Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1905-1906, 1906-01-23
|RECOLLECTI0NS
|OF RUSH FOR GOLD
JAMES sEAToN TELLS OF TRIP
TO WEST IN THE EARLY
FIFTIES.
| A PARTY OF TEN MEN
Left Centerville Via Ohio River for
yellow Field-Few
| Got Rich.
A PARTY OF Ten men

Recollections of the past are al
ways interesting, and jump of fifty
six wears, from 1906 to 1850, carry
ing one as it does from the cold mat
ter of fact commercial life of today
with its modern conveniences OF
mile-a-minute trains, telephones, tel
egraph lines and mammoth steam
Iships, to the days Of travel by slow
going sailing vessels, stage coaches,
and river barges, is bound to be an
interesting story.
| In 1850 Wayne county was aglow
with gold fever, due to the discovery
Of gold in California the year before.
Stories of the riches to be gotten in
that golden land had fred the blood
of everyone to high degree. A lit
tie party of Centerville men deter
mined to cross the plains and try to
obtain some of this golden hoard
about which so many fabulous sto-
ries were told. In the party was
James A. Seaton, at that time lad
| of eighteen, now one Of Richmond S
Oldest and most respected citizens.
/ Leaving Centerville in the spring
Of 1850 this little party of eight or
ten men made their way via the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers to st. Louis,
and from there by way Of the Mis-
souri, river to St. Joseph. Here
they bought their supplies, wagons,
prairie schoners-horses, cattle
and arms. Every man carried a IL
fe for at that time travellers across
the plains were often molested by
! the Indians.
Shortly after having completed
their equipment and when they were
about ready to start on their long
journey, they were surprised to meet
a Richmond man in st. Joseph. This
man Informed them that he was one
| of a party of Richmonders which
was also on its way to the gold fields,
and that they were encamped on the
| river a few miles above st. Joseph.
He invited the Centerville men to
join his party and his offer was ac-
cepted. Accordingly the two parties
combined and started on their long
overland trip.
! The journey was, for the most
part, uneventful and although sew
% T,,l
| tered, no trouble was experienced
!, from them. Game was surprisingly
scarce. Only two antelope We're
killed during the entire trip and no
buffalo, though several We're seen.
The only severity endured through
out the trip was when the party was
crossing the Nevada desert Their
sufferings from thirt were friehtful
even though they Travelled chiefly in
the cool OF the evening. AT one
time they left the trail due to mi
rage and vainly endeavored fol
hours to reach river lined with
trees, which they imagined they saw
only a short distance in front OF
them. Their search was in vain
however, and after hours of wander.
ing, they finally managed to regain
the trail, and continued on THEN
way.
After crossing the desert they ha6
no more difficulty and reached Sac
ramento safely. From there they
went to the gold camps some fit,
miles out of the city and started Il
work with pick and shovel to carve
their fortunes from the golden soil
Fortune. however, did not smile OF
their efforts very brightly and tn.
larger part Of the men set out fol
,, home within a few months. Mr.
Seaton, however, stayed there fo1
four years and at last, being a littl,
to the good, decided to return HON.
for visit.
: Mr.. Seaton's brother had joine,
, him several months before and wa
: left in charge of the .diggins' dur
: ing the visit. But home proved to-
: attractive to Mr.. Seaton, and he new
/ err returned to California. Hi
!. brother sold out his property for hin
!. and also came hack.
/, Mr.. seaton says that 100000 peo
: Pies crossed the plains the same sum
| mer that he did. Mr.. Jerry Meek
: another old resident of this city, wa
also a member of the party.