The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-08
DISCOVERY OF GOLD.

According to the San Francisco Elk
aminer the members OF the San Fran
cisco Miners association, a branch of
the California Miners association, have
taken kindly to the suggestion of w. C.
Ralston, A. L. Scott and S. c. Irving,
who constitute one of the associations
committees, that q, celebration be ar
ranged for Jan. q. 1898. to comment
crate the 50th anniversary of MARSHALL S
discovery of gold in California r. J.
Parsons, president of the local associa-
ton, is in favor of the proposition and
will select a committee of five gentle
men to outline a programme for the
proposed celebration.
Mr.. S. c. Irving, prominent mem
Der Of the San Francisco association
says: Il have had talk with Gov
ernor Budd about the matter. He is
willing to give all the assistance he can
and is favorable to proclaiming the day
a legal holiday. 1 think he viii do so if
the scheme is properly worked up. 1t
is not the intention to interfere with
any plans for a celebration on the part
of the Society of California Pioneers.
We want to join the Pioneers, the. Nat
i've Sons and any and all other soci-
cites caring to take part in the celebra-
ton. The day in question as q holiday
viii fit in very nicely between the
Christmas festivities and Washington's
Birthday. I understand that Mayor
Phelan thinks we'll Of the idea. The
committee of five President Parsons is
to select in a day or two to 20k over
the situation viii, am sure, soon ar
range for a public meeting at which a
general expression Of opinion may be
given"
It is certainly to be hoped that this
proposed celebration will be arranged
for. There isn't time to lose if anything
done. The only criticism we should
make Of the scheme is that it was not
suggested earlier, year ago, and prep
arations made to celebrate it as a ma
tional event; it was not only a national
event, it was also a worlds event.
In this proposed celebration Utah
has a peculiar interest. She, like Cali
LOTnld, vas CeOe1 10 Inc OUIlcQ States
by the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo,
and she was erected into a, territory the
same year that California was erected
into a state; and on the same day. And
in the discovery of gold in California
some of her citizens took an active
part they being in the employ of SUIT
ter at the time Of the discovery. When
Jim Marshall picked up the first pieces
cf gold in Suffers mill race he then and
there realized the dreams of Pizarro,
Cortez and all those bands of brave but
cruel Spaniards that ventured every
| thing in the search for gold
| Should the discovery of gold in Cali
| fornia be celebrated? TO ask the ques-
I ton is to answer it. Not to celebrate
that event would be to neglect an epoch
making event. The history of Califor-
MIA for the first half dozen years after
/ the discovery of gold is one of the most
remarkable and romantic recorded in
the annals of man. No one at this day
can read it without coming under its
magic spell like a child comes under
the spell of the tales of the Arabian
Nights
BY all means let the discovery OF gold
in California be celebrated on the 5Oth
! anniversary Of the event; and let it be
worthy of it in every respect.