THE WORKS

OF

HUBERT HOWE BANCROFT.

VOLUME XXIII.

HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA.

VOL. VI. 1848-1859.

SAN FRANCISCO:

THE HISTORY COMPANY, PUBLISHERS.

MAY 27 1892

LIBRARY

By efchange

Entered according to Act of Congress in the Year 1888, by

HUBERT H. BANCROFT,

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

All Rights Reserved.

CONTENTS OF THIS VOLUME.

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t

CHAPTER I.

CALIFORNIA JUST PRIOR TO THE GOLD DISCOVERY.

January, 1848.

The Valley of California-Quality of Population-The Later Incomers-

Hispano-American, Anglo-American, and Others-Settlers around

San Francisco Bay-San José-The Peninsula-San Francisco-

Across the Bay-Alameda and Contra Costa Valleys--Valleys of the

San Joaquin and Sacramento-Sutter's Fort-Grants and Ranchos—
About Carquines Strait-Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Rosa Valleys---

San Rafael, Bodega, and the Northern Coast-Natural Wealth and

Environment.

CHAPTER II.

THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD.

January, 1848.

Situation of Sutter-His Need of Lumber--Search for a Mill Site in the

Mountains-Culuma-James W. Marshall--The Building of a Saw.

mill Determined upon-A Party Sets Forth-Its Personnel-Char-

acter of Marshall-The Finding of Gold-What Marshall and his

Men Thought of It-Marshall Rides to New Helvetia and Informs

Sutter The Interview-Sutter Visits the Mill-Attempt to Secure

the Indian Title to the Land..............

CHAPTER III.

THE SECRET ESCAPES.

February, 1848.

Bennett Goes to Monterey-Sees Pfister at Benicia- 'There is What will

Beat Coal!'- Bennett Meets Isaac Humphrey at San Francisco-Un-

successful at Monterey-Sutter's Swiss Teamster-The Boy Wimmer

Tells Him of the Gold-The Mother Wimmer, to Prove her Boy not a

Liar, Shows It-And the Teamster, Who is Thirsty, Shows It at the

Fort-Affairs at the Mill Proceed as Usual-Bigler's Sunday Medi-

tations-Gold Found at Live Oak Bar-Bigler Writes his Three

PAGE

Friends the Secret-Who Unite with Them Other Three to Help

Them Keep It-Three Come to Coloma-Discovery at Mormon Island

-The Mormon Exit....

PAGE

42

CHAPTER IV.

PROXIMATE EFFECT OF THE GOLD DISCOVERY.

March-August, 1848.

The People Sceptical at First-Attitude of the Press-The Country

Converted by a Sight of the Metal-The Epidemic at San Francisco

-At San José, Monterey, and down the Coast-The Exodus--De-

sertion of Soldiers and Sailors-Abandonment of Business, of Farms,

and of All Kinds of Positions and Property....

CHAPTER V.

FURTHER DISCOVERIES.

March-December, 1848.

Isaac Humphrey again-Bidwell and his Bar-Reading and his Indians

on Clear Creek—Population in the Mines-On Feather River and

the Yuba-John Sinclair on the American River-The Irishman

Yankee Jim-Dr Todd in Todd Valley-Kelsey-Weber on Weber

Creek-The Stockton Mining Company-Murphy-Hangtown-On

the Stanislaus-Knight, Wood, Savage, and Heffernan-Party from

Oregon On the Mokelumne and Cosumnes-The Sonorans on the

Tuolumne-Coronel and Party......

CHAPTER VI.

AT THE MINES.

1848.

Variety of Social Phases-Individuality of the Year 1848-Noticeable

Absence of Bad Characters during this Year-Mining Operations--

Ignorance of the Miners of Mining-Implements and Processes-

Yield in the Different Districts-Price of Gold-dust-Prices of Mer-

chandise-A New Order of Things-Extension of Development→

Affairs at Sutter's Fort-Bibliography-Effect on Sutter and Marshall

-Character and Career of These Two Men......

CHAPTER VII.

BROADER EFFECTS OF THE GOLD DISCOVERY.

1848-1849.

The Real Effects Eternal-How the Intelligence was Carried over the

Sierra-To the Hawaiian Islands-British Columbia-Oregon and

Washington-The Tidings in Mexico-Mason's Messenger in Wash-

CONTENTS.

ington-California Gold at the War Office-At the Philadelphia

Mint-The Newspaper Press upon the Subject-Bibliography—

Greeley's Prophecies-Industrial Stimulation-Overland and Oceanic

Routes-General Effect in the Eastern States and Europe-Interest

in Asia, South America, and Australia..

CHAPTER VIII.

THE VOYAGE BY OCEAN.

1848-1849

Modern Argonauts-Pacific Mail Steamship Company-Establishment of

the Mail Line from New York via Panamá to Oregon-Sailing of the

First Steamers-San Francisco Made the Terminus-The Panamá

Transit-The First Rush of Gold-seekers-Disappointments at Pan-

amá-Sufferings on the Voyage-Arrivals of Notable Men by the

First Steamship.....................

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PAGE

110

126

CHAPTER IX.

THE JOURNEY OVERLAND.

1849.

Organization of Parties--Brittle Contracts of These Associations-Missis

sippi River Rendezvous-On the Trail-Overland Routine-Along

the Platte-Through the South Pass-Cholera-The Different Routes

-Across the Desert-Trials of the Pilgrims-Starvation, Disease,

and Death-Passage of the Sierra Nevada-Relief Parties from

California-Route through Mexico-Estimates of the Numbers of

Arrivals-Bewilderment of the Incomers-Regeneration and a New

Life...

143

CHAPTER X.

SAN FRANCISCO.

1848-1850.

Site and Surroundings-Rivals-Effect of the Mines-Shipping-Influx

of Population-Physical and Commercial Aspects-Business Firms--

Public and Private Buildings-National Localities—Hotels and Res-

taurants — Prices Current - Property Values - Auction Sales-

Wharves and Streets Early Errors-Historic Fires-Engines and

Companies-Immigration and Speculation-Politics-The Hounds-

City Government..

CHAPTER XI.

SOCIETY.

1849-1850.

Ingathering of Nationalities-Peculiarities of Dress and Manners-Phys.

ical and Moral Features-Levelling of Rank and Position-In the

164