The Republican journal., 1901-12-26


Lydia i. Pinkham's Compound.
Mrs. Pinkham advises sick w0-
lmen free. Address, Lynn, Mass.
for gold; and their disappointment, as
well as their suffering, was intense
They became almost crazed by their
privations and the want of water, and,
pistol in hand, several of their number
repeatedly threatened Adams. He, on
the other hand, was thoroughly fright
ened and, more than once, made an
attempt to escape. He failed, and
finally, after conference, he was given
one CAV more III which to find the long
sought-for gulch.
The four Californians and a few of
the others did not share in this bitter
their influence that his life was spared.
They were more disposed to question
his sanity than his honesty, but, even
to this day those of them that are living
believe in his sincerity and in the ex-
istence of the 'Blue Bucket mines.
The evening of Adams probation ar
rived and the mines had not been locat-
ed. Those who were in favor of imme-
date execution were prevailed upon to
wait unit. morning. The proceedings
were then again delayed until 10 O. clock,
when it was DECIDED to try the man by
jury.
The trial lasted all day, and the case
was submitted to the jury in the even
ing. The jury slept on the case all
night, and, in the morning, decided that
Adams should be stripped of his horses,
provisions, blankets, and, in fact,
everything except the clothes upon his
back, and then should be driven from
the camp. Any member of the party
had the privilege of shooting the
unfortunate fellow, if he should be seen
following the party. Adams was also
made to sign paper that he had been
guilty of perjury.
GOOD SAMARITANS.
This trial took place at the point on the
headwaters of Burnt River where the
famous Indian fight in 1856 occurred.
Griffin and Dave Littlefeld of the Calf
fornians, thought the sentence too Sc
we're, and to keep Adams from dying
from starvation, secretly conveyed
food to him until the party divided and
the majority of its members turned
their faces toward the Willamette
Valley.
The more hardy of the party, whose
feet had not become cold, crossed the
divide between Burnt and Powder Riv-
ers, and, at noon on October %, 1861,
crossed the Blue Canyon, at point
where Auburn was subsequently built
Thence, passing over the ridge and
across Elk Greek, they camped in the
evening at a ravine which they called
Griffin's Gulch. Here, at shutdown,
Henry Griffin sunk prospect hole
three feet deep to bedrock and found
gold.
Late that night the hardy goldseekers
stood out under the silent stars and
talked over their good fortune. Griffin
was allowed one claim for discovery
and another by presumption. Twenty
two more claims of 200 feet each were
staked off, and the miners cast lots
for the choice of them. Thus was es-
tablished the famous placer diggings of
Griffin's Gulch, which led to the build
ing of the town of Auburn, which was
the forerunner of Baker City.
After having surveyed route for a
ditch, to convey water from Elk Greek,
the miners broke camp and most of
them departed for Walia Walla, from
which place they intended to return to
the willamette Valley. Griffin, Little
field, Stafford and Server did not
return to the valley. Instead, they
spent the winter at Griffin's Gulch
and erected the first house in Baker
County. 1t was then in Wasco County,
Baker County not having been formed.
This log cabin is still standing, and is
in splendid state of preservation.
The four pioneers spent all the open
weather of the winter of 1861 60 in
prospecting, and, of course, heard
nothing from the outside world. In
early April, in 1862, while at the head
of Washington Gulch, they saw large
company of men and horses coming up
the Powder River Valley. They soon
encountered George Hall and O. H.
Kirkpatrick, the advance guard of a
party of so which had come out OF the
Willamette Valley to dig in the already
celebrated Powder River mines. OF
course, as yet no great amount of gold
had been taken from the diggings, but
the Portland and Oregon City news
papers had, all winter, been publishing
the most glowing accounts of the enOr-
nous yields Of the Eastern Oregon
placer fields.
The newcomers were not dishearten-
ed on hearing the real situation, but
Immediately went to prospecting, and,
in short time, gold in paying quanti-
ties was discovered on Willow Creek,
French Gulch and Freezeout and Blue
Canyons.
Prospectors kept coming in, and by
the 1st of June several hundred were
in the neighborhood, and the town of
Auburn was built.
The history of the town, which
follows, is of little interest now. At
one time Auburn was city of 5000
souls. 1t is now but a memory. In its
place has sprung up Baker City-the
metropolis Of Eastern Oregon.-Edit0I
of The Journal.