Douglas Island news., 1899-08-23
The Douglas Island News.
The First Gold Found.
Western Mining World,

The First Gold FOund-
 Western Mining World,
 1t cuts but little figure at this late day who found the first gold in tho west and where it was found 1t is said and generally believed that J. w, Marshall first discovered gold in California while digging a tail race for Suttor's mill, which was being built on the south fork of the American river, about 90 miles above the city of Sacramento. But Marshall was not the disCOVerer of gold in California, but his find in the mill race started the stampede of AZ and made his name famous. The Jesuit fathers, who had established missions at San BernardinO, Los Angeles ana San Francisco two or three hundred years ago, knew there was gold in Cali foruia long before Marshall found his nuggett, through the Digger Indians, who brought specimens of nuggets for the inspection of the fathers. They said nothing about it at the time for for what they held were pru dential reasons.
 But Marshall has the credit of finding the first gold, and let the pioneer who died a poor man as he had lived one, have it. It can harm no one. But there has been so many stories told as to how the find was known to be gold, some partly right and others wholly wrong, that the Western Mining World will be pardoued if it tells the whole story as it comes from the lips of Mar shall, the discoverer 1t was in Feb ruary, 1S4S, that General Sutter, then residing on his stock farm on the Sacramento river, and having a trading post below. near where the city of Sacramento stands, put some white men at work on the South Fork of the American river to build a saw mill. Among them was Marshall. A man and his wife by the name of Wiener cooked and washed and cared for the men. The mill was to run by water, and tail race had to be put in shape. Marshall and some others managed the tail race part of the work. One day they turned in some water to see how the thing would work and how swift the water would run. After the water had been turned off Marshall took a look at the bottom of the race. He found bright, yellow piece of metal. Everyone in the gang examined the find, but not all were agreed as to what it was. Marshall was nearly alone in pronouncing it gold. To satisfy their curiosity they let Mrs. Weimer, who was then making poor article of soft soap out of pine wood ashes, boil 1t in lye for several hours. She did 1t and the little nuggett came out of the or deal as bright as refined gold. A mes senger was sent to Suffers fort, 50 miles below, on the Sacramento river. The piece was pronounced gold and the discovery was heraldGd to the world. It did not reach the "states" generally until the winter of 48'49, and then the rush for the Land of Gold" began. And this is how the discovery of gold was made in California. The result Is known.
 Many of the emigrants to the new Fl Dorado were told when passing in sight of Pille's Peak that gold had been found by trappers and hunters near that towering mountain. It vas said in lS49 that Brigham Young knew that the mountains near Salt Lake abound ed in precious metals, but that the knowledge would not be given to the Gentiles for fear they would rush i'll and, in the end, OutnumOer the saints Rumors of gold finds met the ears of the forty miners from the day they crossed the Missouri river and entered the Great American Desert" until they reached the golden sands of the Pacific. The knowledge came from the Indians, given to emigrants by hunters and trappers, and the fathers of Catholic missions. But the despised, persecuted red man was really the first discoverer of the untold wealth of the west.