The morning times., 1895-07-05
One Cent RsIt FsT
No advertisement less than los.
SAW THE FIRST GOLD FOUND.
Only One Survivor of the Men who

Only One Survivor OF the Men who
Were with Marshall i'm California.
There is alive to-day but one of the men
who worked for Sutter in the mill at
Colona, where on January "a, 1913, James
w. Marshall discovered gold, says the
New York sun That survivor is James
Brown He is now 20 years Of age, and
makes his home with a grandchild in Po
mona valley. He is the only man living
who was present who's Marshall washed
The yellow grains the camp; and he is
the ;iTSt man who tied the flaky scales
with tire, ana going forth from the shanty
10 where the men were al work on the
Rin race cried. Boys. here's Euldi'
Il am The oldest miner alive in California
to-day, said he the other day. Il don't
mean TIE oldest in years, but 1 was the
fiTst miner There were about hundred
OF US luildmC Capt. Suffers mill on the
American river. We had come upon the
rock when We were digging the race and
were AFRAID that II would interfere with
making an even channel for the water.
Then u was that Marshall came TO me and
told mu about The books about gold and
mines he had been reading, and on the
afternoon OF January rs, lS4S. be de
tcruined to do a little prospecting. He
asked Hie 10 bring him the pan. 1t was
Il common, ordinary pan that we baked
bread ia and the like. He spent all the
afternoon with that pan trying 10 find
gold, but he hadn't got anything by supper.
The next morning early he started out
with the pan again. We boys were e&-
CaYating in the ditch when he came up
from the hole where he was working and
told Us he had found some mineral. He
had lt IN his hat; a whole lot of little,
flakc-li6e scales. They were all small bits,
aIid aIl scaly, and he wasn't sure what they
Were He handed the hat 10 ne ana took
one Of the flakes ara bit ii. 1 could tell
by biting il that il was gold, but i wasn't
sure. So 1 took IL into tie cabin where "A
log the was burning and / tested II in the
fire TO sec If IL woGlc melt But IL wouldn't
mClt, and then 1 knew ii was gold sure.
Then i came out with ii TO where the
men were working, and, boys, said /,
1T is coldH
That was the first announcement OF
the discovery OF gold in California. and
j was the first man 10 test The metal and
the first 10 proclaim it
Neither Brown nor Marshall nor any
Of the other mill builders went 10 Coloma
10 look Tor gold. They were working with
the yaguest hope OF receiving pay for
their labor. AS the old pioneer put it,
'Old Capt. Sutter owes me 500 cold
cash for the work I put on that mill race,
and 1 know III never get 1t, seeing as
he is dead"
Bat we made no kick - he went on.
we had agreed TO accept cattle, horses
and grub 10 part payment for our work
Moreover, We picked up enough gold before
We left the place 10 square our accounts
with the captains ColOma enterprise.
We had come with biEgermissionthauth
Of seeking gold. We were AormOus.
Many OF us We're soldiers 1 had been
serving with our battalion and after our
oishandment was marching with the rest
OF our people to Utah. At Col0ma We
found that we had not enough provisions
ana stock for the rest OF the Journey over
the wilderness, SO we decided TO send the
older people and men Of family ahead with
supplies enough to carry them through,
while over 100 OF u 6 decided 10 wait over
another year and work for old Capt Sut-
ter in The meantime.
Money was scarce in those days, and
though Capt. Suffer was very well fixed,
he had but little ready cash. We only
wanted stock and provisions, and these
we agreed 10 accept in lieu OF ready pay
mept for any service We might render.
At that time the old captain was anxious
10 build a gTist mill and a lumber mill on
the American river Labor was scarce.
Therefore our arrival was very timely
for him We had wheelvr gifts, smiths,
carpenters a nd ma stcTs Of every trade ia our
company, aud he was able to secure our
services without the expenditure of cent
OF ready money.
when the discovery had once been made
wetued for a while 10 kcepit quiet, and SUIT
ter. who wanted TO see his mill completed,
was particularly anxious TO keep the secret
close. The workmen completed both the
erist and the lumber mil and did not desert
their posts or the wCIk they had originally
contracted To do TO seek the yellow metal.
Though / had tested the first grains OF
gold in lhp fire and with my teeth, neYerhe-
less. 10 be sure about matter, We sent them
% Sacramento to make certain. They tested
them there, and finally decided that they
really were gold. Then they sent on the
news TO san Francisco, where the announce
meut vas published for the first time by
man named sam BraHnan, who had brought
lot OF type and press and everything
around the Horn.
''Dld Istay long al ColOma after the com
pleiion of Tie mil. you ask? No, Sir; only
lew OF us did; myself and most Of our people
only remained long enough 10 dig up enough
gold 10 equip ourselves for marching back
Dvrrthap plains tOmeet those eOfOurpcOple who
We're coming out TO join US. ="
''AHd was not the promise Of an easily
madcfartUne udUCemcut enough to keepyOu
al ColOma?"
How could it be-? Had wenot our friends
0nthe plains and had Wenot tOmeet them?'
And about how much did you all ma ke?''
oh. 81 was all according 10 luck; some
made more, some made less some
mace SGO0 or $500: Some made 81 GOO or
So 600 ] guess ! had something like
81 800 in dust Marshall, who found il
first. had none at all. Marshall was not
lucky anyhow. He was one OF The original
bear flag men-Oue Of the filibusters who
thought he owned The country. They Sc
lccled the bcar-laC as their banner because
bears were sOabundaut out here intEOsedayS.
The first beaf flag was nothing but an old
a picture OF bear with tar, their paint
brush being gtheirownfingers