Buchanan County, Missouri - Chapter 12: The California Gold Excitement, 1881

Chapter 12: The California Gold Excitement

No doubt the desire for gold has been a mainspring of all progress and enterprise in the county from the beginning till the present time, and will so continue till remote ages. Generally, however, this desire has been manifested in the usual avenues of thrift, industry and enterprise. On one occasion it passed the bounds of reason and assumed the character of a mania.

The gold mania first broke out in the fall of 1848, when stories began to be first spread abroad of the wonderful richness of the placer mines of California. The excitement grew daily, feeding on the marvelous reports that came from the Pacific Slope, and nothing was talked of but the achievements of gold diggers.

"An immense bed of gold, one hundred miles in extent, has been discovered in California, on American Fork and Feather Rivers, tributaries of the Sacramento and Monterey. Mr. Colton, the Alcade of Monterey, states that the gold is found in the sands in grains resembling squirrel shot flattened out. Some grains weigh one ounce each. It is got by washing out the sand in any vessel, from a tea saucer to a warming-pan. A single person can gather an ounce or two a day ; some even a hundred dollars worth. Two thousand whites, and as many Indians are on the grounds. All the American settlements are deserted, and farming nearly suspended. The women only remain in the settlements. Sailors and captains desert the ships, to go to the gold region, and laborers refuse ten dollars a day to work on the farms. Mr. Colton says ; ' One man, who resides next door to me, gathered five hundred dollars worth in six days. He has one lump which weighs over one ounce. A trough, such as you feed pigs in, will bring in the gold region fifty dollars. Put a piece of sheet iron, punched with holes on it, and it will bring a hundred. My friend, J. R., paid sixteen dollars for a little basket, and his com- panion gave twenty dollars for a teapot, all to wash out gold in.' More than twenty-eight thousand dollars worth, had been collected. Governor Mason and his aid had gone to the district, which is five days journey from Monterey.

"The sailors have gone for gold from the ships, and the soldiers from their camps,, for the same purpose. The last vessel that left the coast was obliged to ship an entire new crew, and pay each fifty dollars per month. No one can be hired to dig gold, short of sixteen to twenty dollars a day. Every man prefers to work on his own hook ; he may make less than the wages offered, but he has a chance of making much more. There flour is worth thirty-two dollars per barrel ; fifteen pounds of Boston crackers in tin boxes, ten dollars a box ; a cotton shirt, ten dollars; boards, five hundred dollars per one hundred feet. A carpenter can get one hundred dollars per day. Mr. L. paid for a common cradle trough, twelve feet by three wide, to wash gold earth in, one hundred and fifty dollars ; less than a day's work to make it.''

Instead of dying out, the fever mounted higher and higher. It was too late to cross the plains, but thousands of people throughout the state began their preparations for starting the following spring, and among the number were many in Buchanan County. The one great subject of discussion about the firesides and in the log cabins that winter, was the gold of California. It is said that at one time the majority of the ablebodied men of the county were unsettled in mind and were considering the project of starting to California. Even the most thoughtful and sober-minded found it difficult to resist the infection.

Wonderful sights were seen when this great emigration passed through - sights that may never be again seen in the county, perhaps. Some of the wagons were drawn by cows ;- other gold-hunters went on foot and hauled their worldly goods in hand-carts. The gold-hunters generally had left the moralities of life behind them, and were infested with a spirit of disorder and demoralization. The settlers breathed easier when they had passed.

Early in the spring of 1849 the rush began. It must have been a scene to beggar all description. There was one continuous line of wagons from east to west as far as the eye could reach, moving steadily westward, and, like a cyclone, drawing into its course on the right and left many of those along its pathway. The gold-hunters from Buchanan County crowded eagerly into the gaps in the wagon-trains, bidding farewell to their nearest and dearest friends, and many of them never to be seen again on earth. Sadder farewells were never spoken. Many of the gold-hunters left their quiet, peaceful homes only to find in the " Far West" utter disappointment and death. Very, very few of them ever gained anytMng, and the great majority lost everything, including even ^' their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor." The persons who really gained by the gold excitement were those who remained on their farms and sold their produce to the gold-crazy emigrants. The rush continued until about the first of June, 1850, when the great tide began to abate, although belated-gold-hunters kept passing through for some time. But the excitement began to die away, and those citizens who had judgment enough to resist the contagion now settled down in quiet to pursue the even tenor of their way.

As a starting point St, Joseph offered advantages which no other place possessed, to the emigrant and adventurer, leaving the confines of civilization for Oregon and California. The advantages were set forth in the St. Joseph Gazette, bearing date of February 9, 1849. The editor of that paper among other things said: "St Joseph contains a population of 1,800. Nineteen stores are now in successful operation, with an aggregate stock of goods for the year 1848, of from $250,000 to $300,000. Three new large stores will be opened during the present season, which will increase the stock for the year 1849, to $350,000 to $400,000. In addition to the above there are in town two flouring mills, two steam saw mills, nine blacksmith shops', four wagon shops, two extensive sheet iron ware manufactories, two large saddleries and harness making establishments, etc. Therefore, not an article wanted by an emigrant, from his team and wagon down to his camp kettle and frying pan, but which -may be had of the best material and quality in the town of St. Joseph. The annexed table will show that most of the articles demanded by the -emigrant can be procured in St. Joseph from ten to thirty per cent, less than they can be obtained at Independence.

"There are two good, substantial ferries across the Missouri River this place, and it is in contemplation to have a steam ferry boat early in the spring."

"Scarcely a day passes that does not bring a large number of to this place bound to California. There are now in St. Joseph and surrounding country upwards of five hundred emigrants awaiting the appearance of grass, before taking up their line of march."

" For California - ^The steamer ' Consignee ' arrived at St. Joseph ore Saturday evening last, with over two hundred and fifty persons on board for California. They form one company, commanded by Captain W. J. Arkrim. They are well armed, and provided with suitable clothing, implements, &c., and go out for the express purpose of making fortunes in gold, or by speculation. The company brought with them some seventy wagons, between eighty and ninety head of mules, and nearly one hundred tons of merchandise, clothing, gold digging and washing implements. This is the largest, best organized and most complete company that has reached St. Joseph."

The arrival of each succeeding company of emigrants, whether by land or water, is thereafter noticed, and the names of the parties composing these companies, are all given. For instance :

" The Washington California Mining and Trading Association is the name of a company from Washington County, New York, which arrived here on Saturday last. They are encamped on the side of the hill north of St. Joseph, and are all in good health and spirits. The following gentlemen compose the company: Samuel McDonal, A. F. Bliss, D. T. Harshaw, J. H. Tilford, D. M. Hall, Wm. Owen, H. S. Crandall, J. Robertson, Wm. Harrison, J. Cowafi, R. Gourlay, James Hill, James H. Newton, A. McNaughton, Andrew Telford."

The California Enterprise Company

This company was from Pittsburg and was composed of several hundred men. The company remained in camp at St. Joseph for some little time. Of course the departure of so many men from their homes to the distant gold fields of California, was quite an event, and it often happened, that the friends and neighbors of those who were to embark met en masse and expressed their regrets and good wishes in a public address. We present a portion of the speech of Col. S. W. Black, of Pittsburg, Penn'a, to the above named company, on the eve of their departure from that city to show the pleasant custom of those days :

"'My Friends: I have but a few words to say to you at parting. What I do say will come from the heart. I trust that whatever of good and truth I may deliver may reach your hearts. Before you return you will have seen no little of the world. What you see will be so much learned beyond what you now know. Hence, at the very outgoing of your enterprise, you have a good object in view. Some persons complain of these expeditions as being sordid and unworthy. To go and dig for gold - say they - is not meritorious but culpable. I, for one, do not think so. All the world is a gold digger - rather, indeed, a gold scratcher. And it often happens that in scratching too greedily, we bring away the skin of one another's faces - betimes the flesh of one another's bones.

"The farmer in the field, the mechanic in the shop, the merchant in the store, and the lawyer in his pursuit, chose their daily business for gold. Even the preacher does not work unpaid. This is all right, and according to the purpose of our creation. Our Father has planted gold in the earth for the benefit of his children. To make it by merit is noble and deserving of praise. To accumulate it with proper motives is meritorious. To lose it is mean and condemned of God. * * You are starting upon a long and perilous journey. Allow me, then, to make a few suggestions, which may not in the end be worthless. You leave without a flag. Make a banner for yourselves and cling to it. Inscribe upon its folds 'Fraternity' and 'Friendship.' Let the same devotion inspire you that actuates the soldier for the standard of his country. In all things be one. A perfect unity of interest and affection will make you prosperous and invincible. Organize yourselves into companies - elect judicious and skillful officers - men of intelligence and nerve. When you give them the power of direction always sustain them in its lawful exercise. Discipline is essential to your safety and success. Each day start early on your marches ; you will then escape the injurious effect of exposure to the sun, and find yourselves early in camp. It is probable you will encounter danger. To meet it successfully you must be accustomed to act together. Americans vanquished Mexicans and Indians by a union of discipline with courage.

"I know that your messes have ardent spirits among their stores. These may be useful or pernicious in proportion to the judgment with which they are used. In the life in which you are acting you will find occasional necessity for the use of stimulants. They are serviceable only when the system is prostrated by disease or exposure.

"A kind hearted friend has just requested me to say that if there are any of the expedition without Bibles, he will be happy now to furnish them. It does not become me, perhaps, to speak of a subject so grave and serious, yet I can say that this, the 'Book of Books,' is the best companion you can take with you ; it is a neverrfailing reliance.

"In the center of- our city, or around the circle of our continent; among the busy scenes of active life, or on the prairie, where the pilgrim sees no mark but the foot-prints of wild beast or the savage - it is a perpetual adaptation to every exigency of man's career.

"To-day I saw in a paper the declaration of one of you, that 'in all his wanderings he would carry his Bible in the bottom of his trunk." Let me suggest an improvement. Deposit it on the top, that every tinie the trunk is opened it may remind you that you have not looked into it that day for wisdom and counsel. You are surrounded by a thousand anxious beating hearts, every one of which swell with aspiration for your success and safe return. The general prayer is, and will be, ' that no evil will befall you nor any plague come near your dwelling.' Come back enriched, and make your riches a blessing to the destitute at home. The hour of grief hangs h-eavy in the hearts of many. Let them have no other cause of sorrow than this separation. Your incoming will be a day of bright and thrilling' joy. The tear that stands still in the eye, or follows its fellows across the feverish and scalded cheek, will be replaced with diamonds. The red autumn of present sadness will pass away, and in due season the glorious summer will succeed, bringing its golden harvest."

On the 7th day of May, 1849, the St. Joseph Mining Company, the fii-st regularly organized company of men, left St. Joseph for California. Many persons, doubtless, left prior to that day, and many subsequent to that time. This company was composed of some of the most worthy citizens of the place, as the following list shows : Samuel Johnson, A. D. McDonald, Joel Ryan, John Lewis, James Andrews, John Somerfield, James Somerfield, B. D. Ellett, Edward Bunall, J. W. Jones, Thomas Fausett, Michael Cameron, Samuel Wilson, Francis Brubaker, John F. McDowell, T. F. Warner, D..H. Moss, M. F. Moss, and James Cirkwood. This company went with pack mules, and determined to make the trip through in seventy days.

Many letters were received from these gold seekers shortly after their arrival in California. From some of these letters we have made the following extracts : (The first from M. F. Moss to Mr. Boyd and dated at Sutter's Mills, October 12, 1849.)

"I have concluded to write you and let you know that all are well who started in the pack-mule company, up to date. We arrived in this country on the first of August ; had many ups and flowns on the road, but lost none of our stock by the Indians. And now a little about California and the prospects for making money. Lewis, Love and myself bought a small grocery in Sacramento City, for which we paid J 1,800 - ©n a short credit-^three week's time. We kept it a short time, made $250 each, and sold it out. Brother David went to the mines, and up to this time has made $1,600. ^ I went and worked eight days. The spot of ground I had was about large enough to lay down on. The first day I made $200 ; the second day $220, and in eight days ; $900. The St. Joseph boys are doing well. The most of them are making from half an ounce to three ounces per day. David and myself will go into the cattle trade or sell groceries. We can buy cattle from $30 to $50 per yoke - fat cattle are worth from $75 to $150, and in the mines 75 cents per pound. There is an abundance of Spanish cattle here,_but they are hard to drive in the mines, it requiring six or eight Spaniards to drive a small herd of twenty, and that at a cost of an ounce per day. There is an abundance of provision here. If you had the potatoes alone in California which will be sold in St. Joseph to-day you might rest contented the balance of your days. I have been up the Sacramento River 100 miles and up Feather River fifty miles, and I have seen but a few spots of land worth cultivating^. I have seen a great many of our old friends from Upper Missouri, the most of whom are rich and doing well. I saw Charley Covaloe and Nigh ; they are both rich. While many men who crossed the plains this summer are making money, others are here who are not making their salt, and are very much dissatisfied and are going home every day. The gold here is very hard to get, and if a person makes a fortune by gold digging he must expect to endure a great deal of fatigue. Men with families are making fortunes by washing and boarding. Girls are in great demand here ; all they have to do, is to name their pile of gold-dust and a husband is at their command immediately."

" I arrived here from the mines on Bear River about a week since. D. L. Williams is going into business in the dry diggings, about sixty miles from this place. 'Old man Williams' and myself are going 200 miles up the Sacramento to mine. We are all partners and carry on mining and merchandising, or trading. We have made about $2,000, in cash, since we came, which we have invested, and will make thousands or lose. Samuel Love, Ryan and Andrews are here and have done well. Any person that will work can make money. You recollect Cornwall, that stayed at Dawson's - he is here, and is worth, I suppose, a quarter of a million. Stratton was burned on a pile or stake by the Indians, a short time since. Wm. Nicholson died night before last."

" I have lived here about one year ; have been engaged in the mines since last spring, and by being prudent and industrious have realized something for my trouble. I cannot say when I will return, perhaps in two or three years, perhaps never, although I will come as soon as I can to see my mother, and prevent her from crossing the Rocky Mountains, for I think such a trip dangerous and unnecessary. I would advise my friends and relations to remain where they are."

California Emigra.Nt Song

Cholera made its appearance in St. Joseph about the last of April; 1849, brought, as supposed, by steamboat from St. Louis, and disappeared in June following. Some of the citizens died with this disease, but it was mostly prevalent and fatal among the emigrants who were at the time encamping in and around the town. During the same summer the cholera spread among the Indian tribes across the river, and many of them died.

In order to give some estimate of the number of emigrants that crossed at St. Joseph during the California gold excitement, we will give the number that crossed the river here to June 15, 1849, two months and a half, beginning from April ist :

The number of wagons that had crossed here at that time was 1,508, which wcaild average about four men to the wagon, making 6,032. At Duncan's ferry, four miles above St. Joseph, 685 wagons had crossed, and at Bontown, Savannah and the ferries as far up as the Bluffs, 2,000. This makes the number of wagons 4,193. About 10,000 persons had crossed at Independence, making a total of 27,000 persons. There were about eight mules or oxen to each wagon, making the number 37,544 of mules and oxen.

At the time of the treaty of Gaudaloupe Hidalgo, the population of California did not exceed thirty thousand, while at the time of which we are writing, (1850), there were more than one hundred and fifty thousand

The evil effects of this gold mania upon the moral status of the United States are still seen and felt, and among all classes of society. It has popularized the worship of Mammon to an alarming extent, and to this worship, in a great measure, is attributable the moral declension of to-day.