The record-union., 1891-11-16
IN THE EARLY FIFTIES.
When the Papers Referred to Sacra-
mento as a Village.
a Memorable Bull and Bear Fight al
Brighton-Funny Wind-up of
a Country Dance.


among other curious and interesting
things unearthed is notice of a wedding
tour, which reads:
I'VE understand large bridal party left
yesterday on the J. Bragdon to accompany
the happy couple, whose marriage is no
ticed under the proper head. They pro-
pose TO go as far as Marysville, stopping
by the way at village about three miles
from Sutterville, called Sacramento"
So Sacramento was known to fame
those days by reason of its proximity to
Sutterville! The expectation was that
Sutterville would be great place. 1t was
laid out by Lieutenant William Tecum-
sch Sherman, who, with a Government
surveying party, was located there at one
time.
How many among those who daily
drive down the river road ever dream, as
they pass the wayside inn, the old black
smith shop and the few scattered shanties
obout two miles south of the city, that the
spot overshadowed Sacramento on the
maps ana in the public prints! Sutterville
IS not now even village, while Sacra-
mento has outgrown its infantile habila-
ments.
EARLY-DAY PAsTIMEs.
In the early fifties bear-fghting was a
favorite pastime Of the people, as well as
horse-racing Oakland was then not
quite such a moral and well-behaved
burg as of later years, as may be inferred
from the following item printed thirty
seven years ago:
Oakland is quite lively. There was a
bear fight on Sunday and horse race
yesterday. The judges Of the bear fight
decided that the Russian bear licked the
grizzly. The principal incident of the
raised that
bear was loose, when the audience made
a general rush, and some of the seats
broke down. Nobody was hurt, but
there was some screaming among the
5enoritas."
"A BRIGHTON BEAR FIGHT.
The breaking down of the seats at the
Oakland bear fight recalls a similar oc-
currence that took place out at Brighton,
near this city, about 1852, as related to a
RECoRD-UNIoN man the other day by a
Mr.. Bryant, who lives near Latrobe.
Somebody had captured a ferocious
grizzly. which was confined in a great
strong corral down between the county
road and the American River, and it was
decided 10 have set-to some Sunday be-
tween the bear and a ferocious bull.
The event was duly announced, and the
miners docked down from Folsom and
all the other mining camps in the
vicinity. For two days the gulches and
ravines were almost deserted, the gold
diggers being intent on witnessing the
light. Even the five-dollar tickets were
40 drawback, for dust was plentiful in
those days. There was also large at
tendance from this city, which then con-
Jained quite sporting population.
a colored man from Sacramento Sc
cured the refreshment privilege and
erected q temporary board structure in
which to set his bar and tables. The
crowd was SO great that about one-half of
those present were unable to get near the
corral, so the refreshment contractor
offered TO accommodate all that the roof
Of his shauty would hold, at one dollar
each
The crowd climbed up, and in half a
minute the roof was covered with men.
Phe bear was moving rest,essly about in
The pen and giving vent to its feelings
occasionally by a surly "Goo-oofp' just
Uhen a gaily-dressed Senorita from town
came dashiDg up the road mounted on u
1iery broncho. With all the airs and
5ravado of the vaquero she rushed her
horse through the crowd toward the cor
raj.
But the broncho had smelled that pun
gent grizzly Odor before and could not be
mistaken. The moment he got Whit
of it he stopped short, gave fearful snort
and turning tail to the yelling crowd he
started to leave that locality. The young
woman reined him i'll. and then he went
so bucking. In an instant he was envel-
oped in cloud Of snowy muslin. The
Senorita was good rider, but no woman
cOul / sit that bucking broncho with dig
nifty.
a The sight was such ludicrous one to
The rough miners that they forgot about
lhe bull and bear and yelled with delight
ut the side-show. Those on the roof of
the shed jumped up and danced with ex-
citement, and some of them danced with
600 much energy. There came gentle.
SWayinp motion at first and then the
whole thing collapsed. Down went about
two hundred men in a kicking, squirm-
ing, yelling mass, upon the bar, the bot
ties, the ham, the beer and the whisky.
Nobody was seriously injured, but the
whole restaurant outfit was ruined, and
The colored purchaser of the privilege
was financially wrecked. The bull and
bear fight took place, however, and was
a fierce and bloody affair.
MIXED THE BABIES UP.
''Those We're great old -times," said
Bryant, as the train sped along and he
gaZed out of the car window with a
dreamy look. 81 could relate many
funny things that happend in the early
1ifties if [ had time to gather up the loose
and broken threads.
Il can recall one now that occurred
about the same year of the bear fight.
There was party one night at the old
Franklin House on the Auburn road, and
It was largely attended, the people COM
ing from miles around. Dancing was
. about the only evening amusement to be
had in those days, and both men and
women thought nothing Of going twenty
miles to a dance.
"Well, as | said, there was big crowd
there, and q great many ladies. Some
how, about that year, the baby crop was
very large, and nearly every married
woman had a kid in her arms. A room
lad been set apart expressly for the
babies, and I tell you there was a nice
lot of them!
Along late in the night, just before the
dance broke up, some wag got into the
room and changed all the wraps on the
slumbering babes. The last dance had
been concluded, and the fddlerS were
putting up their instruments, the caller
was irrigating his parched throat at the
bar, and most of the men were out
side hitching up their teams. when wild
screams came from the room where the
babies We're.
''Would you believe it-there wasn't g
woman there who had her own infant
The light was dim, and each mother iden-
titled her babe, as she supposed, by its
wrappings. Somebody, however, discov-
cred that she had somebody else's, and
then another made similar discovery
and finally the whole place was in an up.
roar"
The narrator stopped to light a cigar
and queer smile spread over his face as
ne added:
II believe it took just an hour to sort
over the babies.''
FOURGOUS MURDER CASE.
The Jury Completed and Some of the
Testimony Taken.
The jury in the case of August Four