The record-union., 1891-03-01
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
Mi't. EIstner Objects to Being Mum
bered With the Dead.
How Sacramento Firemen Gave Ex-
preston to Their Loyalty-Jerry
Garrity's Awful Death.

ago, published on the I'D instant, was the
following: ''The Placer Argus, in refer
ring to the published bill of fare of the
Elstner Hotel, Hangtown, in 1850, which
was feature of the late pioneer gather
ing in Chicago, says: 'Milt. Elstner was
a prominent figure in FL Dorado County
for many years, and, if we mistake not,
was Sheriff of that county in the fifties
He has been gathered to his fathers long
ago''
1t looks very much as if our Placer
contemporary had made mistake, for. a
few days since the following commune
cation, signed zone of Your Constant
Readers" was received, bearing the date
Carson, February 24th, and addressed to
the SUNDAY UNION: "In your account of
Thirty Years Ago you speak of Milt
Elstner as one of the old-timers who is
now dead and gone. But he isn't-he is
alive and kicking like bay steer. He is
reporting the proceedings of the present
Legislature OF Nevada for the Virginia
Chronicle. Please give Milt. a good send
OIL IN your paper, because he is one of the
old stock-there are onlya few of us left
and there is lots of good stuff in him yet"
just what kind of ''send-off' would
be proper to give this popular sagebrush
relic of the days of '49, it is difficult 10
determine at this time. He was given
one a week ago that sent him Off into that
mysterious region beyond the dark river
and neither his friends nor himself seem
to be satisfied with it. At least, Mr.
Elstner will be permitted to speak for
himself, which he does in the following
letter, dated at Carson City, February
26th
EDITORS SUNDAY UNION: Your issue of
the 22d inst. has just been handed to me- to
read that 9iilt. Elstner. of the early days OF FL
Dorado County, ''has been gathered to his
fathers long ago" These words will probably
establish in the minds of many of my old
friends of 40 the belief that I am dead.
Please change the situation little by saying
that l am still above ground, which tread
with nearly as elastic step as in the days of
'49. My health is very good, my mind as act
i've and as leVel-but no more leyel-than
when the first publishers of the UNION knew
me. My hair is not as black as it was when
running in and out OF the Orleans and Union
Hotels in the pleasurable days of 40 and the
early hfties, listening TO the entertaining an
ec6otes of OLD Judge Baldwin, and the brilliant
conversations OF Uncle Ferg." and "Unce
Penn" and have no thought of going to rny
fathers upon the golden shores'' for twenty
NJ. r. ELsTNER.
.........Considerable of commotion was
created i'll local circles on the 22d of Feb
ruary by the action of the mem bers of
Eureka Engine Company, on Fifth street,
between J and X, who during the preced-
ing night suspended from the tower of
their engine-house an efligy bearing the
inscription: "a Traitors Reward"
Above the effigy was a stuffed American
eagle, looking down complacently upon
it. Still higher, from the flagstaff, fioated
the American flag, with all its stripes and
stars in their Understanding in the bright
morning sunjight-the emblem of in
telnal pride and honor. 1t was Il strange
sight on that bright February morning,
and told with sad cloquence the story that
the nation was on the eve Of a great na-
tional upheaval. On the back of the
effigy was piece Of white canvas with a
palmetto tree painted in black-the en-
blem of the rebellious South. Early in
the morning crowds of people gathered
about the engine-house, and in few
hours the street was crowded with an ex-
cited mob. Shortly after noon Chief En-
gineer Brickman appeared on the scene,
and endeaVored to have the effigy taken
down, but the firemen wouldn't have it
that way. They claimed the right to ex-
press their views on the question of dis
union in their own way on their own
premises, and denied the Chiefs right to
interfere in any way. There was immi-
nent danger of a riot, when Chief of Po-
lice Watson, followed by his entire force
OF men, came upon the scene, and after
stormy and exciting scenes the etfigy was
cut down. 1t fell into the hands of the
fremen again, and they had the satisfac-
ton of loading it with powder and blow
ing it up.
.........T The prevailing custom of arrest
ing Chinese women on trumped-up
charges of larceny, in order to get possess
sion OF them and force them into slavery
"a custom that has repeatedly disgraced
the petty courts Of this city of late years
is not q new one by any means. It has
been practiced from away back in the
early days. Thirty years ago warrant
was issued by the Police Court in this
city for the arrest of Chinawoman in
San Francisco on charge Of grand lar
ceny SWORN to by one of her country
men, the allegation being that the theft
was committed here. When officer Cody
got to the metropolis he found that the
woman had come from China only a short
time before. and had never been in Sac
ramento. So, instead of arresting the
woman, he consulted Chief Burke of that
city, and the result was that three of the
Cinnamon concerned in the conspiracy to
kidnap the woman and enslave her in
this city Were arrested, and Cody then
came back here and arrested the man
who swore out the warrant for the wom-
ans apprehension. If officers of late
years had shown as much intelligence
and as strong desire to further the ends of
justice, the disgraceful practice (which
still prevails) would have long ago been
broken up
.... The press was discussing the i'm
portance OF the then newly-discovered
copper mines in Calaveras County. Less
than six years from that time the town of
Copperopolis had sprung up at the spot
where the copper was found, and was Il
lively, flourishing place, with one of the
best hotels outside Of San Francisco. a
newspaper and other evidences of pros
perity. The principal owner in the cop
per mines was Charles T. Meader of
ln h,l ,Ag1xr lTar
cooper, but in 1867 ranked as several
times a millionaire. The copper mine
mills were among the finest on the coast
and the machinery the costliest known
But in a few years the price of copper had
fallen so low that the mines were shut
down. Meader became a bankrupt. and
the town of CopperopoliS was almost de-
populated. OF late years, however, the
mines have been reopened and work re-
slImed, and the old camp has taken on
some of its early-day appearance.
.........Jerry Garrity, q hostler, who lived
alone in small cabin near the Lake
House, was horribly and fatally burned
one night. Mrs. Jack Holmes heard cries
of distress and told her husband that
someone was probably numbering Jerry
Holmes grabbed a shotgun and ran to the
cabin. where he found Garrity in his bed,
and the latter on fire. He extinguished
the flames. but too late to save the unfor-
sunate mans life. Garrity was fairly
cooked, and died of his injuries on the
following day.
......-0n the 26th of February, 1861,
Robert Lindsey was to have been tried
for assault to murder a man named Tyler
at Folsom. The parties had quarreled
over game OF cards, and meeting on the
street aiterward, Lindsey pulled a pistol
and took a crack at Tyler. Judge Robin
son charged the jury that it was case of
simple assault, and verdict to that ef-
feet was returned. Lindsey afterward
became q constable in this city and some
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