AS CALIFORNIA MOVED INTO that memorable year of 1849 , a four letter word attracted the attention of eastern publishers who produced a flurry of books for an eager worldwide audience .

The word was “ gold ”, and the books were guides on how to reach California and the fields where men became pickand-shovel millionaires . Many of the “ guides to gold ” publications tended to replace accuracy with enthusiasm . Fayette Robinson wrote there were reports stating the “ streams run over beds of gold , and the mountains are masses of precious ore .”

Glowing pictures painted by booklet writers often failed to match gold field reality . In an old copy of one guide book , the author ’ s initials , D . L ., were explained in pencil by a frustrated miner : “ Damn Liar !”

Eastern newspapers discovered stories about finding gold sold newspapers . They quickly set out to feed the gold fever of the 17 million people living “ back home .” Most communities had residents anxiously awaiting word from family members who had headed west . Some papers ran letters from gold seekers camped at St . Joseph and Independence , Missouri , waiting to start the big adventure , putting together wagons and supplies for the trail .

One eastern newspaper writer claimed mining gold in California took no skill at all . “ The workman takes any spot of ground or bank he fancies , sticks his pick or shovel at random , fills his basin , makes

for the water , and soon sees the glittering results of his labor .”

Franklin Street published a pamphlet in Cincinnati after he hit the gold fields in August of 1850 . His description was not one of golden stream beds . “ Those mining districts , which had heretofore been very productive ,” he wrote , “ were now becoming exhausted … or itinerant miners , who were continually wandering from place to place … in search of some untenanted spot , in which to try the realities of their golden dreams .”

Street warned his readers the gold fields were full of people , less and less gold had to be divided among more and more new arrivals . He was surprisingly candid .

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130 NEVADA COUNTY GOLD

2017-2018 Nevada County Gold Magazine 2017-2018_Nevada County Gold Magazine | Page 130

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PIONEERS

TAles of Golden RiveR Beds TuRned eyes To CAlifoRniA By Don Baumgart

AS CALIFORNIA MOVED INTO that memorable year of 1849 , a four letter word attracted the attention of eastern publishers who produced a flurry of books for an eager worldwide audience .

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