USA > California > A memorial and biographical history of northern California, illustrated. Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy...and biographical mention of many of its most eminent pioneers and also of prominent citizens of today > Part 31
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The first meeting of the Court of Sessions was held June 10, this year, at Oro, the county seat, with Judge Gordon N. Mott presiding, and P. W. Thomas and T. II. Rolfe, associate jus- tices.
Oro enjoyed its position as the capital of the connty but a short time. There was not a house nor a building in the town for any purpose,
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
much less for holding court, the transaction of county business and the preservation of public records. Some preparations, however, had to be made by the owners of the town to enable the first term, at least, of court to be held there; and for this end they erected, or rather placed upon the ground, a zinc building about twenty feet square, with a floor of rough boards, a roof of zinc, and holes ent for the persons to enter, but they were scarcely doors; and the windows had neither glass nor shutters. . Not a tree or bush, or shrub grew near enough to give any shade to the building. A June sun poured its rays down upon that zinc building, until, outside and inside, it became almost as hot as the furnace of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Law and equity, lawyers and litigants, jurors and wit- nesses, with a spontaneity of action that would astonish nothing but a salamander, rushed ont of that building and fled, never to return. Such was the first court-house of Placer County.
The first act of the Legislature organizing the State into connties, placed within Sutter County a portion of the territory afterward included in Placer County. That section was southwest of a line running from a point on Bear River six miles from its mouth direct to the junction of the north and middle forks of the American River. All the regions east of that line be- longed to Yuba County. The Sutter County portion, the county seat in 1850 being at Au- burn, had political recognition in the appoint- ment of election precincts at Auburn, Spanish Corral, Miners' Hotel, Mormon Bar, Horseshoe Bar, Halfway House and Beal's Bar. April 25, 1851, another aet was passed by the Legis- lature, redividing the State into counties, and the boundaries of Placer were next described as follows: " Beginning on the Sacramento River at the northwest point of Sacramento County, and running thence up the middle of said river to a point ten miles below the junction of Sa- cramento and Feather Rivers; thence in a north- erly direction in a straight line to a point in the middle of Bear Creek opposite Camp Far West; thenee up the middle of said creek to
its sonree; thenee due east of State line; thence sontherly of the State to the northeasterly eor- ner of El Dorado County; thence westerly on the northerly line of El Dorado County to the junction of the north and south forks of the American River; thence westerly of the north- erly line of Sacramento County to the place of beginning." The county-seat was fixed by the same aet at Anbnrn.
The dividing line between Placer and Sutter counties was for a number of years a subject of controversy and uncertainty. The western line " from Sacramento County, and running thence up the middle of Sacramento River to a point ten miles below the junction of Feather and Sacramento rivers," was reported by a county surveyor as impossible, as the northwest comer of Sacramento County was already nearer than ten miles of the junction of those rivers; so the county had no starting point. When the coun- try became settled, this indefinite line gave great trouble to the county officers, and several aets were passed to remedy the difficulty. But it was not until after the lines of the United States Land Survey was adopted March 13, 1866, that the question was satisfactorily settled. This act was adopted by the Codes, taking effect January 1, 1873, making the boundaries as fol- lows:
" Beginning on the southwest corner at a point where the west line of 5 east, Mount Dia- blo meridian, intersects the northern line of Sacramento County, as established in section 3,928; thence north to the northwest corner of township 12 north, range 5 east; thence east to the southwest corner of section 34, township 13 north, range 5 east, thence north to Bear River, thenee on the southerly line of Nevada County up said river to its source; thence east in a di- reet line to the eastern line of the State of Cali- fornia, forming the northeast corner; thence sontherly along said line to the northeast corner of El Dorado County, as established in section 3,027 (said northeast corner of El Dorado being a point on the State line, directly east of Sugar Pine Point on Lake Tahoe); thenee westerly on
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
the northern lines of El Dorado and Sacramento, as established in sections 3,927 and 3,928, to place of beginning."
The topography of the county is as irregular as its outline. From the valley of the Sacra- Inento, thirty feet above the sea, where peren- nial verdure and semi-tropic fruits gladden the eye, it rises in one grand swell to the summit of the Sierra Nevada, embracing Twin, Granite Chief, Tinker, Lincoln and Donner Peaks, which stud the crest of the lofty range, glistening in their white mantle of snow 9,000 feet in the sky. In the valley of the Sacramento the county has about 216 square miles; in the foot- hills and mountain valleys adapted to tillage abont 200 more; in Lake Tahoe, 90; and the remainder, 880 square miles, include the monn- tain ridges and snowy peaks, with the inter- vening lakes and deep cañons. The forests are magnificent.
The act of the Legislature approved April 28, 1851, providing for the organization of the county, ordered an election to be held in Placer and Nevada counties, for county and township officers, on the fourth Monday of May. The election accordingly occurred May 26, two days before the approval of the bill by the Govern- ment, resulting in choosing Hugh Fitzsimmons as Judge; Samuel C. Austin, Sheriff; R. D. Hop- kins, District Attorney ; James T. Stewart, Clerk; Alfred Lewis, Assessor; Douglas Bingham, Treas- urer; Abram Bronk, Public Administrator; and John C. Montgomery, Coroner. But the loose inanner in which the election was conducted in the mining camps left no definite means of as- certaining the true vote. No party lines were drawn nor conventions held. Friends of aspir- ants and the aspirants themselves presented names in which the two parties were represented and voted for indiscriminately.
The first military organization in Placer County was at Illinoistown, in December, 1849, of a company called the California Blades, for a campaign against the Indians, who had com- mitted inany daring robberies and were sus- pected of some motives. This company was not
recruited under the form of law, and its roster will not be found in the archives of the State; nor was it armed and equipped in the manner of armies of a great Government. Even the names of its officers are lost to history by their title and rank, and, what is a singular exception, their bills for salaries, arms, ammunition, forage, transportation and damages, swell no list of " war claims " for annual presentment and sub- ject of demogogic appeals on the floors of Con- gress. Nevertheless, the California Blades was a stalwart company, armed with long rifles, yagers and shot-guns, dragoon and pepper-box pistols, butcher and bowie knives, and with powder-horns and bullet pouches, blankets, and hard-tack and bacon, made several inarchies against the Indians, killed and laid waste, and, after the manner of larger armies, struck terror to the foe that lasting peace followed their vic- tory. No outrages were committed against the savages not justified by the occasion; and as soon as the Indians ceased their depredations hostilities ended, and from that day they were kindly treated.
In 1853 society was in a somewhat chaotic condition, as the chief organizing element- woman-was not sufficiently numerous to exer- cise a commanding influence. Accordingly the " Miners' Gnards " were organized as a kind of social body and also to preserve order and repel Indian depredations. William L. Carpenter was captain. Since, the other military organi- zations have been effected in this county, and several companies were sent to the last war.
The county had a section of purely agricult- ural land, which was occupied shortly before the conquest by settlers who raised wheat and planted fruit before the gold excitement came to interrupt them. It is said that a crop of wheat was put in on Bear River by Johnson & Sicard in 1845, and that Chanon helped Sicard to plant fruit trees the following season. Peaches, almonds and vines from San Jose fol- lowed in 1848, and later oranges. The peaches brought high prices in the gold fields. Men- denhall planted Oregon fruit at Illinoistown in
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
. 1850. In 1852, 679 acres were under cultiva- tion, chiefly in barley; and there were 3,500 head of stock, one-third consisting of hogs. Of the population, 6,602 were white men, 343 fe- males, 3,019 Chinese, 730 Indians and the rest foreigners. By 1855 there were 143 improved ranches, after which a rapid increase set in.
The above improvements centered their inter- est mainly at Auburn, making it the leading town and the county-seat. It also occupies a beautiful spot, and from the earliest time it has been considered a health resort. Dutch Flat was the trading center in 1849, and as late as 1860 it polled the largest vote in the county, namely, over 500. Forest Hill and Iowa Hill long held the lead in the eastern section, over- shadowing Elizabethtown and Wisconsin Hill, as did Forest Hill excel Sarahsville or Bath, as- sisted by its cement deposits. Illinoistown, first called Alder Grove or Upper Corral, and Yankee Jim's were prominent in early days, owing to the rich diggings. The latter, according to one authority, was named after Jim Goodland, but according to another, Jim Robinson, who was hanged for horse stealing in 1852. Ophir, sus- tained by horticulture and quartz-mining, was the largest place in the county in 1852, the vote being 500. Michigan Bluffs and Todd Valley were long prominent. The railroad built up a number of stations between Cisco and Rocklin, notably Lincoln and Colfax, the latter being a junction. Placer's larger area of tillable soil saved this county from sharing in the decadence of El Dorado.
THE ASSEMBLYMEN
from Placer County have been: Moses Andrews, 1855; Wm. P. Barclay, 1859; D. S. Beach, 1860: N. W. Blanchard, 1863; John Bosquit, 1865-'66; S. B. Burt, 1873-'74; M. Il. Cald- erwood, 1869-'70; Patrick Cannay, 1852-'53; W. W. Caperton, 1857; T. L. Chamberlain, 1880; George H. Colby, 1885; Wm. Corey, 1855; W. M. Crutcher, 1875-'76; D. B. Curtis, 1858; John Davis, 1887; Charles C. Dudley, 1862-'63; B. L. Fairfield, 1854; Joseph H. Gibson, 1852; R. F. Gragg, 1855; J. E. Hale,
1881; W. D. Harriman, 1861; W. J. Harrison, 1861; John W. Harville, 1860; E. W. Hillyer, 1862; Nicholas Kabler, 1858; O. H. Lee, 1871 -'72; Henry Long, 1871-'72; S. W. Lowell, 1860; Philip Lynch, 1859; J. M. Makins, 1860; P. McHale, 1883; Thomas Moreland, 1855; P. Munday, 1861; B. F. Myers, 1853-'54; Wmn. C. Norton, 1873-'74; James O'Neill, 1854, 1857; M. H. Power, 1869-'70; J. D. Pratt, 1863-'64; T. H. Reed, 1856; Wm. Rousch, 1873-'74; A. P. K. Safford, 1857-'58; Silas Sellick, 1856; William Sexton, 1865-'66; L. G. Smith, 1861; E. H. Snyder, 1863-'64; C. G. Spencer, 1867-'68; Lansing Stout, 1856; W. C. Stratton, 1858-'59; Charles A. Tuttle, 1867-'68; G. H. Van Cleft, 1854; Mahlon Waldron, 1867-'70; Jacob Welty, 1871-'72; R. L. Williams, 1856; M. W. Wilson, 1877- '78; M. C. Winchester, 1863-'64; W. P. Wing, 1859; S. B. Wyman, 1857; John Yule, 1862- '63, 1865-'66.
IN MODERN TIMES.
The most noteworthy feature of the later his- tory of Placer County has been the great exten- sion and development of horticulture and the growth of grapes for table use and raisin-making. In this direction she has outstripped most of the other mountain counties, and has consequently suffered less than they from the stoppage of hy- draulic mining. Until that event gold-mining was her leading industry, and still occupies a considerable share of the energy of the county, but since then fruit-raising has been much the more important. Her people discovered that they possessed a "citrus or warm belt " and were quick to take advantage of it. Here in Placer Connty is seen perhaps as well as anywhere the unusual-ahnost paradoxical- fact of flourish- ing orchards, oranges at that, side by side wtih paying mines, or rather above and below one another, for such is literally often the case.
The people of Placer County, too, are enter- prising. They are willing to spend money for advertising, and hence Placer has been better advertised, is better known, and has attracted population faster than some of her neighbors.
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
She has one great advantage over them, however, in the fact that she is traversed from end to end by the Central Pacific Railroad, and her lower or western end is crossed by the California and Oregon Road. It is along the line of the rail- way that her chief, but not by any means only, development has been made. The newer towns of Rocklin, Loomis, Newcastle, Penryn, Lin- coln, with their fame as fruit producers, were first made possible by the railroad, while the lustre of the older towns, such as Auburn and Colfax, has been greatly added to by the same means, with the possibilities it opened in a hor- ticultural way.
Placer has still another advantage from the railroad in that invalids and pleasure-seekers gain thereby an easy access to the invigorating mountain altitude, and to the cool, sparkling at- traction of those unique mountain lakes,- Tahoe, Webber and Donner, with their summer hotels. It will be seen, therefore, that the activ- ity and prominence of the county in everything but in mining, has sprung up since the railroad was built along in the years from 1863 to '67, and has been progressive since.
One hopeful feature of the favorable outlook for this county, is the taking advantage of the exhaustless water supplies of the high mountains in the eastern part. The Bear River Canal has already been mentioned. Other irrigating and general water supply ditches are the North Fork ditch, the Hickey ditches and the South Yuba Water and Mining Company's ditches, already a large supply. The Sierra Water Company, a strong San Francisco company, proposes to make a ditch with water sufficient to irrigate 40,000 acres, when the supply will be ample for the whole county.
AUBURN,
the county seat and a pretty mountain town, has attained considerable reputation as a liealth resort. It is growing steadily, but not rapidly, and has a number of fine business and residence structures. The court-house and county offices are old buildings that have done duty for many
years, sufficient for their purpose, perhaps, but likely to give way shortly to more modern and sightly structures. They occupy a splendid site on an elevation in the center of the lower part of town. Within the town, in a large tract de- voted to its uses, is a well-appointed county hospital. On one of the hills overlooking the town is the Sierra Normal College, established in 1882 by Professor M. W. Ward, giving nor- mal, collegiate and commercial courses, and possessing a high merit. In addition, the pub- lic and high school system is complete and thorougli. A fine stone and brick opera house is now being erected (1890), at a cost of some- thing like $40,000, which will eclipse anything of the kind outside the large cities. The water supply of Auburn, which is ample, is drawn from the Bear River ditch, the pressure of water being sufficient to generate the electricity with which the town is lighted; but there are no manufactories to take advantage of this con- venient water power. Auburn is a shipping point of great importance, drawing largely from the sister county of El Dorado. There are two frmit-packing establishments at the depot. The town was originally incorporated in 1861. This was repealed in 1868, and not until 1888 was it re-incorporated. Three miles below Auburn, along what is called Auburn Ravine, is the famous old mining camp of Ophir, now given over largely to fruit, although possessing rich quartz ledges upon which a few mills are suc- cessfully working. This Auburn Ravine was fabulously rich in gold in early days, and even yet sometimes after a rain a nugget will be picked up in the very streets of Auburn.
VILLAGES.
Newcastle is the centre of a section rich in orchards and vineyards, and a lively business point. About five-sixths of the total shipmeuts of fruit from the county is placed on board the cars here, there being four extensive fruit-pack. ing establishments in the town. From 6,000 to 8,000 tons of fresh fruit is now being shipped annually, besides dried fruit. All or nearly all
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
of this goes East. It should be remembered, however, that some portion of this vast amount is drawn from El Dorado County. In the vicin- ity are many large orchards of the various fruits. Penryn and Loomis are important points in the fruit region, each shipping largely. Near the latter is the noted ranch of E. W. Maslin, with its fine fig orchard and large vineyards. Large stone quarries exist in the neighborhood, both the Loomis and the Penryn granite being con- sidered very superior.
Rocklin, the next station, going down, has gained a reputation for its valuable granite quarries and for its orange groves. It is the scene of the great enterprises of J. Parker Whitney, the owner of the Spring Valley ranch of 20,000 acres, so well known as a leading Cali- fornian orchardist and fine-stock breeder. There are extensive orchards and vineyards of all kinds here, there being one raisin vineyard of 200 acres. Rocklin has a round-house and rail- road shops. It lies at the beginning of the heavy grade over the mountains, and here are attached the second engines that help pull every train to the summit. It has a fruit cannery.
Roseville is the point of junction of the Cen- tral Pacific and the Oregon line. It has a brick-kiln and a good foundry. Some grain is shipped.
At Lincoln, on the California & Oregon Rail- way, are the pottery and terra-cotta works of Gladding McBean & Co., of San Francisco, the leading manufacturing establishment of Placer County. About 100 men are employed, and an immense business done. Near Lincoln there has recently been discovered a valuable deposit of glass saud, and also lignite coal; and a com- pany is now proceeding to establish large glass works in town. Considerable grain is shipped here, and there is a fruit-packing establishment.
Sheridan, a minor station near the line, be- tween Yuba and Placer, possesses a flouring- mill, while grain-shipping and sheep-grazing are prominent industries.
Beturning to the line of the Central Pacific, and proceeding eastward np the Sierras from 12
Auburn, the first place of importance is Colfax, where the Nevada County narrow-gauge joins the Central Pacific. Much fruit, grapes, etc., is grown here. Pears and table grapes are the specialty. Formerly a great deal of mining was done here. Dutch Flat the next town going east, has felt most severely the stoppage of hydraulic mining, and has dwindled in size. Fruit-growing is being actively engaged in, and the town promises to recover its flagging ener- gies. The great pine timber belt of the county begins just above here. At Towles are the large mills of Towles Bros. & Co., while at Emigrant Gap, Bear River, etc., are other large mills, cutting in all something like 16,000,000 feet per annum. At Alta is a box factory and a pulp mill. At Hotaling is the California Iron Company's mines and a blast furnace not now in operation.
MINING.
On the Forest Hill Divide, which lies south of the railroad, between the north and middle forks of the American River, is the chief mining district of the county, gravel mining being the chief, or following the hidden beds of old rivers to work the gravel for the gold contained.
Among the leading mines may be mentioned the Hidden Treasure, the Mayflower, the Church, Golden River, Mammoth Bar, and many others which are paying their fortunate owners large sums monthly. Chili Bar slate is discovered in workable quantities. There is also some mining for chrome ore on the divide, which is teamed to Auburn. Some timber is also cut and sawed into lumber for local use. Forest Hill is the chief town, and its glory is largely of the past. It is yet, however, a thriving business point. Iowa Hill is quite a lively mining camp, but Yankee Jim's and other such places are now hardly more than a memory of the past.
LAKE TAHOE,
a remarkably deep and clear body of water, lying partly in Placer and partly in El Dorado County, and on the State line, was first named Bigler, in honor of Governor John Bigler, who
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
afterward had during the war strong secession proclivities. Afterward Rev. Starr King and a party visiting the place named it Tahoe, which is the Indian word for big water; and the peo- ple generally have adopted this name. It was ealled Lake Bonpland on Fremont's map. after a companion of Humboldt, the great scientific traveler. Of late years it has become one of California's most favored summer resorts. Tahoe City has fine hotels, steamboats and every ap- partenance to summer enjoyment, including fishing, hunting and grand scenery. Lumber- ing is also extensively carried on, the timber being taken to Truckee, just across the line, in Nevada County.
THE NEWSPAPERS
of Placer County rank high. In Auburn are the Herald, Argus and Republican, founded respectively in 1852, 1872 and 1884, able and representative weeklies. At Newcastle is the News, founded 1887, and at Lincoln the Report, 1890, both weeklies, and comparing favorably with their contemporaries anywhere.
PLUMAS COUNTY.
The word " plumas " is Spanish for feathers. In 1824 a Mexican exploring expedition pene- trated to the north and named the stream " Rio de las Plumas," on account of the feathers of a water-fowl which were found floating upon its bosom. The river is now called the Feather, but the Spanish name was applied to the county. At the same time the Yuba River was christened Rio de los Uva (pronounced by them cova), and Bear River Rio de los Osos.
The county is bounded on the north by Shasta and Lassen; on the east by Lassen, on the sonth by Sierra and Butte, and on the west by Butte and Tehama counties.
Plumas is one elevated and mountainous re- gion, very little of it having an altitude of less than 4,500 feet. Pilot Peak, on its southern border, reaches an elevation of more than 6,000 feet, there being a number of other peaks in the Sierra further north nearly as high. These
mountain ridges being eroded by many deep and precipitous cañons, impresses npon the whole country a wild and rugged aspect. Scat- tered throughout these mountains are many small bnt fertile and well watered valleys, in which some grain is raised and many cows are kept, dairying being here the principal indus- try. The county, with the exception of these open valleys, is everywhere heavily timbered with pine, spruce, cedar and fir. Plumas is abundantly watered by the several forks of the Feather and the Yuba rivers, and their numer- ons tributaries. The winter climate here is rigorous and the snowfall deep at that season. The summers, however, are long and pleasant ---- warm without being excessively hot.
Nearly all the water (including snow as melted) finds its way into the Feather River. The water-shed between the Nevada and Sacra- mento basins forms the dividing line between Plumas and Lassen, while the dividing ridge between the Feather and the Yuba rivers form the Sierra County line. On the northwest the dividing ridge between the waters of the Feather and the Buttes and Dry ereeks form the bound- ary line, so that Plumas County lies wholly within the domain of Feather River.
Altitudes: Plumas House at Quincy, 3,400 feet; Geysers, 5,864 feet; Monnt Ingalls, be- tween Red Clover and Grizzly valleys, 8,470 feet; Mount Harkness, above Warner Valley, 8,875.
Lying partly in Plumas and partly in Sierra county, is the Sierra Valley, the largest in the whole Sierra chain. With an altitude of 5,000 feet, its atmosphere is cool, clear and healthful. It is a very prosperous section, containing six villages. One of these is Beckwonrth; and this, as well as the valley and the pass at the northeastern end of the valley, was named after James P. Beckworth, an old mountain- cer whose autobiography has been published by the Harper Brothers of New York. The book contains many interesting stories, fraught with the usual exaggerations which no one has the opportunity of disproving.
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HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Next, Peter Lassen settled at the head of the . celebrated Lassen's Ranch, on Deer Creek, in Tehama Coun y. It was in December, 1843, that this old pioneer started from Sutter's Fort and reached the place which he chose for his settlement in February following, having en- camped several weeks at the Marysville Buttes. This was the first settlement north of Marys- ville, where Theodore Cordua was then living. Associated with Lassen was a Russian Pole named Isadore Meyerwitz. It is probable that these two men were the first to set foot within the present limits of PInmas Connty. They were here at least as early as 1848, and proba- bly earlier.
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