The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-07-18

We landed on Il nat beach oi ueep
black sand 1t was strewn from one
end to the ether by the most eXtraor-
dinary wreckage. There were levers,
cogwheels, cranks, fans. twisted mar
and angle iron in all stages Of rust and
disintegrati6n. Some of these machmes
were half buried in the sand. others
were tidily laid up on stones as though
just landed. They were of copper,
iron, zinc, brass, tin, wood. we rec
ognized the genus at glance. They
were, one and all, patent labor saving
gold washing machines, Of which we
had seen 80 many samples aboard snip.
At this sight vanished the last remains
of the envy l had ever felt for the
owners of similar contraptions.
We looked about for some sort or
conveyance into which to dump our
belongings. Apparently none existed.
Therefore we piled most of our eHects
neatly above high tide, shouldered our
bundles and started of up the single
street.
The street was, think, the worst l
have ever seen anywhere. 1t was a
morass of mud-stlcky, greasy mud
OF some consistency, but full of water
holes and rivulets. 1t looked ten feet
deep, and should certainly have ven
tured out on 1t with misgivlngs. And
yet. anonymously enough, the surface
ridges of 1t had dried and were lifting
into the air I'm the form Of dust. This
was Of course my first experience with
that common California phenomenon,
and was greatly astonished.
An attempt had been made to supply
footing for pedestrians. Bags of sand
had been thrown down, some rocks, a
very few boxes and boards. Then our
feet struck something soft and Yield
ing, and we found we were walking
over hundred pound sacks Of flour
marked as from Chile. There must
have been many hundred of them. A
man going IN the opposite direction
sidled past us.
"Cheaper than lumber" said he brief
ly, seeing our astonishment.
"I'd hate to ask the price of lumber"
remarked one Of our ships compan-
ions, with whom and a number OF 9th
ers we were penetrating the town.
We walked ON flour for d hundred
feet or 30 and then came to cook
stoves. / mean IL. 4 battalion of
heavy iron cook stoves had been laid
aide by side to form IA causeway.
Their weight combined with the traf-
&c over them had gradually pressed
Inf hA mud pnfn th0iF
tops were nearly level with the sur
face. Naturally the first merry and
drunken joker had SHE'D the lids into
space. The pedestrians had now ell
ther to step In and out of fire boxes or
try his skill on narrow lodges. Next
we came to a double row of boxes of
tobacco, then to some baJed goods and
80 Off on to solid ground.
When we had gained the dry ground
near the head of the street we threw
down our burdens for n rest.
an give you $40 for those pineap-
PIES" offered passerby, stopping
short.
Our companion quickly closed the
bargain.
what do you think Of that" he de-
manded OF us wide eyed and N the
hearing of the purchaser.
The latter grinned little and hailed
u man across the street.
"Charley," he yelled. "come over
herep'
The individual addressed offered
some demur, but finally picked his
way across to us.
"How do you like these?" demanded
the pineapple purchaser. showing his
fruit.
"Jerusnlemp cried Charley admir-
ingly. "Where did you get them
Want to sell emf"
81 want some myself, but I'll sell
you three of them"
"How muchW
"Eifteen dollars"
"Give 'em to me-"
The first purchaser grtnned openly
at our companion.
The latter followed into the nearest
store to get his share of tha dust
weighed out. His face Wore very
thoughtful expression.
We came shortly to the Plaza, since
called Portsmouth square. AT thai
| time II was wind swept, grass grown
scrubby enough plot of ground. Or
all sides were permanent buildings
The most important of these were
low picturesque house of the sun dried
bricks known as adobes, In which, al
1t proved, the customs were levied;
frame two story structure known a'
the Parker House and similar build
ing labeled "City Hotel" The spaces
between these larger edifices were oc
cupied by II dozen or so of smalle
shaciss. Next door to the Parker Hous'
stood huge tapping tent. The words
El Dorado were painted ON its side.
The square itself was crowded witt
people moving to and fro. The sollt
majority of the crowd consisted o
red or blue shirted miners but grea
many nations and frames of minds
seemed to be represented,
We saw the widest lncongruities o
demeanor and costume beside whicl
tho oilt, bot rod shirtpd combination