1850 American Gold Tycoon

Obtain a piece of land and build a solid log house on the land to meet basic survival needs.

Then gradually expand the area around the log house into a spacious and comfortable villa.

This is the way for ordinary immigrants to make a fortune in the interior frontiers.

As long as you work hard enough, you can solve the problem of food and clothing within three years, live a well-off life as mentioned in the newspapers within five years, enter the middle class within seven years, and even become a wealthy man in the border area, which is not out of reach.

Utah Territory, Salt Lake City tycoon Schneider made his fortune this way.

He was one of the first eastern immigrants to cross the vast wilderness and the snow-covered mountains and canyons to reach the shore of the lake.

He arrived here in 1847 and became one of the first foreign settlers here.

It took Schneider ten years to become one of the richest white people in the area. He owned a large silver mine, three slaughterhouses, two lumberyards, a tannery, and several farms.

Before the Pacific Railroad was completed and Han immigrants poured into Salt Lake City in large numbers, Schneider was even the wealthiest person in the Salt Lake City area.

The huge wealth did not make Schneider feel happy. This was not because Schneider was in Versailles, but because throughout the Utah Territory, white people's property and even personal safety could not be effectively protected.

Almost all white Utahns live in the shadow of Mormonism.

All it takes is one word from a Mormon elder, and the wealth of this Salt Lake City tycoon could vanish overnight, leaving him a penniless pauper.

Schneider is a devoutly religious and decent man, at least that's what he and the people he helped think of him.

But now he is a Mormon.

Joining the Mormon Church was not his intention, but rather an accident.

Eleven years ago, on the way to the west, the immigrant team that Schneider followed ran out of supplies in the wilderness of Colorado. The people in the team either died of thirst or starved to death. In the end, only three people in Schneider's family were left. Because the supplies were relatively abundant, they were still alive. alive.

But soon, the family's food and drinking water gradually ran out. They were hungry and thirsty, and fell into a desperate situation.

Perhaps he was not destined to die, or perhaps Satan appeared. A group of Mormon immigrants happened to be passing through here.

A Mormon leader named Brigham Young, oh, we should call him a prophet, an omniscient and omnipotent prophet.

The prophet told him that he found this place and his family after hearing the voice of God. God told him that as long as the Schneider family joined the Mormon family, he and his family would be able to obtain supplies from their team and follow their The team traveled together.

In order to keep his family alive, Schneider agreed.

This was the stupidest decision Schneider ever made in his life.

The more Schneider thought about it, the more upset he became, and he could only keep pouring gin into his mouth to relieve the depression in his heart.

"Mr. Schneider, the prophet has arrived."

Schneider was drinking to drown his sorrows when his servant came in and reported to him.

Hearing the word prophet, Schneider shuddered all over and became sober instantly.

If the prophet comes to visit in person, it is bound to be a disaster, and it may lead to disaster.

In Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden and other places, rich people die every year. To be precise, rich people who are not devout in their Mormon beliefs die in mysterious circumstances.

Then the property was confiscated and became religious property.

The property of the Mormon Church is nominally owned by all Mormons, but in fact it is private property for the prophet Brigham Young and his seven elders to squander. Even the new Protestants understand this.

When he learned that Brigham Young was coming in person, Schneider rushed to the gate of the manor to greet him personally, without daring to neglect him at all.

Brigham Young, however, had a cold face and led a group of armed believers directly into his home. They were as familiar as his own home and arrived at the hall of the manor in a familiar way.

"My good brother, you also changed to a crystal chandelier? It seems that you have become rich again this year." Brigham Young stared greedily at the valuable crystal chandelier hanging on the top of the living room.

"If the cathedral in Salt Lake City could have such a beautiful crystal chandelier, and believers could pray devoutly under the beautiful crystal chandelier, God and the late Prophet Smith would be very happy."

"I'll take him to the church tomorrow and hand him over to the elders." Schneider said hurriedly.

"As you know, I have always been very religious."

"Being pious or not is not just a matter of words, it requires practical actions." Brigham Young said sternly.

"Brother Schneider, when you were desperate in the Colorado wilderness and almost lost your family's lives, it was us, God's most faithful believers, who pulled you and your family back from the door of death. Selflessly giving up our precious water and Bread is shared with you.

Following the guidance of God and the prophet, we brought you to the fertile land of Salt Lake City and gave your family a large piece of fertile land. Under our protection, you slowly became rich. Is this how it looks like? "

"That's right, Prophet," Schneider replied duplicitously.

"We have never asked for anything from you. We only ask that you become a devout Mormon and abide by the rules of our religion. But as far as I know, you have always turned a deaf ear and regarded the rules as nothing. In the past year, you have frequently disagreed with the Han people. Contact the church members." Brigham Young said with a straight face.

“Prophet, I pay public funds to the church every month in accordance with regulations, go to church every week for worship, and pray devoutly every day. If this is not pious, how can I be considered pious?

I admit that I have contact with Han pagans, but when I come into contact with Han pagans, I also do it for the sake of the church. I want to make more money from these pagans and pay more public funds to the church! "Schneider defended himself, with beads of sweat the size of soybeans already appearing on his smooth forehead.

"I believe what you said, huh? Where are your wives? You are an old Mormon and a very wealthy man in Salt Lake City. Don't tell me that you still only have one wife now." Brigham Young said calmly. Said slowly.

“It’s not like you don’t know, Prophet, that there are not many women in the West. After the Han people poured into the Utah Territory, many women chose to marry richer Han immigrants.

There are many brothers in the church who are still single in their 40s and 50s. The more wives I marry, the more brothers in the church will be single. I am thinking about the brothers. ” Schneider continued to defend his actions.

He already has a wife who loves him very much and has no reason to marry anyone else, nor does he want to marry another woman.

Of course, he could only keep these words in his heart and did not dare to say them directly.

"You are still a little enlightened, but how did I hear that you have been planning to marry your daughter to a Han pagan recently? Have you forgotten the Mormon Bible?" Brigham Young looked at him, Those vulture-like eyes stared straight at Schneider and didn't move away for a long time.

"The Mormon Bible" Schneider nervously recited the teachings of Mormonism.

"If your daughter marries a pagan and lets the pagans taint our holy female Mormons, you and your daughter will have committed a heinous sin. God and the prophet will not forgive you." Brigham Young hammered. This is not a very honest believer.

"I have absolutely no intention of doing this. There must be someone behind the scenes who is gossiping and has a dirty mouth. My devotion to the Mormon faith can be learned from the sun." A chill quickly ran up Schneider's back.

He had never mentioned the idea of ​​marrying his daughter to a Han to seek their protection and escape from the clutches of Mormonism in public. Even his close friends did not know about it. Schneider only talked to him in private. My wife quietly discussed the feasibility of this matter.

There is no way his wife could cheat on him.

After thinking about it, there was only one possibility left, that is, his servants secretly overheard the conversation between him and his wife and reported him to the elders and the prophet.

Mormonism is so pervasive! These servants of his are all old servants who have been working in his manor since 1850.

"I and eight elders have already discussed and decided that your daughter is a flower in Salt Lake City. She is only 18 years old this year. Those elders and I are already very old, and there is no shortage of heifers around us." Brigham Young said slowly.

Hearing this, Schneider's eyes glowed again. Could it be that the prophet's conscience discovered it? It shouldn’t be. Which one of the prophet and those elders is not an evil spirit in lust? Will he let his daughter go easily?

Wait a minute, don’t Mormons only have seven elders? Why did the prophet talk about eight elders again?

"Eight elders? Not seven elders?" Schneider asked doubtfully.

"Your Excellency Stanford has officially become an elder of our Mormon Church. This is something worth celebrating, isn't it?" Brigham Young said proudly.

Upon hearing the news, Schneider felt like he had been hit hard on the head.

Utahns have been suffering from the Mormons for a long time, and they all hope that Stanford, the newly appointed territorial governor of the federal government, can eradicate the Mormons, the blood-sucking ticks that lie on the people of Utah.

Unexpectedly, in the end, even the new governor would get together with this group of magicians.

No wonder Brigham Young had been hiding in his lair for a year without daring to go out, but today he came alive and showed up in Salt Lake City with great swagger.

"Yes, it is indeed a great event worth celebrating." Schneider replied insincerely.

"Although we elders already have enough heifers, many of our descendants only have less than ten wives." Brigham Young's words made Schneider's mood fall to the bottom again.

"My son Bree, my nephew Joseph, and Elder Beth's son Peregrine all like your daughter. They are all young, handsome and considerate. More importantly, they are all the most devout Mormons. Christian. Your daughter is truly blessed.

I am not an old-fashioned person. I support your daughter’s freedom to choose a spouse and give her the right to choose. Let your daughter choose one of the three best young men to be her husband. "

"First"

Schneider wanted to stall for time on the grounds that his daughter was not yet old enough to get married, but before a complete word came out of his mouth, he was interrupted by Brigham Young.

Brigham Young said in a tone that could not be refused: "I have made the decision on this matter, Brother Schneider. I will come to attend your daughter's wedding in a week. Don't let me down. Hey, Brother Schneider, you don't look like you are." I'm glad, do you want to disobey the decree?"

"I am so honored and so excited that I don't know how to express my gratitude to you." Schneider forced a smile on his face that was uglier than crying.

Brigham Young stood up and nodded happily: "This is what I said. This is what I am like as a Mormon. Repaying kindness is a unique and outstanding quality of us Mormons."

Seeing Brigham Young leaving, Schneider closed the door and was about to go back to the room to consider what to do about this matter. As soon as she turned around, she saw her daughter Serafina standing blankly at the top of the stairs.

Serafina's pale little face was full of horror.

"Did you hear everything?" Schneider walked up to Sarafina and said reproachfully and distressedly.

"The prophet spoke so loudly that it was hard for me not to hear him," Serafina lamented.

"Don't be afraid, I won't let those bastards become your husband. Dad will find a way. You can go to sleep peacefully first," Schneider comforted.

"Daddy." Sarafina sobbed, holding Schneider's hand.

"Don't put yourself in danger. In Utah, no one can disobey their wishes. Even the new governor has now become our elders."

Sarafina felt that there was an invisible but huge and heavy mountain pressing on them in Utah, making it difficult for them to breathe.

Everything here, including food, clothing, housing, transportation, weddings and funerals, seems to be inseparable from the control of the Mormons.

"You have to believe in Dad, Dad will find a way, and God will bless his true believers." Schneider helped Sarafina go back to the room to rest.

"If worshiping God is useless, we can learn from the Han people and worship Buddha and Mazu." Mrs. Schneider opened the curtain of a shrine, lit incense, closed her eyes and prayed devoutly.

"Those Han people worship all kinds of gods." Schneider frowned upon hearing this.

"God knows where they found so many gods to worship."

"I think they are pragmatic. We should not place our hopes on a god." After praying, Mrs. Schneider put the incense in her hand on the incense burner in front of the Buddha statue with a respectful look.

"If you worship many gods, one of them will show up."

Early the next morning, while the Schneider family was having breakfast sadly, three uninvited young people broke into the Schneider manor rudely.

They tied their horses at the door and walked into the living room.

When Sarafina saw the uninvited guests coming to her house, she didn't care that breakfast was not finished yet, so she avoided them as if she was a plague, fled back to her boudoir, and quickly locked the door from the inside.

The three of them whistled briskly in the direction of Sarafina's room, and then introduced their noble status to the Schneiders.

Schneider only responded indifferently. If it weren't for their father and uncle's sake, he would have fired his rifle at their heads.

Xiao Bri, who looks like a human and a dog, said politely: "We followed the instructions of our fathers and came here to visit you and propose to your daughter.

We would like to know which of the three of us your daughter likes the most. As for me, I am"

Joseph interrupted Xiao Brie who was talking eloquently: "Father-in-law, don't listen to my brother's rhetoric. Who in Utah doesn't know that my brother already has 9 wives, and Peregrine is no less generous, he also has 8 A wife. And I only have five wives. I am the most in need among the three of us, and I can spare one day a week to sleep with Sarafina."

Bri immediately retorted: "The most critical issue is not how many wives we have, but who can afford to support Sarafina. I just took over a large horse farm and three small farms from my father last month." The ranch, now that we are the richest of the three of us, Sarafina should be mine.”

Peregrine also argued fiercely: "No, no, my hope is the greatest. My father has had a severe heartache recently, and God will soon invite my father to heaven. By then I can inherit my father's gold mine, saltpeter mine, lead mine and farm.

Moreover, I can also inherit my father's position as Bishop of Salt Lake City. When you see me, you will all call me elder. I think Sarafina will also be happy to be the elder's wife. "

Early in the morning, before he had time to finish his meal, Schneider was so angry that his blood pressure soared and his veins bulged as he listened to these three little bastards buzzing like flies in front of him.

"Get out!" Schneider could no longer control the anger in his chest. He broke out on the spot and issued an eviction order to the three of them.

The three young men looked at Schneider's flushed face and the veins bulging on his thick arms. They did not dare to be too arrogant based on their status. They gave up a few toasts and refused to eat the fine wine. They defied the prophet and waited and saw what happened. He left Schneider's manor in despair with such harsh words.

Around 5:30 p.m., Schneider took advantage of the servant's inattention and secretly slipped some ingredients into the servant's cooking pot.

Late at night, after hearing the thunderous snoring of the servants and confirming that they were all asleep, Schneider shouldered a rifle, took Sarafina through the small door, and quietly left the manor under the cover of night.

At the same time, in Salt Lake City, inside the residence of Liang Shaoyu, chairman of the Salt Lake City Immigration Committee, chairman of the Salt Lake City Economic Development Committee, and chairman of the Salt Lake City Public Security Committee.

California Chief Superintendent Cai Mingsheng, who came from the San Francisco metropolitan area, was furious at Liang Shaoyu.

"The Mormon cult members in Utah have all gone to Reno to kill people and establish their authority! They are killing people in my jurisdiction to establish their authority!" Cai Mingsheng became more and more excited as he spoke.

"Damn it, I, the Chief Superintendent of California, got off the train at the Salt Lake City train station, and these bastards wanted to search me! Search the Chief Superintendent of California!"

In 1857, in order to adapt to the security needs of California, the California Legislature carried out reforms with reference to the new British police system in 1856.

The state Legislature passed the California Police System Reform Act, establishing the California State Police in San Francisco as the highest-level security agency in California to coordinate security throughout the state.

San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento have established police departments, and the remaining small and medium-sized cities have established police departments.

The plan also approved the opening of a police academy in San Francisco to train and deliver high-quality, professional police talents to various regions.

In order to change Californians' stereotype of the California police's grassroots team, the reform bill also clarified the police rank system.

The person with the highest police rank is the chief superintendent, and there are currently two chief superintendents in California.

One is Cai Mingsheng, and the other is Flagg, the former police chief of San Francisco.

Cai Mingsheng poured a large sip of tea into his mouth and continued to point at Liang Shaoyu's nose and curse: "It's been a year! It's been a full year since you, Stanford, and Pinkerton arrived in Utah! It's not just a month or two, you haven't achieved any results at all. Not made.

In the past, the Mormons committed minor crimes in my jurisdiction. In order to cooperate with your work, I turned a blind eye and tolerated it.

Now they are so rampant that they dare to commit murder in Nevada District! Are you going to go to San Francisco next time and commit a crime in front of my police station? ! "