A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) (713 pages)

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. 68 called him a crazy man, and could not believe such a thing. After having proved the metal with aqua fortis, which I found in my apothecary shop, likewise with other experiments, and read the long article “Gold” in the Encyclo. pedia Americana, I declared this to be gold of the finest quality—of at least twenty-three carats. After this Mr. Marshall had no more rest or patience, and wanted me to start with him to Coloma; but I told him I could not leave, as it was late in the evening and nearly supper time, and that it would be better for him to remain with me till the next morning, and 1 would then travel with him. But this would not do; he asked me only, “ Will you come'to-morrowt” [told him Yes, and off he started for Coloma, in the heaviest rain, although already very wet, taking nothing to eat. I took this news very easy, like all other occurrences, good or bad, but thought a great deal during the night about the consequences which might follow such a discovery. I gave all the necessary orders to my numerous laborers, and left the next morning at seven o’clock, accompanied by an Indian soldier and a vaquero, in a heavy rain for Coloma. Abvut half way on the road I saw ata distance a human being crawling out from the brushwood. I asked the Indian who it was. He told me, “ The same man who was with you last evening.” When I came nearer I found it was Marshallvery wet. I told him he would have done better to re, main with me at the Fort than to pass euch an ugly night here; but he told me that he went to Coloma, fiftyfour miles, took his other horse and came half way to meet him. Then we rode up tuo the new El! Dorado. In the afternoon the weather wus clearing up, and we made a prospecting promenade. The next morning we went to the tail-race of the mill, through which the water was ruoning during the night, to clear out the gravel which had been made loose, for the purpose of widening the race; after the water was out of the race, we went in to search for gold. This was done every morning. Small pieces of gold could be seen remaining on the surface of the clean-washed bed-rock. I went into the race and picked up several pieces of this gold. Several of the laborers gave me some which they had picked up, and from Marshall I received a part. I told them I would get a ring made of this gold as soon as it could be done in California; and I have had a heavy ring made, with my family’s coat of arms engraved on the outside; and on the inside of the ring is engraved “ The first gold, discovered in January, 1848.” Now, if Mrs. Wimmer possesses a piece which had been found earlier than mine, Mr. Marshall can tell, as it was probably received from him. I think Mr. Marshall could have hardly have known himself which was exactly the first little piece among the whole. The next day I went with Mr. Marshall on a prospecting tour in the vicinity of Coloma, and the following morning I left for Sacramento. Before my departure, I had a conversation with all hands. I told them I would consider it a great favor if they would keep this discovery secret only for six weeks, so that I could finish my large flour-mill at Brighton, which had cost me already about $24,000 or $25,000. The people up there promised to keep it secret so long. On my way home, instead of feeling happy and contented, I was very unhappy, and could not see that it would benefit me much; and I was perfectly right io thinking so, as it came just precisely as [ expected. I thought, at the same time, that it could hardly be kept secret for six weeks; and in that too I was not mistaken; for, about two weeks later after my return, [ sent up several teams, in charge of a white maa, as the teamsters were Indian boys. This man was acquainted with all hands up there, and Mrs. Wimmer told him the whole secret; likewise the young sons of Mrs. Wimmer told him that they had gold, and that they would let him have some too; and so he obtained a few dollars’ worth of it, as a present. As soon as this man arrived at the Fort he went to a small store in one of my outside buildings kept by Mr. Smith, a partner of Samuel Brannan; he asked for a bottle of brandy, for which he would pay the cash. After having the bottle he paid, with the small pieces of gold. Smith was astonished, and asked if he meant to insult him. -The teamster told him to go and ask me about it. He reported it to Mr. Brannan, who came up immediately to get all possible information, when he returned and sent up large supplies of goods, leased a larger house from me, and commenced a very large and profitable business. Soon he opened a branch house at Mormon Island. So soon as the secret was out my laborers began to leave me, in small parties at first, but then all left, from the clerk to the cook; and I was in great distress. Only a few mechanics remained to finish some necessary work which they had commenced, and about eight invalids who continued slowly to work a few teams, to scrape out the mill-race at Brighton. The Mormons did not like to leave my mill unfinished; but they got the gold fever, like everybody else. After they had made their piles they left for the great Salt Lake. So long as these people had been employed by me they have behaved very well and were industrious and faithful laborers; and when settling their accounts there was not one of them who was not contented and satisfied. Then the people commenced rushing up from San Francisco and other parts of Oalifornia, in May, 1848. In the former village (San Fraacisco) only five men were left to take care of the women and children. The single men locked their doors and left for “Sutter’s Fort,” and thence to the El Dorado. For some time the people in Monterey and further south would not believe the news of the gold discovery, and said it was only a ruse de guerre of Sutter’s, because he wanted to have neighbors in his wilderness. From this time on I got only too many neighbors, and some very bad ones among them. What a great misfortune was this sudden gold discoverytome! Ithas just broken up and ruined my hard, industrious and restless laborers, conaected with many dangers of life, as { hal many otrrow escapes before [ became properly established. From my mill buildings [ reaped no benefit whatever; the mill-stones, even, have

HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. 68 called him a crazy man, and could not believe such a thing. After having proved the metal with aqua fortis, which I found in my apothecary shop, likewise with other experiments, and read the long article “Gold” in the Encyclo. pedia Americana, I declared this to be gold of the finest quality—of at least twenty-three carats. After this Mr. Marshall had no more rest or patience, and wanted me to start with him to Coloma; but I told him I could not leave, as it was late in the evening and nearly supper time, and that it would be better for him to remain with me till the next morning, and 1 would then travel with him. But this would not do; he asked me only, “ Will you come'to-morrowt” [told him Yes, and off he started for Coloma, in the heaviest rain, although already very wet, taking nothing to eat. I took this news very easy, like all other occurrences, good or bad, but thought a great deal during the night about the consequences which might follow such a discovery. I gave all the necessary orders to my numerous laborers, and left the next morning at seven o’clock, accompanied by an Indian soldier and a vaquero, in a heavy rain for Coloma. Abvut half way on the road I saw ata distance a human being crawling out from the brushwood. I asked the Indian who it was. He told me, “ The same man who was with you last evening.” When I came nearer I found it was Marshallvery wet. I told him he would have done better to re, main with me at the Fort than to pass euch an ugly night here; but he told me that he went to Coloma, fiftyfour miles, took his other horse and came half way to meet him. Then we rode up tuo the new El! Dorado. In the afternoon the weather wus clearing up, and we made a prospecting promenade. The next morning we went to the tail-race of the mill, through which the water was ruoning during the night, to clear out the gravel which had been made loose, for the purpose of widening the race; after the water was out of the race, we went in to search for gold. This was done every morning. Small pieces of gold could be seen remaining on the surface of the clean-washed bed-rock. I went into the race and picked up several pieces of this gold. Several of the laborers gave me some which they had picked up, and from Marshall I received a part. I told them I would get a ring made of this gold as soon as it could be done in California; and I have had a heavy ring made, with my family’s coat of arms engraved on the outside; and on the inside of the ring is engraved “ The first gold, discovered in January, 1848.” Now, if Mrs. Wimmer possesses a piece which had been found earlier than mine, Mr. Marshall can tell, as it was probably received from him. I think Mr. Marshall could have hardly have known himself which was exactly the first little piece among the whole. The next day I went with Mr. Marshall on a prospecting tour in the vicinity of Coloma, and the following morning I left for Sacramento. Before my departure, I had a conversation with all hands. I told them I would consider it a great favor if they would keep this discovery secret only for six weeks, so that I could finish my large flour-mill at Brighton, which had cost me already about $24,000 or $25,000. The people up there promised to keep it secret so long. On my way home, instead of feeling happy and contented, I was very unhappy, and could not

see that it would benefit me much; and I was perfectly right io thinking so, as it came just precisely as [ expected. I thought, at the same time, that it could hardly be kept secret for six weeks; and in that too I was not mistaken; for, about two weeks later after my return, [ sent up several teams, in charge of a white maa, as the teamsters were Indian boys. This man was acquainted with all hands up there, and Mrs. Wimmer told him the whole secret; likewise the young sons of Mrs. Wimmer told him that they had gold, and that they would let him have some too; and so he obtained a few dollars’ worth of it, as a present. As soon as this man arrived at the Fort he went to a small store in one of my outside buildings kept by Mr. Smith, a partner of Samuel Brannan; he asked for a bottle of brandy, for which he would pay the cash. After having the bottle he paid, with the small pieces of gold. Smith was astonished, and asked if he meant to insult him. -The teamster told him to go and ask me about it. He reported it to Mr. Brannan, who came up immediately to get all possible information, when he returned and sent up large supplies of goods, leased a larger house from me, and commenced a very large and profitable business. Soon he opened a branch house at Mormon Island. So soon as the secret was out my laborers began to leave me, in small parties at first, but then all left, from the clerk to the cook; and I was in great distress. Only a few mechanics remained to finish some necessary work which they had commenced, and about eight invalids who continued slowly to work a few teams, to scrape out the mill-race at Brighton. The Mormons did not like to leave my mill unfinished; but they got the gold fever, like everybody else. After they had made their piles they left for the great Salt Lake. So long as these people had been employed by me they have behaved very well and were industrious and faithful laborers; and when settling their accounts there was not one of them who was not contented and satisfied. Then the people commenced rushing up from San Francisco and other parts of Oalifornia, in May, 1848. In the former village (San Fraacisco) only five men were left to take care of the women and children. The single men locked their doors and left for “Sutter’s Fort,” and thence to the El Dorado. For some time the people in Monterey and further south would not believe the news of the gold discovery, and said it was only a ruse de guerre of Sutter’s, because he wanted to have neighbors in his wilderness. From this time on I got only too many neighbors, and some very bad ones among them. What a great misfortune was this sudden gold discoverytome! Ithas just broken up and ruined my hard, industrious and restless laborers, conaected with many dangers of life, as { hal many otrrow escapes before [ became properly established. From my mill buildings [ reaped no benefit whatever; the mill-stones, even, have