The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-24
California's Golden Jubilee.

~oDAY California will celebrate
what she well calls her golden
jubilee. 1t was on January "a,
1S4S, that James w. Marshall while dig
ging a water race for a sawmili at CO.
Iona found several pieces of rock which
he and his fellow workmen believed to
be gold. But they could not prove 1t,
or tell how to obtain gold in paying
quantities. In February one of the
party named Bennett went to San
Francisco and returned with Isaac
Humphreys, who had worked In the
gold placers in Georgia. Humphreys
tested the gravel with a rocker and
obtained one ounce of gold daily. He
declared the ground to be richer than
he had seen in Georgia, and soon all the
party were rocking for the precious
metal
The first newspaper publication of the
discovery of gold appeared in The Cali
fornian, a newspaper printed In san
Francisco on March 10, 1s4S, and on the
day following the paper announced
that it would suspend publication, as
nearly all of the population of the city
big rush to California. In 1919 rich
pacers were discovered and opened in
Trinity and Mariposa counties, and in
1850 similarly rich placers were discov-
cred along the Klamath and In SCOTS
Valley In the latter year there was
tremendous rush to Gold Lake. near
Downievilfe, where IL was reported gold
lay in heaps on the banks. Thousands
were ruined in this excitement. and re-
turned in great misery. On September
8, 1850 when California was admitted
as a state into the Union about $4,000
persons were engaged in mining.
The excellent jubilee edition of the
San Francisco Report contains mass
OF interesting information regarding
/ gold mining in California. 1t appears
| that the state since 1S4S has contributed
to the worlds gold supply the enormous
total of Sf,2S2. 1851 From 1850 to 1860
the annual production was never less
than Sal, 100000. and in 1852 record was
established OF si,294, 700. From that
year the decline was gradual until 1868,
when the output was seventeen mill
! lions, which has been Just about Cali
| fornia's average ever since.
CALIFORNIA; growth and prosperity
date from the time OF Marshalfs dis
covery. Within few months from the
day he noticed the shining particles in
the stream. the name of California was
on every tongue, the world was agog
with excitement and the rush to the
gold fields had begun. The California
discovery of 1913 was of more impor-
lance To the world at that period than
the Klondike finds of 1897 are to the
world to-day. California claims to
have done a great deal for the United
States and for the world at large-and
she has never been restrained from
sayin~ SO by any considerations OF
modesty. The address of the jubilee
committee sets forth some of califor-
MAS proudest boasts in this enthusi-
astice language;
She poured out more than ST. 600 OF
| her own gold into the channels OF ado
| and stimulated the neighboring states
and territories to add 500. 90 600 more &c
that vast sum. BY her direct IL uenct
| she pushed Japan and China l. 10 ne
current of general commerce, DO
them within reach of ttlO graphs
| ocean steamers, and thus enlarged 'hs
| world which she enriched.
When our union was IN inlm nent can
ger when vast armies occupying an area
| large enough for a great nat on. wer,
| arrayed against the Stars and str pes
| when the welfare of America was st
greatly mperiled that many brave ant
wise men feared and even believed, ma
disunion was ineVitable-in that aW fu
crisis the gold of California came To 1 {
rescue and helped greatly 10 save oui
country from the fearful evils that won {
I have inevitably accompanied maj disrup
ton.
Besides widening the area and in 'reas
ing the speed OF culture, Califofn n.adi
many valuable contributions To oriei a
thought Her water pipes, quartz mills
amaigamating pans. cable cars, y mi
aredge, orchard system, fruit tryi
methods harvesting machinery and an,
other practical ideas have b. fc' eptet
everywhere by men of superior skill Shi
has produced pictures. statues a d boo 8
Of enduring value. She las made her r
ritory one OF the pleasure grounds or tn
world She has done much To give mar
acter To the wonderful age in which VI
live.
1t IL with pardonahle egotism thai
California Wanted herself ON this oe-
casion. Her golden jubilee will be, a.
it deserves TO be. a brilliant and sug.
gestive pageant. and the other states
T Of tho Union look on with admira tioi