The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-12-14
Becomes Gold Hunter.

In 1852 Mr.. Woodward Joined the
thousands of our most daring men
and crossed the plains to California
to become a gold hunter. He with
others made trip with wagon and
oxen. "We started in March, said
Mr.. Woodward, "and on April "a
crossed the Missouri river. At Ft.
Carney we saw the first white people.
From ther it was 500 miles to Ft.
Laramie, the next white settle
ment"
One of the most thrilling sights
ever seen, was Witnessed by Mr..
Woodward and his company while
crossing this plain. They encount-
cred the migration countless
buffalo from the south to the north.
AS far as the eve could see was an
almost solid mass of the animals.
Woe to the caravan that got IN
front of them. 1t was necessary to
let them pass. "I bought two fine
black buffalo hides of the Indians"
said Mr.. Woodward. "They were
nicely tanned and splendid ones in
every way. / paid two cups t
sugar for them"
."In July we arrived at Sacra-
mento City, and there or Jay street
I met Chas. Crocke,. a Plymouth
man, who afterwards became a
millionaire gold miner" For about
two years Mr.. Woodward and his
companions prospected and during
that time they "struck it rich" and
were able to come back home with
several thousands of dollars in
gold.
Back By Panama.
Nobody trusted the banks in
those times,'' said Mr.. Woodward,
so we all carried our money around
our bodies in belts. Ny companions
had arranged to come home by way
of Panama, and had chosen the
steamer yankee Blade" from San
Francisco. But before we started
we met a friend who was also COM
ing home that way and he advised
us to take the steamer "Sonora
instead, because, he said, there is
going to be racing between the boats
and it is dangerous to 60 on the
"Yankee Blade" We took his ad-
vice, and luckily so, for the cyan
kee Blade" struck a rock and went
down with all on board that very
trip" =
CARRYING at Panama the ship
came to anchor three miles out at
sea and the natives in boats came
and took us within ten feet of the
shore. where they stopped, and naked
natives came and carried us ashore
on their backs. There were 400 on
the boat
THE first seven miles of the way
across the isthmus was as fine as
paved road as / ever saw. Bolivar
had made it when the Spaniards
were in control, from the pebbles of
the sea shore. The railroad covered
only 25 of the so miles across the
isthmus, and we had to walk the
rest of the way. 1t rained contin-
uously. Finally we came to the rail
way-a little narrow gauge one, but
about 600 of us could not get on the
train. The conductor promised to
come back the next day, however,
and take US. He came the third
day, and we were soon at the sea
shore. Here the hundreds of pass
engers went pell NELL over each
other to see who could be the first
to the ship and get the best berths.
There was no order or direction of
the pasengers-everybody look the
best he could get"
"An awful storm overlook on,
vessel off cape Hatteras and fol
many hours we saw our ship climb
up and down the monster waves, ex
pecting every one to go over he,
and send US to the bottom of the
sea. She rode it out, however; but
even after repairs in dock, sprung q
leak on her next voyage and went
down with a third of her passeng-
ers."
In San Francisco Mr.. Woodward
had met Henry Humrichouser, WHIT
was to be his brother-in-law, and
they made the trip home together
Mr. Woodward was> back to Plym
outh in 1854, and in Sept. !, 1855
married Miss Elizabeth Humrichous
er, whom he had met while she was
visiting here from Ohio. In th'
spring of that year he and H.. B
Pershing started a drug store, on th'
! spot where Tanners drug store nov
stands. After a year at that h