Nevada County Historical Society Bulletin (Volume 5, No. 2)(1951) (2 pages)

change in proportion to the amount of gold dust which he handed over the counter. But when Mr. Waite mentioned this fact and started to give coin of the realm in return, Wad-Lu-Pe raised his hand in protest and said quietly but firmly: “Not so. The gold is as nothing to the Indian. I have taught them what is right, each shall pay according to the success he has had in seeking for gold. Had it not been for the white merchant’s great heart and faith in my honor these men would not have lived to dig gold or pick berries on the hillsides this summer. They know I have spoken right, and they are glad of what they do.” And as he said it should be, so it became, and each buck deposited his sack of gold, and with a nod and a friendly “Ugh-faw,” walked out into the street and mingled with the throng: When all the men of the tribe had made their payments Wad-Lu-Pe gave notice that the strict order of discipline heretofore enforced was at an end, and the women and children, as well as the men, all still well supplied with gold dust, entered the store in swarms and purchased everything in sight—things that were useful, and many things the uses of which the Indians knew nothing. But they had gold and they felt it a duty to spend it with the man who had kept the wolves of hunger from their lodges during the cold, long winter months. After this event, Wad-Lu-Pe was seen at intervals in and around Grass Valley for three years, and he was during that time generally looked up to as the actual chief of the tribe, although Wymmer was still the chief in name The Indians were usually industrious and prosperous during these years and began to show marked signs of a dawning civilization and a moral code. But sorrow came to them one day and left them in deep gloom. Wad-Lu-Pe, their savior, Wad-Lu-Pe their teacher and chief; Wad-Lu-Pe, the handsome prince among red men, disappeared as suddenly and as mysteriously as he had come five years before! No man, red or white, was ever able to say that Wad-Lu-Pe went thus, or there, or yonder. Moore’s Flat, Woolsey’s Flat and Orleans Flat Settled The town of Moore’s Flat derived its name from H. M. Moore, who settled there in 1851 and built a house and store, immediately upon arriving from across the plains. The diggings were soon discovered, and miners began to pour in. At first Orleans Flat was much larger than Moore’s Flat as the diggings were more shallow, and easily worked. In the competition among the three flats, Orleans Flat took the lead in 1852, with a population of six hundred, several hotels, stores and saloons. Woolsey’s Flat never reached the importance of the other two. After flourishing for a number of years, it began to decline on account of the exhaustion of the mines. Many of the people removed to Moore’s Flat, taking their houses with them. Dibble-Lundy Duel In 1851 a company of Chinamen had discovered some rich ground on Industry Bar, on the main Yuba. They were driven off by a number of white men because they were foreigners, and their claims appropriated. The Chinamen hurried to Nevada City and offered one-half of their claims to any one who would return with them and drive off the intruders. Jim Lundy, George M. Dibble and others accompanied the Chinamen, drove off their oppressors and reinstated them in_ possession. Here a dispute arose between Lundy and Dibble. Dibble, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, challenged Lundy to a duel. His friends tried to dissuade him, for they knew that to fight was to die, for Lundy was a dead shot. The duel was fought at sunrise on the morning of November 1, 1851. Lundy coolly indicated the spot on Dibble’s breast where he intended to hit him. Like a cowardly murderer, Lundy fired before the word was given, and shot his adversary through the breast. Dibble threw down the pistol saying, ‘You fired too soon,” and refusing all assistance, walked several yards and then fell prostrate to the ground, expiring in a few moments Although unpunished by man, Lundy received a terrible penalty. A few years afterwards, he was burned to death in a hotel fire in Sonora. Nevada County Historical Society MARCH #1951 IN THIS ISSUE— The Mysterious Indian of Grass Valley

change in proportion to the amount of gold dust which he handed over the counter. But when Mr. Waite mentioned this fact and started to give coin of the realm in return, Wad-Lu-Pe raised his hand in protest and said quietly but firmly: “Not so. The gold is as nothing to the Indian. I have taught them what is right, each shall pay according to the success he has had in seeking for gold. Had it not been for the white merchant’s great heart and faith in my honor these men would not have lived to dig gold or pick berries on the hillsides this summer. They know I have spoken right, and they are glad of what they do.” And as he said it should be, so it became, and each buck deposited his sack of gold, and with a nod and a friendly “Ugh-faw,” walked out into the street and mingled with the throng: When all the men of the tribe had made their payments Wad-Lu-Pe gave notice that the strict order of discipline heretofore enforced was at an end, and the women and children, as well as the men, all still well supplied with gold dust, entered the store in swarms and purchased everything in sight—things that were useful, and many things the uses of which the Indians knew nothing. But they had gold and they felt it a duty to spend it with the man who had kept the wolves of hunger from their lodges during the cold, long winter months. After this event, Wad-Lu-Pe was seen at intervals in and around Grass Valley for three years, and he was during that time generally looked up to as the actual chief of the tribe, although Wymmer was still the chief in name The Indians were usually industrious and prosperous during these years and began to show marked signs of a dawning civilization and a moral code. But sorrow came to them one day and left them in deep gloom. Wad-Lu-Pe, their savior, Wad-Lu-Pe their teacher and chief; Wad-Lu-Pe, the handsome prince among red men, disappeared as suddenly and as mysteriously as he had come five years before! No man, red or white, was ever able to say that Wad-Lu-Pe went thus, or there, or yonder. Moore’s Flat, Woolsey’s Flat and Orleans Flat Settled The town of Moore’s Flat derived its

name from H. M. Moore, who settled there in 1851 and built a house and store, immediately upon arriving from across the plains. The diggings were soon discovered, and miners began to pour in. At first Orleans Flat was much larger than Moore’s Flat as the diggings were more shallow, and easily worked. In the competition among the three flats, Orleans Flat took the lead in 1852, with a population of six hundred, several hotels, stores and saloons. Woolsey’s Flat never reached the importance of the other two. After flourishing for a number of years, it began to decline on account of the exhaustion of the mines. Many of the people removed to Moore’s Flat, taking their houses with them. Dibble-Lundy Duel In 1851 a company of Chinamen had discovered some rich ground on Industry Bar, on the main Yuba. They were driven off by a number of white men because they were foreigners, and their claims appropriated. The Chinamen hurried to Nevada City and offered one-half of their claims to any one who would return with them and drive off the intruders. Jim Lundy, George M. Dibble and others accompanied the Chinamen, drove off their oppressors and reinstated them in_ possession. Here a dispute arose between Lundy and Dibble. Dibble, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, challenged Lundy to a duel. His friends tried to dissuade him, for they knew that to fight was to die, for Lundy was a dead shot. The duel was fought at sunrise on the morning of November 1, 1851. Lundy coolly indicated the spot on Dibble’s breast where he intended to hit him. Like a cowardly murderer, Lundy fired before the word was given, and shot his adversary through the breast. Dibble threw down the pistol saying, ‘You fired too soon,” and refusing all assistance, walked several yards and then fell prostrate to the ground, expiring in a few moments Although unpunished by man, Lundy received a terrible penalty. A few years afterwards, he was burned to death in a hotel fire in Sonora. Nevada County Historical Society MARCH #1951 IN THIS ISSUE— The Mysterious Indian of Grass Valley