The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-01
ONLY F0RTY-N|NER
WHO NEVER DRANK
AND STILL LIVES
G. r. Post, of Fort Worth, Tex.
Is 80, But Looks Not
Over 10.

Fort Worth. Tex. Feb, 2s.-One of
the few Forty Miners" who are still
living is c. R. Post, OF this city, now
ninety years old. He crossed the
Great Divide to California. starting
from St Louis. when II was town OF
5000 or 10000. He was one of a
party OF 400 who went West In the
search for gold, most OF them being
Illinoisans, Posts former home being
in Sangamon County. The party on
leaving St. Louis had 100 oxen to draw
the wagons. but Post found this
method OF travelling too slow, and SO,
with a few companions and four oxen,
he set out ahead and beat the rest of
the party to California by month.
Post Is still vigorous and takes great
interest in business and church af"
fairs. In September he returned from
a visit to San Francisco, where he
had been in its early days and had
seen some OF It's thrilling events. many
OF which are mentioned in The Gray
Dawn" a story by Stewart Edward
White Post knew Judge Terry, who
was sought by mob. and other char
acters whom White names.
On his visit to San Francisco Post
was able to find the site OF the old
boarding house where he stayed more
than a half century ago, now part
OF Portsm mouth Square.
The journey across the great plains
who not accomplished without great
hardship. Often they ran short OF
food, and frequently there was in
sufficient grass for the cattle. On the
way they caught up with one party
that had been reduced to such straits
that its members became cannibals
and actually ate one of their num-
Der
While modern novels and the
movies depict the Forty-Siners as
haviry been attacked by Indians, their
wom~~ stolen, men scalped and KILL
ed. Post says he found the Indians ex-
ceptionally friendly all the way across
although their party was a small one
Even the Sioux were hospitaole.
After reaching Humboldt River the
PARTY followed the stream until II
disappeared under desert. TO reap
pear after a stretch Of many miles
Posts party took two days to cross
the desert. two of the oxen dying on
the trip. But, once across. there was
the river again, cool and refreshing.
and Post recalls how he stood on Its
DAnkk tOT ten UllHdbCo ~c'iNSA'
Il as the most beautiful sight he had
ever seen, before quenching his thirst
His First Strike.
Post was one of the fortunates VINO
found gold. He located near Downey-
VILE, and soon after beginning his
hunt he dug his spade behind rock
In a shallow stream and drew II forth
laden with pay dirt" containing $500
worth OF gold.
Later Post engaged in the lumber
trade, as San Francisco was paying
skv-high prices for building material
He sawed trees into lumber and made
big money at it. In 1852 he left San
Francisco for St Louis. via the
Tsthmus of Panama, and crossed the
isthmus along a mountain trail USED
for several centuries.
WI lie every Western town ana
mining camp was largely given over
to gambling and drinking. Post says
he has never taken a drink in his
life. and that he gambled but ten
cents. This was in 1882 in San Fran
| cisco, when he loaned man in
| Nance hall that amount and lost.
Mr.. Post Is the father of the late
C. w. Post. the millionaire n1anufac-
! turer Of Battle Creek, Mich. who left
him $4,000. He does not appear to
! be over seventy His wife. a St
Louis woman, died only year ago.