The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-21

some little money he quit and concluded
to try and make fortune in other ways.
Provisions were then very high in the
mines. Potatoes were worth 81 pound, and
hay was $500 ton, 1t cost 81 n pound in
freight TO pack goods on the backs of mules
from the coast to the mines, and he turned
his attention to packing. Every mule
load was worth 500 in freight, and he
made money very fast. He then staked
off good claim i'll connection with part
a day apiece. They then decided TO dam
the Yuba river. and thus get at the gold in
its bed. They had by this time each saved
about $1,000, and it took all of this
to build the dam. When the dam
was about completed a big flood
came up and swept it away, and
their SIC. 900 with it. As the stream went
raging down the mountains it carried
nearly everything before it, and among
other things which passed before the eyes
of the young man was sort of cradle for
the use of quicksilver in mining. FELTON,
caught hold of this pulled it out, and with
ii as his only capital he started life again.
He rugged up little reduction establish
ment, got four or five men to work for
him, and was soon making several thou
sand dollars month out of his quicksil-
yer machine. He speculated with the pro-
ceeds in one way or another, and short
time after this found himself at Sacra-
himself practically broke.
Up to this time Felton's attire in Cali
fornia had been the costume of the coun-
try. He wore a SLOUGH hat, pair of
rough pantaloons, a thick red flannel
shirt, and a red sash about the waist,
which answered in the place of sus-
penders In coming back to Sacramento
he got at his trunk and put on q suit
of broadcloth and a white shirt.
In this dress, looking like a swell
among the rough men about him,
he sat down for dinner one night
in the little canvas tent winch formed the
best restaurant in Sacramento. As he sat
there eating his dinner man of about so,
in business clothes, came in and took
seat opposite him. After the two were
through with their meal, this man, who
had remained silent up to this time, sud-
denly tIrned to the future senator and
asked if he knew where he could get a
piled:
II don't know. What's the pay, and
what's the job?"
"The JOB is not O hard one," returned
the business man. "i've got n stack of
hay about mile up the river above the
town, and I want it watched. 1t has a
corral around it, but there are a great
many cattle in the neighborhood, and I'm
afraid they'll get into 1t. l want to bring
it down on a boat to Sacramento for sale as
soon as l can. The work is not hard, and
it oughtn't be worth more than $40 day.
But if l can find the right man, I'll pay
an ounce or SIG day"
"Well. I'll see," replied FELTON,. "You
come around here tomorrow to breakfast,
and if | can find you man l will bring
him with me-"
The next morning young FELTON, dressed
himself in his red shirt, rough trousers
and the toggery of his mining camp, and
was sitting at the table when the man
came ing He did not recognize him at
first, but when FELTON, said, Good morn
ing" he said. "Weil, am BANKED. And
what are you going TO do with that out
fit?"
.Oh," replied FELTON,, "I've decided to
start out on n tramp"
And where are you going2" asked the
man.
That depends somewhat upon you,"
was the reply. you want a man to watch
that hay up the river, and if you are still
of the same opinion and want good man
III take the job"
Not you'll was the reply.
Yes, me-" said FELTON,. land I will
watch it right"
"But it will be only for few days, said
the man. II am going to get away as soon
as l can"
az don't care whether it is for five days
or five months" said FELTON," I'll take the
job"
The man then asked him if he could
shoot. and upon his replying that he
could, he went to the store and bought
him shotgun and told him he could
spend his spare time in hunting about the
haystack. He then gave him q tent, and
FELTON, watched the hay. He watched it for
nearly month, and in the meanwhile
quite a friendship grew up between him
and the business man, who was
merchant of Sacramento. FELTON, sent
him down some of the game
he shot, and the merchant sent him
up things to eat from the store. At last,
when the month was about up and FELTON,
had received about $500 for watching the
haystack he came into Sacramento and
told his employer that he had concluded
TO stop working for him.
Whats the matter?" said the mer-
chant
ooh, I've got some capital now" was
the reply, land | am going into business
for myself"
What are you going to do?" was the
reply.
We'll" answered the young man, "I've
noticed that the emigrants who land here
at Sacramento always have n lot of pro-
visions with them, which they can't af-
ford TO freight up into the mountains.
They have kegs of pickles, sugar and other
groceries, which they sell here to whoever
viii buy them. Now, you merchants
cannot waste time in looking up these
things. and I've concluded to go in and
buy up this stuff and sell it to you. What
do YOU think OF the idea?"
at seems TO me TO be n good one" was
the reply, 'and If you want partner I'll
go in with you"
''I'd rather do big business than
little one" said FELTON,, and he took the
man into partnership. He found the
business paid well. He bought pickles
for 81 a gallon and sold them Tor $40 and,
rs most of them We're brought in in ten
gallon kegs, he made 800 keg. Pickles
brought this high price from the miners
because they were thought to be remedy
Tor the scurvy, which was almost an cpl
demic among them. and in few months
the deacon had cleared 5000, $1,000 of
which went to his partner.
FELTON, next conceived the idea of taking
big stock of goods up into the mount
aims, and he bought two whaleboats, pay
ing $500 apiece for them, and he bought
all the goods he could with the extra
$1,000 he had left. and borrowed 5000
more from his merchant friend and put
that into goods. lie now had his boats
and $1,000 worth Of goods, and he moved
with these up the river to Marvsville
Here he left the boats in charge of his as
sistant, and rode across the country,
intending TO so TO the mining camps and
see just how much demand there was for
the goods before he took them further in
land. He could get good price for them
ut Marysvllle, hut he expected to get
good deal more for them at the mines. lie
made twCtIe miles the first day, and
stopped over night at 4 ranch. That night