.# r C, %^^^ : olate plains. And maiiy's the tear that in vain has been shed, In hopes that some loved one would safely be led Through the fierce blindmg storm, so ')itter and cold, To the land fro,m which came the promise of gold. But the demon of death, grim visaged and cold, Was sure of his victim, and called to his fold Many brave spirits which in Heaven now shine, Wh > died on the plains in tne year Forty-nine. 'Twas late in December, of that memorable year, A. small band set oft" for the western frontier; Their train was well stocked, as from home they departed, No fears fi'lled their bosoms, so baldly tliey started; No fear of the terrible suffering in stoie For that little band as they crossed the plains o'er. Used to the forest and life in the wildwood, In which they had lived from the days of their childhood, They feared not the danger thai ever was near Those crossing the plains at that time o' the year. Two weeks had but passed since their journey begun. And many long miles were between them and home. Siill each one was happy and joyful the while, .li 28 THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. For gjod fortune had not ceased upon them to smile. No accident happened to fil! them with sorrow, No fears made them dread the coming to-morrow. As at night 'round their blazing camp fiies they sat, Engaged in a pleasant and sociable chat, Rehearsing the most daring deeds of their life, For that little band were not strangers to strife. They could hear, now and then, a fierce hungry cry Of a stray prowling wolf that was passing near by. And oft in the darkness and stillness of night. When wrapped in their blankets so snug and so tight. The unwelcome sound of a rifle would tell Tliat some cunning savage had tracked ihem too well. And niany's the skirmish tliey had with the foe While wading knee deep through the fierce driftmg snow Those hearts, that at first were so merry and glad, Were beginning now to grow weary and sad. The journey was long and the vyeather severe, And thoughts of starvation now filled them with fear. Supplies near exhausted, no prospects ahead By whirh their fond hopes of success might be fed. And some of those brave hearts ne'er strangers to fear. Were hanging their heads in seeming dispa r; Made willing by hunger and cold to be left To perish alone by the side of a drift. And among them was one whose features and form Told plainly she never could weather the storm. One night as the little band pitched camp to rest, Her spirit was called to the land of the blest. They dug her a grave 'neath a tall forest pine. And there she has slept since the year Forty-nine. The storm had soon ceased and tne sun brightly rose And shone on the grave where in death did repose The first fair victim who at eve used to cheer THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. 29 That wandering- band with some favorite air. That sweet loving voice they would ne'er hear again, Twas hushed in the stillness far out on the plain. At last the bright land of their hopes did appear, And as they crossed over its welcome frontier, What joy filled their hearts as they knelt down in prayer And thanked the Almighty for guiding them there. For when daik despair had baffled all hope, And struggles seemed vain in those woods so remote. Recast o'er the scene a bright halo of light, And shielded them oft in the terrible fight. All those old pioneers who should chance to peruse These few simple lines from the pen of the muse, I ask thee in truth if the scenes I portray Are not truthfiil scenes of that early day; And if emigiants had not a terrible time Crossing over the plains in the year Forty-nine. The demand for speedier travel, transportation and mail facilities became a naturally pressing lesult, and the month or two occupied in transit by way of Panama or Nicaragua was considered inadequate. Railroad communication from the east to the Missouri river was alieady progiessing and speedily established, and the overland stage line and pony express soon distanced the Isthmus route. _ The trans-continental railroad subsequently reduced the time to about one week, and the occupation of the stages and ponies was gone. The pony express made it in nine dayi,, before the telegiaph i educed it to nine or ten sec- onds. But a record of some of the fast time made in trips across the continent in those early days, considering the innumer- able and extensive difficulties that had to be encountered, furnishing matter as it does f^^r a most interesting book for 30 THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP, the readers of the present day. The pony and stage sta- tions were established at the most convenient and practi- cable points and distances, and the very best horses obtain- able were brought into service. The roads were new and the numerous rivers and creeks had to be crossed by ford- ing, swimming or in scows, on rafts or other primitive ar- rangements before regular bridges could be constructed. Hostile Indians was not the least one of the troubles tu be encountered, and their interference with the progress of the emigrant in his long and wearisome journey was at times almost unbearable. Considering all the difficulties which had to be surmounted in making the numerous connections, the success and good time made by the pony express and the stage and railroad combination from St. Louis, Mo., to Folsom, California, was really wonderful, even as compared, with the through railroad transit of the present day. In 1861 the tup was made from New York to San Francisco in nine days, or two hundred and sixteen hours — over thirteen miles per hour. In 1862 it was made m seven days or 168 hours— over seventeen miles per hour. Ben. Holliday's trip in 1862 from San Francisco to New York was made in ten days or 240 hours — 123^ miles per hour. In 1864, Messrs. Skae and Lent made a trip from Virginia City to Sacramento, 158 miles, in twelves hours and twenty min- utes, carried by the Pioneer Stage Company. In 1865. Louis McLane and daughter made the trip from San Fran- cisco to New York, by stoamboat, stage and railroad, across the continent in eight days, or 192 hours- over fifteen miles per hour— distance, 3, 000 miles. In 1875, the same trip was mane by rail in seven days, or 168 hours — nearly eighteen miles per hour. In .1889, it was made by rail in five days, or 120 hours — twenty-five miles per hour. In 1890, it was made by rail in about four. and. one-half THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP, 31 days, or at the rate of twenty-seven miles per hour. OVER THE MOUNTAINS. It is in the fast trips acruss the Sierra mountains, that the old "Knights of the Whip," those who are still clinging to th's mundame sphere, love to talk about and ponder over, and why sho'ild they not do so, for those were days in which men's souls were tried and their physical abilitiets severely tested. Some of thos^e fast trips which are re- corded in the early history of California and Nevada, have caused many a mind to wonder how it was possible for any mortal handling the lines of a six in-hand, to, I might say, almost fly down the steep and rocky canyons of the Sierras without being dashed into eternity. But those driv- ers were men of great nerve, the occasion required it, and no timid driver was ever sought after by those men who were building up this great western empire. The ruling spirits m those days, the Hollidays, the Mc- Lanes, the Lents, the Skaes, the Stanfords and the Crock- ers were men who could not stop at any obstacle. Favored by the Almighty with a spirit of enterprise and the oppor- tunities at hand for the carrying of it out, they proved themselves the right men in the right place, and the people of the Pacific coast today owe to these men a debt of grati' tude for laying the foundation of this great and prosperous section of our country. Speaking of fast trips across the Sierra Nevadas, might be mentioned one made by Ben Holli- day and Chas.McLane in 1862. Starting from Folsom, Cali- forjiia, they reached Carson City, Nevada, 122 miles, in ten. andone-half hours, including stoppages — g}4, hours traveling time. When we consider the nature of the country over THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. which they had to ride, the steep grades and poorly made roads, we are compelled to admit that Mr. Wm. P. Bennett, who drove the stage on that occasion, was no amateur in the business. One of the must exciting trips in the Hne of staging oVer the Sierra Nevada mountains hi the early days, was the one which Charles Crocker and Wm. Hamilton made from Sacramento to Virginia City in 1864. They were represent- ing the California Stage Company and were doing every- thing that money and brains could accomplish to distance the record of Wells, Fargo & Co. iMoney was no object at all and the very finest of stock was secured that the great end of fast time might be accomplished. Starting from Sac- ramento, the two set out on their tedious journey over the mountains, changing horses every twelve miles. "Get there on time" was the standing order of the company and they did get there about five minutes ahead of Wells, Fargo's time, but at a cost of many thousand dolla rs for some twelve of their fine horses were put hors de combat— unfit for fut- ure use. I would here state that the time made was 12 hour and 18 minutes for 158 miles, but when we consider the difference in distance of railroad travel of each cumpany, we find that Wells, Fargo's time was not beaten. In 1869 there were lively times upon the road from Reno to Virginia City, for at that time rival express companies existed, and horse fiesh was by no means spared by those companies who were anxious to out-run each other, and go down into history with a world-surprising record. The distance over this road from Reno to Virginia City was twenty-two miles, and the quickest time made by the .ponies, under saddle, was fifty-eight minutes. The time made by a two-horse buckboard was sixty-five minutes. This time, considering the grade, is unprecedented. The latter pait, or home stretch, of this wild racing was up and THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. 33 over the steep Geiger Grade, from Steamboat Valley about ten miles, into Virginia City, the summit of the grade being over 2,000 feet above the valley. In all such contests for high speed pressure racing, plenty of good horses were provided, regardless of expense, and the relays were frequent, but it required very active work and keen watchfullness on the part of the station men, rid- ers and drivers. Faster fme is seldom heard of or recorded in history. GOING INTO PLACERVILLE IN '49. (see picture no. 1.) Placerville, known as "Hangtovvn" in the "days of '49"' was the first <>1 the mining camps reached by these who came to Calif rnia across the plains. All hailed old "Hang- town" with jcy, fcr on reaching that place they felt that the thirst, alkali desert, Indian murderers -and all the other terrors of the overland wilds had been left behmd. At Placerville were found some wonderfully rich diggings, and there the emigrant, greedy for gold, saw f^r the first time in his life mines of the yellow metal. They rush in like wild men, and indeed they are men wild with hunger for gold. Each man expects it will be his luck to find in some secret nook in the mountains a spoc where he will take out gold by the pound. Such has been his dream during all ihe long weary days and nights on the plains.. Of course, among the new arrivals in the camp are greedy fellows ready to rush in, stake out and claim all the mining ground in sight, but all such meet with a rebuff' in the very start. Conspiciously posted up about the dig gings they see notices in large letters reading: "No. '^"i THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. man shall hold more than one claim." All must submit to this, /or it is the law of the camp, and there are plenty of revolvers ready to sustain the law. All at work in the mines are law abiding men. The laws are not many. All the laws of the place may easily be rolled up in a small wad and fired into a man from the muzzle of a revolver. Every miner in the camp is a good interpreter of the law and i:^ sound in regard to the gospel of the dig- gings. The name "Hangtown^' was given to the camp because of the many men hanged there m the early days by order of the court of "Judge Lynch." An oak tree that stood where Coloma street now runs, often bore "other green fruit" than acorns in the days of '49. Many a desperado then "danced in the air." At one time this oak was as well known and as much dreaded by roughs as was the famous Cottonwood tree on Cherry Creek, Denver, Colorado. In the spring of 1850, Placer ville grew like a mush- room. Stores, dwellings, hotels, saloons and gam- bling dens appeared as if by magic. Scores of buildings were seen going up in all directions at the same moment and tents dotted all the suburbs. Gam- ble»^s and sharpers of all kinds flocked to the town to meet the long emigrant trams that came rolling in across the plains. Bands of music were playing in all the big gambling houses and leading saloons, and the town was at fever-heat, both day and night Emigrants, on their first arrival in the place, felt as though they had landed in a genuine "Vanity Fair," the town being constantly in a state of bewildering uproar. Men were shouting out all manner of offers or telling of wonderful at- tractions on every street and corner. There seemed no end of wealth flying about. On Sundays, hundreds of miners came up from the river and down from the creeks and THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. 35 gulches and then the town was a veritable pandemonium. Among the miners, Sunday was the great day for selling gold dust, and buying provisions and other supplies; also for gambling, drinking and fighting. It was, besides, the day for getting news from all surrounding and outlying camps, and even from distant parts of the country. Won- derful were the stories told of big strikes made in various directions. There were reports of mountains on the sides of which chunks of gold like boulders had been seen stick- ing out of the ground; and of lakes whose shores were com- posed of golden sands. Many a miner deserted diggings that were paying him an ounce a day to go on a wild-goose chase at the time of the "Gold Lake excitement," and there were many other equally wild rushes. Being wholly ignorant of the possibil- ities of the gold fields of the Sierras, men were in the early days ready to give credit to almost any story that was told. Mountains having in their sides great ribs of gold, did not seem to them impossible, for the majority of miners firmly believe that sooner or later a place would be found where great lumps of pure gold would be seen lying about on the surface of the ground. This place was always sup- posed to be situated somewhere high in the wilds of the mountains. Such stories told to gold-greedy emigrants, who arrived in the country barefoot, ragged and "dead broke," set them wild. They were ready to seH horses, oxen, wagons and all else for a song, and rush away to the new digging where they could gather gold dust by the pound, and nug- gets by the peck. The main emigrant road over the Sierras forked at Slip- pery Ford, above Strawberry, one branch going to "Hang- town" and the other to Georgetown. Many men working in the mines lower down came up to those two towns to meet 36 THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP friends expected in across the plains on purpose to guaid and protect them from the swindlers lying in wait at these notorious advance posts to rob them of their property. The mterference of these honest miners with the schemes of the thieves and swindlers not unfrequently resulted in giving the incoming immigrants their first view of a leal red-hot pistol fight, or a genuine, well-conducted "neck-tie party." Placerville is now a quiet and beautiful little town as is to be found in the mountains. It is embowered in orchards and vineyards, and in it peaceful and industrious people make their homes. In passing along its pleasant streets today, it is difficult to realize the wild and fearful scenes enacted there only a few years ago. GEORGETOWN IN '50. (see picture no. 2.) RAPID GROWTH OF THE TOWN— STREET SCENES — A B.VLL IN THE DIGcflNGS, Geoigetown contained only six cabins in the spring of 1849, t)Ut in the spiing of 1850 there v\as a regular building mania. Stores, dwellings, saloons and cabins seemed to spring out of the ground in a single night. On all sides were heard the suunds of the hammer and the saw. All who wished to build, staked out and helped themselves to whatever g'round they v\ anted, as for a time building lots were to be had without money and without price. Many began business in the open air without waiting to build. The biggest saloon in the town was in a tent. The tent was almost as large as an ordinary circus canvas. In this THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. 37 great tent no fewer than eight gambling tables were run- ning at the same time and two bands of music were in full blast. Besides the big tent, there were in the town several other places in which faro games were running both day and night. In addition to all these games, three-card Monte, poker, thimble-rig, the strap game and all manner of other games were to be seen in progress in the streets. Every big pine stump in the main street was utilized as a gambling table. Sunday was the day when all the games were liveliest, as then the miners came in from all the gulches with big buckskin bags filled with gold dust, ounces of which they staked on a single card. In the midst of all the drinking, gambling and fighting an itinerant preacher, mounted upon a stump was often to be seen holding forth, fighting the devil in his very den. Though these preachers soundly lashed their hearers right and left, they were not only re- spectfully listened to, but were also very liberally re- warded. When the hat was passed around it did not be- come a receptacle of smooth dimes, rusty coppers and old buttons, as is often the case in more settled and civilized communities in these degenerate days; on the contrary, the hat was well loaded down with gold and silver, not a few miners throwing in it "chispas" worth $5 and $10, and now and agam a nugget of an ounce or two was dropped into the preacher's "grab-bag." FIRST APPEARANCE OF JUDGE LYNCH. In the autumn of 1850, Georgetown had its first hanging. It was an affair of the people. John Williams, a miner from Australia, shot and killed his wife in a fit of jealousy It was a very cold-blooded affair. News of the murder spread rapidly. Soon there was heard up and down the river a 38 THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. loud and peculiar whooping. It was the gathering signal of the miners. Yell answered yell, echoing far up and down among the mountains. It was a call that all were bound to obey. In a short time four or five hundred miners had col- lected. They marched in a body to Georgetown and de- manded Williams of the sheriff. The officer refused to give up his prisoner. The miners then cut down two or three young pines aiid of the trunks constructed a battering ram. In less than ten minutes the jail was demolished, When the citizens had secured the murderer, they placed a rope about his neck and led him to a big pine tree. The end of the rope was thrown over a convenient limb, when a mule was brought and Williams hoisted upon the animal's back. There was on the back of the mule a Mexican pack- saddle. Williams was told to kneel on the saddle and make his peace with God. When he had finished his prayer,the murderer was ordered to stand up. He obeyed, and when he was on his feet some one gave the mule a sharp cut with a whip. The animal gave a bound and the wife-murderer was left dangling in the air. He fell about the regulation distance and in four or five minutes life was extinct. Having executed this piece of summary justice, the miners immediately dispersed and resumed work in their several claims, leaving behind them a very quiet town. GAMBLING IN PLACERVILLE. (see picture no. '6.) No, not all were rugged miners, In the noted days of yore, When the famed banks of Yuba For gold men did explore. There was found a class of people THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. 39 Who wore fine clothes, and such A hatred had lor labor That a pick they'd never touch. Those men Hved a life of pleasure, They gambled day and night. They were always quiet and sober And ne'er provoked a fight; Still the demon dwelt within them And provoked, danger then was near, For gamblers in those early days Knew no such word as fear. Good old Placerville was noted For the free and easy way. Some "old boys" their time devoted To make the "diggins" pay. Little used to manual labor, They were all wide awake, The cards they well could shuffle And the dice could nicely shake. One glance at this noted picture Shows the gamblers all arrayed In garments the most stylish, By some custom tailor made. See the plain and honest miner, Standing by in deep surpnse,' Watching every single jesture ' Of the well dressed "boys." He, perhaps, has lost his money Betting on the jack or four, And he leaves the quarters scowling. His feelmgs they are sore. For good luck it went against him And he felt it was a "bust " 40 THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. And he went his way lamenting The loss of all his dust. V Temptation oft would urge them, To try their luck in chance, And to the treacherous card table They would slowly then advance. You could see it in their manner That they felt out of place, For the thoughts of home and loved ones In their bosoms they could trace. In the doorway stands a mother Gazing in upon the crowd, And perhaps it is her husband She hears talking now so loud; By her side her little offspring Calling to his pa to come. Such scenes as this, dear reader. Many a woman's bosom wrung. Ah! those pioneers were generous, They were God's noblest work; They reared from out a wilderness A country which now shows forth As the grandest and the richest Beneath the glorious sun. Yes, and all through toil and valor Were those enduring blessings won. SUNDAY IN THE MINER'S CABIN. (see picture no. 4.) Sunday was not a day of rest in the mines, though a day of cessation from the toil of mining. Sunday was the day for attending to all the small jobs of work and household and THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. 41 Other duties left to care for themselves during the week. It was a day of washing, mending, bread-baking and letter- writing. On that day were forced upon the miner recol- lections of the domestic arts which he had seen practiced in his3^outh — in the days when he thought his old mother was a little *'cranky" when she declared that "a woman's work is never done." Now he sees how disagreeable was much of that woik, as, bending over his wash-tub, he drops a soapy tear at the thimght of his old mother still toiling slavishly about the old double-log cabin back in "Pike Coun- ty," or some other region in the States east of the Rockies. While one man is fuming and sputtering over the wash- tub, another penitent sinner, who in times of old thought the work of woman mere play, is bunglingly patching the seat of his unmentionables with a piece of "self-rising" flour sack. He sighs as he thinks of the little woman away down East who was wont, in times past, to gather up his "old duds" and put in the "stitch in time"— he sighs, for he now remembers that ne never once thought to thank her for her pains; he will have a better appreciation of woman's work when he gets home. Mayhap, however, he never reached home— his bones may have been left to bleach in some wild canyon. Who knows? While some are engaged in these and similar domestic occupations, others aie writing letteis heme, and perhaps two or more are amusii.g themselves at a game of bean- poker. Some one will presently go to the post office and on his return, if a steamer has just got in, there will be a good time at reading home papers and letters. THE MASSACRE AT MURDERERS' BAR. (see picture no, 5.) A memorable affair iii the early history of gold mining in 42 THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. California was the massacre of white miners at Murderers* Bar, below Coloma, on the South Fork of the American river, in October, 1849. There were twenty-three men at work on the bar, eighteen of whom were killed on the spot and one was so badly wounded that he survived but a short time. The Indians in overwhelming numbers boldly made their appearance in broad daylight. They were armed with bows and arrows, also carried spears, or lances, on the heads of which were fixed sharp points of flint or obsidian, similar to those on their arrows, but much longer and broader. The Indians made a sudden rush around a rocky point while the men were at work, and getting between them and the camp where their arms were stored, killed, in a few minutes, all except four men on the opposite side of the river. These men were operatmg in the bottom of the river by means of an India rubber diving dress or submarine armor. At the time the Indians made their rush^ one of the four men was in the diving dress down under water working in a crevice, while the others were above» pumping air down to him. The men above signalled the diver to come up. As he rose to the surface in his armor and turned his head with its great glass eyes toward the opposite shore, the Indians caught sight of him. At the same moment, a jackass that was tied in a clump of bushes began braying. At sight of the frightful specter that came up out of the bed of the river, and on hearing the awful whoops it was supposed to be uttering, a howl of terror arose among the Indians and all fled precipitately from the spot. Not a gun, knife, blanket or single piece of property of any kind was taken by the savages. When the big-eyed monster came up out of the water, all turned tail and fled in dismay. The Indians evidently believed that what they saw was some mighty avenging water devil that was about to charge into their midst, as not one of the tribe was ever THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. 43 again seen on the bar. Even as late as 1861, no Digger Indians could be induced to go near that part of the river in which the big-eyed devil was supposed to dwell. SAW THE ELEPHANT. (SE£ PICTURE NO. 6.) The grizzly bear is now given the place of honor among the beasts of California as the "monarch of the Sierras." In the days of '49, however, the elephant was king in Cali- fornia. The new-comer was a "green horn" until after he had seen the elephant. The beast was not hard to tind. He ranged as often in the big towns of the valleys as in the mountain mining camps. He assumed all manner ofshapes and disguises, hiding his tusks and trunk in order to make sure of his mtended victims, and it was not until too late that the man found he had encountered that mighty beast, the elephant. At times he appeared as the "gentle gazelle," then, perhaps, as the faithful dog, "Trusty," and again as the stupid donkey, and the victim never once suspected the true character of the beast with which he had to do, until he found himself completely flattened out under its huge feet; when to his astonished gaze appeared trunk, tail and tusks, and he knew he nad "seen the elephant." The ele- phant was not a profitable beast to see. Under the pres- sure of hii. huge bulk, the buckskin bag of the honest miner was always Completely flatrened out. A single sight cf the elephant at ttie Bay sent many a man back to the mountains, when he had conndently expected to be "sailing tne salt seas," homeward bound. The elephant, whose haunt was at and about the bay, was an immense beast, and old Satan himself was not moie cunning. A man might for years es- cape the mountain elephant only to fall a victim to the 44 THE FIRST BABY IN CAMP. terrible beast that ranged down at tide water. One good view of the elephant in any one of the many shapes he as- sumed generally thoroughly satisfied all sensible men, but there were those who, after their first introduction, became confirmed elephant hunters. There seemed to be a sort of fascination for them about the mighty beast and they were always following his trail. The bones of these infatuated men are strewn frcm the summit of the Sierras to the shores of the sea. In the divs. of old, a man had only to say, 'T have setn the elephant," to let it be known that he had been "through the mills" and had come out pretty thor- oughly pulver'zed. A ''HOOP UP" IN CAMP. (see picture tso. 7.) In 1849, a store-keeper in Nevada City brought up from Sacramento a few hooped skirts, as women were then be- ginning to arrive in the town. About the time the skirts arrived, some of the miners of the outlaying camp of Deer Creek came down to town after supplies. A young fellow of the party, who was full of fun., bought one of the skirts and took it up to the camp on Deer Creek. The men up there had not Ly __,_„__ ^ ^^ ^^^..^.^^ iM 13 1C93 FIRST BABY IN CAMP. A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE SCENES AND AD- VENTURES DURING THE PIONEER DAYS OF '19. (iEORCE FRANCIS TRAIN. — SIAGING IN EARLY DAYS.— A MAD, WILD RIDE. — THE PONY EXPRESS. — SOME OF THE OLD TIME DRIVERS. By Wm. p. BENNETT, Author of "The Sky-Sifter." The fastest time made in Nevada by Stage, Pony Ex- press or Buckboard, 22 miles in 58 minutes. (Picture 22x28 accompanies this book.) THE RANCHER PUBLISHING CO., Salt Lake City, Utah. 1893. <^' 3 ^ A o. -..^♦^ ^, -% ,^^ ^- V^^-' V '^nK^^ ^ %