Rogel-Goldminer-1850
In 1852 F. Rogel wrote a letter from Marysville, California to the Luna Newspaper
in Zagreb, Croatia. Mr. Rogel was a tailor. It is not known whether Mr.
Rogel returned home to Croatia or settled in California. A Marty Rogel voted in
Alameda, California in 1877 and listed his age as 31 and Austria as country of
origin. Mr. Rogel could have sent for his family and children. F. Rogel worked
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for eight months as a tailor. On January 29, 1850
he traveled by steamship to Central America and landed at the Isthmus of Panama
at the town of Gorgana. He described the beauty of the flora and fauna including
commentary on alligators and the exotic bird life. He waited until April 9th for
another steamship to take him around Cape Horn to Mazatlan and landed in San
Francisco on May 4, 1850. He traveled to Sacramento by river boat and went
immediately to the goldfields and in four days found gold. He then worked as a
waiter near Sutter’s Fort. In a short time he sent money home to his family.
In January 1851 he decided to return to Sacramento and find work as a tailor. He
soon realized more money was to be made easily as a tailor than seeking gold. A
very wealthy lady ordered a full wardrobe from him at a value of $10,000
Austrian Florints and he was able to send to his family a substantial sum of
money. He described in detail the price of goods and services in Sacramento plus
the
overall cost of living. He opened a tailor shop in the gold boom town of
Marysville and bought goldmine shares in the Boston Quartz Goldmine Company and
shares in the Water Company on the Yuba River.