Existing comment:
August 18, 1848:
Military Governor Mason officially reports on his tour of the California gold fields. He states the reason he made no statement on the discovery earlier was that
"I could not bring myself to believe the reports that I heard of the wealth of the gold district until I visited it myself."
Now convinced these reports were not exaggerated, the enthusiastic account he sends to Washington DC is accompanied by 230 ounces of gold, and a map of the mill site.
December 10, 1848:
President James K. Polk officially reports on the gold discovery to Congress.
December 31, 1849:
By the end of 1849, by land and sea, from every state and from around the world, more than 90,000 gold seekers rushed into California. |