USA > California > El Dorado County > Historical souvenir of El Dorado County, California : with illustrations and biographical setches of its prominent men & pioneers > Part 43
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PLACERVILLE
was incorporated in virtue of an act that for the proof of having passed State Senate as well as Assembly bears the signatures of Charles S. Fairfax, Speaker of
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HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Assembly; Samuel Purdy, President of Senate, ap- proved May 13, 1854, John Bigler Governor.
Thus Placerville became a city, after having passed through nearly six years of most eventful experience, from the date of its first settlement; some of these having been the reason to impose upon the young town the name of
HANGTOWN,
under which it was going for several years, known by all miners of California up to this day, and not seldoin used even now after about thirty years. We have got before us three different statements of the affair that caused the above name, as given by three most dis- tinguished citizens and oldest pioneers, and we think it is the best to make space here for all three of them, on account of some varieties in the different state- ments that are corroborant and supplement one to another.
"Allow me to give you the true version,"says Judge Grimshaw of Daylor's ranch, Sacramento County: "In the Summer of 1848, three ranchers residing in what is now Sacramento County, William Daylor, Jared Sheldon and Perry McCoon, with a number of Indians in their employ, were mining in Weber creek at a point of about one hundred yards below the crossing of the road leading from Diamond Springs to Placerville. One morning the vaquero, who had charge of the cavalada (tame horses) informed his em- ployers that he had discovered some new dry dig- gings; exhibiting at the same time some specimens of gold which he had picked up. One of the white men want to the place, indicated by the Indian, but found that the diggings were not sufficiently better than those on the creek to justify them in moving their camp. When prospectors came along they were referred to the new location, which up to January, 1849, went by the name of the
"OLD DRY DIGGINGS."
"One night during that month, three men were in a saloon, tent or hut at the Old Dry Diggings, engaged in a game of poker. In due time one of the party got 'broke.' The proprietor of the place was fast asleep. The one who had lost his money suggested to his companions that he had gold dust on hand, and proposed that he should be robbed. The pro- prietor was awoke, a pistol presented to his head, and told to disclose the whereabouts of his hidden treasure. This he did, the robbers divided the spoil, threatened the saloon keeper with certain death if he disclosed anything about the matter, and resumed their game
"The next day the saloon keeper mustered courage to tell some of his friends about the robbery, the
affair became noised about; the three men were ar- rested, tried by the miners, s ntenced to be flogged, and the judgment executed with the promptness which characterized that kind of criminal procedure. The criminals were then ordered to leave. In a few days two of the men, under the influence of whiskey went about the camp, intimating that the men who were engaged in the trial were 'spotted', that they would not live to flog another man, etc.
"A meeting was called, the two men were arrested and hung on the leaning oak tree in the hay yard be- low Elstner's ElDorado Saloon, the same tree on which afterwards other malefactors expiated their crimes.
"For many years the camp went by the name of Hangtown, to distinguish it from other dry diggings. Daylor, Sheldon and McCoon remained on the creek until the fall of 1848, when they returned to their homes on the Sheldon and Daylor grant in Sacramen- to County.
"Capt. Charles M. Weber, of Weber's embarcadero (or Tuleburg) later Stockton, established a camp and trading post on the same locality and gave the creek the name which it has borne to the present day."
Mr. E. N. Strout, for long years a citizen of El Do- rado county, says : "In 1848 and the early part of 1849, Placerville and surroundings were known as 'Old Dry Diggings.' At that time there were organ- ized bands of desperadoes, with signs, passwords and grips, and with chiefs and lieutenants, who lay in wait in and around the mining camps, ready for plunder and murder, either for gain or revenge. Murders and robberies were frequent along the branches of the South and Middle Forks of the American river, and finally found their way to the mining camp on the north branch of Weber creek-Old Dry Diggings, now Placerville. A Frenchman who kept a trading post in Log Cabin ravine-now Bedford avenue-was known to have considerable gold dust, and he was selected by the 'Owls'-the name of the organization -as their victim to be robbed. Four of this band, composed of one American, one Mexican and two Frenchmen, made a descent on the post and robbed [the merchant of his gold dust and such other valua- bles as they wanted, while the owner was powerless to resist ; but the robbers were marked men from that moment. The Frenchman gave the alarm and the vigilantes started in pursuit of the robbers, who were captured, brought to trial, condemned and executed, except one of the Frenchmen, who escaped after sen- tence had been pronounced. The execution took place under a white oak tree of gigantic size that stood on the south bank of Hangtown creek, now the north- west corner of Main and Coloma streets, on February
209
LOCAL HISTORY.
12th; 1849. George G. Blanchard's brick building covers the stump of the tree. W. T. Sayward, Esq., of San Francisco, who was Deputy Prefect for the Old Dry Diggings at the time, declared that murder was clearly proven against the culprits, as well as robbery. Their bodies were buried on the north side of the ereek. The Mountain Democrat's office was subse- quently erected over their graves, and said paper pub- lished there for more than twenty years."
" The third version-the soubriquet of 'Hang- town,' by which Placerville was at one time only known, ane which is now not unfrequently applied -- had its origin in the hanging by a mob, in 1849, of two Frenchmen and a Spaniard, to an oak tree at the northwest corner of Main and Coloma streets. The victims had been arrested for highway robbery on the Georgetown road. While being tried by a jury of citi- zens for this offense, and while it was doubtful what penalty would be inflicted on them, an officer from one of the lower counties arrived, in search of the per- petrators of a horrible murder in his section, and at once recognized two of them as the murderers for whom he sought. This at once settled their fate. Death was decreed and the sentence carried out im- mediately at the place and in the manner mentioned."
In the first municipal election held at Placerville, on June 5th, 1854, Alexander Hunter was elected Mayor and Messrs. Elstner, Cary, Lee, Douglass, Bingswanger and Jones, Aldermen. The first Board of Aldermen met in common council on Monday, June 12th, 1854, at Justice Doyle's office, and the following standing committees were appointed : On Finance-Jones, Douglass, Elstner ; Ways and Means -Elstner, Cary, Lee ; Fire and Water-Cary, Jones, Bingswanger; Streets and Public Places-Douglass Elstner, Lee ; Police and Watch-Bingswanger, Jones, Elstner; Nuisances-Lee, Cary, Bingswanger ; Contracts and Expenditures- - Jones, Douglass, Elst- ner ; Applications for Offices-Elstner, Jones, Bings- wanger; Printing-Douglass, Elstner, Jones; Hos- pital and Sick-Lee, Bingswanger, Cary. M. E. Elstner was Secretary pro tem.
The following gentlemen were appointed to fill the city offices : For Marshal, L. B. Hopkins ; for Treas- urer, A. W. Bee ; for Assessor and Clerk, E. B. Car- son; for Attorney, S. M. Johnson; for Captain of Police, John Vanderbilt ; policemen, Messrs. Mount, Converse and Vanderbilt.
Few people who have had even the briefest resi- dence in California but have heard of Hangtown, and, despite the coarse cognomen, its mention always brings with it the memory of the most romantic era of the modern El Dorado-the pioneer age-when the hardy sons of the Atlantic States, through danger
and toil, had won their way to these canyons and gorges of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, and turned up the earth of all these hills and ravines of the mountain's side, and moved hills as well as ereeks and river beds, until it yielded the shining gold to their eager search. There was a day when Placerville was a solid mass of houses, a time when the "Emi- grant ravine road" was lined night and day with the teams of the incoming pioneers, and the loaded trucks and freight wagons of the carrier ; when "Shirt-Tail Bend," just above Upper town, now deserted and lonely, was the scene of busy life and activity ; when Placerville cast more votes than the whole county does now; when the surface of the earth yielded gold to the slightest touch ; when fortunes oftentimes were made in a day, and often enough squandered again in an hour; when the crack of the revolver was undis- puted law, and Judge Lynch made his visits in town to preside in Justice Court : when money was counted by the weight-not by do lars, but by the ounces ; and the necessaries of life were measured out at prices ro- mantic and extravagant. For those that have seen the town of Placerville in those early days, as the beautiful but wild and romantic youth, radiant in her brilliant luxury, but. criminally careless about her future -- the city of Placerville, now so quiet and staid, her dress much too wide for her shrunken body-it must be a contrast of indescribable and saddening effect to look on so many deserted houses, left for dilapidation and decay, and offending the pas-er-by with the view of these modern ruins. From 1856, when the mines of the neighboring country ceased to contribute to the express and banking houses of Pla- cerville a weekly harvest of from six to eight thousand ounces of gold dust, but went down far below this average, and the big fire of July 6th, that destroyed nearly the whole town and urged so many of the eiti- zens to invest their savings in expensive stone and brick fire-proof buildings, just when the business be- gan to shrink, the city began to decline-first slowly, but one by one more rapidly it descended from the extravagant life it was leading and the uncertain posi- tion it held to its present solid foundation, upon which there is a regular trade in commerce, a permanent planting and harvesting, a healthy development and a settled people, who are industrious, peaceful, con- tented and imbued with a faith in the future possibili- ties of the place, and are determined to make them actualities. In 1853 to '56, Placerville could boast of as many inhabitants as the whole county of El Do- rado now contains,* but the thousands dwindled
"The returns of the general election in 1854 show that at Placerville there were more votes polled than at any other city in the State, with the only ex- ceptioos of San Francisco and Sacramento. Placerville polled more votes
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HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
down to hundreds. The present population of Pla- cerville is about 2,400. The township is easting about seven hundred votes on a full poll. This popu- lation has neither increased nor diminished for quite a number of years, and shows to have sufficient sup- port from the county to maintain all its business legiti- mately and furnish labor for all its people.
THE RAVINE CITY,
As Placerville was called also, according to the local- ity of its situation, in the ravines and around the lower hills that are forming the irregular bottom of a deep depression or hollow, at the very base of the first grand rise of the Sierra Nevada, walled in by round topped hills, with only a scarce covering of forest trees growing on them ; but with a fine view over the dark pine forest, gradually rising towards th ? white capped erests and peaks of the central line of the Sierra Nevada, in the eastern direction.
Contrary to the plan and style of the modern American cities, that are to be built after the checker- board system, sometimes in total ignorance and incon- formity with the ground, and causing the greatest inconvenience ; there being no fishernet on hand to lay out the streets after the crossings of the meshes, the pioneers who came to settle on the ground, where Placerville has been grown up since, accommodated themselves to the locality by running their streets so as to follow the course and bends of the different ravines, and the result is an easy and convenient traveling in town, and when seen from the surround- ing hills, has a very picturesque effect. The city is divided by the intervention of a long narrow strip of property that is only thinly built up, into Upper and Lower Placerville, a little stream, the northern branch of Weber creek is flowing through both parts, its name derived from that of the original town is up to this day, Hangtown creek.
ALTITUDES AND DISTANCES.
In the summer of 1877, one of the parties engaged
than the whole county of San Joaquin, including the town of Stockton.
/-VOTES-
IN 1853. IN 1854.
San Francisco ..
10,113 10,881
Sacramento
2,914
Placerville
1,944
Marysville
1,807
1,290
Nevada
1,088
1, 116
Diamond Springs
San Jose ....
772
Stockton
1,472
Grass Valley
Columbia .. 807
Mokelumne Hill 786
690
Iowa Hill
655
Sonora
773
Los Angeles
Weaverville
545
Downieville
-
Santa Clara
387
Coloma
Auburn
435 315
in the survey of the region west of the tooth meridian, under the direction of Captain George M. Wheeler, and under command of Lieutenant M. M. Macomb, occupied the eastern portion of California ; as partic- ularly interesting to the people of this county, we have segregated from the carefully prepared tables contained in the report the following altitudes and distances of and between prominent points :
The altitude of Placerville at the Post office corner, is 1,895 feet ; of the Pacific House, 3,451 feet ; of McConnaha's, 3,931 ; of Strawberry, 5,695; of Phillips, 6,871 ; of the summit at Johnson's Pass, 7,266 ; of Genoa, 4,794 ; of Carson Capitol Square, 4,670 feet.
Distances from Placerville as measured with an odometer, are given as follows : to Smith's Flat, 2.75 miles ; to Sportsman's Hall, 12.53 ; to Pacific House, 19.88 ; to Moore's, 24.16; to McConnaha's, 32.90 ; to Yarnold's, 33.62 ; to Georgetown junction, 39.90 ; to Strawberry, 44. 18 ; to Phillips, 49.05 ; to Summit, 51.86 ; to Osgood's, 53.91 ; to Myers' Ranch, 55.01 ; to Woodburn's saw-mill, 58.26 ; to Sierra House, 59.70 ; to Carney's State Line House, 63.15; to Small's, 64.05 ; to summit of grade, 67.27 ; to Haines', foot of Kingsberry grade, 72.31 ; to Hot Springs, 73.45 ; to Genoa, 75.25 ; to Carson, 88.25.
Distance from Placerville to Chili Bar bridge is 3.25 miles ; to Kelsey, 5.73 ; to St. Lawrence mine, 8.49 ; to Johntown, Garden Valley, 11.43 ; to George- town, 15.68.
Distance from Georgetown to Hotchkiss' Ranch, 1.25 miles ; to Forni's 19.21 ; to Big Silver Creek, 32.43 ; to Jones' Ranch, 35.44 ; to road to Sawyer's 44.97 ; to Georgetown junction, 47.58.
Distances from Placerville by the Amador road are stated as follows : to Newtown, 8.35 miles ; to Pleas- ant Valley, 10.65 ; to Sly Park, 18.26; to Hazel Valley, 19.03 ; to Stonebraker's, 23. 18; to Caples' spring, 27.43 ; to Leek springs, 38.99 ; to Silver Lake, 48.58; to Kirkwood's, 54.25 ; to Caples' Ranch, 55.95 ; to Carson Pass, 59.63 ; to Williams' Ranch, 61.44 ; to Stevens' Ranch, 64.04 ; to Hope Valley, Nott's Ranch, 68.29; to Carson Canyon Toll House, 70.71 ; to Woodford's, 74.55 ; to Carson, 105.42.
The distance from Placerville to Sacramento is about fifty miles. As the first town, not only of the " Empire county," but indisputably claimed to be the first place of all mining towns of California concern- ing population, wealth, enterprise and intelligence, as all (even rivals) conceded, from the time of the in- corporation as a city, or rather sometime before this term, Placerville was agitating for a removal of the county seat from Coloma to its own site, on account of a more central and convenient location both ways,
943 942 884 812 761
Georgetown
t41 593
541 538
505 468
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LOCAL HISTORY.
in geographical situation and concerning the popula- tion of the county. But defeated twice, in 1854, when the vote was taken, together with the general election, and five different aspirants for the County Court seat had turned up, and again in 1856, when a special vote for this particular purpose was taken, with the only choice between Coloma an 1 Placerville. In consequence of the result of the latter vote the citi- zens of Placerville held an indignation meeting on the plaza to protest against the flagrant outrage upon the right of suffrage committed in Coloma and developed in counting the returns of the late election for county seat, and stating, in detail, that the returns from the following precincts: Uniontown, with 811 votes ; Dry creek house, with 872 votes, and McDowellville, with 562 votes, were base forgeries upon the elective fran- chise and degrading to the ballot-box. But as noth- ing else could be done at the time, the affair had to lay over until January, 1857,/ when the Legislature met again, and Mr. G. McDonald introduced a bill in the Assembly providing for the removal of the county seat from Coloma to Placerville. This bill passed both houses, the Assembly first and then the Senate, with a large majority. And "it is almost needless to say," says the Mountain Democrat of February 28, 1857, in reference to the passage of this bill, "that the intelligence of the passage of the bill through the Senate was received here with the liveliest gratifica- tion. Our citizens seemed ' drunk with joy.'" Even. the most sanguine of the inhabitants of this place, in 'the spring of 1850, scarcely dared to hope that their village would ever attain a greater dignity than that of a temporary mining camp. All those that had mined here during 1849 asserted that the mines were worked out in this vicinity, and a sort of general stampede fol- lowed, so that the town during the early part of the
houses on Main street, where now the center of the business place is concentrated, had been abandoned by their then owners as valueless. The coming of the immense overland immigration of that year gave a new and unlooked-for impetus to business. Lots which, a few months previously, could be had by the mere act of taking, became valuable and in de- mand for the sites of stores and residences. The town at once extended itself along the banks of the creek, and a perfect mania for building seemed to possess the people; and as everyobdy calculated to profit from this emigration, the result, of course, was that more houses were built and more stores opened than the number of inhabitants required or the business of the place could support. Complaints of dull times and of tenantless houses followed, and again there were many who predicted that Placerville had seen
her best days. Just then the South Fork canal was commenced, and many indulged again in the most ex- travagant expectations, on account of the opening of new mining fields, which had not been worked before on account of the lack of water ; but now, with the water of the South Fork canal, Placerville had to ex- pect the whole benefit and could not miss the future greatness. But that work was undertaken at a time when labor, as well as material, were so high and money demanded such high interest that, in the hands of the original projectors, the completion of the work was impracticable, and as the difficulties to its com- pletion seemed insurmountable, again the public con- fidence in the permanent prosperity of Placerville was shaken. That great work passed into other hands, the difficulties were overcome and it was completed, to the incalculable advantage of the place and benefit of all pursuits. Notwithstanding the heavy disburse- ments consequent upon the agitation of the county seat question, the destruction of the most populous and valuable portion of the city by fire, and that de- pression in business and lack of confidence in Califor- nia's career from which Placerville, in common with all other cities of the State, so long suffered, she steadily made improvement.
Prior to the great conflagration of 1856 there were only very few stores and hardly any of the residence buildings erected in other than the most combustible materials. The buildings that were built after that catastrophe have been constructed quite substantial, and show that they were not designed for the day or the season, as of old, but for this and coming genera- tions.
It is possible that not all the citizens of Placerville do fully appreciate the advantages of the place or the beauties of its surroundings. Those of the pioneers, summer of 1850, was well nigh deserted. Lots and however, who have staid here for more than thirty
years, and found, when coming, nothing but the spot, not dreaming then that they would remain here for nearly a lifetime, when looking back on all the changes that have taken place since in town and coun- try ; how the city was growing to its present propor- tions ; how the barren or timber-covered but unpro- ductive-looking hills did make place for vineyards and orchards, and, by the use of irrigation, were enforced to yield a crop of vegetables that cannot be surpassed anywhere. First it was tried as an experiment, but the final result was the present productiveness of the valley, just sufficient for the daily need.
Placerville saw another season of prosperity when the mines in Washoe district began to attract the at- tention of the mining world, and the flush 'st and liveliest time commenced in her streets. There were no vacant houses, hotels were plenty and all were full,
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HISTORY OF EL DORADO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
stores were constantly receiving additions to their stock, the pioneer stages were running doby and al- ways crowded with passengers coming and going to Washoe; Baker's fast freight was doing a large busi_ ness besides, money was plenty and everybody pros- pering and consequently contented and happy, but the discouragement produced by causes beyond the control of men, did not fail to follow : No sooner was the Central Pacific Railroad finished as far as Cisco, and the cars were running up to the latter place, a distance of about ninety miles from Sacramento City, and the Pioneer Stage Co., as well as Baker's fast freight were moving their whole stock of coaches, fast freight wagons, teams etc., over to the Dutch Flat route carrying with them scores of men in their employ and dependent on them for their support. This was the most striking and sudden change for the whole country; but more so for Placerville particu- larly, and business began to show the decline rapidly ; but the depression came to a standstill, people began to throw off their discouragement, and appreciate the resources that this city possesses for the present sub- sistence, with a good prospect for future wealth in the lumber business, having an unlimited qualtity of the finest timber within 15 to 18 miles: and by means of agricultural and mining work, with a large extent of splendid agricultural land all around and a good many of the richest mines close by.
Placerville is the principal commercial place in the county, and is harboring the County, Court seat of El Dorado since twenty-six years now, and the County Hospital two years more. The daily mail from Sac- ramento commenced to arrive here about the middle of August, 1854, and the citizens ever since have en- joyed this comfort. The importance of Placerville may be seen also out of the number of stage lines that were running from this place to all parts of this county, to Sacramento, to the Southern mines and over the Sierra Nevada to Washoe. On account of their railroad, however, the Placervilleians had no good luck. For the purpose of taking the matter under consideration, a railroad-meeting was held here as early as November 16, 1854; the proposition was to build an extension to the Sacramento Valley Railroad, thien only planed, but ready to be commenced, from the terminus at Folsom up to Placerville, but the sub- ject rested after some agitation without further pro- ceedings. The agitation was renewed in 1863, and a public meeting held in Upper Placerville, on February, 16th, but the result was the same.
The communication of Placerville with other parts of the county or with the country further on by means of county or toll-roads is quite a perfect one; eight or
ten good mountain roads run from this place to all different directions of the compass.
The first overland mail stage arrived in Placerville on Monday, July 19, 1858, at 10 o'clock P. M., and many who were aware of the event hailed it with ardent manifestations of joy. Mr. W. M. Cary illu- minated his new hotel; from the lateness of the hour however, many had retired and from their ignorance of the arrival had not the satisfaction of expressing their joy upon the occasion. In order that all might have an opportunity of expressing their sentiments, large posters were distributed through the city next day, announcing that a grand jubilee would be held on the plaza that evening. The time was remarkably propitious for such a meeting, the city being crowded with people who had come here to attend to the various conventions just in session. But the petty strifes and bickerings of politics were forgotten, at least, for awhile in general warmth of general rejoic- ing. The large assemblage was called to order by F. A. Bee, Esq., who briefly stated the subject of the meeting. W. F. Stewart was called to the chair, and the people were addressed by G. D. Hall, D. K. Newell, and S. W. Sanderson, who acquitted them- selves creditably and to the entire satisfaction of the audience, who manifested their appreciation by vehement cheers. The celebration was completed by Dr. Pettit, who sent a beautiful balloon into the ethereal regions.
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