davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

beyond that they had nothing to guide them.
 Providentially they heard of a com pany of Roman Catholic missionaries who were on their way from St. Louis to establish a mission among the Flat head Indians of the Rocky Mountains. This company had engaged an old mountaineer for a guide, whose name was Fitzpatrick and would be up with Captain Bartleson's party if they would wait another day. They chafed at the delay, but it proved 0 most fortunate wait for them. The missionary band, headed by Fathers De Smet, Pont and Mengarinl, accompanied them as far as Soda Springs, now in Idaho. It was rare good fortune to be accompanied by such a man as Father De Smet, genial. even-tempered. experienced in rough travel and withal one of the saintliest of men.
 Until the party reached the Platte River nothing unusual happened. Headed by Captain Fitzpatrick and the missionaries tbey each day made what
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

had been surrounded by thousands of Indians, who had taken from him his mule, his gun and the major part of his clothing.
 The buffalo was a new source of in- terest. Almost from the start many antelope, elk and much smaller game had been seen. but buffalOeS were scarce till after the Platte had been reached. It is impossible for young per sons to conceive of the vast herds of these huge animals that swept over prairie and hillside, laundering at times all night long, making the very earth tremble with their wild indescrib- able rush. At times some of the party were compelled, on the approach of one of these vast herds, to advance some distance from camp to turn or divide them by firing guns and making fires, lest they should in their mad sweep trample under foot the entire camp. By the time the party had reached the Sweetwater buffaloes had compara- lively disappeared. Great. numbers of mountain sheep were seen at Scott's
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

rush to California from the ends of the earth had begun, and he found San Francisco in a wild state of excitement He arrived late in the summer of 1S4S About that time young soldier of SteVenson's regiment, while riding along the Mokelumne River, stopped to drink from stream, and discovered a gold nugget weighing between twenty and twenty-five pounds He hastened to San Francisco and placed his prize in the hands of Colonel Mason for safety. The latter sent 1t by General Beale to the Eastern States. The ex- hibition of this nugget in New York increased the gold fever, and the nation began to realize the importance of newly acquired California.
 A mass of gold was exhibited at the world s Fair, London, which is said to nave been three hundredweight. It is stated that this specimen was brought up rom deep mine on the back of a man. If the English hundredweight IS meant, 1t would be 336 pounds ayoir- dupois, or 4,S99.S9 ounces troy. It was brought from Chile.
 With the exception of the Chile mug get. the largest mass of gold on record was found at Ballarat, Victoria. Aus tralia, in 1859. The mass is known as the Sarah Sands" Its weight was 26SS ounces. Of all the great Australian nuggets, those from Victoria were the largest and most plentiful
 Another nugget found at Ballarat. Victoria, Australia, weighed 2217 troy ounces. or about 1855 pounds troy
 The welcome nugget also found at Bakery Hill, Ballarat, Victoria, in 1858, at depth of 1S0 feet, weighed 2195 ounces troy. A model of this magnifi- cent specimen may be seen in the State Museum of California.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

better of the two remaining oxen. when who should come up from behind but the eight men who had left them nine days before. Captain Bartleson was sorry sight as he ate the best sup per that could be provided. He ex- claimed: Boys, if I ever get back to Missouri I will never leave that country. I would at this moment gladly eat out of the trough with my dogsl"
 Climbing the mountains with difn- culty on the north side of Walker River, the reunited party at length came to the summit, then found the extreme head waters of what proved to be the Stanislaus. This was fol- OK was killed: then the party killed whatever they could-even crows and wildcats-to keep from starving.
 They came down into the San Joa- quin Valley; but seeing another range of mountains far to the west. some thought 1t yet 500 miles to California. How tired, how utterly exhausted they were on the evening or that day they entered the valley. And the poor faded horses had nearly perished.
 Next morning Bidwell breakfasted upon the lights and windpipe of & coy ote that the advance party had killed and all but devoured. Without delay the eager emigrants made for north ern timber and reached the Stanislaus Antelope and deer were found in abundance. The starving time was over. Next day organizations were made to press on into California be- fore the winter snows. The chosen course lay to the north of what proved to be Mount Diablo: but by means oi an Indian, found on horseback, those pioneers of pioneers were shortly
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

phere at times made it impossible to discern obstacles far ahead; the de- ceptive mirage occasioned many a sore disappointment by its phantom hopes of water and foliage. Without know ing 1t they were making directly for the lake. The salty plain became softer and softer, the water of the river no longer quenched thirst, and at last the poor, almost famished animals were un- able to proceed with their loads. This compelled the party to lie by day for rest; but it was not long till grass and water were found to the north. The condition of the animals made it inn- perative to rest there nearly a week. It is impossible in a short sketch like this to relate fully even the most thrilling incidents and momentous hardships, much less the innumerable experiences of mountain and plain, with Indians and wild beasts. More than once those hardy emigrants trayeled all day and all night without water.
 After sustaining many delays and en- countering obstacles that tried the
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

progress they could. It was customary at night to draw the wagons together into hollow square, picket the ami mals inside and detail a guard to watch. At times the train was half a mile or more in length, but when dan ger threatened a compact body was kept for safety. For most part these first pioneers had their own roads to make, but when obstacles were to be removed or gulches filled all hands worked with a will.
 From Fitzpatrick much was learned about the Indians. AS a precaution cooking was usually done by day, so as to have no fires by night. Of course the emigrants were treated to an oc- casional scare from the Indians; as when Dawson, who chanced to be separated from his companions while hunting, was so frightened by forty friendly Cheyennes as to report that he
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

of what this was made, all relish for it was gone. The faithful oxen now con- stituted the entire food supply.
 Being compelled to drive the packed oxen, the party made but eighteen or twenty miles per day. Some were in favor of leaving the oxen and hasten ing on to California, where they were assured, there was plenty of beef. One day. after circumstances peculiarly trying to Bidwell, Captain Bartleson and seven men, after taking most of the store of meat. abruptly separated from the remainder of the party and started off, the captain calling out to those left behind to keep up if they could.
 Following their trail for two or three days, all indications of their course were lost in the sand, and BidwelTs party were thrown wholly upon their own resources. Maintaining a gen. eral westerly course, they crossed the Carson River and followed up the Wal ker River-these were not then named ito the Sierra Nevada Mountains, not then knowing their name.
 The party was preparing to make the difficult ascent and had just killed the
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

completed the demoralization of the party. Many families were entirely ruined, but the others brutally refused aid, and savage fighting resulted.
 One would think that the common dangers to which all were exposed should have developed their spirit of humanity. Under proper discipline this would undoubtedly have happened But as 1t was, the fear of death only intensified each travellers selfishness, men fought like brutes over trifies, and one old man whose feet were swollen was actually abandoned In the wilder ness.
 It was late in October before the struggling remnant which had escaped death from privation or at the hands of the hostile Indians reached the base of the Sierras. They found 1t impossi- ble to cross the Truckee Pass, heavy fall of snow barred the way, and they were forced to winter as best they could near the Donner Lake.
 Here, lacking all proper clothing and shelter, they strove to shield them selves from the icy blasts of winter, and when their provisions were ex- hauSted had recourse to the most ter rible of all nourishment in order to preserve their miserable lives. Six teen of the party. under the leadership of Eddy, made gallant attempt to win their way out on snowshoes. leaving a crimson track over the spotless Sierra snows as they toiled wearily on day after da
 Several relief expeditions at once started out; the first. under the leader ship of Glover, reaching the camp on February 19. Fourteen of the wretched party had already perished of starva- ton, and the appearance of the sur vivors, as they crawled from the novels where they strove to shelter them selves, their hair matted and filthy. their faces haggard. their flesh wasted to the bone, was ghastly in the ex-
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23
zNERHL JOHN BDVELLS TRIP ACROSS THE PLAINS IN 1841

cling all that day and night and nearly losing not only the oxen, but his horse and gun, Bidwell saw nothing or the party till late on the day following. He was indignant to learn that they hao not waited for him according to prom ise
 The party had been warned against going too far south and thus getung into a desert country; they could not then go west; there seemed no alterna tive-they must turn to the north ana cross a range of mountains. Would they ever reach California traveilng northward? The dangerous canyons leading toward the Columbia were feared. At length the river was reach- ed which, four years later, Fremont first saw and named the Humboldt Following the Humboldt many days they came to the Sink.
 Fully one-half the party were now on foot, the provisions were nearly ex- hausted, and there was almost no game. Some food was purchased from Indians; but when the Americans saw
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

Bluffs, below Fort Laramie, on the North Platte, but because of their ex- ceeding wildness none were killed.
 When the missionary party was about to leave lovely Soda Springs one half of the emigrant party-now num- bering sixty-four in all-were so dis couraged that they decided to continue with the missionaries to Fort Hall rather than to venture into the un- known regions toward California
 and, not without misgivings, penetrated the trackless western Nwilds, following down the west side of Bear River toward Salt Lake.
 Using what scanty information they had been able to gain from Fitzpatrick and other sources. it was September be- fore they reached the northern extrem- ity of the lake. Progress was impeded by almost constant interruptions and frequent delays. The smoky atmos-
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

" HE attractions of California
 made themselves felt in the East
 even before the da- s of the
 Golden Era Though no hint had
 as yet reached the world of the vast stores of mineral wealth concealed in her gullies and ranges, the agricul- tural and pastoral resources of the State were sufficient to attract many immigrants. and party after party. travelling slowly in wagons laden with all their household goods, made the tedious and dangerous journey across the desert and over the Sierras.
 Many, attacked by Indians, or perish ing slowly of hunger and thirst. left their bones whitening by the side of the track to mark the path for the next conner. Many, more fC. su- ate. got through safely and prospered exceed ingly in the land of promise. The story of these overland disasters has never been fully told party after party of immigrants perished unnoticed in the desert. and no historian has written of their sufferings. But contemporaneous accounts throw a lurid light on the tragedy of Donner Lake.
 In 1847 San Francisco. or Yerba Buena, as 1t was then called, was but a little village by the side of the bay, yet its few hundred inhabitants had energy and resource, the nobler feel ings of humanity were strong within them. When the news reached the town that party of immigrants had been showed up in the Sierras whilst at- tempting to cross the Truckee Pass, the generous citizens made immediate re- sponse and Q relief fund of $1500 was subscribed. Search parties were organ ized and with infinite trouble and dan ger the remnant of the miserable Don ner party were brought forth from the snowy range by the side Of the lake which still bears their name.
 Though well equipped and furnished with all needful supplies, everything seems to have gone wrong with the Donner party from the outset The trouble began when the immigrants, after leaving Fort Bridger. attempted to follow new route over the noun tains. The track, though largely used during later years, was then entirely unopened, and often the party had to halt for days to cut away the brush or to explore the country in front of them.
 Thus they dragged their weary way along until September, when 1t was al- ready getting late in the year, to at- tempt the passage over the Sierra Ne vada Mountains. After passing Twen- ty Wells they attempted two days journey from water to water. The pas sage took them three days, they had to abandon a number of wagons and lost half their cattle. This disaster
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

for the trip. They styled themselves the Western Emigration Society. But reverses came and the movement went to pieces, leaving young Bidwell the only one bent on the undertaking. He redoubled his exertions among distant neighbors, and finally a party of sixty nine persons were plodding slowly westward There were five families.
 Young Bidwell had a wagon and a yoke of oxen. A man named Bartleson. from Jackson County, Mo, was elected captain. Each man furnished his own supplies. Nobody was to have less than a barrel of faur, with proportionate amounts of sugar, etc. Teams of horses, mules and oxen were used.
 The great trouble of the party at first was that nobody knew which way to go. In a general way they knew that California was somewhere out west;
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23
Fate of the Logan Party

stoutest hearts, they came within sight of great mountains to the westward. Then it was quickly decided that the wagons must be abandoned or the par ty would be overtaken by the snows be- fore reaching California. None of the party ever forgot the indescribable diff faculties of this undertaking. They were all inexperienced in the methods of packing horses, mules and oxen. It soon became a caravan of loose packs. frightened horses, kicking mules and believing oxen.
 Having oxen instead of horses, young Bidwell had a harder time than the others. Not infrequently the oxen with their packs were left from six to ten miles behind the party, and would only reach camp about midnight. On one occasion the animals failed to come up, so next morning the owner return ed in search of them; and, though trav-
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23
BIGGEST GOLD NUGGET EVER
 FOUND.

" HE discovery of the first specI-
 men of gold remarkable for it's ex-
 traordinary size plays a promi- \ nent part in the early history of
 California The official news of the discovery of gold in the State was taken to the government by General B. F. Beale. He went to Washington bearing about $50 worth of gold dust, but failed to excite the interest he an- ticipated. and returned disappointed. During his absence the historical mad
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23
1898

brought to Dr. Marsh's ranch, and there they first learned where they were.
 It was almost exactly six months since they had set out from Sapling Grove.
 That Is the story of how the first overland train reached California.
 ROCKWELL D. HUNT. University of the Pacific
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

shrunk from cannibalism, but now 1t had become universal; the bodies of those who died were deliberately used for food, and one human monster was dered women and children in order to gratify his appetite. The relief party
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

sI@ 8 8 ]" B a@ 8 U 8 s a g 8 & 8 8 g EXPRESS TIME FROM YORK TO SAN FRANCISCO.
 From le4e 10 1ss: From the Horn, from o
 
  
  by rail sthmusa nd steame to
 
  St Joseph, Mo to San
   railroads York to San By rail- Limited" York to San Fran  . @ @ 1. . g % @ % % .
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

was horror struck at the scene which met their gaze.
 Out of the eighty persons who started with the party nearly one-half, or S6, perished, and that any survived was due solely to the heroic exertion of the Californians. who spared neither life nor expense in attempting the rescue.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

So far as Is now known there are but two men survivors of that memor- able journey-General John Bidwell of Chico, Cal, and Michael c. Wye of Crook County. Oregon.
 In his twentieth year Bidwell became rossessed of an idea to see the great Western Reserve and thatlonging even- tually led him to what afterward be- came California. He had $75, which he had saved to enter college, and this he spent in getting as far west as the Platte reserve. There he became ac- Quainted with men who like himself were resolved on going West. There were public meetings, and gradually BOO of them banded themselves together
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

treme. Glover, himself short of provis- ions, was only able to bring out a DOT ton of the party, and when the second expedition. under Reed, reached the camp week later the condition of the survivors had passed from bad to worse.
 At first few of the sufferers had
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

Queen Margherita of Italy is not only one of the most accomplished women that has ever graced a European throne. but she Is likewise winning for herself the good will of the scientific world by hay ing e9,asTuetea ,aS1. at her own expense en 4ba a summit of Mount Rosa, 15,000 feet above the level of the sea.
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

HE first emigrant train from the United States entered California in the fall of 1S41. The first set clement reached was pr. Marsh's ranch and the date November 4
The San Francisco call., 1898-01-23

T HE attractions of California \ made themselves felt in the East even before the da- s of the Golden Era. Though no hint had
 as vet reached the world of the
Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-09-12
Whipped the -Four Hundred.

An officer Of the steamer Empress Of
Japan, recently arrived at Vancouver
from the orient, tells Of an exciting
street fight which he witnessed in the
streets Of Hongkong prior to the sailing
of his vessel. There are many sailors in
that harbor attached to the war vessels
of various nations, and they imbibe
strong national prejudices as they watch
the International game in the east. The
trouble started in a saloon. The Rus
sian sailors combined with the French
and Germans and formed a double line
down a narrow street and dared any
Johnny Bull or Yankee to pass.
The English and American sailors
Joined forces and found they mustered
100 to the enemy's 400. Nothing daunt-
ed, they seized a lot of jinrikishas, form
ed a wedge with them and rushed Oh
the foreigners with a cheer. They broke
the line, smashed the jinrikishas and
continued the fight with fists and pieces
of the debris until, as the informant
relates, they had the 400 allies badly
whipped. The din was dreadful, but
above it rose the singing Of America"
and "God Save the Queen" both, Of
course, to the same tune. The authori-
ties were powerless and appealed to the
commanders of the warships, who or
dered the men to stop. and the hostili-
ties ceased.
Thus has been begun the much talked
Of Anglo-Saxon alliance against the
world.-Argonaut.
Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-09-12
A Practical Joker Punished.

A practical" jokeris at present TAX
ing a good, hard dose of his own medi-
cine. About two weeks ago he packed a
dry goods box with old shoes, empty
tin cans and other rubbish and sent it
off to Tampa, Fla, consigned to one of
the companies of the Third regiment,
Pennsylvania volunteers, with express
charges collect. The soldier boys thought
it was a box of supplies sent by some
kind friends, and gladly paid the
charges.
Their chagrin in discovering the con
tents of the box may be imagined. But
they have since been turning the tables
with a vengeance. They learned the
name of the joker, and for a week past
nearly every man in the company has
been writing a letter of thanks every
day to the sender of the box. The let
tiers are mailed with the soldiers privi-
lege Of sending mail without stamps,
postage to be collected from the receiver.
The Joker is paying about SO a
day in postage for the letters Of thanks
he is receiving, and he's wondering how
much longer they will continue to come,
philadelphia Record.
Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-09-12

Wonlan's power is largely dependent
upon her ability to interest, entertain, at
tract and please. II is for this reason that
women strive to become accomplished.
They study in order that they may converse
intelligently On all subjects. They strive
to become good musicians, graceful dam
GERS and amiablc hostesses.
All accomplishments are unavailing if a
woman suffers from i'll -health in a womanly
way. The special weakness peculiar to the
wofnanly organism, will rapidly wreck the
general health. The sufferer will lose her
natural vivacity, her wit, her good looks,
and the ambition and power to display the
accomplishments at her command. ANY
woman affected in this way should resort
to DR.. Pierce's Favorite Prescription. 1t is
a wonderful medicine for ailing women. 1t
is the invention of an eminent and skillful
physician, DR.. R. V. Pierce, for thirty years
chief consulting physician to the Invalids'
Hotel and Surgical Institute, at Buffalo,
N. Y. 1t aims to cure but one class of dis
eases, and claims to be good for nothing
vigor and virility to the delicate feminine
organs. 1t prepares a woman for wifehood
and motherhood.
Mrs. Ramon Sanchez, Penasco, Taos County,
N. Mex. in a letter to DR.. Pierce says: From a
grateful heart my voice goes up to God both night
and day in a solemn prayer that He may guard
your health and preserve your life. I hereby ex-
press my gratitude to you for the relief I have
received from your wonderful medicine, Favor
lite Prescription After suffering years of misery
I am to-day a healthy and happy wife, and can
truthfully to women the use of the
'Favorite Prescription as a regulator of the
monthly periods"
The quick constipation cure - Doctor
Pierce's Pleasant Pellets. Never grippe.