The Argonauts of California: being the reminiscenses of scenes and incidents that occurred in California in the early mining days

by Charles Warren Haskins

Where are the Pioneers?—The Overland Stage—Pony Express—The Sound of War—A Wet Winter—The Hotel on the Road—The Railroad.

UPWARDS of ten years had now elapsed since our arrival in California. The excitement in relation to gold mining has somewhat subsided, and all human affairs seem to have become established upon a more permanent basis. All residents, with but few exceptions, are now well pleased with their adopted home, and intend to remain and grow up with the country.

But how about the pioneers at this time? They were very numerous throughout this portion of the mining region. In December, ’59, they numbered in this county at least 25,000, a small portion of them only, however, engaged in mining. And now, at the expiration only ten years, I find upon investigation that there are not to exceed 600 in the county remaining. A few are yet engaged in mining; many have left for their Eastern homes, and some have crossed to the other side, while many have fenced in tracts of land and are engaged in fruit raising. But the great majority have scattered throughout the length and breadth of the Pacific Slope, some to engage in agriculture or in stock raising in the valleys below, and others entering into business of various kinds in the Cities of San Francisco and Sacramento.

With the discovery of the silver mines in Nevada there ensues another very important event: The overland stage, a boon to old-timers, for they can now communicate with their friends in the East much quicker and oftener than by water, is established, and which again in its turn, as a means of rapid communication with the East, is superseded by the pony express. The first arrival of the pony express occurred, I think, in the fall of ’59. The wild mustang was ridden by Harry Rolf, now a resident of Oakland, and he came flying through the city of Placerville, on his way to Sacramento City, amid the waving of flags, the firing of guns, and the hurrah of the multitude which lined the sides of the road to witness the important event. But although we were occupying a new and as yet an unsettled portion of the earth which we had only recently occupied, yet the progressive spirit of the age, for which our nation is noted, was not wanting, for in a very short time these primitive means of transit and of communication with the East were again in their turn thrust aside and superseded by the iron horse and the telegraph. Soon came, also, the sound of war and strife between the North and the South, and now the very important question which had agitated the country for nearly a century was to be decided for all time, viz., should the whole country be for freedom or for slavery? There were many throughout the State who believed the latter to be possible, but the sentiment was almost universal that we in California would prevent, by all possible means, any attempt upon the part of either side to involve the residents of the State in the conflict, and all such attempts, therefore, were very effectually suppressed and peace and quietness reigned throughout the State. There was, however, a stage robbery which occurred upon the Virginia City road, a few miles above Placerville. A large amount of silver bullion was stolen, and in effecting the capture of the robbers one of the officers was killed, his name being T. G. Caples. In their defense the robbers claimed that they were commissioned officers, acting under orders from their commanders of the Confederate Government; they were, consequently, not outlaws or robbers, and demanded the rights and usages due to prisoners of war. But unfortunately for them our judges did not take that view of the case, and they were found guilty of highway robbery. One of them (Poole) was found guilty also of murder and executed in Placerville in the fall of ’63, if I am not mistaken.

The winter of ’61-’62 was a very wet one, and water therefore was abundant throughout the mining regions, enabling the miners to work and ground-sluice many good paying claims located above the ditches which furnished the water for mining purposes below. Sacramento felt the effects of this unusually rainy winter, for twice during the season was the city flooded, causing great damage and loss.

A little incident resulting upon this flood in Sacramento is perhaps worth relating, as it illustrates not only the uncertainty of

things generally, but also that each and every locality is subject in its own way to certain events peculiar to the surrounding conditions.

A certain emigrant from the Fatherland, who lost all his earthly possessions during the flood in Sacramento City, came to the conclusion that he would in future make his dwelling place in some more elevated locality, above the reach of the raging floods and at high water mark. He therefore, in the fall of ’63, in accordance with this desire, bought an old station or wayside hotel, located in the toll road a few miles above Placerville. During the succeeding winter, our German friend, with his family and a few others, were sitting around the big stove one afternoon. It was storming heavily outside, and the landlord was congratulating himself upon the fact that he was far above all danger from the floods and earthquakes below, and that he had found at last a safe home for his family. Just at this moment his wife jumped from her chair, and exclaimed: