USA > California > El Dorado County > Historical souvenir of El Dorado County, California : with illustrations and biographical setches of its prominent men & pioneers > Part 17
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
The buildings occupied as court-house were pur- chased by the County Supervisors on June 5th, 1861, from Messrs. Boenzly & Brelaz ; this conveyance took place in consideration of the sum of $7,000, in war- rants drawn on the General Fund of the county. The jail at Coloma, which had been built in 1856, was used for the confinement of prisoners until the present jail building was erected in connection with the court-
house, after that it was leased for several purposes, finally to be sold at auction on March 8th, 1870.
Repeatedly the State Legislature has been petitioned since for the formation of a new county, to be formed out of portions of El Dorado, Placer and Nevada coun- ties under the proposed name of
TRUCKEE COUNTY.
The portion of El Dorado county which it was pro- posed to segregate is one of the most valuable and in- dispensable parts of this county, viz .: Lake Valley- valuable for its timber and its grazing lands, being the summer pasture for hundreds of bands of cattle, horses, sheep and goats, which are driven there in the spring to remain until fall, and belonging almost ex- clusively to owners living in the lower part of El Do- rado county.
CHAPTER XVII.
EL DORADO COUNTV, GEOGRAPHICALLY,
Reaches from the plains of the Sacramento, on the west, over a dividing range, to the line of the State of Nevada on the east, a distance of over sixty miles ; and from the Middle Fork of the American river on the north to the South Fork of the Cosumnes river on the south ; comprising an area of about 1,800 square miles. From west to east, there is a gradual change of temperature, commencing with a region where snow and frost are comparatively unknown, and where the summer heat is almost tropical, and culminating in snows thirty and forty feet deep, and with an occa- sional dip of the thermometer to twenty degrees below zero. Occasionally the winter snows prevail as far down as Placerville (2,300 feet altitude), but here the temperature rarely reaches lower than ten degrees below freezing. During the time when the freight and travel to and from Virginia City all passed this way, the road over the summit, an elevation of 7,373 feet, was kept open all winter, and passengers and mails were regularly carried through.
In the lower part of the county the summer temper- ature ranges from eighty to one hundred degrees, but as throughout California, the nights are always pleas- ant ; while the dryness of the atmosphere relieves the heat of the day of that sultry character so trying in the Atlantic States. Occasionally, for a few hours during the middle of the day, the thermometer has been known to register one hundred degrees, as far up as Cedar Rock. This, however, is rare, and morn- ing and evening fires are generally required even in July, at an elevation of 3,500 feet and above.
The summers in the mountains are delightful ; a
76
HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
medium between the piercing breezes of San Francisco and the dull placidity of the southern coast. The occa- sional sharp thunder storms keep the atmosphere clear, pure and bracing, and many an invalid has been restored to health as the result of a few month's cam- paigning under the pines ; while the effect is not less beneficial on all who have the means and leisure to enjoy a season of hunting and fishing in that delect- able region. No one can ever make such a trip without wishing to repeat it, and those whose business takes them up there regularly, are always anxiously looking forward for the time of the annual migration.
To come down from the clouds, El Dorado county is bounded on the south by Amador county, west by Sacramento county, by Placer county north, and by the State of Nevada and Alpine county east. The scenery of the thus enclosed part of the State of Cali- fornia is classified among the most magnificent in the world ; everywhere there is something worth seeing, whether it be the quietly pastoral or grandly pictur- esque. Fountain and lake, forest and meadow, peak and valley make up this section of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. On this range are found such prominent and noble points as Park Peak, Mount Tallac, Crystal Peak, Thompson's Peak and Pyramid Peak; besides innumerable lakelets of beauty, such as Fallen Leaf Lake, Loon Lake, Silver Lake, Clear Lake, Lake Tallac and Valley Lake. El Dorado lays claim to a portion of that unequalled sheet of water, Lake Bigler, the principal inlet of the lake-Emerald Bay-being in the county. El Dorado county is well off in the matter of water, a host of creeks filling every bed in the spring, while the Rubicon, the various branches of the American and Cosumnes rivers, which partly make the northern and southern boundary lines of the county, partly run through it to their whole length, keep in flow perennial. El Dorado possesses a great attraction in her underground caverns, orna- mented with those wonderful formations of nature's untired work of many thousands of years, called sta. lectites and stalagmites. And last, but not least, in the line of natural attractions there are the soda and mineral springs, of which El Dorado county possesses a good many, and though only little known yet, once doubtless will become sources of health as well as of wealth.
For long years El Dorado county was one of the most prosperous of the mining counties. It is esti- mated that of the vast product of the gold-fields of California at least $100,000,000 was taken out here. There was a time when El Dorado county was a more important factor in the State elections than the pres- ent metropolis, San Francisco ; yet for the past twenty years the population and wealth has been steadily de -!
clining. It is the repetition of all gold-mining commu- nities : accumulations made here, have been trans- ferred to other regions, there to be enjoyed or added to other riches. Scattered all over the Union are hundreds of men, now rolling in wealth, who made their " stake" in the placers of El Dorado county. A tithe of what has been carried away would have suf- ficed to make these hillsides look like a garden and blossom as the rose. But the industrious thousands who once swarmed in these canyons, digging for the precious metal, have vanished, leaving ravished stream- beds and abandoned camps, as the only monuments of their presence. Few remained, save those who were too poor to get away, and these wander among the hills, among the ruins of former prosperity, pick- ing out a little from crevices once passed by with scorn, prospecting for pockets, quartz leads or seams, satis- fied if they can raise enough to keep soul and body together. In the evening you may find them congre- gated at the nearest saloon, entertaining each other with stories of the "flush times."
The good work accomplished by the few who staid here because they wanted to, is sufficient to show what this country might have been-and what it will be yet.
TABLE OF RAINFALL AT SHINGLE SPRINGS. (Altitude 1,350 Feet.) BY J. R. EDWARDS, M. D.
Below we give a table of the rainfall for 19 years at Shingle Springs, this coun.y. It was made by the late Dr. J. R. Edwards, beginning with September, 1849, and being continued to April 1868, which was a few months before his decease. This is probably the only record existing of climatic observations made in the county, and supplies the facts needed for a thorough knowledge of the character of the climate. The heaviest rainfall in any year was 77.80 inches, during 1861-62 ; thelightest, 17.20inches, during 1850-51 ; the average 31.64 inches. The heaviest rain in one month was 34.13 inches-January 1862. The next heaviest 23.76 inches-December, 1867. The average fall during December was 10.29 inches, during January 7.55 inches-more than half of yearly rain being in these two months. A very small amount is shown for the six months beginning with May-averaging a little more than one inch in that month, and one ten-thou- sandths of an inch in August. As the result of care- ful observations and registrations from the time of the first settlement, this record is worthy of permanent preservation :
77
EL DORADO COUNTY, GEOGRAPHICALLY.
Sept.
October. ;
November. | December.
January.
February.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
August.
TOTAL.
YEARS.
Days ...... . .
Inches. . . ..
Days .... .
Inches. ....
Days ......
Inches ... ..
Days .....
Inches. .
Days ........
Inches :....
Days ........
Inches. ....
Days ........
Inches ......
Days .... ..
Inches. . ..
Days ...
Inches .....
Days ......
Inches .....
Days ... . ..
Inches. ...
Days .... . .
Inches .......
Days .....
Inches. .....
1849-50
NOW
I
19
5.65
17 10.4
19 13 7
2.15
1 5
3
0.45
I
0.2
1
83 39.25
1850-51
1.23
I
0.1
5
0.65
6| 2.7
7 4.8
0.4
II
2.I
11
4.8
4
0.4
1851-52
0.4
1 0.3
7
2.45
15 7.8
4 3.2
0.5
9.6
12
7.25
3
I.O
.
I
0.05
..
184 47 . 57
1852-53
....
2 0.5
15
7.2
22 11.4
12 13.7
7
2.4
8.2
8
3.00
7
N .
1.2
I
0.75
7
6.4
4
4.I
9, 4.4
15
4.3
12
5.4
4
0.2
I
0.3
1854-55
9
3.72
N
2.7
3.5
4 3.2
1.I
2.5
IO
2.1
5
.
0.I
[51 26. 1I
1856-57 .
8
2.15
12
7.35
7 6.5
7.05
1.94
.
4.00
3
1.7
2
O 0.2
1
c.35 0.6
138 19.91
1858-59
.
3.25
Ī 0.5
5
6.20
3
1.22
II 12.00
5.81
2
1.82
1 1.51
·
I
0.02
I
0.80
44 28.09
1859-60
1860-61
1861-62]
.
2
0.78
I 0.37
5 2.05
7 6.30
8 7.29
4 3.21
9 5.632 7 3.46
00A
1.135
3
2.492
0.894
I
0.18
51 36.865
1865-66
I 0.45
....
00
4.73
21 18.772 16 9.174
5 7.51
IO
4.09 , 7
6.01
0.015
0.003 68 50.304
1866-67
..
....
1867-68; I
0.82 1 2.245 8 7.17 17 23.765 17|12. 12
7 3.70 14 14.39
AGOva
6.75
6.90
7
3-34 2.76
4.10 2.10
-3
3
2.56
28 19.27
1863-64
.
1764-65|| ..
I
0.08
13 6.90
15 11.22
19 34.13
5
2.84
1.45
4.96
4.01
6
2.63
4
3.94
0.85
I
0.05.
13.26.25
13
7.43
6
3.78
4.6
8.34
N
0.2
I
0.15
1.90
87 77.80
1862-63
WWW.
0.42
8 4.95
4
1.99
6
2.37
2.69
1857-58
0.7
4 2.4
5-7
6 4.1
0.8
3.4*
1.2
5
0
N
1
3
O 0.42
1
!! 2
LAKE TAHOE
Is located on the eastern side of the central ridge of the Sierra Nevada. According to the observations of the United States geographical surveying corps, under command of Lieut. George M. Wheeler, the altitude of the lake is 6,202 feet above the level of the sea ;
says :
pure and clear, and when in a state of quietness, one can observe fish and other objects most distinct and perfect to the depth of from thirty to forty feet ; it is of blue color and very cold, but never freezes in the winter. The temperature 800 feet below the surface always remains at 39.2°, the point of maximum den- sity of fresh pure water ; at the surface in the hotest weather, the temperature rises to 68°, and in the cold- est sinks to 38° only. The deepest soundings ever made were 2,800 feet. The greatest length of the lake is 21.6 miles ; the greatest breadth 12 miles ; and the area of the whole sheet of water is about 195. square miles ; El Dorado county is entitled to claim nearly one-third of this area as located within her lines. The water is as buoyant as any other pure water, and it is as safe for sailing crafts as any. No more danger than what is common to other places need be feared, either from wind or waves ; though no Indian would dare to cross the lake, affirming their belief that an evil spirit would draw them to the bottom, if they would make an attempt.
The bed of Lake Tahoe, by some is supposed to be the crater of an extinct volcano, and to be unfathom- able. There are some indications of undoubtable vol- canic origin: the masses of scorious or calcereous rock, mentioned already in Fremont's narrative, scat- tered all about the lake shore and along the banks of the Truckee river ; a small conical mound, evidently created by solfataras, may be seen near by, a little to the northwest of Tahoe City ; and the occasional oc- currence of hot springs on the lake shore as well as in the lake, are evidence enough for this theory. Proof of the latter assertion is an incident that was witnessed in September, 1866, from Saxton's saw mill, by a num- ber of persons. The water perfectly smooth and calm at the time, when suddenly at a locality about two hundred and fifty yards out from shore, was ob- served to rise in columnar form about five or six feet above the surface of the surrounding water, but soon subsiding and falling down in a whirlpool ; this phe. nomenon being repeated several times-one person rowed out in a small boat and found the water at that spot quite warm. The bed of the lake in the locality surrounding this accident is from thirty to forty feet below the surface of the water, while at the very spot, for a circle of about thirty yards, a hole has been sounded that is at least forty feet deeper, and no fish are to be seen around there, while in former years it has been an excellent fishing ground.
The name of this lake forms a piece of history in itself. The first mentioning of its existence was made by Fremont, who in his report to the chief of topo- graphical engineers, under date of January 10th, 1844,
that of Tahoe City, 6,251, and of Hot Springs, 6,237 feet. The water of the lake being shed from the solid granite and volcanic mountains that compose its boundaries by more than thirty streams, is extremely
1855-561 I
..
. .
..
0.15
10 11. 16 3 2.40
5
2.20
1.15
4.71
6
3.40
5
5|
H
1812
6.215| 2
1.31
4.88
49 34.439
7 9.941 17 9.135 6.84 9
4 2.57 13 11.08
7 5.128
NUÑOO
5
99242864
NUT
3.4
63 30. 15
1853-54
0.68
143 19.50
39 18.60
0.35
33 31.41
2
2.10
1.20
-
0.5
CON
AQUI
6.80
0.08
54 17.26
165 32. 50
1.I
8
3
32 24.27
78
HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
"Beyond a defile between the mountains, descend- ing rapidly about 2,000 feet, and filling up all the lower spaces, was a sheet of green water, somne twenty miles broad. It broke upon our eyes like the ocean. The neighboring peaks rose high above us, and we as- cended one of them to get a better view. The waves were curling in the breeze, and their dark green color showed it to be a body of deep water. For a long time we sat enjoying the view ; for we had become fatigued with mountains, and the free expanse of mov- ing waves was very grateful. It was set like a gem in the mountains, which, from our position, seemed to en- close it almost entirely. Its position at first inclined us to believe it Mary's lake, (sink of Humboldt or Mary's river), but the rugged mountains were so entirely dis- cordant with the description of its low, rushing shores, and open country, that we concluded it some unknown body of water, which it afterwards proved to be. The shore was rocky-a handsome beach, which reminded us of the sea."
Fremont called it " Mountain Lake," and so it was called in California until 1853.
In 1852, the surveyor-general, on a surveying trip for the line of a new wagon road across the Sierras suggested the name of the governor of California, Bigler, for the lake, and this title was conferred upon it by an act of the Legislature of California, in honor of the honest governor, whose reputation-as pure as the water of the lake-never had been smirched by the tongue of scandal. And it became officially and gen- erally known as
" LAKE BIGLER."
Dr. Henry De Groot, in 1859, was exploring the but its greater curiosity consisted in its location on the mountains, and gathered at the same time a vocabu- lary of Indian words, in the Washoe dialect. After him tah-oo-ee means a great deal of water ; tah-ve, means snow, and tah-oo, means water; and being a writer for the press, he published his explorations in the Scramento Union, suggesting at the same time the |at the same time, by taking a seat at the end of the word tah-oo-ee, as an appropriate name for Lake Big- table, the bar being in the State of Nevada. ler, being the Indian term "big water." And when, in 1863, the Rev. T. Starr King and party visited the lake-this was in the time of the rebellion, and Gov- ernor Bigler denounced by them as a " copperhead " and secessionist, and therefore unworthy of the honor to dedicate his name to so great a feature of natural scenery, and he (Starr King) appealed himself author- ity to christen it Lake Tahoe.
California, as well as Nevada Legislatures have re- peatedly passed resolutions since that the name of the lake be Lake Bigler, but the name of Tahoe in the mean time had become too much rooted down, that the official declaration could replace it for general use, disposing entirely with the Indian "big water," and
now both names are justified, though Lake Tahoe hav- ing the greater popularity.
Even a fourth name turned up for some time, and at several times some efforts were made to adopt it officially. A map of this country, published in Eu- rope, was introduced here not infrequently by Euro- pean immigrants, arriving in early days, particularly those from France, on this map the lake was marked Bonpland, called so with Fremont's sanction, by Preuss, the draughtsman accompanying Fremont's party in 1843 and 1844, in honor of Bonpland, a great traveler and geographer accompanying Von Hum- boldt. All efforts, however, to re-establish the name of Bonpland quieted down without any result.
From Mckinney's creek, forming the county boun- darie towards Placer, following the shore first south, then in a southeasterly direction to the State line, El Dorado has a shore-line on Lake Tahoe-comprising Emerald Bay-of twelve to twenty miles, the State line being resurveyed in 1876, was laid here about half a mile further east. This portion of the lake shore was about the first settled on in Lake valley, though the population did not grow in proportion with other parts ; the few hotels here, however, are just as well patronized by health and pleasure-seekers from both California and Nevada as those of Tahoe City or Glenbrook. There are the Lake House, Tom Row- land's place ; the Tallac House, the property of E. J. Baldwin, (Lucky Baldwin), and the Fishmarket.
The old State Line House, about two miles east of Tom Rowland's place, burnt down in September, 1877, being most pleasantly situated on the lake shore, State line between California and Nevada ; the latter running right through the center of the dining-room, dividing the dining-room table in the middle, making it optional with those taking dinner whether they liked to dine in California or Nevada, or sit in both States
About half a mile south of Mckinney's and only a short distance across over the county line, is another of the curious features of the lake, called the "George- town snag." It is a dead tree standing upon its end, having its anchorage in the water at the depth of about II0 feet, rising from six to eight feet above the sur- face of the water. The usual stand-point of this snag is about 150 yards from shore ; but sometimes heavy winds cause it to shift around, yet it never has got far from the spot where first discovered by white men.
As early as 1865 the lake was commenced to be looked at as a water way, its water became plyed then by two sailing crafts (schooners); but with the increas- ing influx of summer boarders and tourists the neces
.
Bex
A
DESCN A - WEBERCREEK. B. SCOTCH RAVINE . C. BUILDINGS : OLD MILLER MINE. D. WATER DITCH . E . RIBBON ROCK OR PACIFIC LEDGE . F . EMPIRE LEDGE. VIEWON THE MILLER & FOWLER MININGCLAIM. DIAMONDSPR. MINING DISTRICT. ELDORADOCO
79
EL DORADO COUNTY, GEOGRAPHICALLY.
sity arose to add to the attractions of the lake another new feature, and as a steamer was thought to fulfill the whole programme the best, so a steamer was built and launched, christened Gov. Stanford, navigating the lake since the summer of 1873. The Stanford is a nice, strong boat, built as a side-wheeler with two decks, in the regular sound-boat style. Her daily trip runs from Hot Springs to Tahoe City and thence to Glen- brook, whence she takes the direction to Lake Valley, Emerald Bay and Tahoe ; these trips connecting with the Central Pacific Railroad on the one side, and Benton's (Carson) stage (Hank Monk driver) on the other side. The opposition has put in existence a second passenger steamer the Niagara ; she is a pad- dle wheeler, like the former, of about the same size, and as her owners hive taken the contract for carry- ing the mail, she is known as the United States mail boat. The Meteor is a third boat, built as a propeller, and considered as the fastest boat on the Pacific coast, she is able to make on the lake about twenty-five to twenty-six miles an hour; but she only occasionally at- tempts to satisfy passenger transportation as she is en- gaged in the lumber trade.
LAKE TAHOE.
Bright Tahoe lake ! For poet's pen fit theme O, would the power were mine to paint the scene, The charm that keeps me ling'ring here, beside Thy shore, in peaceful quiet to abide, And watch thy waters flow ; or catch the gleam Of white sails floating o'er, the while they seem Majestic swans, -and other craft that trace Their course from point to point along the base Of these surrounding mountains, which so grand And brave, are rearing high their crests and stand Like mighty sentinels to guard thee round, And keep thy waters in their destined bound.
The fitful roll of sparkling wavelets on Thy beach, the white-caps ever and anon That form and break-that come and go, the shade Of diff'rent colors on thy surface made ; The voice of singing birds among the trees, Wind music in the pines, -all lull to ease.
So here I idly rest ; or, venturing more, Thy neighboring points of interest explore. I fish in Fallen Leaf, -without success, -- Its other charms attract me none the less ; From off its southern shore, the mountain side From climbing visitors no more shall hide, The Soda Springs ; romantic place to all Who love the woods, the rocks, the water fall. Forever marked with white shall be the day I sailed into the haven Emerald Bay ; And noted none the less are trips I make To view the beauties of the Cascade Lake - The wonders of Cove Rock.
MINERAL SPRINGS. GILMORE'S SPRINGS.
Mr. Nathan Gilmore is an old El Dorado county man-an early resident of Placerville-since years he is herding cattle and Angora goats, of whom he has quite a band pasturing on the shore of Fallen Leaf Lake. Sometimes in 1873, when looking after his cattle between Tallac and Angora Peak his attention was attracted to the foot-tracks of many wild animals all tending in a certain direction, and following the tracks he discovered these springs. There are, as in most every other locality where mineral springs are found, several distinct springs, each discharging a dif- ferent sort of water. The main spring is reddened all about the edges, with the deposits of iron therein. You watch it, and up from the rocky bottom you see great belchings of gas rising from time to time. These belchings are irregular, and more marked at sometimes than at others. The effect would seem to be the in- fusion of the waters with their sparkling qualities by those upheavals of gas. This spring flows 200 gallons per hour. An analysis by a skilled chemist shows it to contain these ingredients; carbonic acid, sulphuric acid, seroxid of iron, sodium, bi-carbonate of lime, magnesia, silica, hydrogen gas, organic acids and other things needless to mention. The iron is there in very strong proportions. As a corrective tonic and altera- tive water, this is found to be a most effective agent.
The other spring seems to be the most promising of the two; its water is almost identical in taste with Con- gress Water, only more pungent.
Mr. Gilmore has built at his own expense a wagon road from Fallen Leaf Lake to the springs and the drive over from Yank's, is one of the most interesting and satisfactory jaunts a person will undertake and is bound to prove a great attraction to sightseers and tourists as well as to the public in general. The dis- tance from Rowland's to Gilmore's Springs is 10 miles.
There are a good many more remarkable springs, both hot and cold, known in the same part of the county which deserve a thorough examination, but as nothing is done yet in the matter we only shall men- tion the Soda Springs, near Loon Lake about 40 miles above Georgetown, which are excelling anything of the kind in the State. The springs are the property of Messrs. Winslow and Wentworth, of Georgetown.
THE COSUMNES CAVES.
About a stone's throw from the Cosumnes Copper mine, there is one of these most wonderful freaks of nature. It was discovered in 1850, but we are unable to give the name of the discoverer. Three entrances lead into these elegant and magnificent apartments, to wander through all these various avenues and subter- ranean halls and passages, it affords a man about four
80
HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
hours, some of the communicating passages are so low and small that a person has to lay down and move in a worm-like position. The cavern is imbeded in a solid mass of excellent marble, columns and pilasters, or- namented at their capitals with volutes and modillions, at irregular intervals interest the visitors attention, while fine representations of tapistry are engraved on its walls. Every form of stalectites imaginable droop- ingly hang suspended, presenting all the variegated co !- ors of the rainbow, and brilliantly sparkle from the pale light of a candle like a thousand diamonds, while a like proportion of stalagmite underneath, with their sugar coated surface are presented to the eye of the viewer. There are many compartments of this under- ground construction that have never been visited by man, for in a dozen different places the openings in the rock not being sufficient to even admit the hand, but by applying the candle the light would stream in- to apparently splendid and capacious vaults beyond.
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.