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HISTORY
CALIFORNIA
1828
Gc 979.401 EL2s 1910136
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
៛ 1 -----
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01717 1973
HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF
SUTTER'SMILL, COLOMA. AFTERAN OLD SKETCH
ELDORADO COURTY
CALIFORNIA WITH JLLUSTRATIONSAND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
OF ITS
PROMINENTMEN & PIONEERS. OAKLAND, CAL. 1883 PAOLO SIOLI. PUBLISHER.
1910136
HISTORY -OF-
EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
COMPILED BY P. SIOLI.
To our patrons and the public in general we here- with present the Illustrated History of El Dorado County. The county in which the discovery of gold was made, which in consequence has given the im- pulse to set in motion an emigration, entirely unknown before in history, and which kept on coming here for eighteen or twenty years, thus gathering within her borders a population ranging from twenty to forty thousand, including all grades and classes of people, but constituting a community of pride and power which made El Dorado to become the "Empire Coun- ty" of the State. Not only on account of the great dis- covery already mentioned that was made here, but also for the reason that she is one of the largest and richest counties in the mining district she was deservedly complimented with the name she bears.
Though slumbering now since the completion of the Central Pacific Railroad across the Sierra Nevada, she will come to life and activity before long to re- ward the energy and industry of her people and to place her in the rank which she always has deserved.
From the beginning of writing the history of EI Do- rado County it has been the most serious aim and design of the publisher and the writer to give in a most comprehensive and precise form the complete and exact history of geography, topography. climate and soils, of resources and productions as well as of
wealth, spirit and enterprise of her people. The first twelve chapters have been devoted to the pre-Ameri- can history of California and the American conquest, preceding the discovery of gold at Coloma; while the following chapters treat the history of El Dorado exceptionally in her connection with the State as well as concerning her own affairs, and in particular care is given to the local history of her towns. Biograph- ical sketches of many of the most prominent men and old pioneers fill another chapter of the work, which is illustrated with many portraits of well-known men, and a great number of attractive views of the pretty homes, the scenery, etc., throughout the county. If we have been successful in accomplishing these aims, as we hope, we have to return our thanks to all who have rendered assistance to the work; in particular we are indebted to the courtesy of D. W. Gelwicks, Esq., of Oakland, for his files of the Mountain Democrat, the oldest paper in the county, as well as to W. A. Sel- kirk, Esq., and B. F. Davis, Esq., of Placerville, for generous use of their files of the Mountain Democrat and the Placerville Republican, respectively. Finally, we express our heartiest thanks to our patrons for their liberal support of the work and the interest they have taken in having it completed with illustrations, etc. But for their generous aid, no such book could have been published.
T
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE.
Early Discoveries and Exploration of the Coast and Lower California. I-5
CHAPTER II. History of the Missions in Upper California .. . . 5-10
CHAPTER III.
Civil Government in California under Spanish
Regime.
. . II-14
CHAPTER IV.
California under Mexican Regime.
.. . . . . . . . 14-18
CHAPTER V.
California under Mexican Regime (continued). 18-22
CHAPTER 'VI.
The Bear Flag War
. 22-27
CHAPTER VII.
American Conquest-Mexican War
.....
28-29
CHAPTER VIII.
American Conquest-Mexican War(continued). 29-32
CHAPTER IX.
American Conquest-Mexican War (the end). . 32-36
CHAPTER X.
California under American Regime. . . . . . . . . . 36-39
CHAPTER XI.
Laws and Organizations of California. . . . .... 39-43
CHAPTER XII.
Early Condition, Inhabitants and Exploration in
California.
43-47
CHAPTER XIII. Early Condition, Inhabitation and Explora- tions in this Region . 47-59
CHAPTER XIV.
Discovery of Gold
...
59-67
CHAPTER XV.
The Routes of Immigrants, and How they
Arrived
. 67-70
CHAPTER XVI.
Organization of County and County Court Seat. 70-75
CHAPTER XVII.
PAGE.
El Dorado County, Geographically .
. . 75-80
CHAPTER XVIII.
Mining Industry-River Mining.
. 81-86
CHAPTER XIX.
Mining Industry-Dry Digging and Hydraulic
Mining
. 86-90
CHAPTER XX.
Mining Industry-Quartz Mines, etc.
. 90-97
CHAPTER XXI.
Mining Laws
. 97-104
CHAPTER XXII.
The Water Supply
104-110
CHAPTER XXIII.
Farming Industry and Statistics
. ...
. 110-115
CHAPTER XXIV.
Internal Improvements-Roads
. 115-123
CHAPTER XXV.
Internal Improvements-Bridges-Stage Lines
-Express Companies-Telegraph Com-
panies
. 123-129
CHAPTER XXVI.
Internal Improvements -- Railroads.
. 129-134
CHAPTER XXVII.
Journalism
. 134-137
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Secret Societies
. 137-143
CHAPTER XXIX.
County Hospital, Schools, etc.
...
..
143-147
CHAPTER XXX.
Criminal Annals
. 147-157
CHAPTER XXXI.
Indian Troubles
. 157-160
CHAPTER XXXII.
General Election Matters.
160-172
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Reminiscences and Anecdotes
172-176
LOCAL HISTORY.
PAGE.
PAGE
Coloma
177
Newtown
192
Uniontown
180
Grizzly Flat.
193
Michigan Flat
18I
Indian Diggings.
196
Pilot Hill ..
181
Saratoga, or Yeomet
198
Hogg's Diggings
182
Latrobe
199
Murderer's Bar 182
Shingle Springs
199
Spanish Dry Diggings 184
Negro Hill.
201
Greenwood 185
Salmon Falls.
202
Georgetown.
187
Cold Springs
204
Kelsey
191
Spanish Flat.
191
Placerville.
207
Mosquito Valley.
192
INDEX OF BIOGRAPHIES.
Armstrong, Thomas Z. 222
Colburn, Samuel Densmore 237
Adams, Andrew Jackson
230
Coe, William Franklin . 237
Allen, Thomas
230
Cox, Roger 237
Askew, James
230
Chichester, D. W 239
Bayley, Alcander John.
223
Donahue, James 224
Brown, Provost D
231
Dormody, Mrs. Sarah F
237
Beattie, George.
231
Davis, Louis M. 238
Bassi, G.
232
Day, Ephraim Cooper 238
Benjamin, D. W. C.
232
Dickinson, David P 238
Bingham, Lucien
232
Bosquit, A. S.
232
Demuth, Reuben T 239
Brown, Gilbert N.
233
Des Marchais, Simon 239
Barette, Guillaume
233
Darrington, Levi. 239
Duden, Calvin W 240
Dixon, F. R. J . 240
240
Berry, Reuben Kelly
234
Buchan, William .. 234
Endriss, George.
240
Blundell, Joseph T. 234
Egger, Jacob.
241
Berry, Solomon Adams 235
Engesser, Frederick
241
Bucknam, W. A.
235
Euer, Sophary
241
Bryant, Freeman
235
Chalmers, Robert 222
Fowler, William J 241
Fox, Daniel W 242
Filippini, Rinaldo 242
Connell, Alexander 236
Fowler, Gus H. 243
Carpenter, Caleb Gardener
236
Griffith, Maurice Griffith 243
Crocker, James
236
Gray, Allen T 245
Carre, John 236
Grainger, Juan F.
245
Gallanar, George W 245
11
Coffin, William H. 237
Fisk, Ira A.
225
Cartheche, John. 224
Currier, Ben C. 235
233
Davey, William.
Edmunds, Benjamin F.
224
McDonald, Charles 238
Brandon, Zar. P 233
Baring, August 233
Bennett, David .
Diamond Springs 205
INDEX OF BIOGRAPHIES .- (CONTINUED.)
PAGE.
PAGE.
Gray, William H.
245
Norton, David Edson 257
Griffith, William E. C. 246
Noble, Robert. 258
Galt, Thomas Augustus 246
Nagler, Charles. 258
Hartless, Benjamin W
225
Norris, Robert 258
Hayes, Silas 246
Norris, Joseph Spencer
258
Haggart, John D.
246
Osborn, Oscar W. 259
Hakemoller, Henry
246
O'Brien, James Garlen 259
Poor, John 260
Hart, Powell F.
247
Parker, Elias L. 260
260
Hogan, P. B 248
Palmer, William Madison
260
Harris, Thomas 248
Pelton, Samuel B 261
Houx, John L. 248
Pelton, Aylmer
261
Hopwood, John 250
Perkins, Daniel R. 261
261
Irish, Joseph
249
Ricci, Felix . 262
262
Jacobsen, Alexander 249
Ramsey, George W
262
Koch, John Bartholo. 226
Rasmussen, Andrew.
262
Kramp, William Antone
249
Roelke, George H 263
Killough, John Wesley
249
Russell, Henry Warren
263
Laumann, Jonathan
226
Skinner, James 263
Lawson (Larsen), Samuel . 242
Smith, Edward Hall.
264
Larkin, Henry 250
Shepherd, Benjamin Franklin
264
Lowry, A. J 250
Lyon, Joseph 250
Sandfoss, C. F. 265
Lovejoy, L. H 251
Spong, Samuel W.
265
Long, Solomon Alexander 25I
Smith, Thomas 265
Sevy, Marshall. 265
265
Litten, Arthur . 251
Tinney, Henry 266
266
Miller, James Harrison 227
Veerkamp, Francis Joseph Arnold
266
Meyers, Lewis B 252
Vignaut, Pierre J
267
Mandes, J. A. 258
Wagner, William W
267
Mortensen, Ernest 253
Worthen, H. W. A
267
Mansfield, Nathan . 253
Worth, Gideon
268
Manning, Munson W 253
Winkelman, Jacob 268
Wilton, Aretas J 268
Watkins, David. 269
Wulff, Henry 269
Weller, Elias W 270
Wentworth, Nathan 269
White, William 270
Martin, Michael 255
Mahler, Henry 255
Mette, Henry 256
Young, Commodore Perry 271
Yough, John Ge 271
Zentgraf, Jacob
271
Nicholls, Francis
257
Nicholls, William 257
Zimmerman, Sebastian. 271
Lyon, Jacob 251
Lee, Alexander T 251
Terry, Isiah T.
Lagerson, Frederick 252
Trengove, William
Miller, Samuel R 254
Moon, James 254
Mosely, Albert 254
Miller, Nicholas S 254
Meder, John 255
Metcalf, Mrs. Elizabeth 255
Wagner, Henry and Horatio A. 270
Wrenn, John Q. 270
Hart, Hugo T
247
Hooper, William H 247
Phillips, Joseph W. D
Harris, William.
266
Rogers, Calvin S
Johnson, Thomas 226
Rust, William Wallace.
Sweeney, James 264
Miller, Moses . 257
INDEX OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Bassi, G., (residence) . Facing page 56 Koch, John Bartholo, (residence). . . Facing page 106
Bayley, A. J., (residence)
220 Litten, Arthur, (residence).
¥
226
Bennett, David, (residence) .
I26 Mette, Henry, (residence).
250
Blanchard, Geo. G., (residence).
212 Mette, Henry and Mrs. Jennie
" " (portrait)
¥
16 Mette, (portraits).
=
98
Brandon, Zar P., (residence)
66
¥
260 Miller and Fowler Mining Claim, (view).
66
78
Carpenter, C. G., (residence).
IO Mortensen, Ernest, (residence) "
198
Chalmers, Robert, (portrait).
"
66 138 Newell, W. H., (residence).
66 256
Darrington, Levi, (residence).
146 Pelton, Aylmer, (residence).
244
Des Marchais, Simon, (residence) .. .
134
Placerville, a rose of.
=
206
Dormody, Mrs. Sarah. (residence) ...
66
66 264 Ramsey, G. W., (residence)
174
Duden, C. W., (portrait)
66
66
36
Selkirk, W. A., (portrait)
22
Davis, B. F., (portrait) .
=
28 Skinner, James, (residence)
84
Engesser, Frederick, (residence). . ..
66
190 Smith, Edward H., (residence)
190
Fowler, Wm. H. and Lawson, Sam'l, (residence)
72 Sutter's Mill, Coloma.
Frontispiece.
Fowler, Wm. H. and Lawson, Sam'l, (portraits) .
Veerkamp, Francis, (residence). 66
166
Fowler, Gus, (portrait)
92
Veerkamp, Frank J., (residence) 66
=
I54
French Mining Claim, Greenwood, (view).
66
134
Veerkamp, Francis and Family, (por- traits) . 66
160
Gray, A. T. and Sons, (residence). . .
182 Worth, Gideon, (residence)
260
Hakemoller, Henry, (residence). ...
256
Wulff, Henry, (residence).
66
64
Hart, H. T., (residence).
66
264 White, William, (residence)
198
Harris, Thomas, (store and residence)
I22
Yough, John, Ge, (residence)
66
270
Hogan, P. B., (residence)
232
66
50
Brown, P. D., (residence).
11.4 Manning, M. W., (residence, etc.). .
130
Day, E. C., (residence).
Smith, Thomas, (store and residence)
270
66
44
Terry, I. E., (residence).
Facing page 238
66
HISTORY -- OF - EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATION OF THE COAST AND LOWER CALIFORNIA.
Vasco Numez de Balboa Discovers the Ocean Beyond America- Magellan Naming It the Pacific-Cortez's Account of An Island of Amazons-First Exploring Expedition in 1534, and Its Fate-Second Expedition'in 1536, and Establishing the First Colony-The Name of California Mentioned for the First Time-Exploration on the Coast, Further North; Cape Mendocino, Farallone Islands-Francis Drake in Search of the Straits of Anian-First Landing and First Possessory Claim to the Country-Discovery of San Diego and Monterey Harbors in 1602-King Philip III, of Spain, Urging to New Explorations; Wants a Supply Station for the East India Galleons-Admiral Otondo's Expedition ; Founding La Paz-Father Kino Studying the Indians and Teaching them the Catholic Faith-The Military Govern- ment Abandons All Efforts of Occupying California by Colonization-Father Kino's Scheme to Elevate the Indians by Religion and Industry-Gaining Assistance of Tierra and Ugarte-The King's Warrant for the Conquest of Souls-Work Started and Possession Taken of Country October 25, 1697-Indian Troubles, and to Induce Them to Work-The Plan of Operation Proved to be a Success- The Jesuits Banished, the Franciscans Take Their Place, but Turn the Missions to the Dominicans-The Franciscans on the Missionary Conquest in Upper California-Expcdi- tion Fitted Up, Father Junipero Serra, President-Arrival of Expedition at San Diego.
It was in the eventful year of 1769, when on the Atlantic side of this continent, Boon and Croghan and kindred frontiersmen were looking from the sum- mits of the Alleghanies to the forbidden regions beyond; only a year after John Finley had reported that there was not a white man's cabin in all the enchanting wilderness of Kentucky; the same year when two great men, both military heroes in their future lives, were ushered into this world: Napoleon and Wellington, whose names and acts have filled the most important pages in the book of history; when the seed of liberty, planted among the granite hills of New England, commenced to show some hope for a fine sprouting, and father l'ime wrote upon one of the mile-posts of eternity, "1769, the commencement of a brighter day for children of men." It was on the
ist of July, 1769, that Father Junipero Serro, a Fran- ciscan monk, and President of the expedition, sent by Spain from Mexico, for the purpose of re-exploring and colonizing the territory of Upper California, after a journey of forty-six days overland, arrived at San Diego, and starting immediately to establish the first mission at San Diego as a permanent settlement of white men, did the first step to introduce the then almost entirely unknown country of Upper California, compris- ing our beautiful State, to be chronicled in the history of the civilized world.
For a full understanding of the history of Upper California, however, we deem it our duty to recapitu- late in short, chronological order, the historical events of Lower California and of the coast generally ; going back for a term of fully two and a half centuries from the aforementioned date, the first incident that attracts our attention : the discovery of the Pacific Ocean in 1513, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, a Spaniard, when guided by Indians to the place upon the heights of Panama, where he, the first white man, was fortunate enough to add to the great discoveries of his days one of the highest importance ; taking in the sight of the waters "beyond America," the great Pacific Ocean spread out before him.
That the navigators of the sixteenth century did not keep in idleness toward this great discovery, but tried to make it useful to navigation, proves the ill-fated Portuguese Magellan, who six years after, in 1519, in command of the Nictoria, started on his famous voy- age, which solved the promblem of the long sought- for route to the Indies. It was he who gave to our ocean the name of "Pacific," after having entered it by the way of the " Ten Thousand Virgins," as he had called it-now Magellan Straits-where he had been for sixty-three days beating up through it against tempest and adverse currents, with the tide rising or falling thirty feet, it is easy to comprehend that the compara- tively quiet water that stretched out before him, urged him to the expression, "Pacific." This was the first European vessel that ever plowed the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the first to make the voyage around
2
HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
the world, returning to Spain three years after starting out, but her commander Magellan was not between the lucky circumnavigators, he died at the Philippine Islands.
Fernando Cortez, the great Spanish conqueror and governor of the Spanish colonies in America, under date of October 15, 1524, sent to his mon- arch, Charles V, a letter in which he says to be on the approach of entering upon the conquest of Colima, on the South Sea (Pacific), Colima being now one of the States of Mexico. He further on gives notice of the existence of an island of Amazons abounding in pearls and gold, lying ten days' journey from Colima, he had been informed. In reference to this letter the Jesuit historian, Miguel Venegas, living about two hundred years later, says : "The account of the pearls inclines me to think that these were the first intimations we had of California and its gulf." In 1534 Cortez fitted up an expedition for exploration purposes. A mutiny headed by Ortun Ximenes, the pilot, broke out on board the vessel; but after the death of the captain and some of his officers, the expedition under Ximenes' charge, continuing the search, discovered the Peninsula of Lower California, and made a landing somewhere between La Paz and Cape St. Lucas. While on shore Ximenes and twenty of his men were killed by Indians, the remainder of the crew returned to Chametla, and reported to have found a country numerously peopled, along the shores of which valuable beds of pearls were seen.
To test the news of the mutineers another expedi- tion was fitted up by Cortez in 1536, and sailed under his own command ; he landed on the Ist day of May, at the same place where Ximenes had been killed. Here on a bay called by him Santa Cruz, he estab- lished a colony, and sent back his four vessels for sup- plies and the remainder of his party. But only one of the vessels ever returned, the whole other squadron had stranded on the Mexican Coast, a total loss ; as Cortez, going in search of them himself soon did find out. Returning to the colony with fresh provisions he found the latter in a most miserable condition, many had died of starvation or overeating from the pro- visions he brought with him. The historian Gomara says : "And Cortez, that he might no longer be a spec tator of such miseries, went on further discoveries and landed in California, which is a bay." And Venegas, the already mentioned California historian of 1758, referring to the stated passage of Gomara says : "that it likewise proves that this name was properly that of a bay, which Cortez discovered on the coast, and used to signify the whole peninsula "
This is the first appearance of the name California, applied to any definite point on the Pacific Coast.
Cortez soon left for Mexico, where impending troubles and the fear of a revolt made his presence necessary ; he gone, the colony, lacking the strong hand of its organizor, after a few months followed the same example, and Lower California was again left to the Indians. Of four more attempts of explor- ing the Pacific Coast north of Mexico made by the Spaniards during the century, but the one in com- mand of Juan Rodrignez Cabrillo, in 1542, was im- portant enough mentioning ; on March 10th, 1543, in latitude 44°, the coast of Oregon was reached, and then he returned. After Mendoza, viceroy of Mexico and a friend of the commander, Cape Mendozino was named ; he also gave the name to the Farallone Islands, opposite the Golden Gate.
For a long time it was believed in England and stated so in most all histories that Francis Drake, one of the boldest and most reckless English buccaneers, who afterwards was knighted on account of his being the most successful robber on the high seas, was the discoverer of the Bay of San Francisco, that in its waters he had cast anchor for thirty-six days. The fact is, that in 1578 he passed around Cape Horn into the Pacific Ocean, and was the terror of the Spanish shipping along the coast, plundering under pretext of existing war between England and Spain. He cap- tured the East India galleon on her way home, loaded with wealth, and sailed north with the intention of going home to England by passing through the fabu- lous Straits of Anian, thus avoiding to be attacked by the Spanish fleet, which he knew was waiting for him off Magellan Straits. That way following his course north, until he reached about latitude 48°, though in midsummer 1579, he experienced such cold weather that he was forced to abandon all hope of a north- eastern passage, and returning entered, on June 17th, 1579, what the accompanying historian Reverend Fletcher called a "fair, good bay, within thirty-eight degrees of latitude of the line." This exactly corres- "ponds with what is generally known as Drake's Bay, immediately behind to the south side of Point Reyes, where he anchored for thirty-six days, and after having made a landing, and taken possession of the country for 'England, Drake started away for home by way of the Philippine Islands and Cape of Good Hope. At all events it is now generally conceded that Sir Francis Drake never entered the Golden Gate, and never dis- covered that beautiful inland lake, the Bay of San Francisco, he only is entitled to having been the first of European race who landed on the coast of Upper California, as far as historial record is able to prove.
Another expedition sailed from Acapulco on May 5th, 1602, under command of Sebastian Viscaino, who anxious to cause the record of his name in history,
3
EARLY DISCOVERIES AND EXPLORATIONS.
passed north along the California coast and discov- ered the harbors of San Diego and Monterey, further on searching for other harbors that could be of use to supply the East India galleons, he kept his course close under the shore continuing north. But the mentioning that is made by the historian Juan de Torquemada, who writes in 1615, as follows : "He anchored behind a point of rocks called 'La Punta de los Reyes,' in the port of San Francisco," means un- doubtedly Drake's Bay, and to connect it with the bay of San Francisco is based on some mistake. He just saw as little as Drake, or passed through the straits of the Golden Gate, that connects the Bay of San Francisco with the ocean, and-after our opinion -it remains doubtful whether the outlet channel of the Golden Gate was in existence at that time, or was formed since. Viscaino continued his voyage north and returned to Mexico 1603.
A message of King Philip III, of Spain, to his viceroy in Mexico, dated August 16th, 1606, issues orders for further exploration of the coast and its oc- cupation, stating his reason therein as follows :
" Don Pedro de Acunno, Knight of the order of St. John, my governor and captain-general of the Philip" pian Islands, and President of my royal audience there :- You are hereby given to understand that Don Louis de Valasco, my late Viceroy in New Spain, in regard to the great distance between the port of Aca- pulco and those islands, the fatigue, hardships and danger of voyage, for want of a port where ships might put in and provide themselves with water, wood, masts and other things of absolute necessity, deter- mined to make a discovery, and draughts, with obser- vation of harbors along the coast, from New Spain to these Islands."
Thus Monterey was designated for a supply station to be established there, but the order was never exe- cuted, and no attempt to create any settlement on the coast was made until 1683, when an expedition under Admiral Otondo's command was fitted up to take pos- session of the country. A landing was made at La Paz, and this made the headquarters of the expedition. A church was erected and Father Kino, who was in charge of the religious part of the enterprise, studying the Indian language, had soon translated into their tongue the creeds of the Catholic Church. With much effort this work was kept up for three years, during which time they were visited with an eighteen months' drouth ; but before the colony could recover from this blow, the commander received orders to put to sea and bring into Acapulco and safety the Spanish galleon that again was in danger of being captured by Dutch privateers. This was successfully accomplished,
but resulted in the ruin of the colony and the aban- donment of the occupation of California.
After all these failures to secure a colonization and final occupation of California, the Spanish Govern- ment was not discouraged at all, having acknowledged the importance of the country, she still was determined not to give up, but only changed the base of aggres- sion, when soliciting the society of Jesu to undertake the conquest ; but the Jesuits declined though a pre- mium of $40,000 to be paid out of the royal treasure was offered to aid them in the enterprise. And after all, losing this last hope, Spain was enforced to give up the idea to hold a country which for one hundred and forty-seven years, since Cortez first took possession of it, had proved a source of expenditure ; millions had been spent and nothing realized through all these unsuccessful attempts to occupy a country which always was believed to be a rival to the legendary El Dorado. Spain, the proud Spain, had to acknowledge her defeat, and California was left again to her native tribes. To give the reader an idea of the vast treas- ures that Spain had spent in useless exploring and colonization expeditions of this coast, we give the figures of the first and last one in detail: the expedi- tion under Cortez, 1536, footed up to $400,000, and the last one under Otondo, 1683, had cost $225,400.
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