The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-09-23
Hope of Getting Something for
Nothing Springs Eternal in
Human Breast.
MANY WILD SCHEMES TRIED
Story Of Romance, Hardship and VIC
Isnce, of Adventure, Despair and
GuIibIity, With Sudden Trips
Abroad Made by Promoters.

BOston.-Ever since the beginning Of
things men have been trying in one
fashion or another 70 achieve their
fortunes over night. to recover the
Midas touch of the faDulist, to get
rich quick"
Sometimes they have succeeded.
Sometimes they have nurtured their
hopes only to come back to hard re-
ality with a hard bump Sometimes
In their haste they have been swlndled.
From the days OF the sailing Of
Jason upon his long quest of the
Golden Fleece, from the times Of the
alchpmists of the middle ages, who
puttrred out their lives among dusty
tones, seeking with tired but hopeful
eyes for the key to the enigma of sud
den wealth-the tombstone which
should transmute lead to gold--tO the
days of mushroom fortunes in "inter-
national reply coupons isn't such a
far cry after all, James Ii. Powers
writes in the Boston Globe.
II is story Of romance and hard
ship and violence, of adventure and
despair and sometimes absurd guilt
biltty ana sudden trips abroad made
by promoters with gripsacks stuffed
with cash.
Mad Rush for Gold,
In America the story really begins
with the mad rush across the prairies
and the mountains in 40 to the gold
fields Of California. There had been
other gold hunts" before this, but
none Of them developed such nation
al fever as resulted from the announce
ment Of this discovery of nuggets
"weighing as much as half a pound
apiece" that percolated through the
East and started that famous uproar.
Enthusiasm rose 10 unbelievable
heights Families started out from
Massachusetts New York and other
eastern seaCOast states without even
bothering 10 sell their houses. by
horseback. farm wagon and by ship
the migration got under way. Parties
Of prospective millionuires chartered
schooners and sailed al the way
around the Horn In their excitement
And upon the rctlna Of the inner
eye Of every one persisted the dream
picture Of marble halls" and d
"span." and the imagined luxury OF
doing nothing in particular, while
obcdient luckeys lowered about for
ever after, like the genii Of Aloddin''
lamp awaiting orders.
The California gold rush enriched
thousands. though AT the price Of vas
hardship and sacrifice. Thousands d
others IT ruined, when they became
stranded In d wilderness, 5000 miles
from settled civilization, on their III
faicd claims. The best thing abou
! II wasn't the wealth It produced a
all. hut the fact that It began tint
definite expansion OF the Unite'
States
Capt. Kidd and the kIondike.
something for nothing man.
years later, drew thousands NOR
Americans down IN the Oklahoma ter
rltory when the government M
nounced that It would permit home
stpads 10 be crushed" on certni
date All the man who wanted I
become a property holder had to d
was 10 be on hand when the sigma
was given.
Government officials lined off IN
start, as If II were 440 yard dash 9
today. Fences were built and ever
claimant had TO be behind the bulwar
rendy Then, at given signal dow
Q went the barriers and the swarm
fortune hunters piled into the plain
0 pcllmel, TO stake their claims and b.
gin their new careers, and be happ
avpr after