The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-06-16
AFAlIOUSFORTY- WINNER
Justice Fields Experiences In
California.
HIS PROFIT ~ CHAMOIS SKINS.
The Journey to Sacramento-A Land Boom
In Nubaville--A Good observation-disclosures
of n Great Career.

of n Great Career.
WASHINGTON, June IS - Special. i
Many efforts have been made by publish
ing houses to induce Justice Field to con-
sent TO the publication of his memoirs, but
without success. The old justice, who
now lacks only two months of beating all
records for length of service upon the SUI
preme bench, resisted all these appeals and
adhered Co his determination not to give
his memoirs to the public till after his
death. But l am able to give you another
short chapter from the intensely interest.
ing recollections of the famous jurist.
A Commercial Transaction.
In explanation of the story that when
he first went to California he was peddler
of pocketbooks Justice Field writes;
Before left New York l purchased a
lot of stationery and the usual accom-
paniments of "a writing table, as l intend
cd to practice my profession in California.
The stationer, learning from some remark
made by my brother Cyrus, who was with
me at the time, that intended to go to
California, said that ought to buy some
chamois skins in which to wrap the sta
tionery, as they would be needed there to
make bags for carrying gold dust. Upon
this suggestion, l bought a dozen skins
for $40. On unpacking my trunk in
Marysville these channels skins were of
course exposed, and a gentleman calling
at the tent which 1 then occupied asked
me what 1 would take for them. / an
swered by inquiring what he would give
for them. He replied at once an ounce
apiece. My establishment nearly choked
AL 60. nj
the mint it often yielded $1S or $40 in
coin. l of course let the skins 60 and
blessed the hunter who brought the cham
OILS down. The purchaser made bags OF
the skins, and the profit to him from their
sale amounted to two ounces on each skin.
From this transaction tho story arose
that had sold portmonnaies in Marys-
Vile before practicing law. The story has
no other foundation"
Waiting For Clients.
Nothing could be more entertaining
than Justice Fields description of his
first experience as lawyer In California
AS soon as he had obtained IA little money
he hired room at the corner of Clay and
Montgomery streets, and paid $500 in ad-
vance for one months rent He put out
his single and waited for clients, but
none CuIt. Lie Only cIlDloyibtho IO hau
was drawing a deed for which he charged
an ounce of gold, but the client thought
that too much, SO they compromised on
half an ounce.
"To tell the truth" says Justice Field,
~ was hardly fit for business. ] was too
much excited by tho stirring life around
me. There was so much to hear and sec
that spent half my time in the streets
and saloons talking with people from the
mines, in which l was greatly interested.
! felt sure that there would soon be occa-
! sion in that quarter for my services"
A firm of merchants to whom young
! Field had carried letters of introduction
now offered him chance to go to from
| tier town in which they were Interested
| 1t was at the head of navigation, at the
J junction of the Sacramento and Feather
| rivers, and was called Vernon. The mer-
| chants owned town lots there, and offered
| to sell Field some of them on credit They
gave him ticket for the steamer Mckim,
| which they owned, and the future justice
set out upon his voyage Jan. IL, 1850.
at was the time of the great flood of
that year." says Justice Field, land the
| entire upper country seemed to be unuer
water. Upon reaching the landing place
at Sacramento, we took IL small boat and
rowed to the hotel There found great
crowd of earnest and enthusiastic people,
all talking about California, and in the
highest spirits. In fact, l did not meet
with any one who aid not speak in glow
ing terms of the country and anticipate a
sudden acquisition of fortune. l had al
ready caught the infection myself, and
these new crowds and their enthusiasm in
creased my excitement. The exuberance
of my spirits was marvellous. The next
day | took the little steamer Lawrence foi
Vernon. The boat was SO heavily laden as
to be only Is inches out of water.
I'm three or four hours after leaving Sac
ramento the captain suddenly cried out
with great energy, Stop her, stop her F!
and with some difficulty the boat escaped
running into what seemed to bo solitary
house standing in II vast lake of water.
asked what place that was and was an
swered Vernon, the town where had beer
advised to settle as affording good open
ing for young lawyer. | turned to thu
captain and said believed / would no
put out my single at Vernon just yet
but would go farther on. The next place
we stopped at was Nicolaus. and the fol
lowing day we arrived at place calle'
Nye's Ranch, near the junction of Feathe
and Yuba rivers.
When Yubaville Was Young.
"No sooner had the vessel struck tn
landing at Nye's Ranch than all the pas
senQers, some 40 or 80 in number, as ]
moved by a common impulse, started 10
an old adobe building which stood upol
the bank of the river and near whic
were numerous tents. Judging by Tn
number of the tents. there must have beel
I from 500 to /, 200 people there. When w
reached the adobe and entered the primer
pal room. we saw "a map spread out upo
the counter, containing the plan OF a town
: which was called Yubaville. and ma
standing behind 1t, crying out, Gentle
men, put your names down; put. you
names down, all you that want lots II
, seemed to address himself to me. ana
! asked the price of the lots He answered
Two hundred and fifty dollars each 10
lots so by 100 feet took 90 lots
aggregating in all sl6,250 This pre-
duced a great sensation. To the best 9
/ nv recollection 1 had only about $50 LETT
/; but 1t was Immediately noised about tina
4; n great capitalist had come up from IA