Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-10-06

Fear Not" The book was at once
furnished Mr. Bgler and he was in
ylted to send the News the extracts
from his diary covering the period Of
the gold discovery. He kindly complied
and they are furnished herewith. In
the same letter he gives extracts from q
journal he kept from the time the Nor.
mon Battalion left the main body OF
the Saints on the way to the west In
1916, and during the long and weary
march across the deserts to California.
But as that historical trip has many
times been published, we do not quote
that portion Of his narrative.
The names Of the men who were at
work at Suffers saW-mill.' says Mr.
blger's diary. at the time the dlscoy.
cry of gold was made, were Alexander
stevens, James s, Brown, James Bar.
ger william Johnston, Azariah Smith
and myself, There We're others, but
these We're the only members OF the
Battalion We had been together mus.
tered out Of the service OF the United
states government, and had started on
the way home when we met Captain
Brown with his detachment on the way
20 Monterey 10 obtain their discharge
captain Brown had an eDistle from
President Young and the Twelve, 70 the
boys Of the Battalion, stating that all
who had no families IN Salt Lake,
should return 10 California and go 90
work with a view Of fitting themselves
out with provisions and return to Utah
IN the spring. The letter also
said that provisions were scarce I'm
salt Lake and that the Lord would be
with those who would turn back: also
mat five dollars would be worth five
times Its value In Salt Lake. Accord
ingly on the morning Of September Sth,
1850 l1V OF our number, myself lnclud-
el, gave our brethren the parting hand
with blessings on each others heads.
We divided provisions, scarcely
leserying enough ourselves 10 last us
10 the settlements $50 miles distant.
Arriving al Captain Suffers. he at
once hired all Of as 20 work In his grlst
and saw mill, and It was there we were
engaged In January, 1875. when gold
was discovered
j well remember all the particulars.
by New Years day, lS4S. we had the
uum in, and the tail race nearly COM
leted, a man named James Werner
had charge Of some Indians who We're
az work, and James W. Marshall. our
superintendent, had been in the habit
OF going down every afternoon to see
now the Indians were progressing, Tor
they had struck the bedrock. mostly Of
rotten granite, and the work was slow
uut this time, when he went down. his
eye caught the gitterlng Of something
mar lay In the crevice on the base Of
,ne bedrock a few inches under water
ne sent a young Indian to Mr.. Brown
VINO was at work In the mill yard whip
saving, asking him 60 send him a tin
pate Brown was a top-sawer, he
answered, i wonder what Marshall
wants with a tin plate. but he walked
v'et TO our shanty and gave one 10 the
ihalan. This was on Monday evening
ln January. lsiS AS we were quitting
Notk for the day Marshall came up
rom the tail race and said he believed
he had found a gold mine. Someone
ienatked, II guess there Is no such
,Iek, Nothing more was said then,
"ut Just before going TO bed. Marshall
,Ame into our shanty and said he be-
lieysd he had found gold near the lower
eng or the race, that he had tried 10
melt some OF the particles but could
hN 90 so; but before leaving us he
salo. Brown | want you and Bigler In !
we morning 70 shut down the head
gaze throw In some saw-dust rotten
raves and dirt, make Il all tight and / !
WIZ see what there u.s. Next morning
we did as directed. and while at work, !
we saw Marshall pass through the mill !
sa,a and 80 on down the race. Brown |
ano ! went into breakfast. after which |
gu hands went 10 work at the mill |
zero. was busy preparing 20 blow !
a olast OF powder into the boulder that
tay IN the tail race near the hutter |
nneeb when Marshall came up carry !
Ins IN his arms hls old white hat. and |
,nth a wide grin he said. Boys be- |
lieve have fe.~a