The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-02-02
gre aahitz nzils gaeIe Tuesday orna Eebrnaru
FIFTY-SlX YEARS AGO.
Old Scrap Book Yields Some Interest
ina Reading.


ing Reading.
FTfty-six years agao today gold was
discovered on the farm of John a. SUIT
ter, on the Sacramento river, gin Cali
fornia. In going through an old scrap
book, Samuel Johnson, of this city. found
TIA following story concerning that time
which is a very interesting bit il history.
COSTLY DRINK.
Have you ever wondered what you
would do if you were TO discover a gold
mine? You suppose that it would make
you Independently rich The fact is that
neither the man who discovered gold in
the United States nor the man on whose
land it was discovered were made wealthy
thereby. The discovery ruined them
both, and left them poor men all the rest
of their lives
The discovery was made on the farm of
John A. Suffer, twenty-five miles up the
American fork of the Sacramento river
The discoverer was James w. Marshall
who had served during the Mexican war
under Col John c. Fremont. Being an
excellent mechanic Suffer, who owned a
large tract of land on the Sacramento,
employed Marshall after peace was re-
stored to build a saw mill at point forty
miles from Suffers fort and residence. AT
that time this was given as an invoice Of
Suffers possessions: Eleven leagues Of
land; a -four mill which had cost $50 900;
a saw mill which had cost $4,000; 1000
acres of growing wheat; 5000 cattle; 1900
horses and mules; 200 sheep; 1000 hogs
He was monarch of all he surveyed He
Q IL 1fe4y- ;.af
by Commodore Stockton and Indian agent
by General Kearney. This was his stand
ing on the second day of February. 1S4S,
the day on which gold was discovered on
his farm.
In the evening of that day James Mar
shall. his mill-wright, suddenly rode into
FIT Suffer, his horse foaming. beast and
rider both despatched with mud. Mar
shall was so excited that he could scarce
ly speak. He asked to be shown to a
room where he would be free from in
trusion. Then he closed the door and
asked the proprietor to lock it. Suffer
thought the man must have gone mad.
But as soon as he was persuaded that
they would not be interrupted, he took
from his pocket a pouch, from which he
emptied upon the table half a thimbleful
of yellow grains of metal and said that
he thought they were gold.
Where did you get it?55 asked Captain
Suffer.
Early this morning, as I was walking
along the saw mill race the water being
shut off, 1 noticed shining particles ly-
ing scattered along the bottom of the
race L picked up several Of them. and
finding them to be metal of some kind l
began to wonder if they were not gold.
l gathered what you see of them, mount
ed my horse and have ridden these forty
miles to carry the secret to you, and
bring the shining metal to a scientific
test"
Marshall, you are beside yourself.
These are not gold. But [ have a bottle
of aqua FORTS IN the house. We can
soon see what kind of stuff it IS"
The shining bits of metal stood the test
of this powerful acid, convincing both
men that the discoverer's opinion was
correct. He wanted Suffer to mount and
ride back with him to the saw mill that
night but the captain decided to wait I'M
/ til morning, but could not restrain his
visitor. who set out Immediately on his
return. The next morning early Suffer-
followed. When within about ten miles
OF the place where the discovery had
been made he met Marshall. who was so
impatient that he walked back about ten
miles to meet him.
On they went together. and when they
reached the saw mill they found all the
! laborers down in the empty race picking
up the shinig bits of metal. Captain
Suffer did ont relish the situation. Har-
vest was coming on and he feared that
the men woulu go wild over the prospect
and would not help him either TO finish
his improvements or to gather in his
crops. He gathered the mabout him and
! explained the situation. They agreed to
keep the matter A secret until after the
/ harvest. But such a secret was sure TO
! leak out, especially when added to the
| lust for gold there was the craze for
drink. \ teamster, going fro mthe mill
/ drink. went to a store and asked for
| bottle of whskey.
NO whiskey without the cash. was
| the reply.
4 have lots Of that replied the driver.
/ See here
| Then he showed some grains of the
| precious metal he had picked up at the
SAW mill The storekeeper was convinced
/ that these were gold and inquired where
! he got them. At first he declined to tell
/ but whiskey was supplied. the mans
! tongue was loosened. and the secret was
out
Suffers harvest was never gathered
Men rushed from ali directions His
/ oxen. hogs. and sheep were stolen by
/ hungry men and devoured His mills
I stood idle. His lands were squatted upon
/ and dug over and he wasted his remain
/ ing substance in fruitIess litigation To re-
/ covery of gold proved 20 Captain Suffer
q costly discovery. and the teamster' 5
drink Was 10 him a costly drink.
STILL A PRISONER.