The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-04-18
Life in California in '49.

Life in California in '49.
Life in California was at that time
q wild romance. No words of mine
can describe the scenes that were
enacted during that chaotic period.
Thousands Of men organized in
bands or wholly disorganized, were
constantly arriving from every part
of the world and leaving for the
diggings. Outlaws and professional
gamblers opened saloons by the
score at every point where men con-
gregated. Money was scattered
everywhere as if by the wind. Min
ers who had realized fortunes in
few days came down to Stockton,
Sacramento and San Francisco to
squander them in night at the
gambling tables. Scarcely woman
was anywhere to be seen. All re-
straining influences of society were
absent and / cannot find an express
sion better suited to the case than
"Pandemonium on a frolic."
AS there were no wives, there
could be no homes or families. A
few stores had been hastily put up
along the shore, made of rough
boards or canvas, and all of them
were doing an enormous business.
The rest Of the village consisted of
shanties or tents used for restaur-
ants and saloons. Human life was
a moving panorama. The whole
place was alive with a mass of'un-
kempt men clad in flannel shirts
and heavy boots, who were inspired
with the one desire to hurry on to
the mines.
This rough life was not without
its touches of sentiment. One day
the town was electrified by the ru-
NOR that an invoice of women's
bonnets had arrived and could be
seen at one of the stores. The ex-
citement was intense, and there was
a rush from every direction to get
realistic view of even so insight
icant substitute for female society.
l do not overstate the truth in say
ing that the thoughts of home that
were awakened in the breasts of the
de-looking men at the sight of
those bonnets started tears from
eyes which the worst forms of pri-
vation and hardship had failed to
moisten.
The Christian missionary was
already on the ground, and good
Parson Williams had managed to
find place where he could preach
on Sunday. One of the first men
who arrived with his family came
to one of these meetings attended
by his wife and baby. During the
sermon it chanced that the baby
cried and the mother was about to
withdraw, when the preacher ad-
dressed her thus: "My good wo-
man, | beg you to remain; the
innocent sound of that infants
voice is more eloquent than any
words / can command. 1t speaks
to the hearts of men whose wives
and children are far away, looking
and praying for a safe return to
their own loved ones at home"
Never shall I forget the sobs and
tears which those words evoked
throughout that rough assembly.
That infants cry seemed to them
the music of angels.
With those who made San Fran
cisco their temporary abode gam
bling appeared to be the chief occu-
patton and Spanish monte the
favorite game. One house fronting
on the plaza, a 2-story frame build
ing called the Parker House, rented
for $4,000 per annum, the rental
being paid mostly by gamblers. A
single store of small dimensions
and made of rough boards, rented
for $1,000 month. A canvas tent
used as gambling saloon, rented
for $4,000 per annum. Money was
loaned on good security at Is per
cent month, and out of the loan
the borrowers made fortunes in real
estate operations.-April Century.