The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-11
A PIONEER OF YOSEMITE.
Life Story of the Man Who
First Wrote of the Great
Valley.
Forty Years Of Loving Labor In
Popularizing CALIFORNIA; Scenic
Wonder.

There is little log cabin in the Yosemite
Valley with which is associated the story
of an interesting pioneer life. In cluster
of towering pines, and from distance ap-
parently at the very foot of the mighty
Yosemite fall, that cabin of unhewn logs
has stood for thirty years. Since 1892 it
has served the unromantic purpose of store
house for potatoes and apples. but soon it
may be occupied again by the man who
built it. That man is J. M. Hutchings,
who Tor forty years, as writer and lee
turer, has been identified with the Yo-
semitic.
He came to the United States from Eng
land when boy of Is, and when ten years
afterward California suddenly became the
goal of fortune-hunters Hutchings was
among those who crossed the plains in 40.
His mining experience was marked with
varying fortunes. But the failure of San
Francisco bank with the loss of large
part of his savings at time when he was
on the point of completing the purchase
of what are now valuable City properties,
was probably instrumental in removing
the chances of great wealth.
In 1858 when an effort was made to turn
Sunday, then the principal business day
among the miners, into day of rest the
Placerville Herald published The Miners
Ten Commandments, written by Hutch
ings, and SO great was their popularity.
that nearly hundred thousand copies of
them were sold in the following year.
1t was not surprising then that tn cir
author conceived the idea of publishing
the pioneer magazine of this coast
In 1856 he began to collect material for
the first number. and in the early summer
of that year, accompanied by Thomas
Ayres as artist, he set out for the Yosemite
Valley, which a militia company of cav
airy from Mariposa had found in 81 while
in pursuit of band of marauding Indians,
and where they reported there was "a
waterfall 1000 feet high" But no one
could be found who could give directions
how to reach the valley. None of those
who had been of the party that went there
to punish the Indians could remember the
way well enough to even venture visit en-
their own account.
Fortunately it was learned that few
Yosemites were living on the Fresno
ranch, near Hunts store. They were the
remnants of a tribe which two years be-
fore, by the massacre of 800 of its braves,
had been almost annihilated in midnight
attack conducted by the Monos, In revenge
for the theft of band of horses that the
Monos themselves had stolen down near
Los Angeles. A few squaws escaped, hut
the rest were carried away by the Monos.
Only eight bucks got away alive. Two of
these Hutchings and his two companions
secured as guides.
They set out on foot, with one pack ami
NAL and horse to be used in case of acct
dent to one of the party. Trusting I'M
questioningly to the Indians to guide them
across painless mountain meadows, over
Undiscovered slopes, through what seemed
H., l., Ia
and across streams, they finally came in
sight of the valley on the afternoon of the
third day. After five days spent in look
ing and wondering and admiring and in
making sketches Of some of the grander
features of that granite-enwalled scenic
wonder, with its towering cliffs and its
mighty waterfalls, they started back to
San Francisco, passing through Mariposa
on their way.
Then the editor, sick and short of matter
for that weeks issue of the Mariposa Ga
zette, asked Mr.. Hutchings to write q
description of the valley he had just
visited. 1t was that article, copied by all
the prominent journals of the time, that
first made the Yosemite known TO the
public.
In July, 1856, the first number of Hutch
ings' California Magazine appeared, the
leading article being on the Yosemite, and
having illustrations from the sketches
made the summer befOre-the first pic
lures ever made of the valley. In 1S59-6O
four consecutive numbers of the magazine
contained illustrated articles on that little
known valley.
After publishing the magazine for five
years the health of the proprietor became
so broken down in the work that his physi-
clan said: IF you don't give it up and
leave the city you will have to leave the
world"
His magazine was sold to the Golden Era
Company, but ceased publication in '62,
year after the change of proprietors.
Meanwhile the old pioneer had decided to
make the Yosemite his home, but grave
obstacle was suggested. Rumor had it
that in winter the valley was filled to half
its depth of some 5000 feet with snow that
slid over the precipitous walls.
No one had ever seen the valley in win
ter; so early in January of '62 he tried to
reach it and learn for himself whether it
would be possible to live there in that sea-
son. But the heavy floods made travelling
impossible and he gave up the attempt
until March, when he again started. &C