The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-28

pia. and also in North Carolina and
Alabama. 1t seemed as though the
Blue Ridge region was one vast gold
deposit The news spread with all the
rapdity that was possible in those
days when there were neither rail-
roads, telegraphs, nor telephones, and
mails not carried faster than stage
coach or post boy could travel. Every
Indian trail and bride path between
the Chattahoochee and the Tennessee
river became alive with men seeking
their fortunes in the gold region.
In Georgia the area in which the
auriferous metal was to be found was
Cherokee county, which then embraced
about all of the state north, east and
west of what is now the city of At
lanta.
There were about 5000 Cherokees,
and though they were gradually becom-
ing semi-civilized, they were an i'm
nediment to the development of the
state and a constant source of anxiety
TO settlers on the frontier. The state
had been trying from 1902, in which
wear a compact was made with the
limited States by which the latter
agreed to extinguish the Indian titles,
N remove the red men. The white
neople were restless under the delay
and INCREASINGLY agitated the question
of the general government carrying out
its agreement.
In 1922 Congress appropriated $5O,OOV
20 defray the expenses of further
treaties with the Greeks and Chero-
KEGS, having in view their ultimate re-
rnoval. and next year commissioners
who had been appointed under the act
of the previous year, met the chlels
If the Cherokee nation, but, after a
long conference, utterly failed TO &C
complish anything, the Cherokee Coun-
cil declaring that thereafter never 10
make any cession of lands TO the
whites. The failure to effect treaty
with the Cherokees came near prlng-
ing on conflict between the state ana
fine general government on matters
growing out of the Indian question.
rho c,berokees refused to exchange
the lands they claimed in Georgia 1or
the Mississippi river. They hau peeis
namnered and petted by the KIND OF
peonie who have from time immemorlal
"noxed their noses" into other people
business. These so-called phllahthIo-
phists are doing it to-day with the
Filipinos. and until recent years Hdu
their noses deep into the domestic anu
political affairs of the people OF tne
Southern states.
Il looked like a war; in fact, the In
dams in Alabama commtleu
several massacres. The Chet-
okees encouraged by thelr
friends. thought they were on easy
street, in scalping the white pioneers
of North Georgia.
Negotiations looking to Kidding the
state of these semi-savages continued
however. and finally they were remoV-
ed beyond the Mississippi river states
manship and bayonets did part OF the
work, but those thousands or golo
hunters, each with rifle ana d camp
outfit on their shoulders, were more
potential as a moving power. The av-
erage Indian had only known the WHITE
man as a regular soldier or a trader,
and didn't think there were many OIL
them, but when that rugged army
poured over the Blue Ridge INTO the
Valleys and camped on the banks Oh
the EtOWan, Cn6SIdLeC anu ANAANN'
a human torrent, fearing nothing ana
daring everything it swept the Indians
claims before it, and the chiefs of the
Cherokees the majority of whom were
half white and large land grappers,
saw the fate of their people unless
they moved far away. Those gold hunt-
ers asked no signatures to treatles,
cared nothing for Indian titles deheo
the Cherokees, the state and general
government. That crowd unsettled the
Indians and settled North Georgia.
The discovery of gold in the sluices
of Suffers mill on the South Fork OF
the American river twenty
Years later, caused rush
the North, the South, the East ana
the West, and many of those from the
South had dug gold in Georgia. In
California there was an ocean to mark
the boundaries of their search ana
those who found not gold turned their
attention to other means of money
making, extending from barrooms to
hanks, which included faro banks as
we'll as those of deposit and discount.
these gold hunters were far away
from home and friends. There was no
gong back; there they were and there
Sley had to remain through good or III
fortune
/
me situation was different; the disap-
pointed gold seeker pushed out, or on,
ana became a settler in other states
mere was no ocean on one side, ana
,leserts and Indians on the other. TO
Keep them in North Georgia 1t was
easy TO get away, and he hied away TO
Uther fields of adventure or wealth.
however, many of these pioneers made
elnall fortunes; some remained in Geor-
ga others went to Alabama, Tennes-
ge and North Carolina, and even FAR
"'er Westward, and settled.
since gold was discovered, Lumpkin
Vunlys output of the precious metal
sald to have averaged over half
Union OF dollars year. well
crown government official says that
~, hundred stamp mills working con-
s'uaiiy one hundred years, would only
'eed IN scratching the surface OF
,Y sold bearing rocks and earth. SO
v,inslFe and ineXhaustible Is the
n H., 'tA concealed In the hills and val
s. Of Lumpkin.
may be well 70 state that the dis
n 10y OF gold IN Georgia was only
Il livery Tho Indians and Span
h~es knew ~ the existence 81 the
gA metal Tor hundreds ~ years
a.. A9fk ~ the spaniards ceased with
~4fsnt u Tbs EnEiish on the eea'