Evening journal., 1911-04-29
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Forgotten Chapter in a
Great Warriors Career
By "HOIIand.'

ct was one Of those who sailed from
New York as soon as the news came of
the discovery Of gold in California and
spent several years in California .
said Mr. Dudley F. Jones, president of
one Of the largest Of the industrial
companies Of Arkansas TO me recent
ly Mr. Jones was a native of New
York State, and while still hardly past
his majority he was tempted 10 Cali
fornia and lived in the very heart Of
the gold mining excitement
Much has been said and written
about the discovery of gold at Suffers
Mill continued Mr. Jones. II was
there in October, 1s4e. and was there
again in 1903, and Suffers ranch and
mill near the Sacramento river, look
ed in 1903 to me exactly as they looked
in 1S49. The only change that | noticed
was that indicating the approach of
the suburbs of Sacramento City to that
history spot. But IL has always seemed
10 me that one Of the real heroes as
sociated with the discovery Of gold in
California and the making Of that dis
covery known 10 the world has not
been recognized by the people of this
generation as he should be. Perhaps
this is because he gained other fame
fifteen years later. However, 7 Will tell
you the story exactly as ! had it, au-
thoritafively. not only from one, but
from many persons back in the old
gold days.
at the time of the outbreak Of our
war with Mexico portion OF the
American army was sent TO California.
A little garrison was stationed at
Monterey, and IT. was under the com
mand of Colonel Mason; I do not re-
call his first name.
zone day there fioated into the little
garrison rumors that gold had been
discovered near the Sacramento river,
and that Il promised to be a rich find.
Colonel Mason regarded this as very
important news, and felt that the
Government at Washington should
receive this news at the ear
liest possible moment He therefore
got together a few pack mules. He pro-
cured them with some difficulty, be-
cause pack mules at that time were
a very valuable asset for the miners.
Then he called one of his young lieu
tenants to him and said
I want you to go as speedily as
possible MP the Sacramento Valley to
q place called Coloma and learn
whether these stories about the dis
covery Of gold up there are correct. If
you find them true. return to Monterey
as soon as possible
That young Lieutenant was off on
an hours notice He made a forced
march 10 Coloma and back within a
few days, reporting to Colonel Ma
son that gold had certainly been found
AT Coloma and I'M abundance. Colonel
Mason thereupon summoned courier
in whom he had every confidence, and
handing him certain dispatches for
the Government at Washington, com
manded him TO make every effort to
| reach Fort Brown (now Brownsville)
al the mouth of the Rio Grande river
as soon as possible. There the nearest
mail communications with Washington
could be reached. These dispatches re-
ported TO the Government authorities
AZ Washington that a lieutenant in
whom Colonel Mason had every con
6dence had investigated the reports
/ OF the NANANk vi kiAh Ni h'''fi'N f'''N
that what the Lieutenant said about
! this discovery could be relied upon for
he was an officer to be depended upon
"In due time the report reached
Washington and was published. II set
the whole country in a fever, but the
name of the young lieutenant who had
vouched for the discovery Of very
great gold field was speedily forgotten
You would like to know his name2 II
was William T. sherman. And, rela.
lively speaking, I think that his quick
tourney from Monterey to Coloma was
heset by almost as many difficulties as
was his march from Atlanta to the sea
which made him word famous sixteer
years later"
CCopyright. 1911, by r. J Edwards Al
rights reserved1