An illustrated history of Sonoma County, California. Containing a history of the county of Sonoma from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, Part 22

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 786

USA > California > Sonoma County > An illustrated history of Sonoma County, California. Containing a history of the county of Sonoma from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time > Part 22

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

140

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

wherever he might find them and cleet. The snit was accordingly commenced in the Cirenit Court in San Francisco, and upon trial a deeree was issned to the plaintiff, when it was taken on appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States for final adjudication. Many rumors have been rite that Mr. Valentine, having got into court and proven his claim, was not neces- sarily compelled by the terms of the act to take lien lands, but might, upon the aflirmance of his case at Washington, come upon and dispos- sess the settlers here. A good deal of talk has been made, and a great deal of fear endured by our people over these complications.

" Finally, however, like all our worldly troubles this vexed and complicated question has been finally settled by Mr. Valentine giving a deed to government through our energetic and faithful Senator, Mr. Sargent, as the follow- ing dispatches will explain:

". WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 .- Senator Sargent has received from T. B. Valentine, of San Fran- cisco, to be held in trust, a deed in favor of the United States, executed by Valentine and wife, conveying the Miranda grant, in Sonoma Connty; the deed to be delivered to the Com- missioners of the General Land Office on affirm- ance by the Supreme Court of the judgment recently rendered in Valentine's favor by the Cirenit Conrt of California in an action amhor- ized by Congress. The deed conveys to the United States all of Valentine's interest in said grant, and Valentine by the law of last session, is to receive land serip to the same extent on un- ocenpied publie land. This quiets title in favor of purchasers from the Government on the grant.' " .. WASHINGTON, Jan. 7. - The United States Sn- preme Court having confirmed the decision of the Cirenit Court upholding the validity of the Miranda grant, its mandate to that effeet was sent to California to-day, and the deed exeented by Valentine conveying all his right and title to the United States in trust for the settlers, was delivered to the Commissioner of the Gen- eral Land Office this afternoon. This action perfects the settlers' title to all lands covered by

the grant, including the town of Petaluma, and pnts an end to all litigation and further uneasi- ness in the matter.'

" We may state also in this connection that our fellow-townsman, Hon. George Pearee, met Mr. Valentine on the streets of San Francisco on Wednesday, when Valentine told him per- sonally that he had exeented and delivered the deed, thereby confirming the above dispatches. All hail to our homes, which are now withont a cloud of uncertainty."

LAGUNA DE SAN ANTONIO.

This land, as will be seen by reference to the chapter on grants, was conceded to Bartolemms Bojorques, and embraced over 24,000 acres of land. Nearly half of this lay in Sonoma County, embracing the fertile Two Rock Valley. There never was any confliet over the confirma- tion of that grant. It passed to final confirma- tion without let or hindrance. Bojorques was quite old when the Americans began to come in and settle on his grant. He had eight sons and daughters, all grown up and married. To each of these he executed a deed of one-ninth of his grant, reserving to himself a ninth. There was no partition, but father and children alike had an undivided ninth of the vast estate. Each sold land to the settlers as opportunity offered, and at prices merely nominal. But few of the settlers took the precaution to get other than the signature of the party from whom they purchased to their deed. When the grant was all absorbed by such loose-jointed titles, the out- come was inevitable. Some had barely title enough to cover their holdings-some had more than enough. and others had not a shadow of title. In the early sixties a suit was commenced for partition, and over two hundred, persons were parties to the suit. Most of the settlers banded themselves together in what was called the " Bojorgnes League" and made common eanse for an adjustment of title. The suit played shuttle-cock back and forth through the courts for a space of over twenty years. It was one of the most tangled skeins of land title ever

141

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

adjudicated by the California courts. It finally rendered a conclusion very recently, and may be ranked among the things of the past- although the " Bojorques League " still has an organized existence.

In dismissing the subject of Spanish grants it is in place to say that of all those vast estates, there is now only one in the county, the " Cotato

grant," that remains unbroken, the balance having all been subdivided and sold to settlers. Of the original owners of these grants there are but few who are now even moderately well off'; and very many are in really straitened cirenm- stances. The manner in which these vast prop- erties were dissipated shows how evanescent and Heeting is what the world calls wealth.

142

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY AND FOSSILS.

CHAPTER XIV.

BASALT ROCK -- ASBESTOS -- CHROMIC IRON-CINNABAR-SULPHUR COPPER FOSSI1. . REMAINS-PETRI- FACTIONS.

HE late Dr. W. W. Carpenter, who was a student of science, speaking of this see- tion of California said:

"The county of Sonoma has never been honored with a geological survey. It is pretty evenly divided between valley and mountain. The valleys having formerly been submerged with the waters of the ocean, were left upon their subsidence with a soil of adobe, but have since received a coat of sedimentary deposit of alln- vinm. The soil of the eastern part of Sonoma Valley rests upon a hard-pan of secondary for- mation. The sandy loam comprising the con- try lying between Petaluma and the coast is modern alluvimin. The redwood forests adjacent to the coast, belong to the second epoch of the tertiary period -- the miocene of Mr. Lyell. The soil of the Russian River Valley largely formed through glacial influenee, belongs to the see- ondary period. The mountains are voleanic. Trap, or basalt is the leading rock, although porphyry, sienite, granite, slate, and especially carbonate, or magnesian limestone are found. The mountain range of basalt dividing the l'et- aluma and Sonoma valleys was poured ont of the crater of St. Helena and rolling onward, a mighty river of molten lava, cooled and hard- ened where we now find it. The streets of San Francisco are largely paved with this roek. In quarrying it small caverns are revealed most

beautifully lined, and erystalized with carbonate of lime. Notwithstanding that Sonoma is classed as an agricultural county, it> mineral re- sonrees are varied, and in the near future will be a source of great profit.

"C'oul, of not by any means a superior quality, has been found near the surface on Sonoma Mountain not more than five miles from Pet- aluma. Practical experience has upset many seientifie theories. Science taught that the native deposit of gold was exclusively in quartz. The miner reveals some of the richest leads in slate rock. Science formerly taught that the coal deposit was exclusively in the earboniferons formation. The same authority now teaches that it may be found in any geological strata. It is true that all the coal thus far found be- longs to the tertiary, or secondary formation -- lignite or brown coal yet competent observers are sangnine in the belief that when sufficient depth shall have been reached coal of good quality and in reasonable abundance will be fonnd.

· Petroleum, a sister product, is also known to exist in this county. It is a question whether oil wells will ever prove as prodnetive in Cali- fornia as they are in Pennsylvania, for the reason that the horizontal wheels of the paleozoie age confines the oil beneath the surface in the latter State, while the tertiary rocks of California,

143

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

turned up on edge. allow it to be forced to the surface by hydrostatie pressure, and capillary attraction, and thus wasted. Hence large quan- tities of oil on the surface is an unfavorable in- dieation for well-boring.

" It is for this reason, and not because oil in quantities does not exist, that the oil business has not a promising out-look on the Pacific coast.

" Quicksilver. - Quicksilver, principally in the form of cinnabar, exists in this county in large quantities. During the quicksilver ex- citement of four or five years ago many rich deposits were developed, and worked until the immense quantities of the article found in every section of the State reduced its price below the cost of extraction, which necessarily compelled a discontinuance of operations,

" The composition of cinnabar being 813 grains of quicksilver and 193 grains of sulphur to the hundred, implies the existence of an abundance of the latter article also in the county. When quicksilver exists where there is no sul- phur it must needs be in its native form. In the Rattlesnake mine, above Cloverdale, is the only place that it is found in this county, other- wise than in the form of cinnabar. In that mine the pure globules are interspersed through soft tuleose rock.

" Boras. Borate of soda has been found, but not in paying quantities.

" Kaolin. This article is found in this county, but kaolin being decomposed feldspar, and the pure atmosphere of California not pos- bessing the power of decomposing and disin- tegrating that article from its native rocks like the murky air of England, the quantity is cor- respondingly small. So rapidly does the atmos- phere of England decompose feldspar, that granite, or sienite, exposed to the air. becomes honey-combed in a few years. The reader is aware that fine porcelain ware is made of finely pulverized quartz crystals, kaolin, and the ashes of ferns -- the fern ashes containing enough alkali, in the form of bicarbonate of potassa to produce the requisite effervescent action. in union with the silisic acid of the quartz. to de-

velope the beautiful finish of that elegant ware. The kaolin for the immense quantity of porce- lain ware manufactured in England is gathered in Cornwall, where it is decomposed and disin- tegrated from the granite quarries.

" Red and Yellow Umber (terra de sieme), as well as other ochreous coloring earths of a superior quality, and in great abundance, are found in this county. No better material for paints exist upon the earth.

" Petrifactions are found in this county -- and, in fact, everywhere on the coast -- under circumstances which upset the accepted theory that petrifaction can only oceur by saturating the wood in thermal waters. Petrifaction takes place on the surface of the carth -- necessarily beyond the reach or influence of thermal waters. The large amount of silex in the soil may account for this in some instances, as there are many cases in which an excess of that element causes wood to petrity instead of carbonize. even in the carboniferous formation. Still the proposition holds that petrifactions are found under circumstances which would seem to it- ply that atmospheric conditions must have something to do with their transformation.

" Argentiferous galena exists in the northern part of the county. and in the near future will become a paying industry.

" Copper-Some rich deposits of copper principally in the form of red oxide- have also been discovered in the northern seetion of the county.

" Iron-Iron is found nearly everywhere, but the most valuable yet unearthed are the chromic iron ores in the mountains near Cloverdale. where the rock formation is mainly serpentine. Some of these ores have been in the process of extraction for several years with profit to the owners. A small amount of hematite iron was found near Santa Rosa. Magnetic and Titanic iron is found in more or less abundance as is usnal in all voleanic rocks.

" Pisolites, Oolites, and Obsidian are among the products found in attestation of the volcanic period.

144

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

" Boiling springs exist in several localities, the most noted, and remarkable of which are the geysers. These springs are among the most wonderful and magnificent displays of nature in the work. Notwithstanding that the springs are located within close proximity of each other, the chemical properties differ much. We have not at hand a chemical analysis of these waters, but chloride of sodium (table salt). borate of sodium (borax), carbonate of sodium, sulphur, iron, and sulphate of sodium predominate. There is a trace of silica in all of them we believe. Litton springs and Mark West are well known places of resort for pleasure-seekers and invalids.

"Imperfect skeletons of several mastodons have been found protruding from the banks of Peta- luma Oreck, a short distance above the town of Petaluma, where the floods had exposed them to view; and one tusk found -- and now in a cabi- net in the latter city -is ten inches in length. They were perhaps mired down while seeking water. Their discovery was merely accidental, paleontological research never having received any more attention in the county than its kindred sciences.

Bloodstone and agute are the only valuable varieties of the quartz family, so far as we know, that have been found in this county.

Sulphate of lime (gypsum) is found, but in comparatively small quantities to that of the carbonate, or magnesian lime."

As the quarries of basalt paving blocks in the neighborhood of Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Sonoma have become one of Sonoma County's profitable industries. the following from the Sonoma County Journal of September 25, 1857, is of interest:

"On the summit of a hill some three-quarters of a mile to the south of l'etaluma, a very sing- ular ledge of rocks has recently been discovered by some persons engaged in quarrying stone for building purposes. The singular structure and wonderful uniformity that prevails throughout the ledge, is the feature that renders it peen- liarly interesting to the curious. It is well cal-

culated to impress the mind with the idea of its being the work of art.

"The ledge is composed of regular prismatic columns, inclined but a few degrees from the perpendicular toward the center of the hill. The columns generally have five sides, but we observed some that had but four. They are usually about twenty inches in thickness, and are divided into blocks varying from one to four teet in length, which are so closely joined and so firmly cemented together that it is quite ditti- cult to separate them. The columns are bound to each other by a layer of grayish colored cement, about an inch in thickness. The rock is very hard, and of a dark color, and belongs to that class of rocks denominated basalt by ge- ologists. The whole ledge presents the appear- anee of a solid structure of masonry, reared, like the Egyptian pyramids, to perpetuate the works and memory of man, in defiance of the flight of ages. So abundant, indeed, are the appearances of design, that we are not surprised that many persons have unhesitatingly pronounced it the work of art. There is abundant evidence, how- ever, that precludes the possibility of such being the case. This colmenar structure of rocks is not unfrequent. It is seen along the margin of Snake River, and in the passage of the Columbia River through the Cascade Mountains, perpen- dieular walls of this columnar structure are often seen rising to the height of forty or fifty feet. The basaltie columns of Lake Superior, Fingal's Cave, in the island of Staffa, and the Giant's Causeway in the north of Ireland, are all examples of similar columnar structure. Geologists also speak of its oceurring quite fre- quently west of the Rocky Mountains. We are too incredulous to look upon this singular struc- ture as other than the work of the Divine Archi- teet, and as such it presents a wide range for human thought and study.

" The discovery of this ledge of rocks so near town, is particularly fortunate for Petaluma. The rocks are easily quarried and brought to town, but the greatest advantage of all is their thorough adaptability to the construction of fire-

145

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

proof buildings -- neither fire nor water afleeting them in the least. We saw a chip from one ot the rocks subjected to fire until it became heated to a bright red color, after which it was im- mediately thrown into cold water. No change whatever from its original appearance could be perceived."

In March of 1868 there was considerable ex- citement in Petaluma consequent upon the un- earthing at the head of Petaluma Creek of the fossil remains of some animal of large propor- tions. In reference to these bones a correspond- ent of the .frgus under date of March 12th says:

"To the question, 'What is It?' when ap- plied to the jawbone which has excited so much curiosity, the following answer is submitted:

"It is assumed that the bone in question is unmistakably a lower jawbone, and from the mum- ber and eonformation of the teeth, it is not the jaw of a hippopotamus, for that animal has six grinders on each side of both jaws, also four ineisors above and below, and a canine tooth on each side, above and below. Again, it cannot be the jaw of a rhinoceros, for that has seven grinders on each side of both jaws, and from two to four incisors in each jaw. The number of grinders in this jaw, the pairs of conical pro- jections on the same, the entire absence of in- eisors and canine teeth, together with the length (22 inches) of the shinbone exhibited, induces the writer to believe that it belongs to a narrow- toothed mastodon (mastodon angustidens). The dimensions of these grinders, seven inches in breadth by three inches in thickness, answer to the name. The word mastodon is derived from two Greek words, meaning conical-shape and tooth. There were two species of mastodons, namely: the great mastodon (M. giganteus) and the narrow-toothed mastodon. The last species wa> one-third less in size than the great masto- don, and much lower on the legs. It was not unlike the elephant, being furnished with a trunk and two huge tusks, and fed upon the rank vegetation of the early world. This was, probably, a juvenile of about seven years, its age being determined from the number of pairs

of conical points found on the molar teeth, while his height is estimated to have been only about eight feet, the estimation being based up. on the supposition that the large bone exhibited last week was a shinbone. The imperfections of that bone render its identity somewhat ditti- eult, still its superior artienlations and triangu- lar shaft, lead to the belief that it is a tibia.

"It is hoped that other discoveries will soon be made that will throw more light upon this in- teresting problem."

In the Petaluma Aryus of February 25, 1869, appears this mention of fossil bones:

"On Thursday last Messrs. Diekey and Gil more discovered the skeleton of a mastodon on Petaluma Creek about two miles north of this city. Portions of a tusk projected from the bank where the late storm had washed the dirt away. They commenced excavating and have removed the dirt from the head which is of enormous size. The tusk measures twenty-two inches in cireumterence, and the width of the skull is nearly three feet. It is well worth the investigation of scientific men. It will be re- membered that about a year ago portions of undoubtedly the same skeleton were washed out at the same locality, and that we published an account of the same. Discoveries of fossil re- mains have become so common in California, that they have almost ceased to excite comment. save in seientifie eireles."

Again referring to the nearthing of fossil remains, the Argus of March 4, 1869, says:

" Last week we mentioned the fact of the discovery of portions of a gigantic skeleton in the bank of Petaluma Creek. From Mr. S. R. Dickey, one of the discoverers, we receive further particulars. We have also received let- ters from several scientific gentlemen requesting information on the subject, which we cheerfully give. These bones cannot be a part of those found last spring, being found fifty yards further up the stream, imbedded eight feet deep in coarse gravel. They are undoubtedly horns, the upper part of the head being found with them. The dimensions are: From the lower part of

146

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

the cheek bone to the tip of the horn, S feet : cavity of the brain, 3 feet, making 19 feet from tip to tip of the horns, which measured 22 inches at the base. One only was found. but a cavity in the earth corresponding in size plainly showed the former existence of another. Two feet of the point was solid, also 8 inches of the base; the balance erumbled to pieces on exposure. There were two teeth on each jaw measuring 11 inches in length, and 3} inches in width. They are solid in the jaw, of a darkish color, but resembling ivory in sub- stance. The cheek bones are solid, 18 inches in length. The horus shot outward from the head. curving to the side until within about 18 inches of the point, where they turned forward. the point being a little in front of the head as if for a means of defense. AAn outside shell simi- lar to that upon the horn of the common cow covered the horn. If the rest of the skeleton bore a proportionate size to the head and horns, the animal was indeed a monster.

The fossil remains found near Petaluma was the subject of discussion by the California Academy of Natural Sciences. What those scientists thought on the subject, as well as the opinion of the Petaluma editor, appeared in the Petaluma Argus of April 1, 1869, and is as follows:

" At a recent meeting of the California Acad- emy of Natural Sciences, at San Francisco, the subject of the recent discovery of the remains of the gigantie animal at Petaluma was brought up. Mr. Yale said he had been corresponding with the -discoverer of the skeleton of the mastodon lately found near Petaluma; the hones he understood were being removed, and the Academy ought to take some step toward preserving the remains. The head had been entirely carried away, and other portions dis- turbed. Mr. Carlton remarked that the animal was said to have been horned, but that which was taken for horns was more probably tusks. Dr. Cooper said the creature was either an ele- phant or a mastodon, and probably the tusk had been taken for horns. Mr. Yale said that a

similar discovery had been made last year in the vicinity of San Jose. Dr. Cooper stated that Mr. Hoffman. a member of the society, had ex- amined the remains of one of these animals which had been discovered in the valley of San Jose, and that upon its being exposed it erum- bled to pieces."

The Argus said: " As to the question whether the bones found were tusks or horns, we are de- cidedly of the opinion that they are horns. as they grew from the top of the head, curving horizontally. for some distance, when they turned to the front as if for a means of defense. Mr. Diekey drew for us a diagram of the head, showing the position of the root of the horus, which was the same as in ordinary cattle. Hlad they been tusks they would have grown from another portion of the head."

The Argus of a still later date said: " So- noma and adjacent counties appear to be a per- feet mine of interesting curiosities in the shape of petrifaction belonging to both the animal and vegetable kingdom. What is the most re- markable in relation thereto is the fact that these relies of bygone ages are often found in the alluvial deposits so near the surface of the carth as to frequently be revealed by the plow. We have before us a petrifaction re- cently plowed up on the ranch of Patrick Law- lor on the Sonoma Mountains, four or five miles from this city, and at an altitude of several hundred feet above the valley or tide level. The specimen is the head and neck (os femoris) of the femer or thigh hone of a mastadon or some other mammoth animal be- longing to the pre-historic period. It is a com- plete petrifaction nearly six inches in diameter across the crown and about seven inches from apex of crown to base. It is virtually the head (os femoris) with not more than two or three inches of the neck remaining. Looking at its crown it has very much the resemblance of the somewhat round skull of a nearly grown person. It weighs eight pounds. We have seen several specimens of large bones found in this vicinity but this is the most perfect petrifaction of the

147

HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.

kind that has come under our notiee. As this was found so near the surface we doubt not that with but little labor other bones belonging to the same monster animal of which this is a part, ean be found."

One of the wondrous freaks of Nature in this country and one which is well worth a visit by every one who cares for such sights, is the pet- rified forest of Sonoma. Away back in some pre-historic age, Mount St. Helena was an act- ive volcano and threw out vast bodies of seoria from its heart of living fire. Some of this scoria fell upon a forest of large trees and in this mass as if east in a mold we have great bodies of vegetable matter while retaining their shape and fibre turned in lapse of ages into stone. These trees of stone lie in two tiers in a parallelogram a mile in extent from east to west and about a quarter of a mile from north to south, the roots of these prostrate trees being toward the north. They lie at an angle of from five to thirty-five degrees, the butts being on the lower ground. When discovered they were almost covered with volcanie ashes or tufa, and the ground sparkled with atoms of siliea. Much of the brush has been cleared away and the loose superincum- 10

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of Sonoma County, California. Containing a history of the county of Sonoma from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, Part 22

Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 786

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 786