The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-28

ASe1u uIlpIeJuulceQ accounts OIL STIRRING
events or times, especially when they
have been much written about by per-
sons who wrote with the special object
Of attracting readers When bare facts
are exciting. plain narration Of them
is a food for readers which those who
write ito be read seldom furnish. So
1t is that private writings become of
tae greatest value to the historian who
seeks to truly reflect the past. The
historian, writing something that the
sensational has been squeezed out of
by frequent reprints and seeking for
the plain truth, sets great store by
diaries, letters and official documents,
which are frequently wanting in lit
erary style but are replete with facts
and impressions that are not colored.
Next to those of national warfare the
days Of '49 il California were probably
the most stirring of this century in the
United States. They were days when
California, with its fabulous wealth,
was, in point of travel, much farther
away from St Louis than Klondike is
now. California was the nations lot
terry. Thither people of all classes
went seeking an Ell Dorado and their
common purpose mingled them and
made the society of the mining camps.
l
and extraordinary extravaganza. Men
were either wealthy beyond all eXpec-
tationS or they were desperate, starv-
ing in the mountains, where they
hunted gold in vain. Some persisted
from starvation and their graves be
came gold mines, yielding wealth an
told.
In attempting to describe the condi-
tons in California men have written
columns and books. Some wrote truth
fully, others untruthfuily. From the
mass of truth and readable fiction inn
posed upon them as truth it has been
hard to pick out the facts, and when
~ ne wonders if it was true. To such
persons the diary Of a man who did
not write for print is a feast.
Captain Frederick Chatard, who died
Oct 3. 1897, at the Mullanphy hospital
was in San Francisco in the fall of
1S49, and kept such a record. Captain
Chatard was the Oldest surviving Of
ficer of the United States navy of the
ante-bellum days. He entered the
navy in 1924, when he was but II years
old. In 1S49 he was lieutenant COM
mander of the Lexington, and was on
the western coast in October of that
year. He saw the historic era of San
Francisco Being a United States Of
tcer. he saw it as an observer and "a
looker-On in Vienna" Captain Chatard
served continuously in the navy de-
partment till the breaking out of the
war; when he resigned his position
there and joined the confederate navy
He participated in the battle of Dru-
rvs Bluff, on the James river; Evans
port, on the Potomac; Acquia Creek
and other important engagements. At
the close of the war he came to St
Louis and for several years he was
connected with the old Life Association
Of America, a Well-known life insur-
ance company of that day. He retired
from active business some Is or 20
years ago, and during the last two
years was in the Mullanphy hospital
Captain Chatard was an observant
man, not easily carried away by bright
prospects. and therefore his Impressions
OF San Francisco and the gold fields
were such as q perfectly disinterested
man would receive He noted some of
his Impressions in the log book of the
Lexington, together with some in
stances that had been related to him
by reliable men, Illustrating the life of
the camps. This log book was not
known TO be in existence until it was
found among his effects after his death
He seems to have been chiefly i'm
pressed by the outrageous prices
charged for the necessaries of life
Some of the matter of fact statements
in the record viii strike the reader OF
today as odd; for instance, a salute tC
John Q. Adams, eX-president, de-
ceased" and the reports about the Nor
mons having settled at the Salt Lake
The part of the record in the log book
here printed, begins with the reference
to some refugees from Mexican troubles
in Lower California. The following en-
tries are in the log book in peculiar
close, scholarly handwriting:
Monterey. Oct. Z, 1Sz9.-All my pas
Sengers are landed. Colonel Mason pro.
vided them with house rent for two
months, and also two months rations
Twelve of my crew have deserted. They
could not resist the temptation of gold
hunting. They had S1,500 due them but
what was that? Every day are seer
persons coming in from the mines with
gold dust in leather bags, rags or bot
ties. Two Frenchmen arrived who hat
collected 1000 in seven days. One
man at the mines found a solid piece o.
gold weighing % pounds. Another {
piece close to it weighing seven pounds
For soldiers, to whom short leaves OF
absence had been granted. returned
with various amounts-$1, 900, $1,000 OF
$1,000 sometimes Is It wonder thai
sailors can't resist the temptation? One
hundred more of the regular soldiers
have deserted from the fort at Mon
terey, and volunteers without number
from the different posts of Upper Cal
ifOrnia.
"Oct. 10. IS49.-The Ohio came in ant
anchored, 80 days from San Jose.
"Oct. u 1S49.-The Ohio fired 81 min
ute guns in honor Of John @. Adams
ex-president. deceased, and the colors
OF the squadron were half-masted fo1
a week. The Ohio has already lost 2
men by desertion.
San Francisco Oct. 26, 1S49-Sar
Francisco is said to be a most disorder
" state. The Alcade. a Protestan
minister, Mr.. Leavenworth, told ms
that it was not safe to walk through
the streets at night with money. Muir
ders are committed and go UNPUBLISHED
The Mil gang, as they are called,
lawless set OF men, go publicly abou
the streets armed. An advertisement
is seen stuck up about the town offer
ing 5000 for the head or person O
Pete Raymond a murderer.
san Francisco. Cal, Nov T. 1919
Dined with Mr.. Howard of the firm o
Howard & N1ellus. The town has beer
very much improved. All is business
and hustle. Hotels are crowded will
strangers, wild west countrymen look
ing fellows; some strong and athletic
others sickly and enaciated from dis
ease contracted at the mines. Gold i;
seen everywhere-in tubs and chambel
mugs Enormous prices are asked a