The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-17


the great California gold discovery was con-
summated.
RUSH BEGAN IN 1919.
Though gold was discovered in California
in 1913, such were the delays in getting there
and the difficulties of communication that
the rush did not begin until one year later.
The old pioneer, when questioned about the
golden prime in California, rises to his most
enthusiastic height. He tells you that moth
ing to equal it was ever SEEM" that several
hundred thousand men lived for years IN
perfect peace and good order, without laws
without executive police government;
that gold dust was picked up in the streets
and pans of nuggets were left unguarded in
tent and cabin. He tells you stories of won
drous finds, of curious disasters, of paying
$41 for butcher knife, 500 for a pair OF
boots, % cents pound tor flour ana IL
apiece for potatoes. He describes the as
Selnbling of the miners in the camp on that
momentous occasion-the trying or their
first culprit, the rough and ready judicial
proceeding, the rude but effective court, the
half-hour deliberations, the verdict: SAILOR
Dick, you've had a fair trial and found
guilty of robbing claim. Some camps
would hang you, but this camp sentences
you TO forty-nine lashes we'll laid ON.
To put 1t briefly, the "reminiscences OF the
pioneers in most cases deal with the most
salient and picturesque features of the early
mining era. They dwell with delight upon
the rush and excitement, the freedom ana
of the novelist'S instinct how effective ior
artistic use the lights and shadows really
are. The general character OF mining camp M
laws is pretty well known. They often De
gin: we the miners OF - district. 90
ordain and establish" Long after Cali
folnla NaS divioed into counties and county
government established in each, the camps
flourished under their local rules and with
their local recorderS-some OF them grew
into towns and still keep, in local customs.
many suryivais OF the hearty and happy
past, when tents and brush CABINS lned the
gorge, and a miners real estate consisted
of his claim in twenty feet square, ana all
the hillside he wanted to build on. Nothing
that is likely to happen will ever take tlt
breath of the mining camp out OF the nl1liIlS
The mineral wealth of California, though
chiefly. is not wholly, in gold. Inc SILVER
product of the State, though not as ia IiS-
cradle and California produces more thaIi
one-quarter of the whole worlds supply OF
quicksilver. Copper and anthony are aiso
produced though not in quantities as large
as in some other States. In the produce OF
copper California is fourth among the
States and Territories, but 1t is not 10 De
supposed that the copper product OF tnt
| gold State will be made unduly promnehs
| at the January anniversary.
From the best figures obtainable II ap-
pears that California, since the first dlscoN =
| cry, in 1S4S has produced more than $l'4VV'-
| G00,0O0 of gold.
! persons brought together by the discovery
| of gold in California had become large, put
! DY the end of the following December WASH
| ing for gold was going on all along the FOOT
| hills of the Sierra, from the Tuolumne river
| to the Feather, distance of 15O miles me
/ first adventures came from Mexico. the
| South American coast and even from the
| Sandwich islands, The excitement extend
| ed to the east Atlantic States in the course
| Of the winter succeeding the discovery, anu
| in the spring of 1349 the rush of immigration
| across the plains and by way OF the lSthmus
| of Panama commenced, and ii is estimated
| that one hundred thousand people reached
| California during that year, among whom
| were representatives of every state in the
| Union. The emigration to the land or gold
/ was continued with but little abatement
| during the three succeeding years, but the
excite ment fell off In a marked degree IT
! 1884 at which. time there was decided re-
| action throughout the United States In re-
| gard to mining matters. 1t was about this
| time that the great gold discoveries were
made in Australia.
| During the first years Of the California ex-
| element there was such wandering about
| within the State and in the adjacent terri
tories In search Of new "digginss, the
| somewhere an auriferous center or focus
| would be found, vastly richer than anything
| previously discovered They were an ex-
citabIe body of men. and frequently lef;
| valuable localities in search of something
| better, always hoping that deposits. of IN
| heard-of riches would be developed. Oc-
| casionally kind of frenzy would seem to
| seize on them, and thousands would flock to
| some new. and distant locality. on the
| strength of newspaper reports where many
| would perish from disease and starvation
| the rest returning in poverty and rage.
| Gold discoveries stand more or less con-
| neeted with accidents--that Is to say acct
| dents which are sure to happen. Newton
| was not seeking the law of gravitati On, nor
| Columbus a new continent, nor Marshall
gold, when these things were thrust upon
| them. And had it not been one of these it
would have been some one else to make the
discovery. Gold fevers have had their
periodic run since time immemor IL. v hen
| Scythians mined the Ural, and the desert
| of Cobb lured the dwellers on the Indus; or
intrn r1asc
paled before the splendors of Apulia.
The opening of America caused a revival
which the disclosure by Cortes Piza-ro
turned into a virulent epidemic. raging for
centuries, ever stimulated by advancing eX-
pIoration and piratical adventure. Every
step northward in Mexico confirmed the be-
lief in still richer lands, beyond, and gave
food for flaming tales, like those told by
Friar Marcos de Mia.