Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-04-26
THE Lure OF GOLD
How 1t Drew the Half Crazed East
to California In 1849.
WAS A WILD RACE FOR RICHES

Tho Excitement Caused by the Dis
covery of the Precious Metal, the
Fury With Which the "YeIIow Fever"
: Ragged and the Rush to the Coast.
One of the most exciting periods in
the United States of a commercial
character was the wild rush of people
from the eastern part of the country
to California in 1S4S and 1S49, follow
ing the announcement Of the extensive
discovery of gold. 1t looked as if the
faces of all eastern people were turned
west through the exaggerated stories
that We're published of the vast guam
titles Of the yellow metal that were
everywhere in evidence.
reached when on Dec. 5, 1S4S, Presi-
dent Taylor announced the discovery
in his message. The abundance Of gold
was such, he said, as could hardly be
believed We're it not for the reports of
officers on the public service who had
seen the mines.
The first question that entered the
mind Of the eastern prospector was
how to reach the dlggings. Till spring
came the overland route was closed.
But the way by sea was open and to
jewellers on the seaboard was far the
better.
Then began a series Of most unusual
advertisements in the newspapers.
Manufacturers Of rubber goods adver-
tised tents, beds, gold bags and camp
outfits. One publisher got out a book
containing fifty-four engravings of i'm
plements used in washing gold from
sand. A manufacturer advised all go
ing to the gold country to take along
one Of his gold washing machines.
Such advertisements as can oyster
house will be sold low; proprietor is
going to California" and "For sale.
for a hundred dollars, half a light,
easy business that pays a handsome
profit, as the advertiser is going to Cal
i%fornia," became common.
Every ship, brig, schooner or sloop
that was half fit to go to sea was
scraped, painted, fitted with hunks or
cabins and advertised as an Al, fair
sailing, copper bottomed, copper nailed
vessel, bound for San Francisco direct
or via Chagres. Before the middle of
December four ships loaded with adj
venturers left New York, and six 9th
ers were to sail in a few days.
Nov, No,1- ,,or,n co,,l Sc%a,, ,.
sells loaded for California and reported
many more ready to go to that country
from Boston, Salem, Philadelpt "a. Bal
timore and New Orleans.
Many went out as individuals, while
thousands Joined companies or associa-
tons Which chartered or bought ships
Many associations chartered sI,ips and
sent them around the Horn, while they
j%ourneyed overland. Many Of these as
s%ociations had odd titles-as, for i'll
stance, "the New York Yellc.e Fever
company"
BY the end of January, 1919, eighty
vessels had set sail for San francisco
via Cape Horn, fourteen for Chagres
and Two for Vera Cruz, carr wing. all
told, nver $500 passengers.
The newspapers spread broadcast all
sorts Of exciting rumors, and With the
arrival of each batch of letters the
gold fever ragged more f%iercely than
yer. A letter from a gentleman in
California stated that Jumps of gold
a pound in weight had frequently been
found End that good sized pieces could
be dug from the crevices in the rocks
Every ship that sailed was so crowded
that temporary houses were bu:lt on
| it's deck, and by the middle of Marcel
more than 1900 gold hunters hal left
for California. a.
Much trouble followed those whc
passed through Mexico, on account OF
the bittea' feeling that had been en-
| gendered BY the recent war with thai
country. and all along the route
through Mnxico were said to be strcwr
the bones Of those who had been n:ur
| dered.
Early in March the great emigration
MES and thousands Of men attached
to no company set off for the gol(
fields. In less than three weeks, it i.
said, 1850 wagons crossed the Missis
/ sippi at St. Joseph and 1900 at Savan
nah Landing and Council Bluffs. Thu
country, it was said. for miles ant
miles represented a great tented field
Toward autumn the first of the over
land emig.ants came streaming acros.
the mountlins. In less than two year:
after the discovery Of gold close t.
100000 ensigrants found their way tt
California In search of the yellow met
al.-Philada lphia Press.
Bell Tones.
The peculiar magic in the tones o.