The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-30

"The B0reS of siIreT had been ,'emorsd.v
it payable in silver, Dalrymple resolutely
loaded his boxes of coin iuto two wagons,
covering them with a sprinkling of mer-
chandise, and transported his treasure to
the mountains. The boxes were taken from
the wagons at Coloma, and conveyed thence
by pack animals to the vicinity of Kelsey,
where they were separated into five or six
different lots, and buried in as many I'M
frequented hooks and corners not far from
solitary log cabin at the extreme upper
end Of the hat, occupied by man known
as Suffering Drake. He seemed 10 be vel
acquainted with Dairymplo, aud it was
from his cabin that the silver was finally
taken away and secreted. The contents of
the boxes as well as their place Of deposit
were, OF course. known TO Drake; yet such
was the doctors faith in his integrity that
he soon left the treasure In his charge and
returned to Sacramento.
Having supplied his own wants to the ex-
tent Of his means Dalrymple began 10
preach the gospel of silver. lie talked it to
merchants, miners, bankers and gamblers
He proclaimed IL in the lOtsls and on the
sidewalks, IN the saloons and on the street.
corners. lie declared that the mountains
of California were full of gold. aud that be-
fore the end of another year it would be
poured into the valleys by the ton: that
solid masses of il would be found near the
SUBMITS, and that the financial world would
soon be paTalyZPd al the tremendous out
put; that gold would probably never become
quite as plentiful as iron, but it was destined
TO be superseded by silver Us the representa-
tive of commercial values, and be worth less
per ounce than the white metal within five
years; that IN anticipation of this coming
decrease in the value Of gold, shrewd
fnanciers were beginning to hoard silver,
and 20 such an extent that il would soon be
practically Withdrawn from general cireula-
ton. He advised the holders of gold to
convert it into silver at Cnce, and thus pre-
pare themselves to some extent for the
financial catastrophe which was about to
cOnvulse the civilized world. Extending
his mission beyond Sacramento, he pro-
claimed the approaching downfall of gold
in San Francisco. Stockton and Marysville,
and did not cease his labors until silenced
by malady of the throat, which for time
prevented him from spenking above a
whisper
While the most Of his hearers laughed at
h IN as lunatie, many were more alarmed
at his warnings than they were willing
to admit, and a few became his active
apostles In the depreciation of gold and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Of silver The result was
that here and there In almost every locality
miners and merchants TO some extent began
to accumulate and husband silver, and con-
tinued to do SO until it became exceedingly
scarce, TO the visible embarrassment of all
kinds of business.
The silver famine, however, was not of
long duration. AT its height, when ban kers
began to reach abroad for relief in response
to the demands OF their patrons and Dali
rymDle. who had partially recovered the use
OF his voice, imagined that his prophecy
was on the eve of fulfillment, large uuanti-
ties OF silver suddenly made their appear
ance IN the business centers, and the bank
ers and gold-dust buyers were again able 10
supply their customers with all the silver
they required.
The doctor ehafed under the unexpected
influx OF his favorite metal, but was in
nowise disheartened. He attributed 1t TO
lmportatiOnS from Mexico but as the
prOdlginus gold yield of California was TO
reYoiuil0nize the markets of the entire
CIVILIZED world. he regarded the relief as but
temporary. 1t indicated to him, however.
that desperate effort would be made to
maintain the existing ratios OF value be-
tween gold and silver, but he smiled at the
hopelessness of the struggle aud fondled
the sagacity that had prepared him. in a
measure for its failure.
AS ne had no gold of consequence left
WIN winch TO resume the purchase of sill
VeT. Darymple concluded to return 10 the
mountains and assist in Fastening he result
by swelling the products of the mines Ex-
changing the last Of his gold for silver coin,
he walked back to Kelsey with thirty-fve or
forty pounds Of it wrapped in a roll of
blankets. Reaching the cabin of his friend
ana hndlng the door open. he stepped in
ana tossed his burden in to an empty bunk
AS ne glanced around the room the hair
gray mist swept across his eyes, and 10 keep
from falling be elutched shake table with
DOth handS and dropped down upon bench
beside II. Some cooking utensils were
hanging against the chimney lamb and a few
mining tools were piled In corner, but the
place was entirely destitute of provisions
and bedding. and as the table and shelves
were covered with thick coatings of dust it
was plain that The cabin had not been very
lately occupied.
Recovering from the shock Of finding the
place uDtenanted, Dalrymple snatched
DICK and shovel from the corner into winch
they had been thrown and started for the
wooded bluff skirLng the western side of
the narrow fiat. He found no use for the
tools. The boxes of silver had been re-
moved, and the excavations from which
they had been tax IN had not been reflled.
But two explanations of The robbery were
probable. Drake either took the money
himself or was killed in attempting to de-
fend it.
Inquiring of party of miners working
nali nile or less lower down the flat
Dalrymple learned that Drake had left the
nelghborhood two or three weeks before
with large packtrain, and had not to their
kho"iedge returned. lie then knew that
IL was win Dis own coin that The silver cir
cuiatlon had been so suddenly replenished.
anu that II had been stolen and sold hy
Drake. lie deemed it probable g. at with
detei mined effort, the treacherous spdii+r
might be captured and broagnt TO punish
ment; but as the silver wa- gone rast all
nope OF recovery, he cared but little for the
t0lef or the SOid for which lis precious
silver had been exchanged. He therefore
said nothing of his loss. but went quietly
10 work TO add TO his lltti,. st0r, OIL Silver,
not doubling that he could readily aceumu-
late the gold with which 10 do it,
But In this be was disappointed. He