Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1891-04-10
Life in California In '49,
From the April Century.

FROM Vue hpFli century.
Life in California was at that time
a wild romance. No words of mine
can describe the scenes that were en-
acted during that period. Thousands
OF men, organized in bands or wholly
disorganized, were constantly arriv-
ing from every part OF the world and
leaving for the digglngs. Outlaws and
professional gamblers opened saloons
by the score at every point where
men congregated. Money was scat
tered everywhere as ii by the wind.
Miners who had realized fortunes in a
few days came down to Stockton,
Sacramento and San Francisco to
squander them in q night at the
gambling tables. Scarcely q 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
'Pandemonlum 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 can
vass, and all OF them We're doing an
enormous busines. The rest OF the
village consisted OF shanties or tents
used for restaurants and saloons.
Human life was q moving panorama
The whole PLACE was alive with mass
OF unkempt men clad in flannel shirts
and heavy boots, who We're inspired
with the one desire to hurry on to the
mines.
This rough life was not without it's
| touches OF sentiment. One day the
! town was electrified by the rumor
that an invoice OF women's bonnets
had arrived and could be seen at one
OF the stores. The excitement was in
tense, and there wos arush from every
direction to get realistic view OF even
so insignificant Il substitute orfemale
society. | dt not overstate the truth
in saying that the thoughts OF home
that were awakened in the breasts Of
the rude looking men at the sight OF
those bonnets started tears from eyes
which the worst forms of privation
and hardship had failed to moistep.
:, The Christian missionaries are al
ready 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 meet
ings 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: "NIy good woman,
beg you to remain; the innocent
sosnd OF that Infants voice is more
eloquent than any words [ can COM
mand. liz speaks to the hearts OF
men whose wives and children are far
away, looking and praying COR a safe
return to their own loved ones at
home Never shall l forget the sobs
and tears which those words evoked
throughout that rough assembly.
That infants cry jeemed to them the
music OF angels.
With those who made San Francis.
co their temporary abode gambling
appeared to be the chief occupation
and Spanish monte the favorite game.
One house fronting on the plaza, q
two story frame building called the
Parker House, rented for $l20,OOO
per annum. the rental being paid
mostly by gamblers. A single store
OF small dimensions and made OF
rough boards rented tor $4,000 q
month. Acanvas tent used as a gam
bling saloon rented for $4,000 per
aunnm. Money was loaned on good
security at fifteen per cent. u month,
and ont OF the loan the borrowers
made fortunes In real estate opera
tions.