▁California ▁Gold ▁R ush ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 8 4 8 , ▁news ▁of ▁the ▁California ▁gold ▁discovery ▁swe pt ▁up ▁the ▁brothers . ▁The ▁oldest , ▁Laz are , ▁left ▁New ▁Orleans ▁first , ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁Simon ▁board ed ▁the ▁steam ship ▁Fal con ▁bound ▁for ▁California ▁via ▁Ch ag res , ▁the ▁Ist hm us ▁of ▁Pan ama , ▁and ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Coast . ▁ ▁Maurice ▁and ▁El ie ▁followed ▁after ▁the ▁summer ▁sales , ▁announ cing ▁to ▁the ▁press ▁their ▁planned ▁“ tem por ary ▁absence ,” ▁and ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 ▁bar rel s ▁of ▁Kentucky ▁whis key ▁for ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁market . ▁ ▁( E lie ' s ▁name ▁shows ▁on ▁the ▁July ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁census ▁of ▁New ▁Orleans ▁and ▁the ▁October ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁census ▁at ▁Sac r amento ▁as ▁a ▁cl erk ▁with ▁cousin ▁Maurice ▁Kre mer , ▁suggesting ▁a ▁quick ▁transfer ▁to ▁the ▁gold ▁fields ). ▁While ▁Simon ▁set ▁up ▁shop ▁in ▁bo oming ▁San ▁Francisco ’ s ▁water front , ▁Alexandre ▁made ▁a ▁quick ▁bu ying ▁trip ▁to ▁England ▁and ▁France , ▁an ▁annual ▁event ▁after ▁moving ▁to ▁California , ▁the ▁standard ▁process ▁for ▁the ▁brothers ▁during ▁their ▁ 1 8 5 0 s ▁merchant ▁business ▁— ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁brothers ▁on ▁extended , ▁annual ▁bu ying