D. Baldwin, Mrs. c. Foster, Mrs. J.
Stewart, Miss i. A. Emons and Mrs
Captain Pierce to provide a means for
raising fund with which to supply the
volunteers with certain necessaries not
included in Uncle Sans army outfit. 4
society was formed and officers elected as
follows; President, Mrs. d. w. Welty;
Vice President, Mrs. 5. l.. Griswold; Sec
retary, Miss +. A. Emons; Treasurer,
Mrs. c. \. Norton; Board of Managers,
Mrs. Z. 4. Baldwin, Mrs. J. 4. Crocker
and Mrs. {. II. Cummings.
The committee appointed to solicit con-
tributions We're: Mrs. Pugh, Mrs. 4. A.
Roberts, Miss Hammer, Mrs. L. b.
Crocker, Mrs: l.. \. Norton, Mrs. E.
Smith, Miss e. a. Emons, Mrs. L. A.
Woods, Mrs. l.. X. Hammer and Mrs. j.
a. CrOcller tthe latter for Washington.
The ladies met every day at Knox's
Hall and prepared undeTclothing, bed
ding, etc, for the boys in blue, while
others gathered in the coin.
.........A curious horse transaction took
place one day between Joseph Bauquier
and Henry Caulfield. The former had
just arrived from across the plains with
large number Of horses, and turned them
out 10 pasture on Caulfeld's ranch"
south Of r street.
4 few days aiterward Bauquier was
over there, and found one of his horses. q
fine gray valued at $500, half submerged
In a well. Heidi considerable scolding.
Caulfeld insisting that the horse was not
injured.
II wouldn't give s. for him." said Bau-
quier.
"Tn give you $500 for him. replied
Caulfeld.
Take the horse" said its owner.
Caulheld got the horse out of the well,
and il was found that the animal was as
sound as ever. But as Bauquier saw
nothing of the 500 for several days. he
sent over to the ranch for the horse
Caulfcld wouldn't give the animal up.
and BauqUier had to replevin it.
Then CaulfielG gave a bond and in tT1rn
replevined the horse.
......... The people of the northern coun-
ties were still having trouble with the In
ulans. In August, 1861, three men, named
Shoemaker, Lucas and Kelsey, were
hunting III the vicinity Of Watson Gulch,
Shasta County. The first two named left
their tent one day TO go TO Gray's store
for supplies, leaving Kelsey in camp
During their absence band Of Indians
approached and shot Kelsey, killing him.
They stripped and mutilated the body.
His squaw wife and child were with Kel-
sey NJ the time. The former was spared,
but one Of the saVages took the child by
the feet and dashed out its brains upon
the ground.
On the l4th of August, 1861, the
President called for four regiments of in
i&atry and one of cavalry from California.
Governor Downey issued his proclama-
t,on therefor, and volunteers poured in
rapidly until the regiments were all
filled.
Among the companies was that of
Captain Valentine Drescher, composed of
printers, and known as the Franklin
Guard. lCaptaiu Drescher is now, and
has been for about twenty years, an en-
ploye or the RECORD UNION.
An instance Of the uncertain char
acter OF mining enterprises is shown in